Clarifying Lane Etiquette

I'm pretty flexible about circling/splitting lanes and have no problem going with the other person's choice. And possibly this fellow had some legit reasons for wanting to circle, but grabbing Barb's ankles seems a little over the top, esp'y if standard procedure is a simple tap on the foot. One incident that came up for me involved a lifeguard who INSISTED on everyone circle swimming. The other woman in my lane wanted to split it, and I was okay with that but the lifeguard came over to me (not the other lady) and said, "you have to circle." I told him the other swimmer wanted to split. "well, you have to tell her it's circle only." I did, and she said, "nope, I'm not circling." So I had to get out of the pool and explain to the lifeguard what was going on before he approached the other person. I'd had issues with him already because in a pool divided into three sections, one of the three sections was reserved for water walking. I had understood from other swim periods that half of the section was for water walking and the other half for slower paced swimming, so I entered what I thought was the swimming half and the water walkers said that I wasn't allowed to swim there; they told the guard I was splashing them. So he told me that I had to find another lane--it was a crowded day, and one man was walking in a swimming lane, so I pointed that out. "Oh well, he's on the Board." Finally, I found my way to the above-mentioned lane and the guard by then saw me as nothing but trouble, I suppose. :rolleyes: p.s. Barb, I see you're from the Philly area... so am I!

I missed the part about ankle grabbing. I think that is bizarre. Someone grabs my ankle, it better be one of my kids. You don't have to put up with that crap again.

I don't even ask when I join a lane. I just say "are we cirlcing or side-to-side." I figure if they are already there, they can choose. I NEVER ask permission to join a lane Interesting. You NEVER ask permission to join and purposefully jump in what you perceive to be the lane-hogger lane, but ALWAYS give them the choice of circling or swimming side by side. You obviously have the right to hop in. But is it necessarily better to have a "first come first serve" mindset? Maybe they would choose differently if they knew how fast you are. Or, maybe if they're hogging the lane, they're faster than you and don't mind circle swimming? Seems doubtful. I must admit I never really "ask" to join a lane either; I just try to make my presence known in a courteous manner and ask for a "side." My own experience, just my own of course, is that pure lap swimmers generally don't like to be constantly swum over and around. I guess if someone really objected to my request for a "side," I'd just swim circles and, if it was a problem, hope another lane opens up. It just wouldn't be my preference because I would likely be going a different speed, doing different strokes and doing a much different interval-based workout. I spend a lot of time at my rec center and health club pool during the school year when I can't get to my team practices as much. I think people have gotten used to me. Courtesy generally helps. I'm even buddies with one of the elderly "walkers." I shared a lane with her once. As to Kirk's point, no one at my rec pool EVER follows the slow, medium, fast signs that are prominently posted. They might as well not exist. (Just like the starting blocks.) Everyone just hops in an open lane or asks to join. So far, it seems to all work out and I haven't seen the need for a "pool mother." But, Barb, I'm happy to villify the guy who grabbed your ankles repeatedly. As Bud commented, that is just rude. A little courtesy or communication would have been nice. I'm not feeling really bad for the guy just because he had to swim against a wall. It's a rec pool. He doesn't have the right to "perfect" practice conditions. We're all just trying to get some exercise and maybe a good workout. OMG, Geek actually agreed with me on something, ankle grabbing.

I'm courteous about my entry - I don't just plunge in. Also, I did not say ALWAYS. Sometimes it's obvious the person should be sides only. It's a judgment call. We are fotunate to have courteous swimmers at our pool. Considering I swim with 4-6/lane folks at practice, getting a half lane to myself from time to time is quite a luxury.

sometimes I favor jumping off the block right in front of my lane mate to properly announce my arrival I often prefer to go with the preacher-seat-massive-wave-scare-the-crap-out-of-'em approach but be careful you want to land inches infront of them and not on them and this might start off a prank war ande

I'll take the contrary view here. All pools should require circle swimming all the time. What you do by insisting to swim side by side, or down the center, is make the next person entering the lane stop you and ask for permission and work out a plan you can accept. Circle swimming is the most efficient use of a finite space. Assuming this is public pool space so whether you develop a bad habit of circle swimming in races shouldn't be the concern of the owner of the pool. Their concern should be to fit as many people in the space as they can. This is valid. A simple tap (as a heads up) and pass should be the modus operandi if only 2 are swimming. No need to grab, and hound someone to stop. Just tap and pass. This would mean having to insist that all lanes are swimming at the relavant speed for the lane, which is neccessary to implement the mandatory circle swim rule. It's just my opinion but otherwise well have "tap and pass" going on in every lane.

and therein lies the problem. how many times have you gone to swim during rec swim hours, and no one is obeying the slow, medium, and fast signs posted??? or better yet, how many pools don't have the signs at all? i think this is why if there's only 2 people in a lane, splitting it is a much better idea. just my :2cents: Mollie, I'm very open minded on the whole circle vs side by side thing. I didn't mean to sound preachy. I was supporting howard as having a valid point, with the caveat that lane discipline has to be enforced for it to work--I would not be the "pool mother" organising the lanes at rec time though. So I agree with you that in the unperfect world we get the person in the fast lane (even if designated) swimming a :60 25yd without getting their hair wet etc. So until perfection has been establsihed, yes Virginia, I agree that side by side is better until >3 swimmers come along. ;)

The slow, medium, fast lanes could be a topic unto itself. I've had experiences where I start swimming in the fast lane of a pool where I'm not a frequent swimmer and sort of get the skunk eye from the other swimmers. They usually don't say much, but you just get the "how dare you come to my pool and swim faster than me?" vibe. I'm sure others have had this experience! Nobody likes a show off Kirk ;) j/k hehehe

Rich and Leslie, yes, you are correct :banana: :dedhorse: I always jump into the "fast" lanes as marked at rec swims. To geek's point, though, if I am in a lane by myself and there is ample lane space (ie lots of lanes w/ one person and the person chooses my lane), I am definetely discriminatory about who I will let join in. I think that is a fair thing to do, esp. if the facility has a history if patrons ignorant of the lane speed cones. When Rich shows up with his baggy trunks and water-running belt and tries to get into my lane, he's going to be glad I know who he is :wave: . Once he is done using his belt, we can work on strategery for our 200 *** relay with Heather and Geek! hehe could definitely happen...it's only a few hours drive down the Devil's Highway...

most pools post lap swimming etiquette rules somewhere...if you are talking about swimming during open rec swim that is. I've found, for the most part, that most rec swim participants don't follow the rules, such as swimming in the lane that is marked "Fast" when one is fast or "Medium" when one is not so fast etc. It is usually whatever lane is empty you take until all the lanes are full and then you start spliting the lanes until more people arrive etc. I've also found that it is generally up to the person that was there first to decide if the two people are going to split or circle.