Outer Lanes

I believe that the effect of waves off other swimmers is minimal and would take a computer to quantify. Let's examine swimmer A in Lane 4 and swimmer B in Lane 8 (the effects of swimmers in lanes in-between will affect the course of events similarly.) We assume that A in lane 4 is faster. He (or she) is creating a wave. That wave is NOT moving out, ONLY perpendicularly to A's forward motion. It's moving to the side AND front of A (A's kick is creating another wave that is moving backwards and at an angle aft, but that's another study). Therefore A's wave, moving (for the sake of argument) at a 45 degrees angle to A's (either) side and front has two vectoral components: one straight ahead and a perpendicular component that is -itself- moving forward. When this latter component hits the side wall, it is moving forward and is reflected in a mostly forward (pool's long axis) albeit at an angle, direction and thus helps (carries or pushes) swimmer B in lane 8 (or C in 1) forward. But I'd think that its effect would be infinitesimal. So, if B lags so far behind A that A's wave affects B, then A's waves are helping B. I like clear water as much as the next guy/gal but if I'm not in clear water, does this this mean I'm drafting off somebody?

I believe that the effect of waves off other swimmers is minimal and would take a computer to quantify. Let's examine swimmer A in Lane 4 and swimmer B in Lane 8 (the effects of swimmers in lanes in-between will affect the course of events similarly.) We assume that A in lane 4 is faster. He (or she) is creating a wave. That wave is NOT moving out, ONLY perpendicularly to A's forward motion. It's moving to the side AND front of A (A's kick is creating another wave that is moving backwards and at an angle aft, but that's another study). Therefore A's wave, moving (for the sake of argument) at a 45 degrees angle to A's (either) side and front has two vectoral components: one straight ahead and a perpendicular component that is -itself- moving forward. When this latter component hits the side wall, it is moving forward and is reflected in a mostly forward (pool's long axis) albeit at an angle, direction and thus helps (carries or pushes) swimmer B in lane 8 (or C in 1) forward. But I'd think that its effect would be infinitesimal. So, if B lags so far behind A that A's wave affects B, then A's waves are helping B. I like clear water as much as the next guy/gal but if I'm not in clear water, does this this mean I'm drafting off somebody?