Death to all Noodlers!

AARRRRGGGGG! I read much of this thread for the first time a couple of weeks ago. At that time my thoughts were 'gee, I'm really grateful for my pool as I rarely see any noodlers let alone have to share a lane with them' and 'can they really be that bad?'. But today, I had my first close encounter, and all I can say now is WOW. I FEEL YOUR PAIN!!!!!! My first mistake was going on a Saturday afternoon. So I was particularly happy that one designated lap lane was free. The bad part was that it was the one next to the bulkhead. Oh well. I got in and just as I was about to push off, a little old lady noodler came up and said 'I'm going to split the lane with you'. Well... ok, I thought, I can share. Then she said 'and I'm going to be on the side with the lane line.' Umm..... what? I thought I was here first... I told her I'd prefer to have that side since I was planning to do some *** in my sets and I preferred not to hit the bulkhead all the way down. She said something about not wanting to hit it either, and that she didn't heal well or something to that effect (I didn't quite understand that). However, having been taught to be polite to my elders, and looking for a happy solution for everyone, I politely suggested maybe she'd consider splitting a lane with one of the other 5 single lane swimmers who were in lanes where both sides had lane lines. She looked at me and merely said 'no'. I frankly was stunned. Does no one understand pool etiquette? Not wanting to make an issue (and the fact that she had already quickly slipped into the lane and physically had claimed that side!) I modified my workout in my mind and started swimming free next to the bulkhead. As I came to the wall, I noticed a little issue - there was a ladder right at the end, blocking my turn. No problem. I was doing about 300yds to her 25, so it's not like we were getting in each other's way. I just moved over a foot or two and flipped in the middle of the wall then went back to my bulkhead side. As I finished my set, I noticed a lifeguard standing at the end of our lane. She leaned over and said 'would you mind splitting the lane?' Ummm..... I thought we were? I said 'yes, of course, that's what we're doing'. She said, 'well, I noticed you were turning in the middle and we like to accommodate all our patrons, so if you could just stay on your side...'. Once again, I was totally stunned... really?!? Where are the candid cameras?? When it sunk in that she was actually being serious, I said 'well, it's a little hard to do a flip turn with the ladder in the way, and moreover (pointing to the noodler who was waaaaay on the other end) it's not as if I'm getting in her way...' Fortunately, the lifeguard was a least a little reasonable and offered to pull the ladder out. Ok, another problem solved. After another set or so, the lane next to us opened up.... YAY! I moved over with my pull bouy and kickboard (borrowed from the pool), paddles (mine), flip flops, water bottle.... and continued my workout. I finished my first breaststroke set and was about to begin a kick set. I reached for the kick board....WTF??? Someone had take it! REALLY?!?!??? come on - there have got to be cameras somewhere.... :bitching::bitching::bitching: I learned my lesson. Noodlers are totally as bad as everyone says and I will NEVER try to work out on a Saturday afternoon again! On the bright side, I was so frustrated, I don't think I've ever swum a workout with quite as much gusto...

AARRRRGGGGG! I read much of this thread for the first time a couple of weeks ago. At that time my thoughts were 'gee, I'm really grateful for my pool as I rarely see any noodlers let alone have to share a lane with them' and 'can they really be that bad?'. But today, I had my first close encounter, and all I can say now is WOW. I FEEL YOUR PAIN!!!!!! My first mistake was going on a Saturday afternoon. So I was particularly happy that one designated lap lane was free. The bad part was that it was the one next to the bulkhead. Oh well. I got in and just as I was about to push off, a little old lady noodler came up and said 'I'm going to split the lane with you'. Well... ok, I thought, I can share. Then she said 'and I'm going to be on the side with the lane line.' Umm..... what? I thought I was here first... I told her I'd prefer to have that side since I was planning to do some *** in my sets and I preferred not to hit the bulkhead all the way down. She said something about not wanting to hit it either, and that she didn't heal well or something to that effect (I didn't quite understand that). However, having been taught to be polite to my elders, and looking for a happy solution for everyone, I politely suggested maybe she'd consider splitting a lane with one of the other 5 single lane swimmers who were in lanes where both sides had lane lines. She looked at me and merely said 'no'. I frankly was stunned. Does no one understand pool etiquette? Not wanting to make an issue (and the fact that she had already quickly slipped into the lane and physically had claimed that side!) I modified my workout in my mind and started swimming free next to the bulkhead. As I came to the wall, I noticed a little issue - there was a ladder right at the end, blocking my turn. No problem. I was doing about 300yds to her 25, so it's not like we were getting in each other's way. I just moved over a foot or two and flipped in the middle of the wall then went back to my bulkhead side. As I finished my set, I noticed a lifeguard standing at the end of our lane. She leaned over and said 'would you mind splitting the lane?' Ummm..... I thought we were? I said 'yes, of course, that's what we're doing'. She said, 'well, I noticed you were turning in the middle and we like to accommodate all our patrons, so if you could just stay on your side...'. Once again, I was totally stunned... really?!? Where are the candid cameras?? When it sunk in that she was actually being serious, I said 'well, it's a little hard to do a flip turn with the ladder in the way, and moreover (pointing to the noodler who was waaaaay on the other end) it's not as if I'm getting in her way...' Fortunately, the lifeguard was a least a little reasonable and offered to pull the ladder out. Ok, another problem solved. After another set or so, the lane next to us opened up.... YAY! I moved over with my pull bouy and kickboard (borrowed from the pool), paddles (mine), flip flops, water bottle.... and continued my workout. I finished my first breaststroke set and was about to begin a kick set. I reached for the kick board....WTF??? Someone had take it! REALLY?!?!??? come on - there have got to be cameras somewhere.... :bitching::bitching::bitching: I learned my lesson. Noodlers are totally as bad as everyone says and I will NEVER try to work out on a Saturday afternoon again! On the bright side, I was so frustrated, I don't think I've ever swum a workout with quite as much gusto...