Page 3 | Terse exchange with woman - lane swimming

SirChenjins · 2026-02-04T09:31:13+00:00

I've just joined a gym and have been using the pool in the evenings when it's quiet. It's not the biggest pool (20m x 8m) and is sectioned off lengthways, with half of the pool for classes and general use, the slower lane in one quarter and the faster lane in the other quarter. The lanes have boards at the end on the poolside showing the direction you have to swim in, and this is also covered in your induction. When I got to the pool last night an aqua aerobics class was in the half sectioned off, so I swam in the slower lane. 2 people were in the faster lane, I was the only one in the slower lane. Around 25 minutes in, the aqua class finished and everyone left, although a few stayed in the pool. One woman got into the slower lane where I was, waited till I finished a length and asked if it was OK if we swam side by side. I wasn't sure what she meant, so said no, we're meant to swim in single file clockwise like the board shows. She wasn't happy and asked why, so I repeated what I'd said, and started swimming again. I was aware that she was close behind me, and when we'd finished a further 2 lengths she asked why we couldn't swim side by side. Again, I repeated what I'd said, and she wasn't happy - she said she was swimming faster than me, and it made sense. I said she was in the slower lane (it wasn't marked on the board last night for some reason, but I've seen here there before and it's always marked - plus we're told at induction which lane is which) and if she wanted to go faster she could use the faster lane where there was only one person swimming. Lots of huffing from her, before she reluctanctly moved into the faster lane where I could hear her complaining. I spoke to the manager afterwards and asked if they could make sure the signs were on the board. They were really annoyed with her and said that the lanes are not wide enough for 2 people, that it's dangerous to swim side by side as people can be kicked, and that she absolutely should have been using the faster lane and not arguing with people in the pool. They want me to fill in an incident report. WWYD?

arethereanyleftatall · 04/02/2026 18:37

@allthingsinmoderation

the optimal swim for anyone is one where you can just go up and down at your own pace.

i think I’ve worked out why the op and a few others don’t get why she asked..

if you’re the slowest in the lane, you don’t really have to think about what anyone else is doing, you go at the only pace you can. so it makes no odds to you if you go in circuits or side by side.

for faster swimmers, single file swimming is quite a ball ache, because the onus is on the faster swimmer to be constantly on guard for catching up with slower swimmers. Switching pace, stroke etc constantly.

if space allows, which it does in the ops instance, (4m is 1m wide each), the only way all 4 swimmers got to enjoy going at their own pace was side by side. It is actually a luxury opportunity for everyone to swim at their own pace, not just the slowest person.

Original poster

SirChenjins · 04/02/2026 18:24

Travellingatthespeedoflight · 04/02/2026 17:50

My gym has the circuit signs for each lane, meaning if there is more than one swimmer in the lane you inevitably cross at some point. I would be fine with swimming up and down as she suggested though. I think this is a case of take the advice/ comments that this is very normal practice, even if the signs don’t say so (because more than 2 people swimming up and down would be problematic).

It's not problematic - it's been the way it's done every time I've been there and in every other lane I've swum in. The problematic thing with lane swimming is when someone is swimming much faster than the person already in the slower lane - so the usual thing is for them to switch into the faster lane, especially if there's only person in it. Or, go into the larger area where there's no-one swimming and go up and down at whatever speed you want.

OP posts:

allthingsinmoderation · 04/02/2026 17:52

Goldfsh · 04/02/2026 09:34

This is mad. I go to a similar gym and lots of people prefer to swim 'side by side'. They aren't literally hip-to-hip but just swimming up and down at their own pace, rather than 'chasing' each other in a circle which means that you have to go at the pace of the slowest swimmer.

No idea why you didn't just say 'of course'.

I think single file swimming is recommended as people swimming side by side in one lane may clip each other (i was scratched by someone long acrylics swmming breast stroke alongside me) There was only 2 people in the lane situation described by OP so surely theres plenty of room so that "chasing wouldn't be an issue? I appreciate others might not have had my experience but Most people wouldnt say "of course" when the pool rules say single file swimming .

Travellingatthespeedoflight · 04/02/2026 17:50

My gym has the circuit signs for each lane, meaning if there is more than one swimmer in the lane you inevitably cross at some point. I would be fine with swimming up and down as she suggested though. I think this is a case of take the advice/ comments that this is very normal practice, even if the signs don’t say so (because more than 2 people swimming up and down would be problematic).

Original poster

SirChenjins · 04/02/2026 17:24

Much as I would like to swim in an outdoor pool in the sunshine, it's just not possible. Instead, I swim in an indoor pool and follow the various rules, as everyone else seems to without any difficulty.

OP posts:

Talkinpeace · 04/02/2026 17:22

I swim in an outdoor pool.
I care much more about where the sun is shining than what the silly signs say.
Its not like we have lifeguards out there most of the year.

Original poster

SirChenjins · 04/02/2026 17:20

Newstart26 · 04/02/2026 16:53

I doubt she'd even looked at you enough to gauge your speed. She was likely focused on her class, then when it came to switching over to lane swimming, took a quick glance to see what's what, saw two people in one lane & one in the other and quickly surmised that the least occupied lane would be the most sensible place to jump in!

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She stood at the side at the poolside at end of the lane I was in while she was sorting her goggles after putting away her weight at the basket thing. There was one person in the fast lane by that point (I explained that in a pp) and plenty of space in the large area of the pool. Even after she'd gauged my speed because she was roght behind and knew she was going faster than me, she still didn't do the common sense thing and move to the fast lane or the larger area that was free. Instead she asked me again why I wouldn't swim side by side.

OP posts:

TheRealMagic · 04/02/2026 17:19

Fulmine · 04/02/2026 16:18

All the material information was in the original post. It's perfectly clear that, at that pool, side by side swimming in the marked-off lanes definitely is not a thing, as the pool management confirmed. Why won't you accept that?

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I think the odds are high that 'ooh yeah, definitely, you should file a report' was the very quickest thing that the employee OP spoke to could do to make the issue not their problem rather than their actual view on the most reasonable course of action.

Ifusay · 04/02/2026 17:15

I know what op means. I find almost nobody follows the rules to swim up one side and down the other where I go, unless a third person comes into the lane. Happens a lot. I’d let it go, it’s just not worth it.

Changename12 · 04/02/2026 17:05

I have never heard of side by side swimming but out local pool is longer and there are Very often 5 or 6 in a lane. There would not be room to swim side by side as the lanes are narrow. Yes you can pass. You just have to go slightly under the rope for this. Having said that plane swimming can be a pain because people have different ideas of what fast medium and slow are. I think you should just follow the instructions on the board.

Newstart26 · 04/02/2026 16:53

SirChenjins · 04/02/2026 16:08

No, I didn't think we'd swim up and down together! I was just surprised that she (as a much faster swimmer) was not happy when I pointed out the other 2 obvious options to her. She knew I was a slower swimmer, she'd seen me swimming up and down for around 20/25 minutes while she was in the aqua class and while she putting her weight back. There was only one person by that time in the 2m fast lane - if she wanted to swim side by side it would have made far more sense to do so in the 4m larger area of tge pool, or to go in the fast lane with someone who was closer to her speed. That's why there are the two 2m lanes to cope with different speeds and larger 4m area to do what you want.

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I doubt she'd even looked at you enough to gauge your speed. She was likely focused on her class, then when it came to switching over to lane swimming, took a quick glance to see what's what, saw two people in one lane & one in the other and quickly surmised that the least occupied lane would be the most sensible place to jump in!

Newstart26 · 04/02/2026 16:45

Yeah completely normal if it's only two people. I often say 'do you want to take a side each and we'll switch back to a loop if anyone else gets in'. No-one has ever said no! However if they did I'd just accept it and fume inside that I was having to work around their pace unnecessarily, not chase them down and keep going on about it. It sounds like both sides have made a bit of a mountain out of a molehill tbh.

ArtificialStupidity · 04/02/2026 16:45

Fulmine · 04/02/2026 16:18

All the material information was in the original post. It's perfectly clear that, at that pool, side by side swimming in the marked-off lanes definitely is not a thing, as the pool management confirmed. Why won't you accept that?

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Because it all pools that have lane swimming everyone knows that if there's only two people it's completely reasonable to ask to swim side by side instead

RedRoss86 · 04/02/2026 16:18

one swimmer in lane = go clockwise (or anti clockwise, depending on the pool rules for that lane)
2 swimmers, side by side
3rd swimmer gets in lane - chaos. I joke, back to going clockwise.

The thing about lane swimming with strangers is you don’t know their speed, they are doing a different set, different breaks etc. I always find sharing a lane with more than one person leads to an uncomfortable swim.

Swimming ‘side by side’ is great for 2 people as one stays left, one stays right. You aren’t chasing each others tails.
Also side by side is literally just having one side each. Not swimming romantically together & staring into each other’s eyes as you take a breath.

One last thing while I’m here…. WALKERS in the lanes. Blood boiling stuff 😅

CactusSwoonedEnding · 04/02/2026 16:18

Yanbu. If there's only two swimming lanes it will often be the case that there's 3 or more "preferred swim speeds" and two people with different speeds must share a lane but side-by-side isn't the answer. I am a ridiculously slow swimmer so am often in a position where other swimmers who think they are slow will want to overtake me. The easy way is the the other person starts the circuit and I follow them. Obviously they go fasterand after a few lengths they have "lapped" me and are right behind me, it only takes a seconds for me to pause at one end and they overtake me again. Passing can only happen safely with one person stopped, not with both people swimming.

Fulmine · 04/02/2026 16:18

ArtificialStupidity · 04/02/2026 11:24

It's weird you didn't mention any of this in your original post

The fact is you clearly weren't aware that side by side swimming is a thing. Hopefully now that you are you will consider those requests in a different light.

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All the material information was in the original post. It's perfectly clear that, at that pool, side by side swimming in the marked-off lanes definitely is not a thing, as the pool management confirmed. Why won't you accept that?

Original poster

SirChenjins · 04/02/2026 16:08

Notsosweetcaroline · 04/02/2026 15:59

Op is the confusion you think side by side is literally that? It’s your comment she wanted to swim beside you, she did not. She wanted half the lane. To swim up and down at her own pace. You had the other half the lane. She didn’t wish to swim beside you.

No, I didn't think we'd swim up and down together! I was just surprised that she (as a much faster swimmer) was not happy when I pointed out the other 2 obvious options to her. She knew I was a slower swimmer, she'd seen me swimming up and down for around 20/25 minutes while she was in the aqua class and while she putting her weight back. There was only one person by that time in the 2m fast lane - if she wanted to swim side by side it would have made far more sense to do so in the 4m larger area of tge pool, or to go in the fast lane with someone who was closer to her speed. That's why there are the two 2m lanes to cope with different speeds and larger 4m area to do what you want.

OP posts:

Moonlightfrog · 04/02/2026 16:07

I prefer side by side depending on who it’s with. Some of the bigger men that swim take up a lot of room. I am happy to swing going clockwise also but it just doesn’t work if one is faster than another or if one likes to pause for a rest.

ArtificialStupidity · 04/02/2026 16:02

DeftGoldHedgehog · 04/02/2026 15:54

If it's not really wide enough for two people to be side by side, then why would people want to swim side by side? Surely sticking to one direction but passing them occasionally would be much better? Otherwise you'd be repeatedly kicking or splashing one another instead of only risking that when you pass one another?

The lane is 2 metres wide it's plenty wide enough!

Notsosweetcaroline · 04/02/2026 15:59

Op is the confusion you think side by side is literally that? It’s your comment she wanted to swim beside you, she did not. She wanted half the lane. To swim up and down at her own pace. You had the other half the lane. She didn’t wish to swim beside you.

DeftGoldHedgehog · 04/02/2026 15:54

If it's not really wide enough for two people to be side by side, then why would people want to swim side by side? Surely sticking to one direction but passing them occasionally would be much better? Otherwise you'd be repeatedly kicking or splashing one another instead of only risking that when you pass one another?

arethereanyleftatall · 04/02/2026 15:49

SirChenjins · 04/02/2026 15:35

Well quite - or gone to the fast lane, or the area which is much wider where she could have swum at the fast pace she wanted to go at without being held up.

Does everyone on here specifically get in a lane where someone's already swimming at a much slower speed than they are planning to swim, and get huffy when the fast lane or larger clear area elsewhere in the pool is pointed out to them?

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I swear I’ve seen your username before with sane, normal responses. But this is really batshit.

i do not understand- at all - how you don’t get this.

there was 4m width wise of lane swimming available. The other 4m was not allocated to lane swimmers.

you said in your op there was 2 already in the fast lane and just you in the other same sized lane. So, the absolutely obvious place for her to swim was where there was the most space available - your lane - and then to request side by side to account for the fact you’re different speeds.

I think you don’t understand what people mean by side by side swimming for some reason I can’t fathom.

you seem to think there should have been 3 people in one lane swimming space and then just you in the other equally sized space. Why would that make any sense at all?

BringBackCatsEyes · 04/02/2026 15:39

SirChenjins · 04/02/2026 15:35

Well quite - or gone to the fast lane, or the area which is much wider where she could have swum at the fast pace she wanted to go at without being held up.

Does everyone on here specifically get in a lane where someone's already swimming at a much slower speed than they are planning to swim, and get huffy when the fast lane or larger clear area elsewhere in the pool is pointed out to them?

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The issue of her being in the wrong lane for the speed she was going is very different to the issue of the lane not being wide enough to swim side by side (yet wide enough to swim in a circuit???).
She was wrong to get huffy about being asked to move to the lane suited to her speed, but (as I hope you've seen on this thread) swimming side by side when there are only 2 people is a very common and normal request - most people think they've struck lucky if the lane is empty enough to allow that.

Original poster

SirChenjins · 04/02/2026 15:35

BadgernTheGarden · 04/02/2026 14:18

Why didn't she just go ahead of you if she was faster? Or would she have caught you again too quickly. Storm in a teacup.

Well quite - or gone to the fast lane, or the area which is much wider where she could have swum at the fast pace she wanted to go at without being held up.

Does everyone on here specifically get in a lane where someone's already swimming at a much slower speed than they are planning to swim, and get huffy when the fast lane or larger clear area elsewhere in the pool is pointed out to them?

OP posts:

ZenNudist · 04/02/2026 14:43

Goldfsh · 04/02/2026 09:34

This is mad. I go to a similar gym and lots of people prefer to swim 'side by side'. They aren't literally hip-to-hip but just swimming up and down at their own pace, rather than 'chasing' each other in a circle which means that you have to go at the pace of the slowest swimmer.

No idea why you didn't just say 'of course'.

This