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
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
Unfortunately, it's no joke. I have yet to go to a U.S. pool where there wasn't a policy against letting swimmers use the starting blocks, except during meets and kids' swim team practices, and where there weren't cones or covers on the blocks. Sometimes, if a lifeguard knows you're a competitive swimmer (and, obviously, if there's no one else using the lane), you can talk him or her into allowing it. But it's officially against the rules.
Obviously, it's pretty hard to perfect your starts if the only time you get to use them is at meets!
Here's another stupid rule: If I forget to take my parking pass out of my glove compartment while I'm attending swim practice, I get fined $75. Seems a little excessive.
I chalk it up to Virginia Drivers. But don't worry. Those same burros who gave you that ticket also gave me a $75 ticket for parking legally in a legal parking space.
I have the same problem at my pool. I generally don't understand why because for someone who knows what they are doing the risk is very very small of getting hurt. I think a waiver similar to that we sign for USMS meets would be appropriate for use of the blocks.
However, the chance of getting hurt very badly if something does go wrong is very high.
When I was about 10 years old at a regional state age group championship, an older boy got on the blocks for his race. I don't remember which race it was but he was the number one seed and number two was seeded very close behind and records were likely to be dropped. The place was absolutely roaring as they went to the blocks. After the starter said take your mark, mr. number one seed passed out, fell into the 9 foot deep pool and did not hit the bottom but curved inwards and hit the side wall HARD with his head.
...we had a moment of silence for him the following year.
As sad as that is. Accidents do happen.
I think the issue is that we are not given the opportunity to sign off on a claim arising from an "accindent." I can't say I blame the institutions for worrying. Many folks today do not realise that they voluntarily try to do things and get hurt--then turn and blame someone for not protecting them from themselves.
It's a bit different to have the blocks open and as you get on it the thing collapses launchig you badly into the water (that is negligence surely) and another for you to just be unlucky and fall in, and claim because you were allowed to try. Not faulting the victim anymore in that case. Accidents are just that...accidents nobody meant or allowed it to happen.
I think we're all in the same boat on this. Pretty much.
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.
Fortress.
USA Swimming's registration covers insurance (as does USMS). You should not have to pay for any additional insurance. The requirement is that all swimmers in the practice are USA Swimming or USMS members and that all coaches are USA Swimming registered. Both organizations carry accident as well as liability coverage. The latter coverage is in the multi-million dollar range. So I would question the need for the additional coverage.
The other USA problem is that if they allow anyone to use the blocks during open swim, then some goof will sue unless everyone gets to, regardless of their skills.
Only in America do we outfit facilities with expensive systems and equipment that we then disallow the use of for fear of lawsuits!
But then, we must be prejudiced against swimming :shakeshead: as free weights and weight machines don't require individual waivers in alot of places!
Go figure!
When I was a member of the YMCA in Hamilton they had a sign posted at the entrance of the pool no swimwear allowed. We had to swim naked.
Are they hiring lifeguards for the women-only sessions?:groovy:
I cannot blame facilities these days with fears about litigation. I worked at a Y for awhile and they were scared to death of being sued, to the point where they would not even fire people unless you basically didn't show up to work. I read somewhere that 9 out of 10 lawsuits in the world are filed in the USA. Don't know if it is true, but I could see that.
. I read somewhere that 9 out of 10 lawsuits in the world are filed in the USA. Don't know if it is true, but I could see that.
Careful you might get sued for slander or libel...
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.
Jeff,
You've hit the nail on the proverbial head. It's all about lawuits in this litigious society. We gotta protect everyone from womb to the tomb these days. We are lucky where my team practices. Our starting blocks are about 1-1/2 years old, have a great platform surface, but warning cones are on top of them. Fortunately, our coach, who's been a God-send since his arrival a year ago, frequently incorporates using the blocks as part of practices/work outs. He had us doing sprints off the blocks the Saturday following New Year's just to keep us using them! :shakeshead:
Hello to my friends out there. Yes, I've been "off line" for a while ... nothing serious had happened ... just been terribly busy last year.
Cheers!
