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Original poster

Territorial dispute in swimming pool

487 replies

tamade · 26/08/2025 06:54

I am lucky enough to have a proper lunch break and at least three times a week I go to a nearby hotel and swim a mile, sometimes 2km.

Today I was alone in the pool and started swimming in lane two (of four) which is one lane away from the side closest to the changing rooms entrance. About 30 min later a man got in and stated to swim in lane 1. Five minutes after that he changed into my lane. I caught up with him at the far end and when he turned he looked at me swimming toward him and seemed surprised (surprised I hadn't moved lanes?). He then kicked off the wall and swam beneath me and under the lane divider into lane three. Not long after I finished up and went to get changed. Before exiting I looked back and sure enough he had moved back into lane two, which I presume is "his". And based on that I believe that he was trying to claim lane 2 when he initially moved in.

He is another regular I have seen him coming as I am going although we don't usually use the pool at the same time.

I think this is knobish behaviour

OP posts:
bananafake · 26/08/2025 10:35

GleisZwei · 26/08/2025 10:25

Nope.
'Normal' people don't think they own a lane or try to read other people's minds.
HTH

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No normal people don't encroach on other people's spaces - not over here anyway. Perhaps in your country but that's not etiquette in the UK so your views are irrelevant. Here it's weird.

Moltenpink · 26/08/2025 10:33

nellly · 26/08/2025 07:45

See this is why I’m not worried about AI taking my job 😂 I’m guessing this is a bot comment and it’s failed to understand… any of the post.

She wasn’t complaining about speed but about his apparent intrusion into her space. She was faster than him that’s why she caught him up.
But it is a comment about swimming I suppose so not the worst I’ve seen

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Oh!! That makes sense now, I thought it was someone trying to be an arse

itsgettingweird · 26/08/2025 10:33

IShouldNotCoco · 26/08/2025 09:39

It’s the fact he swam underneath her which feels aggressive and unnecessary.

Actually that’s the bit that surprises me the least.

Actual swimmers do it naturally. If they get to the end and someone’s behind them they duck under for the swimmer to go over the top of them. They also swim underwater out of others way naturally.

larkstar · 26/08/2025 10:33

I used to lane swim 9hrs a week but before that I was a runner (never on pavements or next to roads, always disused railway lines converted to footpaths, canal footpaths and routes over stiles etc) and I am still a cyclist. Runners are often friendly and wave or say hi, cyclists will even stop and offer help if you have trouble with your bike but swimmers IME are a*holes. The only advice I can give is to try and say hi when you get in pool to try and diffuse any tension but I’ve found the lifeguards fairly helpful if you complain about aggressive swimmers thinking they own the lane. I usually find the fast swimmers aren’t in for that long anyway.

GleisZwei · 26/08/2025 10:32

tamade · 26/08/2025 10:30

I have already explained to you directly in a PP that is not why I included the observation about him returning to lane 2 after I left (spoiler: I couldn't give a tinker's cuss). You are being deliberately obtuse.

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I think you're maybe being a bit obtuse actually OP.

MissScarletInTheBallroom · 26/08/2025 10:32

TottyMaude · 26/08/2025 10:19

He's a bloke. Is there not a Dadsnet?

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Ohhhhh.

The penny drops.

GleisZwei · 26/08/2025 10:32

LoudlyProudlyHorrid · 26/08/2025 10:28

I'm not a lane swimmer so wouldn't know of this is normal eticate, but why did he swim beneath you? That sounds like an uncomfortable situation?

It's actually more common than you think, as I've stated several times.

Original poster
tamade · 26/08/2025 10:30

x2boys · 26/08/2025 10:12

She doesn't own the pool or the lane ,she also didn't want him to use " her" lane after she got out ,someone's entitled here...

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I have already explained to you directly in a PP that is not why I included the observation about him returning to lane 2 after I left (spoiler: I couldn't give a tinker's cuss). You are being deliberately obtuse.

OP posts:
bananafake · 26/08/2025 10:30

x2boys · 26/08/2025 10:19

It's mumsnet men can do no right so they will agree with the Op
Meanwhile back in the real world there's a man, going about his business with no idea he's caused this much drama on a thread...

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Rubbish. It's not 'men'. I gave birth to two of them that I adore but who happen not to be twats.

If he had been minding his own lane instead of encroaching on the OPs there would have been no issue. It's not men who are the issue it's arrogant arseholes.

LoudlyProudlyHorrid · 26/08/2025 10:28

I'm not a lane swimmer so wouldn't know of this is normal eticate, but why did he swim beneath you? That sounds like an uncomfortable situation?

Collaborate · 26/08/2025 10:28

Billybagpuss · 26/08/2025 06:58

Always men. I was swimming up and down by a lane rope in a pool where they didn’t have full lanes set out just a mid way divider to separate kids play are from swimming area. A bloke watched me do probably around 20 lengths then got in and started swimming towards me on the same line, he literally did 2 lengths then stopped at the wall and man spread himself across my turning area. I’m cross with myself for not saying anything. Roll on winter when they go back to the indoor pool.

No, not always men. Last time I went swimming I started in the slow lane. Waited for someone already established to finish their length and kicked off. couple of seconds later a woman who was waiting at the side got right in front of me and was at snail's pace. Could have waited for me to pass but no. Felt entitled to be at near stopping pace right in front of me.

Also right at the end of the lane it is predominantly women who stand arms wide blocking the end of the lane.

So arseholes can come with both vagina and penis attached.

itsgettingweird · 26/08/2025 10:28

tamade · 26/08/2025 09:20

That isn't what I meant at all. I mentioned his return to lane 2 because it is evidence that he prefers it or considers it "his". And if that is true it suggests that his motive was to get me to move lanes.

I would be willing bet that if I had started my session in lane 3 he would have gone into 2 and stayed there.

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But he didn’t. He have you space form his preferred when he realised you were quicker and then moved back.

Why didn’t you go straight into lane 3 invade lane 2 was someone else’s preferred lane?

answer - because that’s the lane you prefer.

You are seriously overthinking this and I’ve seen and experienced proper poor lane etiquette in the past.

GleisZwei · 26/08/2025 10:27

This reply has been deleted

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Right back at you.
You're welcome.

PrivateMusic · 26/08/2025 10:26

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Yerroblemom1923 · 26/08/2025 10:26

I wouldn't worry, just concentrate on your swimming and ignore others! Or pick a new hobby if this vexes you so.

GleisZwei · 26/08/2025 10:26

PrivateMusic · 26/08/2025 10:25

Incorrect. HTH

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Yes, you are incorrect.
Glad to help.

GleisZwei · 26/08/2025 10:26

Pastaandoranges · 26/08/2025 10:24

Maybe he does like lane 2 the best. With something like a regular swim people do have little rituals and routines that help them to get through the excercise and make sure they do it reguarly.
My guess is he wasnt thinking as deeply about it as you were.
Maybe he wanted to swim in lane 2, moved into it, saw you were there, did the decent thing and moved out and then when you got out then moved back when you got out.

I agree.

PrivateMusic · 26/08/2025 10:25

GleisZwei · 26/08/2025 10:11

Nope, just people who don't jump to conclusions based on anecdotes. HTH.

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Incorrect. HTH

GleisZwei · 26/08/2025 10:25

bananafake · 26/08/2025 10:23

Absolutely. Normal people know this. It's only weirdos and men people marking their territory that don't.

The fact he swam underneath you - who does that? - says everything about this man.

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Nope.
'Normal' people don't think they own a lane or try to read other people's minds.
HTH

Pastaandoranges · 26/08/2025 10:24

Maybe he does like lane 2 the best. With something like a regular swim people do have little rituals and routines that help them to get through the excercise and make sure they do it reguarly.
My guess is he wasnt thinking as deeply about it as you were.
Maybe he wanted to swim in lane 2, moved into it, saw you were there, did the decent thing and moved out and then when you got out then moved back when you got out.

bananafake · 26/08/2025 10:23

MissScarletInTheBallroom · 26/08/2025 08:33

She was there first and there were three other entirely empty lanes he could have used.

It's like a man choosing to sit right next to you in an otherwise empty train carriage. It's not normal to put yourself in close proximity with a stranger if you don't have to be, and if you choose to we can infer some sort of nefarious intent, especially when it is a man doing it to a woman.

Even if you choose a particular seat on a train, lane in a swimming pool or table in a coffee shop because it is your favourite, in the hope that the other person will move into another space so you can have it yourself, you are relying on the innate knowledge we all have that most people do not like having their space invaded unnecessarily, and deliberately making them uncomfortable so that they vacate that space.

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Absolutely. Normal people know this. It's only weirdos and men people marking their territory that don't.

The fact he swam underneath you - who does that? - says everything about this man.

GleisZwei · 26/08/2025 10:23

YetYeti · 26/08/2025 10:22

Nonsense, sounds like a man.

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Oops, you've let your mask slip there.
Off you go to the next male hating thread.

x2boys · 26/08/2025 10:23

YetYeti · 26/08/2025 10:22

Nonsense, sounds like a man.

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So I'm a man becsuse i don't agree with you ok

GleisZwei · 26/08/2025 10:22

YetYeti · 26/08/2025 10:21

I love them, but there are too many like this and we’re allowed to talk about it.

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'Like this'?
Were you there?
How do you know OPs narrative is correct?

YetYeti · 26/08/2025 10:22

x2boys · 26/08/2025 10:21

No she made up some nonsense about why he was going back to his preferred lane.

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Nonsense, sounds like a man.