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...

[Gary]

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.

The idiotic story of the inventor of SPARE-AIR has been cleaned up quite a bit to remove the most obvious idiocies since it's first publication.

One night I was lobster diving in the beautiful, clear cool waters off the coast of Catalina Island. After a short time, I realized I had failed to check my air supply. As I went to check it, I took a breath and discovered there wasn't one to be had. I panicked for a moment...got myself together and swam quickly toward the surface with the unnerving sense that it was too far away and I wouldn't make it! In this rush for the precious air far above at the surface, I began to black out...my only thought was... If I only had one more breath of air.

The cleaned up version above removed how having chased lobster all over the reef at 140', at night, separated from his buddy, and already having run the tank down to the point where the next breath wouldn't come he caught sight of a lobster and made another attempt to capture the critter while already on his last breath.

His final attempt ending because he was completely out of breath only then did he start up... as he ascended and realized he wasn't going to make it. "If I only had one more breath of air."

After being revived on the surface by emergency personnel he then goes on to make his millions pedaling "Spare-Air" and pretending to be some sort of hero for his invention.

The solution is not to stay with your buddy - or to monitor you air - or even to start up when your tank is empty. "It's OK" you can chase that last lobster after you are out of air and bring along a "SPARE-AIR" canister to give you that last breath.


Now we have the guy who thinks cave diving is dangerous because he did every stupid thing you can imagine and got bent. He spins a heroic story but was not inventive enough to turn it into a million dollar sales idea.

I suppose to prevent the spread of such ideas someone could stand up during his presentation and explain how his actions got him bent. At least it may prevent others from hiring him to tour the country telling his story over and over again to dive clubs impressed with his daring adventure and conclusions.