Something that has continued to annoy me are "Dry Divers" who pretend/think they know what they’re talking about. Those who do not get wet more than twice a year on vacation; however they have managed to log an impressive number of dives but have an average bottom time of 20 minutes each. These are the ones who talk a great game to impress, but when they hit the water, they’re nothing more than a human yo-yo or a wet cat.
I have only had one bad experience with a diveshop in Lindenhurst, NY. They were not too concerned with what the customer needs/wants but were rather belittling and pushing their own agenda onto the customer. I understand it’s a business, and they are there to make money, but there’s also no reason to talk down to someone. Other than that, I have never had a bad experience with a shop. Once they know you’re not "the average bear" and that you know your stuff, they no longer push things onto you.
As a resident of the Northeast Atlantic, the biggest pain is getting into the water. Whether I need to travel to the tropics, or load up the truck and then the boat, there’s no easy way to get there. It’s not as simple as putting your clubs in the trunk and driving to the golf course. And after the dive, then there’s the breakdown, cleaning, drying, etc.
Ben