Skipping buddy checks - you bet I do

I read so many articles on why divers should never skip buddy checks, I dive with experienced divers whom I have mostly just met on dive charters and I just about always see nobody doing buddy checks with no adverse effects. I am responsible for my own dive, I set up my own equipment and don't like people messing with my gear.

I begin with a negative entry so I don't need people playing with my inflator putting air in my buoyancy jacket, I have seen ribs broken by people over-inflating other people's buoyancy jackets. I have integrated weights, by messing around with what you don't know about, my weights just became less secure.

Likewise, I don't want people playing with the releases or settings on my gear. I have seen people turn off an air supply that was already on - my gas/my problem, every diver has to know how to oral inflate as per training requirements. Then there is the technical divers, getting stage cylinders turned on that were intentionally switched off, messing around with rebreathers - just leave it alone.