Negative PR

[MUT]

This was on a web site that was sent to me today. (www.twinquarries.com)

Mark xxxxxx will present: "Getting Bent" it's a firsthand experience on being bent cave diving in 1995. It's has been 14 years since the accident. The talk will be about what happened, why it happened, how it affected my life of diving. This is a first hand and honest talk about getting bent by someone who knows.

I believe that individuals like this give cave divers everywhere as well as the sport a bad name. This guy stayed up all night drinking trying to get with some college girl more than twice his age. In the morning in a sad attempt to show off while hung over and zero sleep decided to do a dive at Ginnie Springs where he surprise surprise got himself bent. Of course he shares a different story, one that is almost heroic.
Now instead of learning from his mistakes and appreciating the fact that he was granted the opportunity to live through the ordeal he wants to give speeches to local divers on how dangerous cave diving is and that you will get bent doing it.
How do we as a community stop people spreading such a negative perspective of this sport??

[sskasser]

Speakers generally require a forum of some sort to spread their message. If no forum exists, they will have a harder time promoting their message.

Have you expressed these concerns to the dive shop that sent you the promotional message?

[newman_diver]

It's like the guy who breaks his leg while mountain biking and then telling everyone that they shouldn't mountain bike because they will break a leg.

Getting bent is a risk of diving. From what you've said it sounds like he may have increased the likeliness of getting bent.

Maybe someone should attend his presentation and shine some light on the "actual" situation.

There's always going to be anti cave diving advocates out there and we'll just have to outshine the bad with good.

[Me]

This was on a web site that was sent to me today. (www.twinquarries.com)

Mark xxxxxx will present: "Getting Bent" it's a firsthand experience on being bent cave diving in 1995. It's has been 14 years since the accident. The talk will be about what happened, why it happened, how it affected my life of diving. This is a first hand and honest talk about getting bent by someone who knows.

I believe that individuals like this give cave divers everywhere as well as the sport a bad name. This guy stayed up all night drinking trying to get with some college girl more than twice his age. In the morning in a sad attempt to show off while hung over and zero sleep decided to do a dive at Ginnie Springs where he surprise surprise got himself bent. Of course he shares a different story, one that is almost heroic.
Now instead of learning from his mistakes and appreciating the fact that he was granted the opportunity to live through the ordeal he wants to give speeches to local divers on how dangerous cave diving is and that you will get bent doing it.
How do we as a community stop people spreading such a negative perspective of this sport??

Are you sure that's the intent of his message? I just looked at the site and it doesn't give any indication to the "slant" of his message. Maybe he's going to tell the guests that "he drunk like a fish, stayed up late, and chased tail and then did a technical dive and got bent", and he made those mistakes before a technical dive and is now paying for it???

On another note, you stated he tried to get with a college girl "twice his age". Was he 10 and she 20? I assume you mean "half his age".

[jkaterenchuk]

I do not think there is enough information to make a judgement on the presenters story or motivation. If you have not seen the pain first hand of someone getting bent then the concept and risk cannot be given the true respect it deserves.

Just like many people have the feeling that "it can't happen to me"...."he screwed up and I would never make the same mistake" the real magnitude of our decision to dive after carefully understanding the risk cannot be properly considered unless the effects of being bent both on the diver and their family have been seen first hand. Anything that helps other internalize the dire consequences of diving with this risk and adjusting their behaviours is a good thing from my perspective.

John

[imdown]

I got bent...took a chamber ride...got evaluated... and carry on with diving. No big deal...don't have desire to talk about it. Just something that occurred and I'm glad to be able to continue diving.

[MengTze]

"Hi, My name is, ehm.... 'Bob' I did a cave dive and I was bent......"

What is this? BCDA? (Bent Cave Divers Anonymous).

So what if the guy represents his version, or anyone else's version? Does someone here need luv? Did a shoulder or elbow hurt? Did we ride table 6?

[aainslie]

Is there a cave diver who's got their Abe Davis in Florida and HASN'T gotten bent? If so, I'll submit they've spent too much time at Peacock...

[MengTze]

Is there a cave diver who's got their Abe Davis in Florida and HASN'T gotten bent? If so, I'll submit they've spent too much time at Peacock...

Highly probable indeed. What are the odds? (hint, hint)

[Sludge]

Is there a cave diver who's got their Abe Davis in Florida and HASN'T gotten bent? If so, I'll submit they've spent too much time at Peacock...

???

I make about thirty dives a year at Jackson Blue. I've never been bent and I don't expect I'll ever BE bent.