Are we also to blame for boat-diver accidents?

[DandyDon]

We have our Diver Down flag, we teach divers to stay close to it or pull one along, we make sure our boats have them, but - shouldn't we tell the boaters and jet-skiers?!

I've never lived on a coast, but then - many of the tourist boaters haven't either. I've been to various coasts several times, yet - I have never seen any signs advising what the flags mean to non-divers.

Has there been a big public service ad campaign lately that I missed, or - should we start one, request cooperation, and more. We can ask for laws, and ask for enforcement, but we're not going to have law & game officials following us around.

I can only do my part. I'm going to make up a regular typing paper size poster and start putting it in my rental cars, both back windows, something like this:

Boaters: Do You Know These Flags?!

You need to avoid areas with these flags - ​

{Picture of Diver Down Flag} & {Picture of Alpha Flag}​

Unless you want to kill a diver. Thanks​

Maybe that's a little strong, but I'd like to get their attention. Comments...?

Oh - ah, yes: This is my 4,000th post on SB, and I wanted to try to say something meaningful. But I also want to say "Thanks, we're having fun here!!" :dazzler1:

 

[Jersey Chris]

I have been boating well before I could walk and in my life have never not had a boat at any time. Even raced for about 6 years. I consider myself a pretty well experienced boater. I knew what the dive flag was well before I started diving. I dont exactly remember the boating course because I took it so long ago but I am pretty sure it taught the flags you can and will encounter on the water. Most and I do stress most boaters probably know what the dive flag means but I agree with you 100% that most is not good enough. We need to make sure everyone in a boat and personal watercraft fully understand the flag to make it safer for us. There would be nothing more frightning then to be on a drift dive and get out a little farther then expected and surface to a boat heading straight towards you with a inflated BC..

 

[PRL]

Interesting reading
http://www.fatboyscuba.com/diveflaghistory.html

http://www.dive-flag.com/

 

[RobinG]

When I belonged to a dive club in Spokane WA we developed signs and put them up at as many boat ramps as we could. We ran some PSAs (public service announcements) which were shot by a local TV news crew and our club divers. We also printed up brochures to leave at boat shops.

We also tried to introduce legislation that meant penalities for boaters violating the dive flag protocols (boaters and jet skiers liked to use the diver down flags as racing buoys!)

Then I moved overseas.

Don't know what became of any of that, but we tried.

Robin

 

[jiveturkey]

Ignorance is definitely a problem. I asked my father tonight and he had no clue what a dive flag even looked like. Yikes!! I think most people would give the flag more space if they actually knew what it meant.

 

[jiveturkey]

There would be nothing more frightning then to be on a drift dive and get out a little farther then expected and surface to a boat heading straight towards you with a inflated BC..

Definitely a compelling arguement for using a safety sausage. I never dive without one. At least the driver will notice and hopefully proceed with caution.

 

[PRL]

When I belonged to a dive club in Spokane WA we developed signs and put them up at as many boat ramps as we could. We ran some PSAs (public service announcements) which were shot by a local TV news crew and our club divers. We also printed up brochures to leave at boat shops.

Robin

Thats a really good idea, and I think with time would be effective. Would probably also promote diving.

I always took the dive flag for grantid, but now realize that there is very little done to promote it, and the flag offers very little phisical and legal protection

 

[bwerb]

Let's just buy everyone in America a copy of Van Halen's "Diver Down" for quick reference.

 

[RonDawg]

Ignorance is definitely a problem. I asked my father tonight and he had no clue what a dive flag even looked like. Yikes!! I think most people would give the flag more space if they actually knew what it meant.

I have a dive-flag sticker on the rear window of my car. I'm waiting for someone to ask me what country it's supposed to represent :11:

When that happens I think I'll reply "Atlantis"

 

[Seabear70]

It's been tried...

Nobody cared.