Miss Scuba Manners....What's your unwritten dive etiquette rule?

[RJP]

I have 2 "pet peeves" about fellow divers, I call the first one the "needy diver" these are divers that are not comfortable with their skill level so the survival plan is to stay right next to the divemaster. Lord help you if you inadvertently get between them and the dive guide - they will mow you down if you are blocking access to their living life preserver. It sounds like the OP had an encounter with the "needy diver". Depending on the site, sometimes my husband and I go off on our own and sometimes we follow the dive guide - but we have learned to stay back and out of harm's way.

I call the second pet peeve "the tormentor", these are divers that happily terrorize wild animals underwater and won't stop. For example, we were doing a night dive from on a liveaboard in the Bahamas one time when I found an Octopus. I enjoyed watching it for a short while and then showed it to my fellow divers - that was a mistake.

A group of divers circled and trapped the poor creature and bombarded it with bright lights and photo flashes. It was desperately trying to get away and it even "inked" in an attempt to escape - but they just kept playing with it and tormenting the poor little thing. I felt guilty because I had showed it to them.

I finally had enough and I broke into the circle, shock my finger at them and went around turning off all their lights while the octopus made good with an escape! I could hear my husband laughing underwater but my fellow divers were very upset with me when we got back on the boat - I didn't care they were tormenting jerks!

I think you've actually identified a FOURTH type of annoying diver.

I'm just saying.

 

[DKL]

Mine is the aforementioned rude photo hog. I've had that person he/she swim right in front of me to get the shot. Which by the way was bad anyway....go figure.

My other pet peeve is one not mentioned here yet.....it's the idiot that starts rinsing gear in the camera rinse bucket. You know them, they sneak a quick rinse of their booties or hood or something in the camera bucket fouling up the water with sand etc.... The camera bucket is usually well marked and is for cameras only.

Another pet peeve is folks that lay their masks, lights etc.... on the bench so that other divers cannot easily get seated without moving gear around...this is a pain in the butt when you are on a rocking boat with your tank and BCD on and your trying to get seated to remove and secure them. Or they leave their gear in the middle of the deck rather than pushing the bag under the bench where it belongs.

Probably about a hundred others....but rant over. Don't be a narcissist. Your not the only person in the world.

 

[dmoore19]

When the DM says it's time to listen to the dive brief, STHU. You may have been on this dive 50 times, others may not. It really doesn't take that long and it might be you could learn something.

 

[KathyV]

I think you've actually identified a FOURTH type of annoying diver.

I'm just saying.

I agree, I got in their faces when it was not my business, but I can't stand to see an animal being stressed or terrorized or tortured. I'd do it again.

Don't get me started or I will tell you all about my encounter with the horse cart driver in Cairo during a drive out to the pyramids. He kept whipping his horse and wouldn't stop!

 

[TSandM]

Kathy, the horse carts are one of the reasons I have no desire ever to spend any more time in Egypt again than what is required to land in Hurghada and get on a boat.

I will add to the list that, if your diving technique is still undeveloped and you cannot avoid kicking up silt, please try to keep your distance from photographers who are on a subject. Nothing more annoying than just getting everything set right and having a cloud of silt roll downhill onto your critter!

 

[TMHeimer]

I've only been on about 10 different boats over the years (not a whole lot of total boat dives). I can't recall any pet peeves about other divers that were bad enough to remember. Of course I have learned not to broadcast that I have collected shells--guess that could be a pet peeve.

 

[NorCalDM]

My pet peeve is getting advice that I didn't ask for especially after I've seen thier in water skills!

 

[billt4sf]

Divers that stop learning.

- Bill

 

[hroark2112]

Don't touch my gear without asking.
Don't lecture me about how "dangerous" my gear is. I know the hazards.
Don't kick me in the head. Be aware of where you and other divers are in the water.
Don't touch the wildlife...we're in their home and we are visitors. How would you like if a shark came to your home and started grabbing your ass or chasing your children??
Stay off the bottom and stay off the coral.
When you get back on the boat, put your stuff where it belongs, not all over other people's spots. It starts a chain reaction of people making a cluster of the boat!!

 

[Laurie S.]

Don't touch my gear, don't flop your gear down on top of mine (I'm not a spreader) and don't dawdle getting off the boat when doing a giant stride entry. I have back problems and having to stand behind someone for several minutes who looked ready to step off and then stopped so they could readjust something they could easily do in the water is draining. I may just push you off the darn boat.