| In response to numerous threads re-speculation v evaluation of facts
As you may have summised, I have never had a problem speaking for myself so there's no need for anyone else to do it now. I have avoided passing comment upon the recent thread started by tbutler as I have no information in respect of her original search for information. I hope you find some answers, Honey, and my thoughts and prayers are with all those concerned.
Some points need clearing up here. Speaking on behalf of nobody else but myself, so I will avoid genereic references to fatalities. If any doubt remains, I'm talking of me and mine only. I have no right to pass comment on what others in my situation may feel.
1. No one forced me to either read or enter into debate on a public dive forum. That was my choice, driven by a desperate search for information to educate myself on a subject about which I knew nothing. That need has not lessened over time. I have had to read things I would rather not know about, but it had to be done. Arm-chair divers ever need a pin-up, I'm your gal. If divers cannot discuss diving on a dive forum, dunno where the hell you're supposed to do it. I elbowed my way in, because I needed to know more about the sport, not because I wanted to. Nevertheless my knowledge is limited and specific only to my fella's case, and I would not presume to discuss any technical or rebreather-specific points with anyone.
2. When I first posted on RWF, I acknowledged that discussion would inevitably follow, or else there was little point. I asked that this was done respectfully and with regard to my feelings and my Beloved's memory, and that people stayed safer because of it. On the whole, this has been done, so thanks guys. Was I distressed by his accident being discussed? You betcha, but it was the only means at my disposal of making some good come from an horrific situation. Otherwise, he died senselessly.
3. I asked that discussion was confined to the facts as they were presented to you. I did not wish speculation about what may or may not have happened to him to become attached by association. That would have caused distress, but it did not happen in that instance. You were given the details and the facts and I asked that you use them. The original thread and others that arose from it that were not specific to my fella's accident have been referred to many times. I would hope that some of the safety messages have by now migrated in to safer diving practices and training methodology. Charlie's suggestion of keeping the 'fact' and the 'speculation' separate is an excellent one.
4. 'Discussing hypothetical scenarios' and 'speculation' are one and the same, and such generic discussion is invaluable in making you all safer. 'What-would-you-do-ifs...' can save lives. See Tom Rose's comments in Rick's 'Why do we...'thread, and more recently the debate that arose from Stuart's excellent article on minimising fatalities. In addition, Karl has also starting a report index, which if you all start leaving politics and personal agendas out of it, has the potential become a valuable resource. Incidentally, that particular thread did cause me some upset at seeing the same arguments being discussed and the manner in which they were being discussed. Not Rick's starting post..but some of the replies. Hence my initial post on that thread rather looks like a bit of an over-reaction. It is not quite so evident now, as some respondents deleted their posts quite soon after mine appeared. Make of that what you will, but I have the guts to stand by what I write. Having seen that at least some of the discussion has been translated into action, then that is what the whole exercise was about. Sutty, I thank you for your contribution to that thread also, so sorry I omitted you earlier. All in all, a result of sorts. Most of my distress was caused by inactivity and at the prospect of the dive community failing itself through inaction. I think I made it quite clear that I addressed that to the community at large.
5. Distress at losing a good man is something I live with. There are others out there who may avoid that because of the lessons learned on this forum. That is an amazing thing when you think about it. And discussion on this forum will be instrumental in that, and you are all party to it. Would I do it the same way again? No. I'd have kicked your asses sooner, because it got results.
6. Be prepared for this list to be longer by morning. Mad as hell now, and YOU LOT as the experts need to know that you should not be refraining from discussing ANY issue that could save a life for fear of offending me while I'm lurking in the background. If that was the case I'd have kept my mouth shut in the first instance. Do it respectfully, keep it fact-based and specific, or keep it purely hypothetical, but do not mix the two. And then see that the yakking is carried through into action.
7. Open Revolution principles. See what happens when you type when you're mad? You omit important stuff like this. You guys gotta take note and start sharing info and working together pooling that brainpower, or you'll get nowhere. If you want to discuss the rights and wrongs of it, do it on the right forum in the right way without the chest-beating. This thread's mine.
Christine
Last edited by CeeBee : 10th January 2007 at 02:16.
Reason: Because I needed to and adding credit for contributions made.
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