Speed boat thru the Diver Below buoys today!

[Rhodesaz]

How about a different point of view. 30+ years ago, my younger brother had a small 16 foot boat. We'd go out to a Texas lake when ever we could. Back then, all you needed to drive a boat was a drivers license. I was not a diver and had no idea what a "DIVER DOWN" flag was. No classes or training in boat safety needed to pilot a boat.
Stupid, yes!! But I would be willing to bet, that is the norm. Lack of training or the requirement of training to drive a boat.
Is the boat driver wrong? YES!!!! But it might be that anybody can buy and drive a small boat without any training at all.
I'm not sure what the answer could be, outside more government regulation. (I hate saying that out loud)

 

[debajo agua]

The only good Jet-ski operator, is a dead Jet-ski operator!

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Better watch saying stuff like that. Some of the mods have no sense of humor when it comes to stuff like that.

Sent from my DROID X2 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Paladin]

I've had the same problem when diving Smith Mountain Lake in Virginia. Boats completely ignore the flags and I was nearly run over several times. I don't go there anymore.

 

[shoredivr]

What is this dive flag you speak of?

 

[Doc Harry]

I had a speed boat narrowly miss me on the surface - I was holding onto my float and dive float, so I was very close to the flag.

The speed boat was being operated by the local dive rescue team (Charleston, WV), who informed me that they were not bound by laws regarding dive flags!

Idiocy is not limited to non-divers.

 

[SnorkelLA]

Sounds like you did the right thing. Here, where I'm diving, there's no local police officers near by dive sites. I'm not even sure what I'd do in that case. I'd probably not try to confront 10 drunk guys, but I might just use the non-emergency line for the police station.

Dive buoys seem to confuse a lot of boaters. I've heard of some boaters slowly approach a buoy because they're curious as to what it is. I would think it's obvious, and if they're running a boat at that area, they should know the rules and regulations.

This is why there needs to be a 30' by 20' dive flag that reads in bold, "If you can read this, there are probably SCUBA divers being chopped to pieces by your prop at this very moment- they had families..."

Now, how to fit it all on one piece of fabric...

 

[Ghetto Diver]

As frustrating as it is...it is to be expected at Pleasant. I teather a dive flag buoy and make like a carp to and fro my shore entry location. I have seen kids swimming to and swamping dive buoys before...it's a freakin zoo in the summer.
Fortunately, MCSO has a pretty strong precense on the lake.

 

[Paladin]

I had a speed boat narrowly miss me on the surface - I was holding onto my float and dive float, so I was very close to the flag.

The speed boat was being operated by the local dive rescue team (Charleston, WV), who informed me that they were not bound by laws regarding dive flags!

Idiocy is not limited to non-divers.

Was this at Summersville?

 

[Dirtdevil]

I wouldn't go as far as explosives- might be a tad loud underwater..... but at least you'd know when to give each other a high-5 and put a notch on your weightbelt.

Haha!! That hit the spot!! +1!


DD