Mask on Forehead reliable distress signal?

[ozziworld]

Has anyone seen a distressed diver actually stop and think ' I am in distress, I will out my mask on my forehead'.

Had come across a diver with his mask around his neck but was struggling at the surface. I was the only one that went to check on him to find out he was panicking and also forgot to release his weight belt. He was a vacation diver with some experience. He ran out of air during the safety stop and surfaced. He was struggling to stay afloat because he could not full his BCD and started panicking and also forgot to release his weight belt. He did not have his mask on his face. He was not also waving his arms trying to get attention. He was too busy struggling to keep his head above the water.

I have read so many threads bashing divers who casually put there masks on their face. I do not do that but I question the need to teach it. Many divers do it as they find it more comfortable than around the neck. Then they take a lot of crap from other divers.

 

[NudeDiver]

Yeah, I hate this "rule" too. I like my mask on my head. It's too bad that it is considered a distress signal. I think the rule should be changed: if you're in distress, put your mask around your neck.

 

[AbyssalPlains]

This whole "Mask on the Forehead" thing is totally overrated, in my opinion. A diver who is panicking will show other signs of distress, and the people who "give divers crap for having their masks on their foreheads" to me are more an indication of that they themselves are not capable to tell the difference. To me it's all much ado about nothing. I myself never put the mask on my forehead, but for a different reason: I once saw a diver pulling his hood back while sitting on the boat's gunwhale, and since he couldn't feel his mask through the hood, it fell into water in the process. I still remember the poor fellow's face as he watched his mask sink to unretrievable depths.
If someone were to give me crap about it, I would make sure to give them crap back , that's for sure.

 

[Land Locked]

I've never been rescued or "offered rescue" when I place my mask on my forehead..........I think that would be the last thing I would be thinking if I was truely in distress. Hmmmm, I'm drowning here, I think I will put my mask on my forehead so someone will rescue me.....

 

[The Chairman]

It's a myth from the old days of Scuba. Some have moved on and some still hold to it as Gospel.

 

[dkktsunami]

Oh boy! A new crop of MOFers.

 

[Puffer Fish]

Oh boy! A new crop of MOFers.

This time, the question was asked in an intelligent and thoughtful way...so I suspect you are safe...for now.

Oh, and what Netdoc said...I agree.

 

[ScubaSteve]

OK. I totally agree with everybody about the MOF should really not be taught to be a distress signal. Quite frankly, the mask really should not be put on your forehead in open water anyways (distress or not), merely because of the problems that can occur when it falls off and buh-bye to the bottom it goes. Around the neck you are pretty much guaranteed not to lose it. This IMHO in just a good idea and good practice.....just my 2 psi

 

[D_B]

I was taught by PADI ...

sign that diver might be stressed ... maybe
sign of diver in distress .. no

Some common sense will be able to tell what's what.

I wear my mask on my face in the water

Oh, BTW .. I have seen someone do just that , it was in rescue class and the diver was pretty stressed

 

[mrfixitchapman]

It's a myth from the old days of Scuba. Some have moved on and some still hold to it as Gospel.

Oh.

DC