Lane swimming (again).

[lurkerspeaks]

Things got a bit unpleasant today at the pool as I was obviously pissing one of the other swimmers off but I'm not entirely sure I was in the wrong.

Medium lane. 3 swimmers. All swimming about the same pace so maintaining nice even distances between us. So far so good.

The problem is that my wretched goggles have started leaking and I need to stop roughly every 8 lengths to empty them of water and de-fog (I've got new ones on order....)

My habit (which I'm fully prepared to be told is wrong) is that when I stop like this I tuck myself over into the far corner of the lane facing the 'up the pool' side of the lane. My rationale is that you can still swim 'down the pool' straight onto the wall to turn and push yourself off at a slightly angle into the 'up the pool' traffic.

However blokey today likes to swim 'down the pool' angling into the wall and then push off 'up the pull' straight. I am so sorry if this is confusing.

He got pretty cross with me at one point as I was standing where he wanted to turn although i was well tucked away into a corner and there was plenty of room across the top of the lane .

I appreciate that my constant stopping was annoying (it was annoying to me too) and I would be interested to know where other folk stand if they are forced to stop for a breather/ goggle fiddle/ MP3 track adjustment?

CinnyCall we've got an identical pair of chatters at Royston pool - they space themselves just nicely across the unlaned bit to make sure no-one else can get a decent space to swim.

At the pool last week we had:-

Another Mrs chat and friend who swam up and down the middle lane side by side, gassing away:
Mr hairy torpedo in the fast lane , and his only slightly slower furry mate in the slow lane, overtaking people, giving them patronising looks;

And three of us in the other middle lane, all slightly different abilities, trying to avoid each other.

I've also been in an early morning session when the non-lane bit was filled with about 10 swimmers, all nicely doing lengths, and.... in comes "person with 2 kids" who proceed to do widths across to the rope. Very slowly. Cue carnage, rude words and numerous complaints to reception.
She never returned. Can't think why.

You may have to take up a more peaceful sport such as ice hockey

I gave up swimming because of other people because it was defeating one of the objects of keeping fit which is lowering your blood pressure.

Most men can't cope with competent female swimmers - specially being overtaken by a breaststroker. So they splash and rock the water and if you're small like me it is literally exhausting swimming near them.

And then there are the women, with or without kids, who hog the ends and do widths when everyone else is doing lengths.

One flowery twatted woman got out to complain to Reception that I was going too fast in the fast lane which was where she liked to swim because it was closest to the changing room. They shrugged at her and laughed with me later.

I think everyone should be banned from the local pool between 7 and 8 twice a week so I can swim alone. Just sayin...

I am a swimming fascist and I just mow anyone down who gets in my way.... I particularly like doing this to big men who clearly thinnk they are the bollocks....

There's one chap at our club that has no concept of this either. We only have the one lane for us oldies on a Sunday. I'm definitely one of the slower ones but in comparison to Mr Windmill arms, I'm Becky Addlington. My left hand is still heavily bruised from where I hit it against the poolside trying to get past Mr Windmill who had decided to go when he felt like it, despite me bearing down quite quickly on him when he stopped.
I get out of the way of the really good ones so it isn't hard. I wouldn't mind so much but he shouldn't really be in the club as one of the conditions is to be able to swim all four strokes competently and he most certainly cannot!

Not as bad as what I saw - I am a slow swimmer so avoid all lanes but was in the general swim area and can see the lanes easily. There was a guy in the FAST lane swimming slower than those in the slow lane and who kept stopping and walking the last few yards of each length holding up everyone behind him, and here was me thinking I would be a problem in the slow lane - he was just oblivious. I wouldn't take offence of one idiot who had a gripe especially as it seems that nothing was 'wrong' as such. You can't be expected to never stop and he could probably see why you were stopping.

I have a theory that people swim pretty much how they drive....

Do you think we could compare it to the car they drive too?

Reading this reminds me that I am very very lucky. I belong to the local gym as it means I go swimming much more often. I often get a side of lane to myself or sometimes a lane to myself. This means that I now get grumpy if I have to swim anticlockwise when there are 3 of us in a lane!

The worst pool I swam in was in London. Really busy. And there was Mr Torpedo who never looked where he was going and swam into me. Head first. That hurt..

Its better to stop on the down side, as it makes you easier to avoid when doing tumble turns. If there are several people stopped, if they all stop on the up side, and some on the down side, it makes turning really difficult, whereas if they all stop on the down side, they can line up down it. Does this make sense? It does if you are in a swimming club and have 8 people in a lane doing intervals and drills!

Stopping is fine - you might be doing intervals. As long as you stay out of the way of other swimmers, which is what you are doing. But I think standing right at the end of the down side is better.