to think that leaving your clothes in a cubicle doesn't make it yours. FFS. (Warning, sweary)

[knowitallstrikesagain]

So, swimming yesterday for about half an hour. When I got out, two of the three cubicles around the edge of the communal area were taken and one was full of clothes. I asked the people in the changing room, not theirs. I checked the shower and toilet area, nobody there. So I went in and got changed.

Halfway through changing, there is a knock on the door. 'Is someone in there, that is my cubicle?'
Me: 'I didn't realise this cubicle belonged to anyone'
Her: 'Were the clothes not a giveaway?'
Now, I am allowed to be sarcy, but don't try it if you are in the bloody wrong!
Me: I checked, this cubicle was not being used, I assumed someone had forgotten to put their stuff in a locker. I'll be done i a minute, or do you want me to pass you your clothes?'

Emerge a few minutes later to a cold, dripping woman with a death stare. She had been in the pool when I got out so was definetaly NOT using the cubicle.

I smiled sweetly and said 'There you go, do remember to put your clothes in the locker next time won't you?' and walked off. At least 3 people in the communal area gave me a little triumphant smile.

Now there are fucking great notices everywhere saying 'DON'T LEAVE STUFF IN CUBICLES' so it was bloody obvious she only did it to reserve herself a cubicle after her swim.

WIBU or was she a selfish, rude, ignorant bitch so and so who deserved a lesson?

And why has this made me so irrationally angry?

That's brilliant, well done for just going ahead!
I hate people who hog changing space like that, it's just so arrogant, like they're so much more important than everyone else, they can't possibly be expected to wait, goddammit!
Well, haha, she had to.

Ive been known to put peoples stuff in lockers for them and once someone had used a pair of shoes and towels to reserve a cubicle but had obviously put the rest in a locker so I put the towels on top of the high lockers and the shoes on the ground below... If they were short they would have had to ask someone to get the towels for them.
Handing it in to lost property is tenuous though, roll on Friday swim lesson!

genius not tenuous... Bloody autocorrect

wow! it's a long time since i've been to a public pool (gym membership ) but i can't believe people would leave their clothes in a cubicle to 'reserve' it!?! that's truly shocking... and it sounds from the responses that it's widespread? do they not get their clothes knocked over, stolen, dripped on? crazy!

youarekidding, I think you should mix all the clothes up. Don't remove anything, just put the wrong trousers with the wrong pants etc.

Imagine the confusion!

Yadnbu! When I used to go kayaking in a pool (during winter months) awoman did this. There were five cubicles all next to each other so one week my sister and I, along with the other few teens who went took a cubicle each, passed the clothes to the end, had someone run them outside and hang them on a freezing railing.

She never did it again!

Alistair That would be funny.

Have just been swimming with DS - the advantage of suffering taking him to weekly swimming lessons is they swim free in the holidays and in the summer a parent/ guardian swims free with each child.

I was most disgruntled to find all cubicles void of clothes/ shoes to put my evil plan into action.

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Priceless suggestions on here

Bloody good show. It's refreshing to read about mumsnetters who have stood up for themselves. well done you

You are THE BEST.

I HATE people doing shit like this. It is the height of rudeness.

Yeh for you - that'll teach her .

Next can you slap down people who take up train/bus seats with their bags, even when it's busy? (fine when there are plenty of seats, vvU when there are not).

Good for you op.

We were at a well known family "Woodland Lodge" site last autumn and experienced the same thing. Not many family changing rooms and all of them full of clothes and shoes. After 3 days of this, DH just quietly removed all the offending articles into the corridor and locked the door for us to get changed. When someone knocked on the door demanding we get out of their cubicle, DH answered in loud and appalling french but it did the trick and they left, chuntering evilly.

Anyoneforturps, that is one of my pet hates. Don't get me started on selfish women (because it is mainly women) on buses who require a seat for their handbags.

Anyone ooh those people are the worst.

Always remember a man on a really crowded bus who had a HUGE box next to him, fair enough he had nowhere to put it, but a very elderly woman got on the bus with bags & he refused to move for her. He kept smiling and shaking his head in a really passive aggressive way and eventually the entire rest of the bus got so angry he was made to move to make room for her!

Its a bit like 'reserving' the sun lounger for hours on end. One of my pet hates, but come on someone on Mumsnet must be doing it. I can barely get a sun bed when I am on holiday....

Come on be brave - OWN up......

Good for you, I've done similar in the past though not with such style

What drives me mad though is people who hog the showers for ages when there is a queue. dd used to go to swimming lessons and there was a lady who had twins with waist length hair which she used to wash and condition while a long queue of people shivered and waited for the one remaining shower. she "reserved" them by putting her 2 sons in them five minutes before the end of the lesson. Selfish wasn't in it. One week a mum decided to take a scan and came along with 3 children not involved in the class and put them in the showers TEN minutes before the end of the lesson and the twins had to wait until the end

marshmallow I deliberately target people who do this and ask them to move the bag so I can sit down [evil ]. So far no one has refused but I will be asking anyone who does to show me their bag's ticket .

Pinkappleby - were the children on their own? Just wondered if they wanted a family cubicle because they were with an opposite sex parent and we all know the problems that taking a 8 year old boy into the ladies changing rooms gets you into on here.

OP you were so not unreasonable - I hope you dripped over her clothes. And I'm uber fussy and wouldn't fancy picking up someone else's knickers and putting them in a locker.

With only three cubicles that's outrageous hogging behaviour.

At my local public pool, with lots of cubicles along both sides, it seems to be standard practice, especially amongst older people, I don't know why, there are plenty of lockers. They always take those closest to the entrance so you have to walk past them all to get to a free one. Odd and I wonder where they keep their house keys. The staff never challenge it.

OP - good on you - I would be inclined just to take the clothes and put them on a communal bench - you were very restrained to keep them wth you in the cubicle.

OP, I think I love you.

Yanbu. I would get all sweary about it at our pool but having the DC's around means I have to keep my gob shut and just fume silently while I search for an empty changing room. It does my fucking head in when people leave their clothes and go off for a swim. The management do mention it from time to time.

Now I will go and read the whole thread and see if I can pick up any tips for cubicle clearance.

nothing to say except: Well Done, OP.

Rocky, the sunlounger reserving is very annoying. I don't let it disturb me though - if you're not using it and obviously have not just left for a minute, it's free. And if they come back (in a few hours, after their tour and nap) then I helpfully point towards the sign that's usually there and stating that loungers cannot be reserved.