Posted by Kendall Raine on October 27, 2000 at 08:39:35:
In Reply to: Your most important advice? posted by JRM on October 26, 2000 at 15:56:14:
One principle only? Well, how about "Consider the value of free advice." Seriously, the internet is a wonderful avenue for communication, but it's unedited. The amount of silliness on this and other scuba forums is numbing. The best way to discriminate good advice from foolishness is using your own common sense tempered by experience. If you're low on experience, then seek out those who 1) can demonstrate a lot of experience in a variety of diving situations, and 2) can clearly and logically defend that advice. Sheer number of dives by itself is only marginally relevent and is often the first refrain of those whose bad practices have fossilized over the years. At the end of the day, however, it's your ass on the line so you'd better listen to your common sense and cultivate a sensitive antenna for BS. When things get ugly, odds are you'll only have your own common sense to solve the problem.