Please tell me that this kind of thing doesn't happen in the States!
This morning, before coming into work, I trained at the local pool in Kenilworth, England, - 25 metres, four lanes. Not brilliant facilities, but acceptable.
At the end of each lane there is a sign: lane 1- slow, lane 2 - slow, lane 3 -medium, lane 4 - fast. Why do some swimmers, who clearly have difficulty in keeping up, always want to swim in the fast lane? This morning one elderly man, joined the fast lane. He swam breaststroke (I think it was!) with his face out of the water, which was a feat in itself because he was swimming so slowly. There were six of us in the lane and three left the pool (myself included).
When on the deck I decided to time him. He was consistent. Every length of the 25m pool was swum in 2 mins 15 seconds!
Please tell me this kind of 'swimming etiquette' wouldn't be seen in your pool.
So that I can continue with my swimming I need to be reassured that this was a one-off. I'm still in shock.
Originally posted by Fishgrrl
people who brush their teeth in the shower
That's gross, really gross.
Speaking of gross, here's one for you. Today the dude next to me in the shower, not a swimmer, had apparently put his shampoo in a empty KY Jelly trial size container. Either that, or he was washing his hair with KY. Both scenarios are nasty in my book.
Originally posted by newmastersswimmer ..they also like to play games where they deliberately swim across the lap lanes (kind of like a dare).
They would do this when I swam my local YMCA, so after a few times I stopped caring. I would just barrel over the little b-----ds. At 6'3"/240lbs and moving at a decent clip (1:15 pace per 100 for SCM) they would soon learn to stay out of my way for fear of bruises or bloody noses. I just wouldnt stop but would swim right over them, maybe do some "fist" drill swims, etc. If they had something to say my usual retort was like "If you want to play in traffic, please go do it in the street outside".
my other favorite is the 2 or 3 old ladies, with flowery swim caps to keep their hair dry, kicking or walking, 3 abreast in the lane, while chattering incessantly. The lifeguard, too hungover or to enamored with whatever member of the opposite sex was nearby, could usually care less. These individuals get the same treatment. Swim at them, fast, maybe even butterfly, but stop at the last moment as obviously you don't want to break granny's hip. Keep doing this until they get the point.
Or even the idiot parents who sit on the side of the pool to watch their kids swim, and then complain that your flip turns are getting them wet. HELLO!!! Its a freakin swimming pool, with water in it, that is usually wet. You don't want to get wet, stay away from the side of the pool. Go sit in the lounge and watch Oprah or read Sports Illustrated.
so yea, i have some pet peeves.
Originally posted by Fishgrrl
people who brush their teeth in the shower
ok, I don't do this normally, but I don't understand why it's so gross?
or at least no more gross than say... shaving? or washing nasty oils and germs and muck off of your body in the shower?
Originally posted by Fishgrrl
Here's my list:
People who start the warm up too early (like 5 min. before the top of the hour), so they finish before you do and move on to the next set...
Uh-oh, I am always an early person and don't like to wait for everyone else, although I just stretch in the time it takes everyone else to finish not move to the next set
Originally posted by brains07666
(c) I'm pretty sure that even the various masters users together could not afford to build & maintain the pool, ourselves, so we're stuck with the rest of the public. I suspect that some of the folks we don't appreciate are in fact giving more $$ to support the place than we are.
(d) So even if we find certain people or behaviours annoying to us, I don't think that some of the more drastic 'solutions' posted are very practical.
I'm sure some of the people I drive with on the highway everyday pay more in taxes that I do for road maintenance. That doesnt give them the right to cut me off, park their car in the middle of a highway, or drive 20 mph in the passing lane. All actions that will result in fines from the police. Since the lifeguards are the police of the pool, and since for the most part, they care more about watching the hair grow on their arm than what is actually going on in the pool, creative measures need to be taken to have people behave properly. If users of a pool can't abide by common sense rules and share the facilities with everyone the way they were designed, and if the authorities in the matter don't care, then these individuals need to have their behavoir corrected in other ways.
There is nothing, and I mean NOTHING, more frustrating, than having 6 lanes, each with 1 swimmer, 5 of them filled with "non" swimmers doing their thing, you in your lane busting out a set of 10x200, and having some individual hop in your lane, start swimming down the middle, elementary backstroke, or stop in the middle of the pool to talk to the life guard to complain the the water, at 90 degrees, is too cold, and then look at you like you just killed their dog when you bump into them or make them bob about from your wake. People don't use their common sense.
If I walked into a pool, as a novice, and saw 5 lanes of people shuffling about, and 1 lane with a guy swimming fast, doing flip turns, etc, i'd make my way to one of the other 5 lanes.
I ALWAYs share a lane, when someone comes and asks if they can share the lane. As long as we can split it so I get my half and they get theirs and they know the rules, you stay on that side, I stay on this side, otherwise, you are likely to get hurt (and I dont mean that in a "I'll punch you in the face manner", but rather, "if we collide you will probably be really hurt" manner.
See, its all common sense, something that apparently is lacking at most aquatic facilities.
Originally posted by Fishgrrl
Jswim....
I don't know; I'm sure it's just me.... :)
lol, no, I also have friends who think it's gross.. I never thought it was gross but wondered if someone new something I didn't or if it was just a personal thing.. ;)
ps.. This among other reasons is why it's probably a very good idea to get a pair of flip flops for the public showers and locker rooms. :rolleyes:
