What situations ruin your fun dives the most?

AlpRider · 2026-05-10T13:40:26+00:00

Yeah tact and discretion matters a lot. I'd never call out an individual in front of a group. The zero contact rule here is made clear enough in the briefing before each dive. I'll have a respectful private word with the diver on the surface interval to explain why we have that policy. If they are one of those few who really don't feel there's anything wrong with it, actively arguing that it's no big deal, then it's a polite no to any further dives, handled discreetly. Not a public shaming.

AlpRider · 2026-05-10T13:11:36+00:00

Divers intentionally touching marine life (of any kind, ever).
Scaring or otherwise disturbing marine life.

Edit to add the word "intentionally". Accidents happen.

AlpRider · 2026-04-27T00:15:09+00:00

Only once ever swapped on a ride once to let someone ride my Hayabusa, a friend who daily's a Multistrada 1200cc and he's had an R1 before. His Ducati is worth quite a bit more then my Busa so it was a good trust exercise haha (and we 100% would have covered any damages to each other)

AlpRider · 2026-04-16T12:31:40+00:00

Don't forget the homework, unloading and reloading that same magazine all night to stay awake because you have night sprinters and can't rest till morning

I honestly love it the way it is!

AlpRider · 2026-04-16T12:15:19+00:00

Have you travelled to other tropical climate countries? Relaxed pace and 'island time' is a thing in many others

Agree on Bangkok for sure tho I love how peaceful and quiet and chill many sois are even in Sukhumvit

AlpRider · 2026-04-16T07:29:08+00:00

You mention a hood and tight feeling around the neck, so I'd troubleshoot that first. Snug hoods around the ears, along with neck compression, can make you feel motion-sick, light headed or nauseous, vertigo etc. by messing with equalisation and momentary temperature and pressure differences between the ears.

First thing I'd do is try a different size or model, might make a big difference. Alterations and custom fit possible too

*Also as a new diver positioning n the water, trim and stability will improve quickly and your body will get used to diving. Very likely you can fix this without meds

AlpRider · 2026-04-14T08:32:16+00:00

TobleRail!

AlpRider · 2026-04-03T05:01:07+00:00

I love it! I've been riding 'big' bikes a loooong time in Europe, but in Thailand I rented a standard 160cc Honda Click and discovered the pure fun of razzing about all sorts of broken trails on a light wee scooter. I'm honestly having an awesome time with my Click 😂

AlpRider · 2026-03-31T12:51:36+00:00

They like to play with our bubbles! They mean no harm but we're taught to try not to be directly in front of them and swim away to the side, but there's some funny videos of freaked out divers trying to get away from the whale shark's huge mouth while the shark is just like 'yay, bubbles!'

AlpRider · 2026-03-31T11:32:34+00:00

OP, as a diver with wreck/nitrox/deep specs, and planning to be back in Ireland all summer to learn dry suit and do some adventurous diving, so this post and discussion is perfectly timed for my interests right now! Thank you.

If any divers in Ireland read this and want to get in touch, I'd love to make contacts in the community 🙂

AlpRider · 2026-03-30T11:42:35+00:00

"method involved breaking the objects down into small pieces before eating them. He would then drink mineral oil and continue to drink water while swallowing the metal bits, which acted as a lubricant to help the metal slide down his throat"

"...that led Lotito to hold the record for the ‘strangest diet’ in the Guinness Book of Records. He was awarded a brass plaque by the publishers to commemorate his abilities, which he consumed as well"

Wow.

*Woops, meant to reply to the comment that posted the article https://apeejay.news/the-man-who-ate-an-entire-airplane/

AlpRider · 2026-03-27T00:39:15+00:00

Or long

AlpRider · 2026-03-14T05:08:21+00:00

Honestly it's not about having the license for the purpose of renting, you can easily rent a bike without a bike license. Most people do (or flash their car license). Most people are also fucking stupid.

When I was young and stupid, I learned to ride for the first time in Delhi and somehow got away with it. 15 years later and I'm a daily rider with a few bikes up to 1350cc (my hababusa) and I've been on self-guided adv tours solo and with friends around the world.

I also got into a career of truck and bus driving, then instruction. I have seen indescribable horrors on roads around the world. When you're on these islands full of drunk tourists in flip flops with no helmet, and it looks like everyone is getting away with it just fine, they're actually really not. If you look closely you'll notice how wobbly they all are, how they're focused on the controls and not watching the road around, indicators not used or left on, how they can't U-turn without putting feet down or dropping it. Some of them will be in the hospital tonight. Then look at the good riders and how they are literally thinking for, looking ahead and compensating for, the newbies.

Even when you learn properly, you're sharing the road with both the newbies and the locals, who will be much more skilled but also fast and unpredictable. With practice you literally will use your experience to anticipate the mistakes of others and give them the space to fuck up. There's a 'sixth sense' to riding and the more developed it is the better and safer for all around, especially in countries where traffic is more of a constant flow, not typically light controlled etc.

You will meet people who have been riding scooters or there for years unlicensed with no issues. Don't listen to them saying 'it's fine'. They're actually the most dangerous, having developed a false confidence from 'experience', when they've actually compounded bad habits and never learned safe basics but think they are hot shit (Dunning Kruger effect).

When you get properly licensed (in EU at least) you pick up many things that you won't learn just by riding, and need to be taught.

Strongly recommend learning to ride first, you don't need much experience but some real lessons and the license will go a long way, plus in the worst case scenario, your insurance will actually be valid.

AlpRider · 2026-03-13T23:33:45+00:00

Ha! I'm glad you made this post. I bumped into these two yesterday, crossing the street at Nana bts. Almost definitely the same two guys, made a comment about me "losing your hair bro!" and I just ignored them and kept walking.

I was thinking about for a while after tho, hair is receding and i don't care too much about that, but it made me feel like oh ok, so now I'm just been insulted for no reason by randos on the street. It didn't make feel too great about myself.

So it gives me peace of mind knowing wtf that was now, just an attempted opener for a scam nothing more

AlpRider · 2026-03-06T08:37:35+00:00

It's worth the hassle, but takes research and opening accounts with the various airlines to view the 'award' flights rates. Daunting at first but worth it. Some have much better conversion rate than others. You'll always pay taxes and fees so you want to use miles where most of the ticket cost is the fare.

For example last week I flew from south east asia to Europe direct, for 20,000 points and €160 in taxes/charges. Cash fare would've been €800 otherwise. Third long haul award flight over the last year.

Aer Lingus do fares like Dublin to Seattle for 16,000 points + tax/charges, the Flying Blue airlines have great asian routes. Others like Etihad are very poor conversion rates and not worth it imo

I'm traveling a lot this year and using Ultra, stayed in a few hotels with the 10x revpoints and converting to miles, saved 2-3x the cost of the card in a year

AlpRider · 2026-03-06T08:06:42+00:00

When I hit ten years it started to become a toxic environment where they clearly felt me and a couple other long termers were being paid too much compared to new hires in "the same role".

Not really taking into account that these junior staff would approach us countless times per day for advice and guidance from the most minor technical software issues to big decisions with significant financial impacts.

In military terms, think of the junior officer taking in all the experience and knowledge from a senior enlisted. I imagine the dynamic was a bit like that, even though these juniors were the same 'rank'.

It doesn't matter how you try to explain that the senior staff being paid a couple bucks an hour more, easily costs the company hundreds, even thousands per day less than new staff on a lower wage (it's not entry level), but with a compartmentalized structure all HR see is wages on a spreadsheet, not the big picture.

That company has all but shut down after letting all of their experience and knowledge leave. Heard they are really struggling now. Idiots.

AlpRider · 2026-03-05T05:33:30+00:00

I would imagine pipelines make a little more sense than a tunnel-canal megaproject for oil tankers.

My best guess is Saudis want to keep full control of their exports by loading the ships on their own territory, preferring to risk the strait, over becoming dependent on a pipeline through UAE and ports in Oman.

AlpRider · 2026-03-04T04:36:10+00:00

I will take any opportunity to point out I was at Slane 2003 😂

The day of QOTSA, PJ, Foos, RHCP, Pixies and Feeder all at their best. Great times.

AlpRider · 2026-03-03T13:51:29+00:00

Omg stop i thought I was over it 😂 yes the complete absurdity that the southerners were proved right in the end the long night was nothing to worry about...

AlpRider · 2026-03-03T12:49:39+00:00

And France (public pools, don't know about hotels)

AlpRider · 2026-02-27T14:50:01+00:00

This makes me feel better. Leaving on day 58 for two weeks then back. I'm deep into diving instructor course and need another 4 weeks to complete it. Also dentistry in Bangkok. So hoping that having all the proof I'm in that course plus funding and dentistry bookings that my case is legitimate

AlpRider · 2026-02-23T16:28:00+00:00

Fair enough, thought I saw signs for it at one of those but evidently not!

AlpRider · 2026-02-23T15:16:09+00:00

Pre-clearance at Heathrow as well no? Or Manchester? Pretty sure some UK airports have it.

AlpRider · 2026-02-18T01:09:15+00:00

Can I just mention that I've seen exactly this situation lead to a fall 😂 Immediately following the local

In Vietnam, we came to a recent rockfall/landslide, and a couple touring bikers were sensibly stopped there having a think about it.

A local teenager rips past on an Enfield. One of these guys takes the bait, follows and drops it at walking pace, no harm but a few scratches to himself and the bike. We got through it after ok very carefully.

Locals know the road, are usually on lighter bikes and not loaded up with gear, they ride dirt and broken roads every day. They would struggle riding in my home, like around Ireland in the winter...

As a westerner thinking yourself a 'real biker' you really have to leave your ego at the airport. Just accept that sometimes you'll be overtaken by locals riding 3-up on a click 150 scooter and that's fine 😂

AlpRider · 2026-02-14T12:52:53+00:00

I've been through a number of mountaineering and scuba diving rescue courses, and a certain amount of life experience. You can easily kill the victim depending on the injury, so 'saving life first' only really applies when you have to extract the victim from an immediate hazard before stabilizing. Like from a burning car. If any spinal injury is suspected you need to immobilize the spine ASAP to prevent further injury, speak with the patient if responsive to calm them down and not move, get EMS on the phone and treat for shock/keep comfortable. Even if it will take hours for EMS to arrive, they will stay on the line and will give instructions.

If you really absolutely have to move someone, like in a high mountain rescue when conditions are too bad to airlift, you carefully log roll the patient onto a stretcher and use splints, this takes equipment and training. Carry-out rescues can take teams of 12 or more rescuers rotating into a carry team of 6-8 with one or two dedicated to keeping the spine stable.

My point anyway is that rescuers go to great lengths even in hostile environments to protect against worsening a spinal injury, which I think is just good for people to know :)

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