Wearing a mask on forehead a distress signal, now that seems ridiculous!

[Akimbo]

The reason it is ridiculous is because it is not a reliable indicator of anything. Someone “might” be panicking or they are probably having a conversation or a looking around on the surface.

 

[uncfnp]

I can't understand why some would say this is stupid, silly, or ridiculous. It's real and happens. You may not be aware that it happens or lucky to not have it happen to you or your buddy. And that's fine, and you can dive any way you want. But diving is a sport that many can enjoy with different levels of experience. I realize that not everyone who puts MOF is in peril. But it is a clue that shouldn't be dismissed. And I would rather my buddies, new or old, not do it out of habit. It is a natural act, but that's where training comes in.
It's natural for me to eat three plates of spaghetti too. But maybe not the best idea.

Exerpt from Undercurrent by Bret Gilliam "Why? Because It's the Rules"

“Never put your mask on your forehead” Why do divers feel compelled to apologize for this benign and common-sense act? Sure, there are some circumstances when it’s not appropriate, like in surf entries, but in most situations it is a logical place to put the mask while resting on the surface or swimming on your back. An easy one-handed motion restores it on the face quickly and you’re back in business. Try that when your mask is pulled down over your neck. If you’re a no-neck ex-football player like me, that’s an exercise in self-strangulation. Who cares where you place your mask as long as you remain in control of it? Lighten up, please.

...//...And I would rather my buddies, new or old, not do it out of habit. It is a natural act, but that's where training comes in.
It's natural for me to eat three plates of spaghetti too. But maybe not the best idea.

Habit? Hardly. It's a conscious decision based on the best choice for me. It's a pretty poor situationally aware diver that can not tell the difference between a diver calmly placing mask on forehead and a panicked diver ripping off gear.

 

[RJP]

The reason it is ridiculous is because it is not a reliable indicator of anything. Someone “might” be panicking or they are probably having a conversation or a looking around on the surface.

Just like a fever of 99F is not a reliable indicator of anything. But it IS a SIGN that something MIGHT be wrong. This is why, if you call your doctor and say "I have a fever" he does not say EITHER of these two things:

1.) Don't worry about it.
2.) You're going to die.

Instead he/she will evaluate you further... looking for other signs as to whether there's something wrong and what that something might be.

I've never seen any material, instructor, or agency suggest that it is the absolute universal - in and of itself - necessary and sufficient piece of information to determine whether or not a diver is in distress.

The only people that ever seem to conjure up this sentiment is the (apparently even larger than I assumed) group of people who think that's what's been taught by someone... somewhere.

 

[AdivingBel]

It, like most things, is situationally dependent. If there is surf, I don't put my mask on my forehead because I like my mask. If I'm hanging on a tagline in flat seas chatting with my dive buddy, waiting my turn and God's gift DM chirps at me to put my reg back in my mouth, I just look at him like he has his mask on his forehead.

 

[redacted]

My wife put her mask on her forehead a she boarded a boat in rough seas in Cozumel. She was not very distressed until she got on the boat and realized her mask was gone.

 

[Akimbo]

…The only people that ever seem to conjure up this sentiment is the (apparently even larger than I assumed) group of people who think that's what's been taught by someone... somewhere.

In my limited sphere of visibility, the big offenders have been divemasters — usually with limited experience and lacking the maturity to crew a boat or be in the hospitality business. No idea where they get it but it goes back at least to the late 1980s.

The whole “keep your mask on your face” dogma seems to be a shortcut for instructors who don’t have the time to explain when putting it on your forehead is ill-advised. That in turn has devolved to be a rule from god in far too many circles.

 

[a878bob]

I think we all agree it's not a reliable indicator onto itself. And for an experienced diver it most likely has no value. But for new and inexperienced divers, which there are many, who can be easily task overloaded, when they are trained to keep their mask on in the water, it becomes an important indicator not to be dismissed out of hand. It may be nothing, or may not, but certainly worth a word or hand for the divers in my care. Maybe my perspective is different than some, but I spend a lot of time with new divers and enjoy doing so. Is it a shortcut ? I don't think so, but it is an effective tool to help safeguard multiple divers of different experience levels.

 

[tridacna]

Must be a slow news day. This was a hot topic in 2005. If the diver with a MOF has split fins and a Spare Air, there is no reason to panic at all.

 

[RJP]

Must be a slow news day. This was a hot topic in 2005. If the diver with a MOF has split fins and a Spare Air, there is no reason to panic at all.

 

[uncfnp]

Storm That Gave Southern States 1st Winter Blast Takes Aim At Mid-Atlantic : NPR


Fortunately the Internet has not been affected.