violamomma, I do try to put my fins on first though that isn't always appropriate on every dive boat. More importantly, what I've learned is to have one buckle of each open and the fins close by, so that I can get them onto my feet without actually bending over, then do the leg across knee thing and snap the buckle shut. Don't know if this explanation helps you much as a new diver.
As to the thread, I think it's too darn cold in most of North America and people are getting pretty darn grumpy whether they've recently been diving or not. I also think that some people take the opportunity to poke back when they percieve that opportunity as arisen. As to the OP post, I think that's an amusing good spirited way to remind people that even the experienced diver can screw up.
I do my very best to ensure my air is on before rolling/striding and my check is always done the same way. The only time I've rolled without checking my air . . .sure enough, it wasn't on. The other day, I forgot to incorporate my usual check and did it hurriedly at the last minute. Wha?? no air, so jumped up to check . . .hey, even worse, regs not attached to tank. "The hurrier I go, the behinder I get."
I've rolled once without weights, I've rolled once without fins, I've rolled with my snorkel in my mouth rather than my reg . . . which was a very long time ago, as that is a potential failure point that was remedied by not diving with a snorkel on my mask.
Weights are integrated now and so never have to worry about forgetting weightbelt, but I found on the liveaboard that getting switched from tender to tender could cause problems like pouches not being there. Doh!
Fins . . . what to do, will probably roll again someday without them. It's always nice if someone mentions it before you go over.
