Bad buddies...

[The Chairman]

he was probably in deco but he might had ignored it completely

Your PDCs possibly did not match. You should have found that out before the dive. Pelagics allow far more time than Suuntos. The former were designed for warm water diving and the latter in the cold North Sea. Just because you were going into deco, doesn't mean he was.

acting in a way that betrays a feeling of patronizing superiority

Oh. I thought you came here to learn. I'm sorry I hurt your feelings with my frank observations. The only way to improve is to see your faults, and not just the faults of your buddy. I listen when others give me insights into how I dive. Constructive criticism is a bonus not an attack.

 

[Kharon]

... unlike snorkeling together where she motors along faster than I do. I'm usually popping my head up on occasion to see where she is. ...

ROFLMAO - I got us both SMB's and weighted them so they would stick up without having to pull them under so I could find my wife snorkeling on St. John. Shortly after we started I couldn't see her SMB. WTF??? Turned out she had run it under/across her body for more floatation. Oh well.

Sorry for the digression.

 

[2airishuman]

Ok, everyone has been there: they match you with a buddy that looks fine on the boat, but when down there he/she behaves really bad and makes your dive terrible.
What do you do?
[...]
Now, is it me or sometimes a punch in the throat is the only solution (and I am quiet and peaceful)?
A bad buddy can be the difference between a wonderful dive and a horrible one, including the fact that can be potentially really dangerous.
Any similar cases?

This is a common problem. Seems like everyone runs into it from time to time, unless they always dive either alone or with divers they know well.

What am I going to do? Well, unless we've agreed upfront to be SOSD (same ocean, same day) buddies to satisfy some third party, I am going to follow the plan and make a genuine effort to stay together. If the dive is going poorly for my buddy I am going to stay with them until they are on shore or aboard (as the case may be) and then continue the dive solo if it is safe and appropriate to do so. If my buddy isn't making a genuine effort to stay with me, my reaction will depend on the circumstances.

Sometimes the outcome of all this is a dive that isn't any fun. C'est la vide, que sera sera.

 

[drbill]

I normally dive solo unless one of my trusted buddies is available or I am diving a site I have no familiarity with. On several of those occasions I have had bad experiences with an instabuddy. Diving in Fiji at Cousteau's resort I had an Aussie instabuddy who stated loudly on the boat he would not be following the rules. As he barrelled down to 150 fsw, I signalled the DM to go get him and joined the rest of the group.

Another time I had an instabuddy disappear on me. I looked for her both on the bottom and at the surface. As I exited the water to call paramedics, I saw her already fully dressed and walking off for a drink with two guys she had just met! I berated her asking why she left me. She said she knew I'd be OK. I replied yes, but I've been looking for your body.

 

[Coztick]

Thought I had a bad buddy on a dive last year. 10 minutes into the dive and he is darting around like a moth on a street light, sculling and swimming with his arms, pointing at every critter and wanting photos of himself reg. out and grinning ear to ear.
It was entertaining but figured it would be a short dive...but no....50 minutes later he hasn't missed a beat yet still had 1000psi.
Really nice guy too, we chatted for hours after over beers.

 

[rabe]

Oh. I thought you came here to learn. I'm sorry I hurt your feelings with my frank observations. The only way to improve is to see your faults, and not just the faults of your buddy. I listen when others give me insights into how I dive. Constructive criticism is a bonus not an attack.

Take it easy man, I was joking, as the clearly indicates

 

[rabe]

@rabe I have to be horribly honest; you may have been best served by the guy NOT leaving the anchor line so he could get up to boat fastest and let them know you were coming up in swift current and would have to be retrieved, rather than him try to come up to you, you both get swept off.

I understand your point, but on the rule is: you have to follow your buddy, and be together all the time.
If I have to go up a little, he should have done the same and stick with me.
If it was on the other way around, I wouldn't have any doubts: come up with him and stick together.

(and honestly speaking, after seeing his overall behaviour [e.g. the fin "joke"], I'm pretty sure he didn't plan to do so: he was just minding his own business)

 

[Marie13]

The worst buddy I've had is someone who would just wander away. This has just been quarry dives. Bad habit with low vis

 

[Coztick]

Wondering if you could waterproof a shock collar?
Hmmm.

 

[rabe]

Wondering if you could waterproof a shock collar?
Hmmm.

...it's a very good idea.