# What does this sign mean? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 6, 2009, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-sign-mean/495607 "2009-05-06T23:55:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![liirogue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dbc845/32.png) [@liirogue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/liirogue)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-sign-mean/495607/1 "2009-05-06T23:55:18Z")
I’ve been noticing this flag/bumper sticker around town and I was curious what it meant. It is a red rectangle, with a white stripe from the top right to the bottom left. I’ve seen it as a bumber sticker and also as the cover on someone’s tailgate hitch. What on earth is it for? ---
**Author:** ![PatriotGrrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9dc877/32.png) [@PatriotGrrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotGrrrl)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2009, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-sign-mean/495607/2 "2009-05-07T00:06:56Z")
It’s a dive flag. When flown from a boat or raft, it means there’s a scuba diver below. On a car of course it just means the owner likes diving. ---
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2009, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-sign-mean/495607/3 "2009-05-07T00:07:11Z")
SCUBA dive flag. It means they are SCUBA divers. YMMV ---
**Author:** ![Punoqllads](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d2c977/32.png) [@Punoqllads](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Punoqllads)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2009, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-sign-mean/495607/4 "2009-05-07T00:09:16Z")
Well, if the white stripe went from top left to bottom right, that would be the “diver down” flag, usually indicating that the owner of the vehicle is a scuba diver or really big Van Halen fan. ---
**Author:** ![dgrdfd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/eb8c5e/32.png) [@dgrdfd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dgrdfd)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2009, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-sign-mean/495607/5 "2009-05-07T00:12:25Z")
I believe it’s a diver flag. The person is likely into SCUBA. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2009, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-sign-mean/495607/6 "2009-05-07T00:54:10Z")
Has anyone mentioned that it is probably a [dive flag](http://www.foreandaftmarine.com/DIVEFLAGLAWS.htm)? (Yeah, yeah, I know.) The displayed Alpha flag is poorly drawn, miisiing the the outline of the left side of the flag as demonstrated [here](http://www.sailorschoice.com/seamanship/alphabet_pennants.htm). ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2009, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-sign-mean/495607/7 "2009-05-07T01:42:19Z")
> [@](#): > > Has anyone mentioned that it is probably a dive flag? Can’t be. The Marianas Trench is far too deep for SCUBA diving; you’d be crushed. ---
**Author:** ![Fubaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@Fubaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fubaya)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2009, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-sign-mean/495607/8 "2009-05-07T01:53:41Z")
It can often mean they attended a class and went diving once but really don’t know much about diving. ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2009, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-sign-mean/495607/9 "2009-05-07T13:43:40Z")
It means they’re a fan of _Rio_, by Van Halen. ---
**Author:** ![Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/half_man_half_wit/32/21766_2.png) [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Half_Man_Half_Wit)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2009, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-sign-mean/495607/10 "2009-05-07T14:01:14Z")
> [@tomndebb](#): > > The displayed Alpha flag is poorly drawn, miisiing the the outline of the left side of the flag as demonstrated [here](http://www.sailorschoice.com/seamanship/alphabet_pennants.htm). From the linked site: > [@](#): > > R-Romeo > the way is off my ship. You may feel you way past me What’s that supposed to mean? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2009, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-sign-mean/495607/11 "2009-05-07T14:21:27Z")
> [@Hal\_Briston](#): > > It means they’re a fan of _Rio_, by Van Halen. I saw the extended-play video for that once, for twenty minutes, as the in-flight movie for a plane on a treadmill. ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2009, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-sign-mean/495607/12 "2009-05-07T14:41:59Z")
It means, “I think I’m cool”. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2009, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-sign-mean/495607/13 "2009-05-07T20:12:53Z")
> [@Philster](#): > > It means, “I think I’m cool”. I thought it meant, “I might be a douche bag.” ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2009, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-sign-mean/495607/14 "2009-05-07T20:32:54Z")
Remember when Opal was safe and 1920’s style Death Rays were dangerous? ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2009, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-sign-mean/495607/15 "2009-05-07T20:38:27Z")
It means “All my discretionary income is spoken for, so if you want to date me be prepared to subsist on uncooked hotdogs eaten on a boat while you wait for me to come up and tell you how much fun we’re having.” Oh, and “Would you mind driving on the way home because my legs are sore.” ---
**Author:** ![Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Attack_from_the_3rd_dimension)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2009, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-sign-mean/495607/16 "2009-05-07T20:48:10Z")
> [@TruCelt](#): > > It means “All my discretionary income is spoken for, so if you want to date me be prepared to subsist on uncooked hotdogs eaten on a boat while you wait for me to come up and tell you how much fun we’re having.” > > Oh, and “Would you mind driving on the way home because my legs are sore.” And I’m drunk ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Owl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@Mister\_Owl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Owl)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2009, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-sign-mean/495607/17 "2009-05-07T21:44:39Z")
It means “break into this vehicle as it might have expensive dive gear in it.”