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.
Former Member
Starting blocks are very frightening after a long lay off. After swimming 10 years of Marathon races no dive starts, then no dives for another twenty years it was like diving from a 10 meter diving tower for my first masters meet.
Rich, you get lots of those, right?!?:woot:
Yes and that remark just explained why you commute to my pool for a workout!:rofl:
I WISH! lol
Poolraat...why do you have a picture of Eminem as your Avatar?
Let's blame Fortress and her lawyer buddies..
j/k :D
Very funny, Mr. Engineer. Watch out or I'll spill some hot :coffee: on you.
And fanstone and I had just agreed that lawyer-doctor-speak was humorless. :rofl:
I can see why with kids...but the lifeguard should blow their whistle and ask the person to take their garbage with them in front of the whole pool.
Kids almost never pick up after themselves. So true.
I don't think there is always a lifeguard at USS/USA practices though. That's why the teams have to purchase insurance for their swimmers. Our "registration" fee for joining the team was mostly for insurance, I was told. It was a whopper. Especially where I live, with so many litigious swimmer parents.
Good idea.
Here's a stupid rule. I was traveling recently and happened to swim in the Y in Pittsburgh, PA. There were no starting blocks. Fine. I brought a bottle of water to have poolside. The lifeguard informed me to put it away because no drinks were allowed. That's a first for me. I have yet to go to a pool where everyone doesn't have drinks. What's the liability there if you spill water? Isn't the pool deck already wet? Someone's going to trip on my water bottle?
I have had this happen to be years ago at a YMCA. I was told that the Y does not want to inspect every water bottle that swimmers bring in with them. That a lot of swimmers bring energy drinks with them that could have alcohol or drugs mixed with the water and they do not want to take a risk and have the responsibilty for any actions from this. Also, they said that they follow the motto "drink, then don't swim". If you would like water, get out of the pool and go to a drinking fountain or keep your water in your locker and have it after you swim.
Ah the pool *** and their arbitrary and capricious rules.
My son took a clear bottle with sports drink in it and the lifeguards said he couldn't have with him during swim team practice. "No drinks allowed. But water is okay".
Huh! Did I miss something?
I told him to use an opaque bottle and tell them it was water.
Anyone ever been forced into showering or reprimanded for not showering before entering the pool?
Funny story related to that:
I worked at a pool where one of the elder women had complained a few too many times to the manager about us not enforcing every single of the 15 pages of rules to the T. She yapped away at him at the front desk and then went through the locker room to the pool. The mgr. waited outside the locker room exit, and as she came out, dry, he asked if she intended on taking a shower before she entered the pool. She continued walking, dry. Didn't hear much from her after that.
:dedhorse:
Hi all!
Sorry for not understanding this completely. Is this a joke or is this real? Are you really not allowed to use the starting blocks? Sure you can hurt yourself if you are really clumsy using them but you can hurt yourself going on the sidewalk as well if you are clumsy enough...this for sure is not a reason to forbid people from using the sidewalks....I hope...
In Swedish pools you typically find one sign and one sign only. "All swimming at own risk". That seems to be enough from a legal perspective, since I have never heard of any lawsuit against any pool owner.
Or maybe I am just missing the big joke in all this...disregard above in that case
:)
/Stupid Swede
Around here, during open lap swim, you are not allowed to use the starting blocks. If it is a practice for age group, or Masters swim team, then yes, but not during open.
I know the guards well enough that I have on occasion when the pool is not busy, asked to use the blocks and it is allowed.
Hi all!
Sorry for not understanding this completely. Is this a joke or is this real? Are you really not allowed to use the starting blocks? Sure you can hurt yourself if you are really clumsy using them but you can hurt yourself going on the sidewalk as well if you are clumsy enough...this for sure is not a reason to forbid people from using the sidewalks....I hope...
Per,
Remember here in America, people can be dumb enough to put a lid-free cup of piping hot coffee between their legs, and then when the thing spills and burns their crotch when they start driving, they're allowed to sue and win millions of dollars. Seems dumb, but its legal. Pools are just trying to protect themselves against as many lawsuits as possible, and that is one way of preventative maintenance. Call me cynical, I get it from SwimmieAvsFan. :dedhorse:
