I think safety considerations rank higher than what is ideal or practical for a certain activity - unless of course that activity, and the consequent setup might itself causes a safety issue.
For me its all about being able to perform basic gear corrections, rescue or self-rescue operations and still be able to monitor vital dive data.
Consequently I ask myself questions like: Could I perform buddy breathing as donor or receiver and still check for depth, ascent rate, bottom time etc. Would my buddys setup in some circumstances conflict with my configuration and cause added risk because it gets in the way of established procedures? Could I raise an unconscious diver from the sea bed and still monitor and control ascent rate. Could I demonstrate, teach - perform cesa - on a course and still keep up. The list goes on but its stuff like that.
Most of the close calls or unpleasant situations I've witnessed as a diver or guide were caused by some sort of ambition that made the diver put safety or conservatism second. It might be simple stuff as insisting on bringing a new camera, while using unfamiliar (rental or new) equipment. Diving a new environment for the first time. It might be insisting to go through with a dive even though jetlagged because the diver has travelled this far and paid all this money, the desire to see a certain critter, site, wreck or whatever although logistics or conditions are against it - that list goes on as well and so much of it about ambition and consequent task loading.
So - Safety considerations first is my advice
For me its all about being able to perform basic gear corrections, rescue or self-rescue operations and still be able to monitor vital dive data.
Consequently I ask myself questions like: Could I perform buddy breathing as donor or receiver and still check for depth, ascent rate, bottom time etc. Would my buddys setup in some circumstances conflict with my configuration and cause added risk because it gets in the way of established procedures? Could I raise an unconscious diver from the sea bed and still monitor and control ascent rate. Could I demonstrate, teach - perform cesa - on a course and still keep up. The list goes on but its stuff like that.
Most of the close calls or unpleasant situations I've witnessed as a diver or guide were caused by some sort of ambition that made the diver put safety or conservatism second. It might be simple stuff as insisting on bringing a new camera, while using unfamiliar (rental or new) equipment. Diving a new environment for the first time. It might be insisting to go through with a dive even though jetlagged because the diver has travelled this far and paid all this money, the desire to see a certain critter, site, wreck or whatever although logistics or conditions are against it - that list goes on as well and so much of it about ambition and consequent task loading.
So - Safety considerations first is my advice