So we don't get LOCKED out of the other thread please express your true feelings about DIR. Now we don't want to exclude anyone so all are welcome unlike on the other post:) (If you don't get the sarcasm LIGHTEN UP!:p )
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So we don't get LOCKED out of the other thread please express your true feelings about DIR. Now we don't want to exclude anyone so all are welcome unlike on the other post:) (If you don't get the sarcasm LIGHTEN UP!:p )
So I'll start off. I don't know much about DIR techniques but I'm turned off by the name. What's right to one might be wrong to another but what gives ANYONE to say what's right when it comes to something like diving. If we were talking about a spelling bee sure it's either spelled right or wrong but diving is just to diverse to define what's right down to the smallest details.
The origin of the term actually came from an article written by George Irvine.
His article closed with:
Text emboldened by me for illustrative purposes.Quote:
....If it doesn't feel like fun, then it's not. If it's not clean and simple, it's not Hogarthian. If it's not Hogarthian, it's not right. If you're not doing it right, don't do it at all!”
Yes I knew that, I saw it under the DIR section a while back but it still doesn't really change my mind. The term just gives an image of I'm better than you. It just reminds me of those people who think their "poop" doesn't stink. I don't think its just me, but it rubs me the wrong way.
I got this in an e-mail:
I converted to DIR about 6 months ago and I have found that the philosophy extends way beyond diving. I think most people tend to view DIR as a gear configuration or diving objective type of thing but it really is a philosophy that you can use in other parts of your life. For instance, below are just some of the ways I've extended the DIR way of doing things into other areas of my life.
Last week some of my buddies came over to my house. Now, not all of them are divers but they do understand the DIR philosophy. So, first off, we all drink the same beer. This avoids any situations where you might be enjoying a lager and accidentally pick up an ale (or the other way around). That can be very uncool. That could quickly lead to a panic situation so we avoid it all together.
We also drink only from cans, no bottles. And we never put the beer in the refrigerator. It always goes in the ice chest in my living room. 47% of Drinking Related Incidents (DRI) occur when someone is going to the fridge for another beer so better to be safe than sorry. Of course, this is all rigged up while we're still 100% sober so there's no impaired judgment once things get cooking.
All of us wear a bungee necklace with a full beer on it just in case someone experiences an Out Of Beer (OOB) emergency. I can offer my already opened beer to my buddy and simply reach down and grab the backup off my beer necklace. And, without exception, we always use the 7 foot hose on the beer bong.
Of course, we don't stay in every night so when we do decide to go out we make sure we're still DIR. All of us wear exactly the same clothing:This may sound a bit silly or overdone but believe me, when you're penetrating a night club, knowing exactly what you buddies are dressed like can make all the difference in the world if you're hoping to snag some hottie. Let's say I see some cutie and just before I get up to go talk to her a waitress spills a drink in my lap? No problem, because I can always swap pants with my buddy. I don't have to worry if they match, because I know he's wearing Levi's 501's. Bam, swap pants and I can still complete my objective.
- Levi's 501 Jeans (button hole, straight leg)
- Gap Black T-Shirt
- Haynes boxer shorts, black
- Gold Toe socks, black
- Kenneth Cole shoes, Brad Pitt style
- G-Shock watch, black band
- Nylon belt, black, with military buckle
- Black Leather Jacket (optional, depending on weather conditions)
Editors note: Although not specified in this email I received, I believe it is important for each person to have the T-Shirt in size XL and the pants in 34 waist, and 34 inseam, shoes size 10 - independent of your actual size.. Keeping this standardized will make sure we all know exactly what our DIR friends have on.
One thing to keep in mind about night clubs is that you seldom want to penetrate a club on beer. I know, some of the macho jerks do this and brag to all of their buddies but believe me, it's not DIR. You have to do it on mixed drinks. Obviously the mix will be different on different nights but a good vodka tonic mix is pretty standard. Again, there's a right way and a wrong way to do this. You can't just order any old vodka or depend on some bartender to get the mix right. That's what the strokes do. No, you order Stoli vodka which has an excellent reputation in the DIR partying community. The correct blend is 2oz Stoli with tonic water poured over ice in a highball glass (lemon or lime optional). I always bring a testing kit with me and if the blend is off, I send it back. It's just not worth the risk and it's not DIR.
So you penetrate the night club and you've got a good mix, now it's time to meet the ladies. I should have said this earlier but watch your drink consumption. It's a well known fact that women look 25% - 30% better in a night club and if you get all narc'd up on vodka tonic, it increases your chances of a coyote ugly blackout. You have to keep your wits about you.
If it's early, you probably have pretty good viz. Later in the evening when the smoke silts up the room it'll be harder to make out the women on the other side of the club so get your headings early. On a few occasions I've had to bust out the wreck reel just to get to the bathroom and back.
If you are lucky enough to hook up with a nice hottie, this is when doing it right really can pay off. Now, let's face it, there's a certain degree of danger involved here that I don't want to downplay. You need to minimize your risks by using the proper equipment. I carry 2 condoms. One I put on . . . well you know, and the second I put on a bungee that goes around my waist. If there's a malfunction on my primary, I can quickly go to my backup without hardly skipping a beat.
So, as you can see from these pretty basic examples, DIR is not just for diving. It's something you can use in all areas of your life.
hahahahhahahaha .. hhahah :D j
*oops* Am I allowed to laugh at this? How come no one else is laughing?:confused:
I thought Thals post was pretty funny! I laugh at blonde jokes if they're good, so I am sure the DIR crowd would enjoy it too. :)
This old can of worms again.
In general, DIR divers are very well trained and, AFAIK, very competent divers. They ought to be with the amount of training and scenarios they do on every dive.
DIR is not for me as I prefer a bit more choice in how I kit up for a dive (eg using a FFM). I have definitely witnessed, first hand, some elitism from a few DIR divers but there are a few !!!!heads in all walks of diving so it is no big surprise.
AIUI, certainly in the UK, there is a bit of rebranding going on and there is a movement away from the name (not the philosophies) of DIR to the GUE brand.
Of course, I do have a sense of humour.. and I did find that quite funny...
I understand that there are some people who do think they are "elitest." But I also think that that way of thinking is not DIR specific. There are those kind of people in any agency. They just seem to stick out a bit more when they have GUE training, I guess.
I like most people, and it takes a special kind of jack arse for me not to like someone. How a person dives is not a factor for me, in whether or not I like them . I will only offer advice if asked for it, and don't pretend to know more than I do... I'm always on a learning curve, myself. IMO, there is something to be learned from everyone.
Anyway... I'm going to go back to lurk mode, and for anyone that takes the time to get to know me, or go for a dive with me, you'll know that I'm sooooo not an elitest. I just agree with GUE training.. It just makes sense to me. There are some dives I may or may not do with some that I do not feel are safe divers, but again... that is not agency specific. ;)
Cheers and safe dives...
GREAT post Ithalassamania I'm loving it, I couldn't stop laughing:) :) But come on this is a serious thread repost it to the humor section just so everyone can read it becasue I'd love to laugh my ass off again.:rolleyes: :)
The dive shop that I used to frequent when I was back in the UK had a significant GUE/DIR bias and many of my buddies dipped their toes into the 'dark side' and took DIR-Fundies.
Having talked to/dived with many of them, and several others since, I have always been impressed with the skill component of the GUE philosophy. The emphasis on Bouyancy control and proper finning techniques coupled with the overarching emphasis on safety has lead me to attempt to incorporate many elements into my own diving.
However, the fact is I cannot afford/be bothered to change my kit configuration to comply fully with the GUE ethos, plus, I cannot see my future diving plans going down the route of cave/ deep wreck penetration so I am quite happy with the system that i currently dive and as such I am content to sit on the sidelines and gently mock!:p
Most GUE trained divers that I have met have been lovely people, and fine divers, who are perfectly willing to dive with anybody. It is only on the Internet that i have ever come across the sort of 'evangelical' DIR newbie who will insist that "not using the entire DIR system means that you are an accident waiting to happen! :eek: ", these individuals are the sort who give GUE the bad rap and are usually slapped down pretty smartly by others who have vastly more experience/inwater time than them.
How many DIR divers does it take to change a lightbulb ?
Three! But it has to be the correct type of lightbulb :D
Please don't get me wrong. With the exception of divers who've come up through an AAUS sanctioned, Scripps Model, 100 hour training program (see Thal's Divie Stories) I've found DIR divers to be amongst the best trained divers out there. Sometimes they're a bit, well ... dogmatic, but an open minded GUE diver (and that's not always an oxymoron) is usually amongst the best the recreational world has to offer.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Chantelle
Wow, that is one of the MOST accurate statements I've seen posted in these forums!
Most people can appreciate a good joke and a little friendly ribbing. :)