Christian Gerzner wrote:
> Bjorn, you well know what I think of such as "Discover" courses.
>
> I should perhaps have written Discover "courses".
Just as a matter of ensuring that the devil is given his due, they are
actually not sold or labelled as "courses". They are called "experiences".
>> There are lots of other adventure activities we don't necessarily
>> require medicals for, but where the danger to somebody with a hidden
>> condition is just as high.
>
> The problem with most, if not all the others, in this genre is that
> they are PERCEIVED as being dangerous:
I don't know that anyone considers diving safe, no matter how it is
marketed. Lots of people have a healthy fear of sticking their head
underwater, and I credit the general population with sufficient intelligence
to instinctively realize that diving is not inherently safe.
> 99.9% of people have absolutely no clue of the problems related to
> pressure (inter alia) underwater
But they do have an in-depth (no pun intended) understanding of drowning, so
I respectfully disagree that any marketer can make the general population
believe that diving is safe right off the bat.
>> whose mental health and sometimes livelihood
>> are endangered by people who take diving
>> courses or experiences knowing that they shouldn't.
>
> But do they? Really? I'm simply asking the question, not knowing what
> the form says.
They do it all the time. Sometimes, their lying is caused simply by their
own wish to go through with it, now that they have dragged themselves all
the way to the shop. And sometimes, regrettably, it is heavily inspired by
the instructors saying, "you have to fill in this form. How truthful you are
is your own business, just understand that if you answer "yes" to any of the
questions, you can't dive today....."
> I'd hazard a guess, however, that it DOES'NT say, words to the effect
> of, "if you do not properly address this questionnaire and answer as
> truthfully as you can, all bets are off because we have to take you at
> your word and if you lied, why, you could then quite possibly die".
More or less it does. The actual statement is "The information I have
provided about my medical history is accurate to the best of my knowledge. I
agree to accept
responsibility for omissions regarding my failure to disclose any existing
or past health condition."
That statement is accompanied by another form, called Liability Release and
Assumption of Risk, which references the medical form and many other areas.
But as for the medical form, you'd be surprised at how explicit it actually
is. The opening text goes like this:
QUOTE
The purpose of this Medical Questionnaire is to find out if you should be
examined by your doctor before participating in recreational diver training.
A positive response to a question does not necessarily disqualify you from
diving. A positive response means that there is a preexisting condition that
may affect your safety while diving and you must seek the advice of your
physician prior to engaging in dive activities.
Diving is an exciting and demanding activity. When performed correctly,
applying correct techniques, it is relatively safe. When established safety
procedures are not followed, however, there are increased risks. To scuba
dive safely, you should not be extremely overweight or out of condition.
Diving can be strenuous under certain conditions. Your respiratory and
circulatory systems must be in good health. All body air spaces must be
normal and healthy. A person with coronary disease, a current cold or
congestion, epilepsy, a severe medical problem or who is under the influence
of alcohol or drugs should not dive. If you have asthma, heart disease,
other chronic medical conditions or you are taking medications on a regular
basis, you should consult your doctor and the instructor before
participating in this program, and on a regular basis thereafter upon
completion. You will also learn from the instructor the important safety
rules regarding breathing and equalization while scuba diving. Improper use
of scuba equipment can result in serious injury. You must be thoroughly
instructed in its use under direct supervision of a qualified instructor to
use it safely. If you have any additional questions regarding this Medical
Statement or the Medical Questionnaire section, review them with your
instructor before signing.
UNQUOTE
The form goes on to privide a very detailed instruction to the examining
physician, outlining relative and absolute contraindications, and providing
a list of diving physicians that can be consulted, including their e-mail
address. The areas addressed are cardiovascular, neurological, pulmonary,
gastrointestinal, orthopaedic, hematological, metabolic and
endocrinilogical, otolaryngological, and behavioral health issues. There is
also a bibliography.
The bottom line, as I see it anyway, is that while one may like or dislike
some of the courses offered, or the contents thereof, the myth that the
agencies do not inform of the potential dangers of diving before letting
students into the water is hogwash. To some degree, dive shop owners and
instructors are guilty of trying to downplay those risks, and in some
marketing material the agencies have been, too, the most infamous example
being the comparison of diving with bowling :-) . But before so much as
being let into the gear fitting room, students ARE, in fact, presented with
enough warnings in black and white. As far as I am concerned, once they put
their John Hancock on those forms, they should stop whining about the agency
and start accepting responsibility for their own actions.
If you examine my record on agency-related issues, you'll find that 99.9% of
the time I come down on the agency's side. I genuinely believe that all the
agencies do a good job of providing material to inform students and divers
of the inherent dangers of diving. As always, the failure is on the
execution-side of the business, whether driven by hard-pressed shop owners
or lazy instructors, or both.
Bjorn
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