smb1014:
Why did you "have" to ask? Why didn't you simply leave them alone since they were obviously ok?
PADI Instructors
- Thread starter WVDiver
- Start date
Please register or login
Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.
Benefits of registering include
- Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
- A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
- You can make this box go away
Why did you "have" to ask? Why didn't you simply leave them alone since they were obviously ok?
Ana
.
String:
If that's the case, don't dive with Walter (the bearded guy that posts here a lot), I lost count of how many dives I've shared with him and about 95% of them, the man takes the mask off at depth and puts it on his forehead.
Ana
.
oceancrest67:
You say that above, and then on the next paragraph ...
oceancrest67:
oh yeah... this is good, I like how you start: "I am a PADI DM". very forceful, very direct, very impressive. Prefacing your message with that statement should be suficient for the whole world to accept it, I wonder why is not working.
Ana:
Darlin', it's more fun to dive that way. The good part is, I can't hear the idiots asking me if I'm in distress.
As with most questions, lot of different answers on here 
For me I only have my mask in one of two places, on my head in dive position or clipped to a D-ring.
Like some others have mentioned, I have seen divers in distress put their mask on their foreheads. Of course this does not mean that all distressed divers put their mask on their forehead, and it doesn't meant that all divers with masks on their forehead are in distress. The all-or-nothing mentallity seem dangerous to get in to, in my opinion. It is not reasonable to say that unless EVERY single distressed diver puts thier mask on thier forehead it should not be considered a sign of distress. I have less than 50 dives, and in that time I have seen 2 distressed divers (one was just this weekend) and both immediatly moved their masks to their forehead at the surface. One lady came straight up from almost 100 feet, uncontrolled acsent, and was dizzy and nauseous. She did not yell, wave her arms or ask for help, but the first thing she did was spit out her reg and push her mask to her forehead. So when I see people in the water with their masks on their forehead and no snorkel or reg in their mouth I do pay closer attention to them because those are 2 signs that the person "might" be in trouble.
Also, knowing that atleast 3 of the major training agencies (PADI, SSI, NAUI) tell students not to put their masks on their foreheads because that is a sign that you might be in distress, I avoid placing my mask there to avoid confusion.
There are many things in diving that, by themselves, might not mean anything, but we still have practices that are generally accepted because there has to be some kind of agreed apon standard to make communication above and below water work. What if one of the agencies decided that it is acceptable to return an "are you ok?" signal with a shoulder shrug? Shoulder shrug doesn't mean anything by itself, but the fact that you didn't return an "OK" sign with an "OK" sign MIGHT mean that something is wrong and you would likely attract extra attention.
I remember one of my first dives after I got my OW certification. We were in Hawaii and my non-diving wife was on the boat, just came along for fun. I was one of the first people in the water, I had drifted from the boat a very short distance and I look up and see my wife waving to me from the boat. So what do I do? Like an idiot I wave my hand over my head back at her. I look to the other end of the boat, where the 3 DMs are starting to jump in the water to come "save" me. I barely had time to give them the emphatic "big O" that I was in fact alright before they dove in. Totally my fault and I felt like an *** for doing it, knowing that waving my arm above my head was a sign of distress. Everything else about my demeaner was fine, I had not drifted far from the boat, I was relaxed and calm, bouyant, had my mask in place and reg in my mouth, I was not yelling or making noise. Does the fact that I only gave 1 sign of distress mean that it should have been ignored? I don't know, but the excellent DMs there recognized that I was giving a distress sign (even if that is not how I intended it), and that if I really was in trouble they may not get another sign from me.
My personal opinion is that it is fine to put your mask on backwards, or around your neck, or on an D-ring, etc. It doesn't bother me if people put thier masks on their foreheads, if you choose to put your mask on your forehead that is your business, but you might get some extra attention because that is what people are taught.
Just my 2 cents.
Thanks,
Jason
For me I only have my mask in one of two places, on my head in dive position or clipped to a D-ring.Like some others have mentioned, I have seen divers in distress put their mask on their foreheads. Of course this does not mean that all distressed divers put their mask on their forehead, and it doesn't meant that all divers with masks on their forehead are in distress. The all-or-nothing mentallity seem dangerous to get in to, in my opinion. It is not reasonable to say that unless EVERY single distressed diver puts thier mask on thier forehead it should not be considered a sign of distress. I have less than 50 dives, and in that time I have seen 2 distressed divers (one was just this weekend) and both immediatly moved their masks to their forehead at the surface. One lady came straight up from almost 100 feet, uncontrolled acsent, and was dizzy and nauseous. She did not yell, wave her arms or ask for help, but the first thing she did was spit out her reg and push her mask to her forehead. So when I see people in the water with their masks on their forehead and no snorkel or reg in their mouth I do pay closer attention to them because those are 2 signs that the person "might" be in trouble.
Also, knowing that atleast 3 of the major training agencies (PADI, SSI, NAUI) tell students not to put their masks on their foreheads because that is a sign that you might be in distress, I avoid placing my mask there to avoid confusion.
There are many things in diving that, by themselves, might not mean anything, but we still have practices that are generally accepted because there has to be some kind of agreed apon standard to make communication above and below water work. What if one of the agencies decided that it is acceptable to return an "are you ok?" signal with a shoulder shrug? Shoulder shrug doesn't mean anything by itself, but the fact that you didn't return an "OK" sign with an "OK" sign MIGHT mean that something is wrong and you would likely attract extra attention.
I remember one of my first dives after I got my OW certification. We were in Hawaii and my non-diving wife was on the boat, just came along for fun. I was one of the first people in the water, I had drifted from the boat a very short distance and I look up and see my wife waving to me from the boat. So what do I do? Like an idiot I wave my hand over my head back at her. I look to the other end of the boat, where the 3 DMs are starting to jump in the water to come "save" me. I barely had time to give them the emphatic "big O" that I was in fact alright before they dove in. Totally my fault and I felt like an *** for doing it, knowing that waving my arm above my head was a sign of distress. Everything else about my demeaner was fine, I had not drifted far from the boat, I was relaxed and calm, bouyant, had my mask in place and reg in my mouth, I was not yelling or making noise. Does the fact that I only gave 1 sign of distress mean that it should have been ignored? I don't know, but the excellent DMs there recognized that I was giving a distress sign (even if that is not how I intended it), and that if I really was in trouble they may not get another sign from me.
My personal opinion is that it is fine to put your mask on backwards, or around your neck, or on an D-ring, etc. It doesn't bother me if people put thier masks on their foreheads, if you choose to put your mask on your forehead that is your business, but you might get some extra attention because that is what people are taught.
Just my 2 cents.
Thanks,
Jason
Nobby:
Perhaps a nibble...
I've worked with many an English bloke in the oil patch & they're a tricky lot, what with all that Python influence what! What!
I'm onta-ya now; someday I'll tell ya the story of what the mates did when the Queen paid a visit to their warship - it remains one of my fave silly memories of days past; then again, you may know it already...
Then again, I've always harboured a penchant to be the next "Minister of Silly Dives".
Best to you matey!
D.S.D.
Walter:
"Disdress" or "Datdress" - does it REALLY matter what dress you wear??
I'm mean, really.
Disdressingly yours,
D.S.D.
smb1014
Contributor
Please remind me to mind my own business the next time you are drowning as well. You can drwon how ever you like with your mask how ever you like.Firefyter:
Ana
.
smb1014:
Wow... now having a mask on the forehead is not only a sign of distress but an automatic indication that the person is drowning?
You know, Firefyter is 100% accurate by saying that "not EVERBODY thinks that it's a distress call" .
Just because an old lady is standing at an intersection, it doesn't mean she needs help to cross the street. Following your reasoning she better take the arm of whoever decides she needs assistance, uh?
What is so difficult about letting people be. Is there additional patches for rescues accomplished or just a race for the vacancy left by Mother Theresa?
So you are trained to look for "distress signs" very nice... look and look until your eyes dry out. However, be aware that your help will not be welcome if the emergency
is only in your mind.
Similar threads
