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"...
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I swim in public pools and always try to find a lane that's a good match for my speed, but since not everyone in the lane will be an exact match, I'll pull aside at the end and let the overtaking swimmer go first. It only stops me for a second or two and I appreciate it when people give me the same courtesy.
Occasionally I'll be the one overtaking a slower person who just will not give way, and it isn't safe to pass in the middle. In that case I turn around a meter or two short of the wall and then speed up so as not to let them draft.
I've learned to avoid sharing a lane with anyone who only swims head-up *** stroke and nothing else. If you see an extremely slow person clogging up the medium or even fast lane at a public pool lane swim time, chances are they'll be swimming that one stroke... and they'll refuse to give way... and sometimes refuse to circle even if the lane is full... and give you a filthy look if you have the audacity to pass them six times in 20 minutes. That stroke seems to go with a certain mindset.
I swim in public pools and always try to find a lane that's a good match for my speed, but since not everyone in the lane will be an exact match, I'll pull aside at the end and let the overtaking swimmer go first. It only stops me for a second or two and I appreciate it when people give me the same courtesy.
Occasionally I'll be the one overtaking a slower person who just will not give way, and it isn't safe to pass in the middle. In that case I turn around a meter or two short of the wall and then speed up so as not to let them draft.
I've learned to avoid sharing a lane with anyone who only swims head-up *** stroke and nothing else. If you see an extremely slow person clogging up the medium or even fast lane at a public pool lane swim time, chances are they'll be swimming that one stroke... and they'll refuse to give way... and sometimes refuse to circle even if the lane is full... and give you a filthy look if you have the audacity to pass them six times in 20 minutes. That stroke seems to go with a certain mindset.
