The Rec Center I occasionally swim at has starting blocks. I am aware that is a swim device that I am supposed to use once in awhile. The pool is very deep and used for daily swim team practice and some meets. Yet, there is always a bright yellow cone placed on the blocks during lap swimming hours. No one may use the starting blocks at this time. I find it irritating. No one could possibly get hurt unless they were especially idiotic. I guess they're worried about lawsuits. I saw someone doing backstroke starts once, but who wants to do those? This practice will discourage me from ever entering a non-OW event.
When I first started racing, I would show up at the end of the age group team practice and ask one of the coaches (just happens to be my wife) if I could do starts with them. Now that the pool staff knows that I know what I'm doing they don't object if I ask to use the blocks during lap swim. I only use the blocks if I have the lane to myself and always check the swimmers in the adjacent lanes before I launch. The only time I ever had problems with a lifeguard I asked her to check with the pool manager then it was okay.
When I first started racing, I would show up at the end of the age group team practice and ask one of the coaches (just happens to be my wife) if I could do starts with them. Now that the pool staff knows that I know what I'm doing they don't object if I ask to use the blocks during lap swim. I only use the blocks if I have the lane to myself and always check the swimmers in the adjacent lanes before I launch. The only time I ever had problems with a lifeguard I asked her to check with the pool manager then it was okay.
