Mailing List Archive Mailing List Archive
-----Original Message----- From: Mike Zimmerman <zimmmt@au*.al*.co*> To: techdiver <techdiver@aquanaut.com> Date: Wednesday, February 25, 1998 10:28 AM Subject: Re: Divers Supply, IANTD, Tom Mount and tragic technicaldiving -Reply >> apparently tried to go back down to save Andre, who was NOT fit.). You may >> feel its the right of an obese diver without aerobic fitness to dive deep, >> but IF WE KNOW HIS CHANCES OF DEATH ARE EXPONENTIALLY GREATER than that of a > >It doesn't matter what WE know, it matters what HE knows. If HE knows >of the added risk and still chooses to push forward that is HIS decision. > >Who are YOU to decide what risk level is too much. The risk of divers >in general is EXPONENTIALLY GREATER than those who stay on land to >play golf. Should someone come along and tell us we can't dive >at all? Or should we be grown-ups and let those involved decide >what risk level they choose to assume? > >> fit diver, then is it RIGHT to endorse his potentially suicidal choice by >> certifying him??? > >It is not your RIGHT to play big brother, only an advisor. > >> And is it right to allow him to be lost to his wife and >> children, just because he wanted to "prove" he could do something. And if > >Talking in general here, you seem to be saying that a fit diver can >get certified b/c they want to progress, but an unfit diver only >wants the certification to "prove" something? > >As I've said before (in rec.scuba), caring about people is a damn worthy >and laudable trait, but part of that caring means not trampling their >rights to make decisions for themselves. Make them aware of the risks, then >make them aware again. After that its up to them. You either respect the idea >of personal repsonsbility, or you decide people can't handle it, and thus >are not responsible for themselves. Frankly I can't endorse the latter even >though we see it every day. The only way to encourage the former is >to demand it and accept nothing less. If you want people to be responsible >for themselves then you have to let them do it, not keep stepping into >their lives and trying to make their decisions for them. > > >Mike Mike, All I'm really doing is adding one more training aspect to the certification. I imagine you will agree that EVERY new diver should be "forced" to go through a "training class" and "training dives" to ultimately be granted the certification----your opinion above could be taken out of context, to imply the "personal Freedom" loving divers want to have their deep certification cards mailed to them, and they don't feel they should have to learn any skills, any information, or demonstrate any ability---it is simply their right to dive deep if they want, and IANTD or TDI ought to just mail them a card if they pay for it. I do not think this is what you are suggesting, but it is still related. All I want to do is add a fitness standard to the skill set that must be completed. Anyone willing to "train" to become a tech diver, should be able to accomplish the minimum fitness standards, if they want to tech dive bad enough. The ONLY divers that will get excluded, are the horrible fat slobs with zero aerobics, no will power to fitness train for their goal, and the ones that smoke several packs of cigarettes or ounces of pot daily---these need to be excluded for their fitness failures, or the rampant deaths their certifications will result in, will cause dive charter boats to equate all tech diving certification as suspect, and they will deem it unsafe for them to take tech divers out. Mike, this is ALREADY happening. I can give you the names of MANY dive boats in Florida who have seen so many deaths, they will NOT take tech divers out any more. If you don't want to adress this problem, because of the personal freedoms it conflicts with, you will be working toward forcing each of us to have to buy their own boat, and dive with an unskilled crew sitting on our own boat. This will get scary. Regards, Dan -- Send mail for the `techdiver' mailing list to `techdiver@aquanaut.com'. Send subscribe/unsubscribe requests to `techdiver-request@aquanaut.com'.
Navigate by Author:
[Previous]
[Next]
[Author Search Index]
Navigate by Subject:
[Previous]
[Next]
[Subject Search Index]
[Send Reply] [Send Message with New Topic]
[Search Selection] [Mailing List Home] [Home]