In article <20010129025936.18937.00000303@ng-fd1.aol.com>,
ne333ro@aol.com (NE333RO) wrote:
> > Divers who lack training, experience or their
> >own equipment should be designated as high-risk customers and
excluded
> >according to fixed rules from certain types of diving and dive sites.
>
> How do you intend to find out about their training and
experience? Ask
> them? Check their log book? Make them do some checkout dives?
> I can't count the number of times I've heard divers tell everyone
how great
> they were, and how many patches they have, but are unable to even
assemble
> their gear properly.


Of course. Divers who cannot assemble their gear who will be required
to accept more conservative limits.


Ditto with log books. God knows, nobody ever doctors
> those.


Such divers fool nobody but themselves and should be "invited" to dive
elsewhere.


> As far as checkout dives go, why should I have to "prove" myself
(unless
> they wan't to supply a free dive) everytime I want to take a wall
dive.


Better operators integrate checkout dives into a liveaboard or day
charter schedule without necessarily announcing it. Essentially, the
first dive of the day or week is rather conservative and designed so
that staff can checkout customers (starts with observation of divers
assembling their gear) and so that customers who may not have been
diving for awhile can checkout themselves.


> I hold an OW cert from NASDS, have 0 logged dives,


According to NASDS standards and procedures, if you have 0 logged
dives, you could not be certified as an Open Water diver.


and on occassion choose
> not to cart my gear along on vacation. Does this mean I shouldn't be
allowed to
> do any dive I feel is safe for me?
>

CORRECT. Divers who are willing to entrust their lives to rental
equipment should not be given the same degree of respect and freedom as
divers who bring their own gear and dive with equipment that fits
properly and that they are familiar with. While this policy may
occasionally impose unnecessary limits on an experienced diver, in
general, it will enhance dive safety by appropriately limiting those
who are not serious enough about diving to purchase or bring their own
gear. Most divers who have their own gear understand the safety
benefits and avoid rental gear. The vast majority of divers who do not
dive with their own gear tend to be rather casual about diving, a high-
risk group that is largely the result of resort training experiences.

Finally, such rules should be stated up-front so that divers who object
to policies aimed at enhancing dive safety can select less
conscientious dive operators who take the money and bank on waivers and
insurance policies to reduce the inherent risks of diving.

Carla Fairbanks


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