How do you deal with a slow non-stop swimmer in your lane?

Former Member
Former Member
There is a swimmer in our pool whose appearance is "dreaded" by many of us. As soon as she enters your lane and starts her laps, the whole lane gets slowed down for a at least an hour, because, #1, she never stops and never give a chance to others when she's at the end of the pool and is going for another lap while another swimmer had been waiting to start; #2, whenever she encounters someone during the laps (whether in the same or opposite direction), she would continue as if others don't exist, as if it's her own lane and as if she's thinking "get out of my way please"; #3, and that's the most important point: she's slower than all the others in the lane. So everyone else has to slow down because the lane is not so wide, and from time to time you see people try everything they could to get around her, or backstrokers hitting her from behind (and she would still go on like you were just a fly). She usually continues like this for at least one hour, could be 90 minutes. She probably has her rule in mind, to never stop during the lap. That's fine as many of people here do that, but that works only if your speed is comparable to the others sharing the lane. What's the best way to deal with such a fellow swimmer?
Parents
  • My approach would be one of two things; First, try talking to her. Politely explain the ettiquette. Invite her to join your lane if she will do your workout on your intervals. Otherwise suggest strongly that she find a lane that will suit her better. Second, swim fly. This seems to deter a lot of people. Sounds like it might not work with her. Yesterday I was swimming on my own before I coached. The pregnant ladies class was going on at the same time so there were only 2 lanes available. I got the dreaded wall lane. There was one swimmer in the other lane. A third swimmer came by and asked me if I could share. I quickly surmised that she would be a pain to share with and said sure but said that the non-wall lane is easier to share. She went into that lane just fine. Good luck!
Reply
  • My approach would be one of two things; First, try talking to her. Politely explain the ettiquette. Invite her to join your lane if she will do your workout on your intervals. Otherwise suggest strongly that she find a lane that will suit her better. Second, swim fly. This seems to deter a lot of people. Sounds like it might not work with her. Yesterday I was swimming on my own before I coached. The pregnant ladies class was going on at the same time so there were only 2 lanes available. I got the dreaded wall lane. There was one swimmer in the other lane. A third swimmer came by and asked me if I could share. I quickly surmised that she would be a pain to share with and said sure but said that the non-wall lane is easier to share. She went into that lane just fine. Good luck!
Children
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