OW instructor dislikes me

[navyhmc]

After planning a day of diving, my buddy wasn't able to make it. So since I drove three hours to the site, I decided to dive anyway. The problem arose when a couple of OW classes showed up for check outs. I went ahead and did my dives. One of the instructors gave me very unkind looks when I either went in or came out from a dive.

I can understand his displeasure a little as here he is teaching new divers and the buddy system and some tech looking guy with a dual bladder, pony and all goes in and starts down without a buddy. Wish he would have approached me and asked and I could have told him that I wasn't a reckless diver.

The nice thing is that one of his students did ask and I was able to explain that yes, solo diver was a recognized certification and what I was doing was well planned and was as safe a buddy diving, given that I was pretty much redunant in every aspect and the added risk was minimal at best. that and since they/he didn't have the training, the gear or the experience, they should not attempt this activity.

[cruzan]

Like you said he should have talked to you. Great answer to open water student. Being a newbie I know that I don't have the experience to dive solo. In many cases that is the problem people do not know their limitations.

[navyhmc]

Originally Posted by cruzan

Like you said he should have talked to you. Great answer to open water student. Being a newbie I know that I don't have the experience to dive solo. In many cases that is the problem people do not know their limitations.

That was my point. The only agency that has a solo course that I'm aware of is SDI. The course is very heavy on dive planning and gas management. Not to mention risk management and redundancy. The minimum nuber of dives logged is 100 to take the class. My instructor on the dives was not only looking at skill tests but also how comfortable you are in the water and dealing with things like the no mask swim.

[Crimediver]

Yeah, I get the stinkeye a lot when I am in that type of setting. Most of the time I am solo and no one is there to see. I have had quite a row with a lifeguard once in NC that got a bit heated. I have been soloing it since 1967 and have the SDI card just to help deal with authoritarian types. I went on a dive boat run by a LDS and they did not want to allow solo diver C-cards until it was pointed out that their instructor issued it. Hmmm... They did not know what to say then. It was pretty funny.

[BubblesMcCoy]

Too bad for the ow students that you didn't get to talk to. It would have been a good teaching point to show how much more training/gear/experience solo diving requires.

[fire diver]

LOL, I know what you are talking about. I've been in that situation numerous times.

I have even over-heard OW instructors telling their students that my diving was "advanced, and should only be attempted after the propper training". Of course I have also had the ones that look at me like I just stole thier thunder. I just smile and wave to them as I walk into the water.

The only real problems come up on private dive sites. I was unable to dive a couple weeks ago becuase the owners do not allow solo diving. I could have snuck in solo anyway, but it's not worth the hassle. Thier site, thier rules. Now the dive boat from the shop that trained the solo diver? THAT is funny!!

[scubadiver888]

People like the OWSI exist in all fields.

I used to be a university lecturer. After I left the university, to make some spare cash, I occasionally tutor students privately. I'll post ads around campus. I have the support of the Undergraduate Secretary. A few of the lecturers would see my ads, assume I was just doing the homework for the students and rip my ads down. I had one of them wait until I was walking away from posting an ad. As I walked away he came out of the lecture hall and ripped my ad down. I went back and talk to him about it. He refused to believe me; I asked him to talk to the Undergraduate Secretary. He refused and said he would continue to rip down my ads.

Some people are just going to believe what they are going to believe and no amount of discussion is going to change their minds. I suspect solo divers will meet the same kind of resistance.

Additionally, the guy who rips down my ads is not an old lecturer set in his ways. He was a twenty-something grad student. The tenured lecturers knew who I was and had no problem with me.

[Okc_diver]

Originally Posted by scubadiver888

Additionally, the guy who rips down my ads is not an old lecturer set in his ways. He was a twenty-something grad student. The tenured lecturers knew who I was and had no problem with me.

sounds like he was an ass and mad that you thought of that first.

[navyhmc]

Originally Posted by Okc_diver

sounds like he was an ass and mad that you thought of that first.

I think he was looking at 888 as tutoring competition and was looking for an excuse to rip down his ads. But you're right-probably a mad-ass.

[scubadiver888]

Originally Posted by navyhmc

I think he was looking at 888 as tutoring competition and was looking for an excuse to rip down his ads. But you're right-probably a mad-ass.

I considered the possibility his ego was hurt. Maybe he couldn't accept the idea that his students needed extra help. The thought that his ability to teach wasn't enough for his students offended his ego. Who knows.

The sad part was he was a horrible Teaching Assistant and took the job so he'd have money to pay for his degree. Totally incompetent people (smart Computer Scientists but lousy Teachers) could get hired because of union rules. I can get work at the university as a Lecturer but don't have the time. I have the time to be a Teaching Assistant but it is unionized and students get priority over graduates and former lecturers.