Mask on Forehead reliable distress signal?

[Tortuga68]

 

[NadMat]

I don't read that the same way many people here do which seems to be:
1) MOF is the only sign of distress;
2) MOF is a foolproof sign of distress;
3) MOF is a required technique to communicate that you are in distress.

I also think people with MOF are ones that still haven't lost a mask in surf, accidental bumping, etc. But they probably will. Or someone they teach will. Or someone who copies them.

Or perhaps they are just capable of judging conditions for themselves and making a decision of their own on whether to wear it on forehead, around neck, clipped to vest, or leave it on face depending on those conditions. I still have all 3 masks I have bought (first one in '76) and despite frequent wearing on forehead pre and post dive I have yet to have it leave its assigned position on forehead. Perhaps some instructors need to teach students to judge conditions rather than dogmatically recited rules designed to earn them beer

 

[freediver]

Just to elaborate in red.......

Panicked divers – These are divers with a problem who have become overwhelmed by stress and unreasoned fear. They’ve abandoned rational responses and react entirely through instinct and fear.

Generally, panicked divers:
• Reject their equipment (mask on forehead, regulator and snorkel out of mouth).
They will reject gear but this should not be a primary characteristic to be looking for in a panicked diver and i have never seen a panicked diver reject their mask by placing it on their forehead. It may end up there but not to be confused with placing it there.
• Fail to establish buoyancy and swim vigorously with arms until exhausted.
The "swim" part is misleading. A panicked diver will generally press down at their sides or in the front in an attempt to keep the head/airway above water.
• Do not respond to commands or questions.
This is correct.
• Fixate on a single, ineffective response to the problem.
That single response revolves around maintaining the head and airway above water and not resolving the problem with, ie. maintaining buoyancy.
• Will climb on anything or anyone to get above or out of the water.
Panicked diver will take whatever breaths they can get at your expense.
• Will do little to help themselves.
Correct.

...

 

[Twistedarts]

This MOF thing is just silly, do I look in need of assistance?

 

[24940]

You're not MOF in the pic, you're MSOF.....

Anyone who has the composure to remove their mask and go MSOF is clearly not in panic mode.

 

[NOVIZWHIZ]

I think I've only had one issue where the MOF was a problem- we were diving in like, I dunno - February -in the snow, really cold (for SC) I put my mask on my forehead (was wearing a hood) and it froze in place to my hood, also leaned up against the truck in my dry-suit and froze to it......once again all my partners wanted to pee on me to break it lose...think this is their answer to everything - guess if a gator took my leg off and I'm lying there unconscious, they'd all be standing around me...

 

[Nemrod]

Good question. A lifeguard is trained to identify physical characteristics that indicate a person is either in distress or actively drowning. A mask situated on the forehead is not a primary indicator of either one that a lifeguard should be looking for. If it is something they're looking for then it is due to the widespread notion that the MOF is an indicator but a trained lifeguard should know better. They are more apt to focus on the characteristics of breathing, arm & leg action, body position and locomotion.

I was a lifeguard, me, I usually identify a drowning person by the "finger count" method. Usually on the victim's finger count number three it is time to go drag them in. If they gave me their middle finger then I usually waited for them to turn blue. Something about water takes the fight out of most people. Never did see anyone drowning with mask on their forehead, not sure we ever discussed any of that either since we were there to guard swimmers, not scuba divers.

You think they could merge this thread with the other MOFH threads so we could have a Master MOFH Thread so we could have one agreed upon place to gather to bash one another over this ridiculous subject. Sooner or later you non MOFH backward mask weird people are going to figure out that saying something over and over and all of the antedotal evidence in the world and the fall back "my instructor said" like we really care what your instructor said will not change the minds of we MOFH divers. Give it up already.

N < ---MOFH FOREVER and proud survivor of the Scubazoic Era and I don't care what your instructor said

 

[StreetDoctor]

hah I was told when I took my OW class that if I was caught with my mask on my head I would be cut out of my bcd and dragged to shore LOL

 

[reeldive]

I am all knowing on this subject and could kill this thread once and for all by posting a brief synopsis of my vast knowledge on this subject; However Im retired and far to busy diveing so you all will just have to go on endlessly throught eternity searching for the truth.

 

[Brewski]

This MOF thing is just silly, do I look in need of assistance?

the way your wearing your mask in the picture, is not as secure as you would think. the only time I've dropped a mask I was wearing it backwards like that, and didn't feel it slip off my hood.

From that point on if its not on my face, its under my chin.