I did a search and didn't see a dedicated thread for this topic, which was inspired by a post by Chris Stevenson in the "How Many Swimmers Per Lane" Thread. I'll reproduce Chris's quote below (I hope you don't mind!) and my response (edited for context). What do others think?
(Hopefully I didn't just miss the thread on this. Sorry if I did--I did run a search!)
As far as passing goes, it is the responsibility of the passer. The slower person should not have to stop or slow -- indeed, s/he should not do anything differently...except perhaps be aware that s/he is being passed, swim in the proper part of the lane (esp not too far to the center) and don't do anything radical like speed up or move over suddenly.
It was interesting to read Chris say that, because I have the opposite view. I think, once alerted by a tap on the feet, the person getting passed should stop at the next wall and get out of the passing person's way. Maybe I feel that way because I swim in a pool with very narrow lanes and it's just not feasible to swim around somebody. This is also the way it works in my lane (the person getting passed will stop to let the faster person by) so that might also influence my view of what is "right". But in any event it seems reasonably fair to me. It's the slower person holding the faster person up, so it seems fair that the slower person defer...
I wonder if people's views are influenced by whether they are usually the "passer" or the "passee"...
"It is the responsibility of the passer to pass" -- this is the rule that has been drilled into me since I was a kid swimming age group. Any coach I had would be mad at a swimmer stopping to let someone else pass. I'd be interested in others' views and experiences.
I don't know if I like the onus being put completely on the slower person. Sometimes I'm the fastest in my practice by a good bit, and it is usually not possible to get a lane to myself. I don't want to interfere with their workout either. It is generally much less of a disruption to me to pass someone, then it is to them if they stop completely.
The main exception is doing backstroke, since it is hard to see well enough to pass.
About the foot tap...I avoid it since some people really don't like it. But it may be almost a cultural thing, like honking the car horn (not a big deal some places, a cause for road rage in others).
I remember one day at my college team, I was in the lane with this guy(he usually trained with Curl Burke Swim Club but trained with us that day) who got 9th at the 1996 Olympics in the 400 IM. Well, I was obviously in over my head in that lane and my college coach should have done it. But, he was passing me several times(more like alot of times). He later told other people that I should have stopped at the wall so he could pass me. Well, that wasn't going to happen. I came from the school if you want to pass someone swim around them if there is no one coming down the other side. Just because he was one of Spain's best swimmers, I was to make expectations to him. From the famous words of Whitney Houston, "Aww, hell to the naw!" Of course, he didn't have the guts to make this request to my face!
In addition, if I stopped at the wall, that would mess up my training for that day.
i try not to make passes at the people I swim with
Ah, Ande--c'mon, have some fun! :D
My question for everyone: is the foot tap a universally recognized communication? I don't mean just in masters' practices, but for open lap swim. I would hesitate to tap a stranger's foot wondering what kind of misinterpretation it would be subject to.... Not that I usually have to worry too much about this, given my speed. :violin:
During some of my lap swim times, there's a wonderful swim coach for a local high school who swims usually in my lane... This would not occur in any normal circumstance, but the particular swim period we both choose is populated largely by water walkers and some very, very leisurely swimmers, so the only lane where one can move is the fast lane. I offered to move to a slower lane, but "no," he said, "stay in the fast lane... don't worry about being in the way... I'm fine swimming around you." He even gave me some good tips on technique. If ever there was a good "ambassador" of the sport, this guy was it... always friendly and encouraging.
I was swimming in a lane to-day. Not a club workout just in open lap swim, 3 lanes for lap swimmers.
I started out in the fast lane some old guy gets into my lane and starts swimming double arm backstroke, swimming down the middle of the lane. I had just finished my 200m warm up.
I moved to the slow lane which was empty. My work out today was 200s with 1 minute rest. I did 2 really nice 200s and a little old lady gets in my lane fortunately she had been a pretty good swimmer. I let her do her first 2 lengths then I started my next 200 just before she finished 2 laps. I caught after 6 lengths. I waited a few seconds and finished my next full 200 with a slow 50. Then a couple of very slow breaststrokers got in the lane.
I moved over to the next lane which was just a medium speed lap lane. There was a nice young lady who was a competitive swimmer getting in condition to start up with a masters club. I was able to complete 2 more good 200s then two little old ladies got into that lane and started swimming a very slow breaststroke. By this time the double arm backstroker had gone to the hot tub.
Into the fast lane once more another good 200. Then three other old guys came in and started a variety of kicking, breaststroke, and backstroke and they barely moved thru the water.
Hot tub time.
Gotta say I'm with Chris on this.
No foot tapping. No need for the passee to stop even in highly crowded, narrow lanes.
Passer just sprints on by.
I've been on both sides of the fence. I prefer to be the passer of course.
There was only once this summer when I was swimming with the kids in that I attempted to pass this gal and she sped up to try and prevent me from passing. She told me later that she was just being a B$%&^. Man, she has some balls. Gotta respect that. :agree:
I don't know, in a 25 yd. pool if you are just a little faster than the person you are passing, I don't see how you could pull it off.
Luckily where I swim I don't have this problem. My lanemates let me go first on freestyle sets, and I go last on everything else, especially kicking.
I think I first brought up that the responsibility rests with the passer in the other thread. When I wrote it I specifically had in mind the case where people want a lanemate to lead the lane. In that case I think the responsibility is on the passer. After all, they were the ones who told the other person to lead.
I think this is the general case, too, but it's always a nice gesture to stop if it's not too inconvenient. For example, if you're doing a swim for time there's no reason to make your time slower just to let someone else pass.
As far as the foot tap, I've always hated that.
