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.
Former Member
Kari said,
"people who brush their teeth in the shower"
________________
I've never seen people doing this, but regularly see men shaving with foam splashing about everywhere.
A couple of months ago a girl at our club was cutting her boyfriend's hair in the showers and succeeded in blocking the drain with his unwanted hair!
I like Knelson's idea of shooting swimmers who push off right in front of you. At first I thought this action was a bit drastic, but on reflection, Knelson has it about right.
Originally posted by knelson
Is this guy's nickname "Slick" by any chance?
I bet you Slick is also the guy with bad BO that stinks up the pool. I also get annoyed when people and their bad cologne/perfume jump in the pool.
Wow, I see this has become a very popular topic. Few more observations:
(a) For many of the reasons mentioned earlier (by all of us), I prefer to practice 'open water' during that part of the year when I can. So I'm only now coming back to the pool to all these annoyances.
(b) I really can't afford my own 25M pool, so like many others here, I use a "Y" type facility that has some masters members and some water exercisers, and some general recreational users.
(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.
(e) And there are also "annoyances" in open water. But if they're human ones, at least it's usually possible to keep away from them.
Just my two cents, this time.
Dennis
When I swim on my own which is all too rare I usually get my own lane, and if all the lanes are full I wait ... If I am swimming and all the lanes are full and I see someone coming I immediately start doing a fly set ... I don't share lanes with non-swimmers well ...
Graham Short:
Unfortunately, this seems to be a worldwide problem. However, view it as a positive as ever other lap you get a few yards of sprint workout as you swim around them.
The perenial discussion thread. Let's see if I can cut to the chase on the "highlights" of this discussion:
- Slow swimmers, water aerobs, uncontrolled children, and heck, open lap swimming in general sucks. Serious lap swimmers, defined by velocity, should have priority during open lap swimming.
- Actually, all the people above have just as much right to the pool as anyone else. The people who really suck are those with poor manners and/or lane etiquette. If you want to swim fast, find a masters team to join.
- No, you're wrong. I can't/won't find a masters team that fits into the miniscule opening in my busy schedule half as well as the open lap time. I am more worthy and all other pool users should bow down to my priorities, and you suck for questioning me.
- No, actually you suck for your poor manners in this discussion thread, etc. etc.
- Various other recriminations; sometimes capital P Party politics manage to ge dragged in. Lots of asides and digressions signifying very little. Eventually, the combatants lose interest or are offended enough to quit reading the thread, and like an outbreak of Ebola, the discussion burns itself out.
Have I missed anything?
Matt
In our pool, they often go to the fast lane for the ladder. And it is kind of, whatever lane is open, they hop in. I am OK with it.....if they can swim a straight line. Just love the ones swimming backstroke with very wide arms, and not straight.
