Ding ding ding ding ding. Give this man a Cigar (but don't smoke it - they're bad for you and you might die!)

All this card-checking nonsense has led to truly outrageous results - like the lawsuit against the Seeker and everyone around when Murley died.

If you're not familiar with the case, the guy had a heart attack on the surface. He never submerged for his dive! Objectively, from a physical fitness perspective, he had no business being where he was. There is every reason to believe that he would have had the same heart attack (and died) if he had taken a quick trip up a couple of flights of stairs - after all, they DID get CPR started reasonably quickly on the guy as he was on the surface when it happened.

It sucks that he's dead, but suing people over such a death is an outrage. Yes, I understand people were deeply hurt.

That does not justify lashing out in an intentional attempt to hurt others.

(The suit failed - after years and an attempt to get it heard in two different jurisdictions - federal and state! At what cost was that defended against?!)

As soon as we start deciding that we can take responsibility for someone else's decision, no matter in what fashion, to dive or not to dive, we then set the stage for someone to try to question our judgement when that person has a bad outcome.

With control does - and should - come responsibility.

If I am qualified to "certify" you to dive in a certain place or with a certain piece of equipment, then if I'm later proven wrong by you killing yourself I should be held legally and morally responsible for my error in judgement.

Only by eschewing control over others do you have a right to insist that they take responsibility for their own actions.

Further, it is my contention that only through insisting that people take responsibility for their own actions is an honest evaluation of risk by an individual ever made. If a diver knows in advance that he has exactly one person who is accountable for his choice to stick his or her head underwater - themself - they WILL think about it.

If someone else has told them "its ok", then it is human nature to rely on that representation.

IMHO this sort of "buck-passing" is responsible for many of those who get injured or worse.

If we instead, as individuals and as an industry, adopt the posture that a dive boat (or dive site) is a taxicab or city bus we are far ahead. If you choose to disembark in a bad neighborhood and subsequently get mugged attempting to sue the taxi or bus company simply doesn't happen.

Until and unless we adopt this posture, we will face increasing incremental attacks on our diving - many will fail but for each one that succeeds - and some will - our right to enjoy the water will diminish until the hassle and expense are no longer worth the benefit and pleasure we derive.

I see this as a purely black-and-white issue in all respects, and dismiss the "second order" problems (e.g. that someone else might find their diving restricted if I kill myself) as purely the product of the nanny-like interference, rather than my meeting St. Peter the day prior. You cannot plant a poison tree and then subsequently complain when the fruit kills the poor guy who eats it.

Diving is, in my opinion, in the same realm as mountain climbing. Your screw-up, if you commit one, affects you (and your family), along with those who decided of the own volition to accompany you. All involved had a vote and voice in the decision to be there and thus none can cry foul if/when a bad outcome ensues. This is decidedly different than driving a car or piloting an airplane, where screwups frequently involve innocent bystanders who not only didn't get a vote but in many cases aren't even aware of the potential risk (who thinks about an airplane falling on their house as a rational risk they might be facing?)

The sooner divers adopt this attitude and insist that those who they deal with commercially do so as well (under pain of losing their business) the sooner we will protect our right and ability to get wet when, where and with whatever gear we choose.