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Original poster

Swim ... just flipping well swim

52 replies

sillybut · 22/06/2021 16:29

What has got into people over lock down. Lane swimming used to be a lovely peaceful experience - just up and down with the odd rest at either end maybe a few friendly words with some fellow swimmers . Now surrounded by people hanging about talking for 10-15 minutes at a time. taking up the space at the end, making push off and turning harder. Oh and when they do swim they go along in twos, slowly have a little chat as they go FFS. To add insult to injury they've got rid of the medium lane so I'm exiled in the sloooooow lane as no way can I manage the fast with the fitness freaks amazingly fast swimmers who speed through the water like eels.

I get an hour and fifteen minutes to walk to pool, get changed, swim 30 lengths, get changed and walk back... I do not have time to waste... lane swimming is for actual swimming...

The pool holds 3 "Splash and Chat" sessions every week why the hell can't they go to those and leave my precious lunch break and vague attempt at getting fit alone :(

I really don't remember it being like this before lockdown

Either way, just so happy and grateful to be swimming again

OP posts:
YellowFish12 · 22/06/2021 17:06

I basically can't go swimming unless its a super quiet session as the lane rage I experience is off the scale

The stop-and-chatter

The splashy people overtaking me then stopping for 5 mins then doing another fast length and repeat

The slow people who set off from the end JUST as I get there and am about to turn

The slow people in the medium lane

The backstrokers

The rage is real...

newnortherner111 · 22/06/2021 17:08

Seem like people who go swimming to think they are doing exercise but are doing very little. An equivalent of the people who claim to be 'cutting down' on certain foods but in reality are eating almost the same as before.

I remember a gym I went to when younger where two women went most weeks and only ever sat on the exercise bikes, and pedalled so slowly, they could win a slow bicycle race.

MsTSwift · 22/06/2021 17:09

Our local outdoor pool you book your own lane and only you are in that lane! No kids allowed ever. Bliss. The one good thing to have come out of Covid

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ThePlantsitter · 22/06/2021 17:12

@MsTSwift

Our local outdoor pool you book your own lane and only you are in that lane! No kids allowed ever. Bliss. The one good thing to have come out of Covid
Yes apart fro the drowning epidemic that will happen in about 5 years thanks to no kids being able to swim.

The problem is not the people swimming OP it is the provision of enough places and room to swim.

MogHog · 22/06/2021 17:12

I get the absolute rage when swimming at people who swim in pairs taking over half the pool and those who stand chatting. I had never experienced it in lane swimming until this week and I was gobsmacked at these people who were just causing no end of issues and not one word from the staff to ask them to either move or piss off to the cafe for a natter

CrimsonImp · 22/06/2021 17:16

We had someone aquajogging in the fast lane the other day.

What I can't quite understand is just how busy it is. Pre-pandemic there were rarely more than 3 to a lane, now it's fully booked a week in advance when they release the slots. There are just as many lane swimming sessions so availability is not any more restricted.

SimonedeBeauvoirscat · 22/06/2021 17:17

You need better lifeguards who actually challenge people who do this.

Finfintytint · 22/06/2021 17:18

I got out of the pool early today because of the dry-haired, chatting, lane blocking numpties.

AltiC · 22/06/2021 17:19

I can feel my blood pressure rising just reading these posts! Angry Yes, yes and yes again!!

I'm going to venture outdoors next week, surely a bit of pond weed and 🦆💩 are worth risking for a peaceful swim?

RickJames · 22/06/2021 17:26

@CrimsonImp

Its probably folks panicking about extra lockdown kilos or just the novelty of being able to swim again. I'm sure it will calm down again. I find January is awful too - so many people flapping around, dithering. I remind myself to be patient because they are obviously trying to do something good for New Year and they just are a bit new (and they'll likely be gone by February).

OP have you got any lakes near you? I was at the lake yesterday- just a few kids on the banksides and in the shallows and then loads of uninterrupted swimming water. So much less stressful than the pool. And you can swim with your dog - can't do that at the leisure centre Grin

RickJames · 22/06/2021 17:37

@AltiC

Lol at duck poo, I just try not to swallow the water. The only thing I don't like is when I see an angler catch a big carp or a pike. I am terrified that there's a big ancient daddy pike living in the centre of the lake, looking for swimmers to overpower and drown. I've watched too many lake-themed horror films.

CrimsonImp · 22/06/2021 17:42

I'm going to venture outdoors next week, surely a bit of pond weed and 🦆💩 are worth risking for a peaceful swim?

Duck poo is fine, it's the snail parasites that give you swimmers itch you need to watch out for. Lane swimming still winning over swimmers itch for me at the moment!

Thehogfatherstolemycurry · 22/06/2021 17:43

Our pool is fine in lane swimming sessions. Staff make sure the rules are followed so swim in single file, no overtaking, no standing about chatting at the end, swim at appropriate speed for the lane you're in.
The staff need to enforce the rules.

bluedomino · 22/06/2021 17:53

It's four per lane in our pool. You are asked to move to slow lane if you are not fast enough. Nobody allowed to swim two abreast. It works well.

Hellocatshome · 22/06/2021 17:58

I would swim behind the slowest, dry hair, chatting breaststroke lady any day than have the upset stomach I got after my last venture into lake swimming. EnvyEnvyEnvy

bluestarthread · 22/06/2021 17:59

I love gentle lane swimming. It’s been a relaxing way to start exercising again, but last 2 trips marred by toddlers in the pool!!! There are family swim sessions that are bookable!! Swim mum and dad like to work across the lanes widthways, never stay in just one lane and like to leave a pool noodle just bobbing around to get in my way!! And they like to dive for hoops, and jump from the side - such larks! I’m joining the tutting grannies. Thanks for letting me get that off my chest!

Original poster
sillybut · 22/06/2021 20:12

Phew, it seems I am not alone. I thought perhaps lockdown had made me cruel and intolerant.

If only they'd bring back the medium lane - gone for social distancing reasons. I liked the medium lane - people who actually wanted to swim at a nice sensible speed who didn't catch you up half way through your first length as they fly through their second.

Sadly no lakes or suitable rivers around here or I'd be there.

On another note I met a man in Lidl yesterday who enthusiastically said hello to me, stopped to ask how I was and then IN FRONT OF DD said... "sorry you don't recognise me with my clothes on do you?" Seems I'd seen him everyday in the pool for weeks and even had the odd chat with him - but yes he did look different in jeans and a jumper than he did in googles, swim hat and trunks. DD is 15 and was finding it very hard not to explode with laughter.

OP posts:
RandomMess · 22/06/2021 20:14

I'm not a swimmer and I'm irritated on your behalf!

Whatliesbeneath707 · 22/06/2021 20:32

Fully agree OP - drives me wild. Our pool has 2 regular ladies who must swim 4 times a week but they do 2 lengths then stand chatting for 20 mins! Bet they tell everyone they go swimming lots! Just go and sit in the cafe if you want to chat!!!

Wombat24 · 22/06/2021 20:37

I swim front crawl so I literally get to taste the dry-hair, full makeup, perfumed ladies who swim two abreast...

jewel1968 · 22/06/2021 20:59

Hey what's wrong with back stroke? I tend to be a slow fast swimmer or a fast medium swimmer. I hop between the 2 lanes. When I am swimming I imagine writing some tips for pool users so here you go:

  • before getting into the pool shower (rinse at least)
  • wear a hat
  • observe average speed of each lane and choose best one for you - understand that this can change each time you arrive
  • start swimming and continue to observe speed of those in your lane
  • move lane if you are one of the fastest or slowest in your lane
  • move into slower lane to swim slowly focusing on your technique for a good few minutes each session
  • don't do aquajogging during swim fitness sessions
  • if you use those paddle things try not to hit people
  • don't overtake (you probably aren't quick enough) as you will collide with other swimmers
I usually think of new tips each time I attend a swimming session Grin
JustGotToKeepOnKeepingOn · 22/06/2021 21:06

I feel your pain. I actually had a dad teaching his son to do the backstroke in the slow Lane section of the pool I was at this week. Just unbelievable.

Last week there were some young boys with their mum. They stopped and started bumped into people and were generally a complete pain in the arse.

The lifeguard last week sorted the chatting women and oblivious boys. The lifeguard this week didn't seem to think the impromptu backstroke class was an issue.

CrimsonImp · 23/06/2021 20:23

The lane gods heard my complaints and rewarded me with a double wide lane entirely to myself this morning :-)

DuckonaBike · 23/06/2021 20:41

I feel your pain OP, though in my experience it’s no worse than pre-lockdown. The ones who enrage me are people who get in, swim about 2 lengths and then just stand there, blocking up the end of the lane. Why FFS?

And don’t get me started on the man who came to an open swim session (pre-Covid) so no lane divides. Everyone else was swimming lengths and he started swimming widths. It was about 2 years ago and I’m still angry.

JustGotToKeepOnKeepingOn · 23/06/2021 20:42

@jewel1968 I like you're thinking but the problem is... at the pool I go to you're not allowed to change out of the lane you booked.

Due to coronavirus there are only so many people allowed in the pool. So whatever lane you've booked that's what you have to stick with. And you have to book a lane - can't just turn up. Oh nooo.

Also due to coronavirus you're not allowed to go to the changing room before you swim. You have to have your costume in under your clothes and change at the side of the pool. So no showers allowed before you get in Confused

So once I've got through all that having people who won't just SWIM is really really annoying!!