What annoys you?

Originally posted by Graham Short 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! 2 min. 5 sec! He wasn't swimming - he was floating really fast!

Graham.....that would also piss me off as well. Do you think the guy just wasn't paying attention when he chose the fast lane?....It's possible he didn't really read the postings on the lanes and thought that all the lanes were virtually the same....He would be guilty of not paying close enough attention to what he is doing....but I am more forgiving about things like that then just outwardly being rude and inconsiderate. At our pool there is a recreational section next to the lap swimming lanes and the kids get a kick out of deliberately throwing items at the lap swimmers....they also like to play games where they deliberately swim across the lap lanes (kind of like a dare).....One Saturday these kids relentlessly filled my lane with an assortment of all kinds of materials (kickboards, plastic toys, rings....you name it and they threw it at me)....every single time I came into the wall to turn at the shallow end I was relentlessly pelted with several different items....I didn't even know these kids....the parents on the pool deck didn't seem to care about it either...even though I asked one of the parents to please ask her kids to stop...as I was talking to her about it, 2 of her kids were still throwing stuff in my lane while standing right next to her....The lifeguard asked them to stop a couple of times....but basically did nothing about it. Newmastersswimmer

o.k.....I see that many of the complaints fall into those categories you mentioned....and I agree that Matt S was probably thinking along the lines you spelled out......but my interpretation of the comment Matt made was that he was more or less addressing everyone here who posted a complaint on this thread??....but I could be wrong about that I admit....I personally don't think that every complaint made on this thread is so predictable and that nothing can be learned from any of them.....I think some of them are legitimate gripes that might be different than the so called "standard gripes"....and someone could potentially offer good advice about it.....for example: Graham started the thread with a particular story about some guy at his pool and I proposed a possible explanation about it other than the guy just being inconsiderate....I also didn't know that others also get bombarded with toys and kickboards during lap swim as a victim of some kiddie game....but I do think it is a problem that needs to be addressed where ever it is happening.....I can't speak for everyone with a complaint here....but we were all prompted to share annoying stories like Graham's in this thread...It was the very premise of the thread in fact....so if someone like Matt S doesn't like hearing these complaints...then why even read the thread at all since it's so obvious what the thread is going to contain?.....I guess I could understand Matt's point of view better if these complaints came out of nowhere on a thread that started off about something else.....but in this situation, I think it was a little offensive to have Matt come in and start slamming on everyone.....but don't get me wrong, I appreciate your posting in trying to explain your take on Matt's posting. newmastersswimmer

Jim, might be a little drastic...but, take the kickboard or whatever they throw....and throw it back! Drives me insane when someone interrupts me in the middle of a set for any reason! I come into the wall at 1:05 on a hundred, getting ready to leave on the 1:20 or 1:30....."excuse me, is this lane for lap swimming?" No, this is the Underwater Basket Weaving Class!!!!! Here's your sign!!!!!!

I swim in a four lane 25 yd pool during the week. Last night they had a water aerobics class in the outside lane. I was in the middle of my main set and a man was water walking across my lane to get to his class. I'm amazed that I saw him and stopped (my head is usually down where it should be). He obviously had no idea how fast I was going and is really lucky that I saw him.

I appreciate your replies. Can I ask you, the next time you are in the pool, to swim 25m in 2 mins 15 seconds. You'd be amazed how slow this is. In fact it's very difficult to accomplish. I'm starting to respect the man a lot more than I did this morning. Dennis made a good point, the lifeguards don't seem to notice slow swimmers in a fast lane. Graham

Originally posted by knelson The people who push off right in front of you deserve to be shot. :D :D Hey, that sounds like something I would say!! What annoys me at the pool? Hmm? Not much actually. Well, I do get annoyed when kids work their way into my lane from the recreation area of the pool and proceed to get into my way. Another annoying incident was when an elderly man jumped into my lane and decided to split the lane. Normally I would have no problem with this but he chose to do so without letting me know so we collided since I was swimming in the middle of the lane. Somehow I just can't bring myself to yell at the elderly. My parents brought me up way too well I guess.

Originally posted by botterud ..... did I mention brussel sprouts? Paris Hilton ;)

Here's my list: faster swimmers who are lazy and sandbag in practice by insisting on going behind you then ride your toes... people who chitty chat after workout and stay at the end of the lane so the group is inhibited from doing flip turns people who brush their teeth in the shower fast swimmers who won't move up a lane (not talking about a crowded pool either) and refuse to adhere to the send off/interval that the rest of the lane can make people who yell their times from the last meet, making sure eveyone is in earshot.. i.e.".....YEAH, I DID A 1:06 AT NATIONALS!!!!!!!!!" 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...

Originally posted by dorothyrde 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. I think this is a major contributor to the problem. Why get in with someone else when there is a perfectly empty lane they can go in? (Regardless of how it is labeled.) And it takes the lifeguards to keep order (if order is going to be kept.) And they don't. Frankly, I just choose to swamp these people when it happens. "Eat my wake!" Only the stupid ones can't figure it out after a few laps. Most realize they are better off to move elsewhere.