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I don't agree with your part about "to maximize safety -- is *always* the primary goal". I believe that there comes a point of diminishing return. Where maximum safety adversely affects the ability to achieve original objectives. I dive to enjoy it. I try to do so as safely as I can, without getting too crazed about it. I make mistakes and learn. But I will not wear everything suggested and worn as suggested simply to be status quo. There I said it! (ok, I said it again, but it's been quieting down on the list lately). Mark Brown, Christopher wrote: > > 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. > > -- > Send mail for the `techdiver' mailing list to `techdiver@aquanaut.com'. > Send subscription/archive requests to `techdiver-request@aquanaut.com'. -- Send mail for the `techdiver' mailing list to `techdiver@aquanaut.com'. Send list subscription requests to `techdiver-request@aquanaut.com'.
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