What event made you head toward/away from DIR?

[scubert]

Was there a single event that made you drop everything and go DIR all in one single act? (perhaps hearing the infinite wisdom of GI 3  )?

Was it an evolution toward a system that worked for you and your group?

Was there an actual event that turned you away from DIR (and NOT just the rantings of the internet divers who are just GI3 spouters)?

Firstly, I am not a complete DIR diver, though I am drifting more that way all the time.
For me it was a change in my dives that prompted me toward a hogarthian gear setup. 
Ice diving proved to me that my Zeagle Ranger was too bulky and cluttered on the chest. 
Wreck diving made me switch to a long hose, as it became clear that in a serious OOA situation, the standard 36" hose wasn't going to cut it.  Wreck diving also gave me the rule of 2 backup lights, which fit in nicely with the 2 strapped b/u on the hogarthian rig.
Diving doubles rather than a pony was a matter of $$, but as soon as I started doubles, I scrapped the pony for a fully redundant system with a bungied backup.

The book "Fundamentals of Better Diving" filled in many of the holes in terms of standardized hand/light signals and practices.

A good buddy has always been pretty important to me, so that fitted in quite nicely with the DIR concept. 

To frame DIR in the simplest terms (for me) basically it all boils down to:

1) standardized gear placement makes it easier to save your buddy (or for them to save you) no confusion of straps and regs.

2) be a good buddy, expect the same from your team members.

3) constantly strive to improve your skills, expect the same from your team

4) plan your dive, dive your plan.  All with the appropriate safety measures.

While I still dive with a computer (not yet Adv EAN/ Deco certified)  I am well aware of my gas consumption at a given depth.  I also admit to diving on air/EAN deeper than the true GUE guidelines allow.  My next step is to take my ADV EAN/DECO this fall and when that happens I will definately go to tables/decoplanner for my profiles.

This post is NOT intended to start a bitch/brag session about DIR, I'm just interested in hearing where people are and how they got there.