Getting someone's attention to share

I don't think I'm capable of splitting, been circling for too long. I have an Australian swim buddy and he still has occasional memory lapses with our circling direction, it's funny. If there is anything I really HATE, its circling clockwise! For whatever reason my old club coach would mess with us and make us do that sometimes. I pretty much can't! :drown:

Circling only makes sense (to me) if it's is a 50 meter pool, otherwise you have to pass every 2 minutes. Circling in a 25 yard pool is swell for the slower ones that are getting passed, but having to pass every other 50 becomes a major pain in the ***. I still say park it on one side and if the person continues to swim in the middle, the only option is to force the situation and begin swimming on one side (followed by them becoming indignant, telling you that you are the rudest swimmer they have ever met, followed by you telling them they are the crappiest swimmer you have ever met, followed by them crying to the manager, followed by the manager throwing a life-preserver at your head to get your attention to "discuss" the matter). I, however, do not swim in pools where 10 people are waiting to swim which would make circle swimming a necessity and causing me never to swim there anymore.:wiggle: A general rule: the slower the swimmer, the less likely they want to share.

A general rule: the slower the swimmer, the less likely they want to share. The other day I had a slow swimmer noodler type ask me if I would vacate my lane to swim with another lap swimmer so she could float about unhindered. You can only imagine my reaction ... Then, another day recently, a "swimmer" ask me to vacate the lane I had just hopped into and to swim in the adjacent lane with another apparently slow lap swimmer so he could have my lane to himself to swim fast. You can only imagine my reaction ... I can't imagine asking someone to get out of a lane they were using ... I can't imagine circle swimming at a rec pool either ... I'll wait for my half of the lane.

I give a person two chances to see me. I'll stand at the end of the lane for one turn and when they ignore/don't see me I'll get in the water for another turn. If I get the look of indignation about "their lane" I will then start circling. No one is entitled to their own lane and it's really really obvious when they are trying to ignore someone.

When I get in with my own lane, I swim on one side because someone invariably wants to swim while I am there. This allows them to get in without stopping me and asking (unless they are cowards). I find most people do not want to share, feel they are entitled to their own lane, and intentionally ignore you when you are behind the lane. I agree with others: slip on one side, give them a chance to notice you, then power on. I find women can get away with this better as my wife seems to have no problems but I always seem to get yelled at--must be my winning personality.:hug:

I don't worry about waiting to ask permission to get in the lane. First, you run the risk that they won't see you, as you've experience. Second, it's not their option NOT to share in a public pool. So I try to be polite, but not timid. I just hop in and wait by the side until they return to the wall. Then I smile and say something like, "Good Morning! Would you prefer to split the lane or circle swim?"

It really just depends what they are doing as far as how to go about it....but be polite about it. I'm almost always first in so I generally don't have to worry about it. I had a girl just jump in my lane last week. I was in the middle of a set and was not happy about it, especially since she didn't say anything and just started circle swimming. I got her to stop on the wall and basically TOLD her "you are swimming over there, I'm staying right here on this side" and pushed off. Not to mention, she was far below my ability in the pool. She only lasted about 500 yards once I starting my kicking set....I guess the waves were bugging her?! :rolleyes:

I agree with Craig. Slide into the lane, in a corner so that they will know someone is in there. Just don't get in and start swimming without them knowing, I have had tons of people do that to me and run smack into me because they didn't take the time to wait on the wall til I got back to see someone else was wanting to use the lane too.

It really just depends what they are doing as far as how to go about it....but be polite about it. I'm almost always first in so I generally don't have to worry about it. I had a girl just jump in my lane last week. I was in the middle of a set and was not happy about it, especially since she didn't say anything and just started circle swimming. I got her to stop on the wall and basically TOLD her "you are swimming over there, I'm staying right here on this side" and pushed off. Not to mention, she was far below my ability in the pool. She only lasted about 500 yards once I starting my kicking set....I guess the waves were bugging her?! :rolleyes: I love it when people assume that everyone circles swims, even if there is only one person in the lane.

I place my kickboard, paddles, athletic drink, food substance packet, fins, pull bouy, white board with six weeks of fake workouts on it, sunscreen bottle, and if really prepared my blue noodle, at a corner of the lane. I then stretch for twenty minutes in my see-through speedo. I never seem to have a problem with getting my own lane