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Finally, Paul Pretorius brought up the *actual* topic of the pissing contests we see all the time on the diving lists: risk management. Others have a sense of it, some have used the word "risk" in trying to develop explanations and arguments, but Paul, in his highly perceptive post, actually said the magic word and wins the cigar. Here's the best line in his recent post: "Having said that, how many of us on here have the experience to determine the risk and probabilities accurately?" Risk management, perceived risk, acceptable risk, target risk -- slippery subjects, very hard to discuss because they are difficult aspects of human psychology -- always get drowned in urine-soaked disagreements, with everyone involved compounding the problem by thinking all the while that it's a disagreement over *safety*. Safety is what we're going for, certainly -- and the answers may be in the details -- but the *point* of the effort is always *risk management*. Often there's a long discussion over something as silly as "which hand should I use to open the buckle on my harness -- and would someone please create a web site showing me how?" Then there are the gear config. battles. How about the recent independent /manifold thread? That was really fun: sometimes independents are "OK" -- when they are used as "stages" -- or "sidemounts". Then they're not OK -- when used as "back-mounts". But your gas management -- and the risk management that guides it -- are varying all over the place. Applications, techniques, and configs. *change* -- but doing the best you can to manage the risk,to maximize safety -- is *always* the primary goal. It never changes. But then, if you use 121's you're an idiot. Yet, if you use them as bail-outs for a rebreather, you're smart. What a bunch of silt. The *nomenclature* for a tank of gas changes *as its application changes*:"stage", "sidemount", "bail-out", "primary" -- and as the application changes, it does so according to the *risk management* needs -- of the *individual* using the gear -- and making the *particular* dive. Yet, as seen in the indep./manif. thread, there was no allowance for the variables of risk management. Then we get into "experience" questions, number of dives, attitude/psychological states, male vs. female, training, physical cond., etc., etc. -- in *every* case, the real issue is *risk management*. No matter what you do, or don't do, wear or don't wear, what kind of environment you dive, how deep you go, how far you penetrate -- whatever -- it all comes down to *individual* modes of risk management. And individuals are as different as snowflakes. "Personal preference" is a term, always used derisively on the net, which simply describes multiple and varying levels of individuals' *risk management* ability -- something that changes (hopefully improves) constantly for responsible divers. Risk management is even at the core of the ubiquitous catch-phrases such as "Rule #1", "use the long hose", etc. And Rich Pyle's ""WHATEVER happens is COMPLETELY and ENTIRELY your own responsibility!" The ultimate effect (benefit) of these discussions, ideally, would be that each of us evaluates the info we find according to *personal, realistic* risk management assessment -- instead of tunnel-vision nit-picking, pissing contest ball-clacking, etc. Discussions of gear, system designs, training, organizations -- everything -- have the fundamental, but rarely addressed, question of risk management that doesn't get adressed. I hope in coming discussions it's a subject that gets the focus/interest/analysis that, IMHO, it deserves/needs. That way, pissing contests can be saved for beer parties, risk can be minimized for everyone, and we all become better divers. Quiz: name the *only* diving apparatus that guarantees you the chance to massage your gums and provides an *unlimited* breathing mix supply when used properly. A: Denta-Snork, of course! Christopher A. Brown The Technical Diving Video Library (TDVL) http://www.neuro.fsu.edu/dave/docent.htm (US & Canada): 1-800-373-7222 Outside US:904-942-7222 Fax:904-942-1240 Life is short -- this is not a rehearsal.
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