To wish people would give other swimmers some privacy in the changing room

[atthewelles]

There is a very large communal changing room in the gym where I go to swim a couple of times a week. There is rarely more than about 10 people in in at any one time so loads of room for people to spread out and get changed in a bit of privacy. However someone will invariably ignore all the empty space and plonk themselves at a locker a few inches away from yours while you're trying to discreetly put your knickers on under a towel; or even more annoying will sit on the bench right beside you and start texting.
AIBU to think that if a changing room is three quarters empty it is rude and ignorant and a bit strange to sit practically on top of someone else?

My opinion was that if a communal changing area is all that is available then the ethos of the gym is indeed 'oh, don't be so silly' and that patrons should respect that. Crying about 'privacy' in case your towel slips is a little silly in a grown woman.

People wanting an element of privacy and for people to space out a bit in a half empty communal changing room is not 'a little silly'. Being insensitive to the fact that some women have body image issues/operation scars that they're a bit self concious about etc etc is, however, not very mature.

ok

I don't think the OP is saying everyone should be the same about getting naked.

I think she just wants a bit of elbow room

I agree OP anyway. I don't spend long naked if i can help it, and i don't mind what everyone else does as long as it's not in my face (if there's room for it not to be).