Posted by Wayne on January 05, 2001 at 11:34:49:
In Reply to: Re: Promoting vs. Discussing/Solo posted by Kevin on January 05, 2001 at 08:53:47:
Your example shows the crux of the problem. The newbie in unfamiliar gear had no business on this dive, in my opinion. He is the kind of diver that I think should have been forced to hire a divemaster as his buddy/sitter. Had he been buddied with you, the pleasure dive you bought and paid for would have been ruined.
From the other side, if you had been paired with him he would have been carefully watched and monitored and lead around on a very safe dive. The pleasure dive he bought would have been enhanced and his margin of safety would have increased. Being put into a "group" I think he was much safer than if he went alone, but he was not as safe as if he was in a one-on-one buddy team.
So which way was a safer dive? The dive with you would have been a "safer dive" because he would have been watched more closely. Your safety would not be enhanced by his presence (and a little diminished on the off chance you had to rescue him), and it is doubtful you would have relied on him for rescue. But overall the arrangement would have been safer (lower odds of a diver injury). So the "industry" would rather have you stuck with buddy/sitting duties, but you paid for a fun dive and deserved to take it.
I think it is unfair to have a boat's DM force us to take on another diver and still have us pay full fare. We lose the ability to do our dive with our preselected buddy (if any). For instructors and divemasters, at least there is insurance coverage in case the buddy gets hurt. But for the normal diver, this adding of a newbie buddy comes with a potential financial liability.
Last year I made up a liability release that I make people sign to dive with me. Ken Kurtis (although not a lawyer, he has played one on TV) was a great help -- thanks again. It is available to anyone, just email me.
Do I support the buddy system? Absolutely. Do I think buddy diving is safer than solo diving? Yes, normally. Do I prefer to dive with a buddy? Yes. Do I think newbies should be paired up? No. Do I have an answer to the problem? Sadly, no.
Wayne