Posted by JRM on October 18, 2000 at 15:40:33:
In Reply to: Three good reasons to boycott PADI posted by Jim Hoffmann on October 18, 2000 at 09:51:46:
OK, I don't think the government has any great say in what standards are "safe" Anyone here taken the 40 hour OSHA HazWOp training? Talk about scary. After 40 hours of instruction and "3 days mandatory experience with a professional", a person is certified by OSHA to enter Hazardous Waste areas. Including confined spaces!!! What kind of whacko moron is going to run into a *real* L3 or L4 containment site after only 40 hours of training? Anyone, according to Uncle Sam.
I admit I got my cert through PADI this summer. And I'm in the middle of my PADI AOW right now (finishing in early Nov.). And you're right, in my class of six I would only depend on one of them. Heck, two of them are at least smart enough to be afraid to dive by themselves. But again, people are mistaking training for experience. But that'll be a rant I finish in another post here shortly...
Oh, and the reason I went PADI? I have a friend who I wouldn't trust in or out of the water. But he seems to think he's this diving deity. I mean this dude is *scary*. And he was a NAUI grad from the other local shop. I looked at what he got taught, and ran the other way! I'm glad I did. I feel I received excellent training, quite enough to do beginning level OW dives without professional supervision. I still prefer to dive with more experienced buddies (like my wife, with way over 500 dives), but I consider that personal prudence rather than a lack of training.
JRM
Boycott PADI? That's a great idea. All the people who have a clue about how to train divers bail on the largest training agency. That way all the sub-par folks can take your spot. That'll increase the level of training, *not*!