Hi! New guy to the forums here, and pretty new to lap swimming too -- I've been doing it since May sometime.
More than once when I've wanted to join someone in a lane I've found it difficult to get their attention. At first I thought people just didn't want to share, but then I paid attention while I was swimming and realized that when you're looking at the bottom of the pool it is indeed easy to miss someone standing on the edge.
So what do you do? I've taken to dangling my feet deep enough that they're hard to miss, but is this obnoxious? Does anybody have pointers for getting someone's attention without annoying them when you need to share a lane?
Parents
Former Member
(1) I prefer sticking a kick board into the water to block their path. It needs to be placed deep and a good yard stand-off from the wall, otherwise the swimmer might just turn off it without knowing. If they don't get it, then you do a good frisbee boomerang shot at them with the board as they're leaving the wall because then, they're obviously clueless.
(2) jumping in and standing at the end--no good.
Here in California all of the good pools are outdoors. It can get a little too damned freezing cold to jump in and stand in at the end of the lane. When I get in, I start moving. The stretching is sometimes finished before I leave the locker room to make the 50 yard pool deck dash. I haven't noticed if California has the law, but showering before jumping in is not an option if you have to stand out in the cold freezing wind exposed waiting to get in.
(3) Regarding circling alone
I love it when people assume that everyone circles swims, even if there is only one person in the lane.
I agree. I disagree with thewookie. IMO, it's general courtesy to be circling no matter what. I like my 1km swims uninterrupted. If we're circling, nobody has to stop when a new swimmer jumps in. It also means that the guying jumping in doesn't have to stand around freezing to death on the deck before jumping in. Again. Circling makes great sense couresy-wise for both the people in the water and the people wanting to get in.
As an aside, Australians tend to circle clockwise, keeping to the left. It takes me a while to get used to turns and drifts to the other side. What do people do in pools at the equator?
(1) I prefer sticking a kick board into the water to block their path. It needs to be placed deep and a good yard stand-off from the wall, otherwise the swimmer might just turn off it without knowing. If they don't get it, then you do a good frisbee boomerang shot at them with the board as they're leaving the wall because then, they're obviously clueless.
(2) jumping in and standing at the end--no good.
Here in California all of the good pools are outdoors. It can get a little too damned freezing cold to jump in and stand in at the end of the lane. When I get in, I start moving. The stretching is sometimes finished before I leave the locker room to make the 50 yard pool deck dash. I haven't noticed if California has the law, but showering before jumping in is not an option if you have to stand out in the cold freezing wind exposed waiting to get in.
(3) Regarding circling alone
I love it when people assume that everyone circles swims, even if there is only one person in the lane.
I agree. I disagree with thewookie. IMO, it's general courtesy to be circling no matter what. I like my 1km swims uninterrupted. If we're circling, nobody has to stop when a new swimmer jumps in. It also means that the guying jumping in doesn't have to stand around freezing to death on the deck before jumping in. Again. Circling makes great sense couresy-wise for both the people in the water and the people wanting to get in.
As an aside, Australians tend to circle clockwise, keeping to the left. It takes me a while to get used to turns and drifts to the other side. What do people do in pools at the equator?
