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Katherine V. Irvine wrote: <snip> > You tell me: if at least two of those dead people recently had weighting > and buoyancy problems, who is at fault? Who is at fault if this > ridiculous combination continues to be ENFORCED , even after the recent > spate of accidents. <snip> Kathy (or Ian): As I have said in private threads with you, the students are at fault. The students who take these classes are adult divers, presumably with experience. Buoyancy control is one of the last skills still taught in basic PADI beginner diving. If a competent tech student cannot be called upon to exercise their own knowledge, judgment, and skill of buoyancy control then there is a problem with the student. If a competent tech student is instructed to dive in a manner that they feel is dangerous (too deep/too heavy/too soon) and ignore all their experience and common sense, they have no one to blame except themselves. If they are not a competent student, do not have the knowledge, judgment, and skill that comes from experience then they do not belong in a tech class. If they find themselves in a class (say out of peer pressure, etc.), common sense dictates that the student realize before they are in the water that they are in over their head. Instructors have some responsibility, but ultimately its up to the student to decide to and conduct the dive. I've always conducted my diving at my pace, and at my discretion, using my head, and been responsible for myself. With an instructor or without. I think the agencies should include a test in the class at the beginning to see if the students are using their knowledge, skill and judgment. Have the instructor call the students to do something everyone knows would be too much-too soon or just plain dangerous. See if the students are still thinking. That should be lesson number one. Always think for yourself. Tom -- Guns and Armour of SCAPA FLOW 1998 Underwater Photographic Survey of Historic Wrecks http://www.gunsofscapa.demon.co.uk -- Send mail for the `techdiver' mailing list to `techdiver@aquanaut.com'. Send subscribe/unsubscribe requests to `techdiver-request@aquanaut.com'.
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