From: tjfeue@bb1t.monsanto.com
Subject: Re: Bonne Terre Mine Diving
Organization: Monsanto Company, St. Louis, MO
Distribution: all
Date: Tue, 26 Jan 1993 18:46:28 GMT

In article <C14Jo0.2xB@ais.org>, tim@ais.org (Tim Tyler) writes:
> In article <1993Jan18.031213.1@bb1t.monsanto.com> tjfeue@bb1t.monsanto.com writes:
>>In article <C0uu6v.JE9@uceng.uc.edu>, mbohl@uceng.uc.edu (Michael Bohl) writes:
>>> 	I am interested, has anyone else had this type of treatment from
>>> this location?  If this is the way that this guy interacts with his
>>> customers than I am surprised that he is still in business!  I would
>>> be interested in any further in this area.
> 
>      If you don't mind hearing from someone who actually DOVE there this
> past weekend instead of the responses by people who admit they haven't been
> there, then start to bitch about the place...

If you don't mind listening to someone who LIVES here and has DONE BUSINESS
with West End Diving...  Other than going with a big group from another
dive shop from out of state, have YOU ever done business with them?   

>>I live in St. Louis and pass B.T. about twice a month going down to 
>>my girlfriends cabin in S. Missouri.  I did find the people at 
>>West End Diving to be pretty rude...  They left me on hold for 10
>>minutes after I *TOLD* them I was calling long distance.  A dive costs
> 
>   OK, they're rude for putting you on hold for 10 minutes, & you're dumb for
> waiting on hold for 10 minutes...  Did you stop & think that perhaps they
> were also on the phone with other people who had made long distance calls?

Then why not say so and ask for a call back or a name and number. 
A pretty normal way to do business?  I always thought so.

I assumed that this was a fluke until I did other business with them:
I wanted to rent a wet suit and weight belt for my girlfriend who is 
an avid snorkler.  I called several dive shops about a womens wet suit
and they said they were out.  West End said that they had one in the
right size, so I reserved it.  It was a mans set suit.  They told me
when I got there that they just rented mens wet suits and it would 
work ok.  They were not too truthful, now were they?  He wouldn't give
her more than 6lbs of lead.  WAY too little to get her down in in
a full wet suit.  The wet suit was falling apart too.  I would have 
much rather delt with Mid-Rivers or Y-Kiki and would have if West
End had been honest with me instead of saying whatever to get
me in their store.  

When I first moved here, I went to visit the dive shops in the area 
and ask them about local dive sites or at least somewhere to get wet.  
Not much around here, but the other dive shops told me of a couple 
of quaries and spring fed rivers (xtal clear and I've seen Pickerel,
Bass, Sunfish, Catfish, Carp and a myriad of minnows in these
places) as well as B.T.  West End said there was NOWHERE except their 
mine.   

Several local divers that I know have had bad experiences with them
and will no longer do business with them.
  
>   Yes, you "MUST" follow a set course with a guide.  I just can't figure out
> why...  The policy concerning knives & lights should be equally obvious, but
> for those that couldn't figure it out, the staff was happy to explain it to
> anyone who took the time to think & ask. 

OK WISE GUY, WHY? 

>>We never did hear the outcome of the investigation about that, but the
>>autopsy found that the victim had a massive tumor and might have 
>>been quite ill, but someone should have noticed something was
>>wrong with her and not just sent her alone back to the dock...  Eh?    
> 
>    I'd call them up & suggest that they require CAT-scans on all people who
> want to dive there, but I'd hate to take credit for your brilliant notion,
> eh?

Where did this come from?

Don't you think that a diver in distress should be sent back with
a buddy?????  SHE WAS SENT BACK ALONE!!!!   According to the newspaper 
account they didn't notice her missing until everyone was back on the dock.  
If that's the case, it seems that the guide was pretty useless. 
Maybe, just maybe, don't you think that she might not have drowned if
someone had been with her? 

>>B.T. is a site that I will *NEVER* spend my money on even thought it 
>>would be a cool and convenient dive...  And I too wonder how they
>>are still in business. 

YES! and because of the poor attitude of the business owners.  I'd much
rather go elsewhere (and do).  And yes, I will warn people of my bad
experiences. That's one of the reasons for newsgroups like this, to share
this kind of information.    

Judging from the nasty, sarcastic attitude of your post, I can see how you 
might find kindred souls in that organization.  I don't remember seeing 
you around here much, but flames are not usually considered acceptable 
on this newsgroup.  Try to tone it down a bit, eh?

Ted Feuerbach - Scientific Systems Consultant
Disclaimer:     Monsanto didn't say this, I did.  And besides, they're 
                only opinions anyway!