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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to think that if you're in the swimming pool, you should bloody well SWIM.

98 replies

FreyaFridays · 26/01/2014 18:53

Within reason, of course. The ninety-year-old and the baby in the yellow seat flotation I will graciously let off.

I live in a rural location which is very popular with tourists. We have no proper gyms or swimming pools, so locals use the hotels for gymming and swimming. I use a very popular hotel which has a highly subscribed gym and swimming pool, both excellent facilities. Partner and I go after work during peak time when all the other working folk are also at the gym and pool.

AIBU to wonder why the hell people choose to use the swimming pool during peak time to do anything except swim? What possible pleasure can you get out of floating aimlessly around the pool chatting or feeling each other up whilst us actual swimmers have to dodge round you as we're trying to do lengths? At my pool there is a small shallow pool for relaxing/children right off the main pool, two jacuzzis, a steam room and a sauna, so no real excuse for drifting around in people's way. It just seems bizarre to me that you would choose to stand in the middle of the pool staring blankly as six or seven other people come barelling up and down at speed because we've been at work all day and we're trying to get a bit of exercise in.

Why not sit in the jacuzzi/come at another time/swim the fuck on with it?

OP posts:

coco44 · 26/01/2014 22:02

The universe does not in fact revolve around you OP.

Ifcatshadthumbs · 26/01/2014 22:10

no it floats around her

coco44 · 26/01/2014 22:11

Original poster

FreyaFridays · 26/01/2014 22:19

Neither does it revolve around the lazy buggers who float up and down a bit at peak time and just expect the rest of us to put up with it. If they get a butterfly arm to the face, well, that's their own doing.

OP posts:

ADishBestEatenCold · 26/01/2014 22:19

Swim, gym, jog! You sound physically fit, OP, is there no natural water that you could power swim in, near your rural location. Rivers, the sea, inland water?

Ifcatshadthumbs · 26/01/2014 22:20

Dh has a noodle under his arms and his legs for maximum floating efficiency

Original poster

FreyaFridays · 26/01/2014 22:24

Your DH sounds brilliant, Ifcats! I don't think I'd mind a quirk like that on a regular basis.

There is natural water, but it's far too cold (for me) to swim in this time of year, and the pool does have the advantage of changing rooms and a post-swim sauna!

OP posts:

MidniteScribbler · 26/01/2014 22:25

There's nothing worse when you're trying to relax on holiday and some twerp in budgie smugglers thinks that they have some right to an invisible line down the middle of the pool to kick their unpedicured feet and splash water all over me. If there's a swim up bar this is a double breach of etiquette.

lettucelamp · 26/01/2014 22:30

YANBU. I swim as my exercise of choice and to be honest we get people like that in our pool at the gym. Drives me mad!

Marshy · 26/01/2014 22:31

Freya - do you wear budgie smugglers? And fgs please tell me you have had a pedicure sometime in the last 2 weeks!

Oldraver · 26/01/2014 22:32

If I went away to a hotel for a bit of a relax hen party I would be a bit pissed off if while I was relaxing in the pool if someone was charging around huffing and puffing at me as I wasn't 'swimming properly'

ADishBestEatenCold · 26/01/2014 22:32

"there is natural water, but it's far too cold"

It seems to be a bit of a 'thing' round here this year, with people 'loch swimming' even now! (not me though, I'm a March till October swimmer)

Presumably the hotel pool is quieter during these cold times, though? Fewer tourists!

itsnotthateasy · 26/01/2014 22:33

Narcissist Much .

Original poster

FreyaFridays · 26/01/2014 22:37

I wear an Esther Williams one-piece from For Luna. And I'm afraid to say that my nails ALWAYS have to be nicely done, as I used to be a dancer, and ripped my toes to shreds in the process. My feet can never be au naturale again!

OP posts:

Marshy · 26/01/2014 22:38

adish - you swim in a loch in march....and in October?? Blimey..i am a southern softie

Marshy · 26/01/2014 22:40

Nice toenails are a must imo, whether swimming or not, but I must admit I am relieved re the lack of budgies

Grennie · 26/01/2014 22:43

On holiday you go out for the day. Maybe in a rural area walking. Then you get back, relax in pool, and eat out about 8pm. Makes perfect sense to me as a tourist.

coco44 · 27/01/2014 16:11

Neither does it revolve around the lazy buggers who float up and down a bit at peak time

...but they are not posting on here com[paining about you are they?

MothratheMighty · 27/01/2014 16:21

I feel exactly the same about people cluttering up pavements when I'm trying to walk at a brisk pace. and people who shop at leisure when I'm in a hurry and eating in restaurants with free-range children and...
When I am Empress of the Known World, all will obey my every whim.
Until then I will have to compromise, and come to terms with the fact that I am having to share the planet with other people who may have different, less worthy ambitions.
You teach Y10? Swim at 6am in the holidays, or move closer to your place of work and have less of a commute.

ADishBestEatenCold · 27/01/2014 22:40

"adish - you swim in a loch in march....and in October"

I do indeed, Marshy, in the river too, but I'm not as hardy as some. There are one or two people around here still loch swimming now!

sausageandorangepickle · 27/01/2014 23:25

I went swimming tonight and was ready to start a very similar thread when I got back - not a hotel pool, the local council one, but a group of 3 blokes were there, not swimming, sitting on the edge of the pool at the shallow end so there was no where to touch turn unless you wanted a close up of crotch (thankfully board shorted, not budgie smuggled). I really don't get why you would go out in the rain, pay, change in the communal changing room, get in the cold water if you don't want to actually SWIM - if you just want to chat to your mates go to a cafe !!

Sadly Freya, I don't think either of us will win until we have our own pools, just have to be contented with some very splashy turns....

BuggersMuddle · 27/01/2014 23:51

Geez Freya you would've loved us. I'm a weights gym bunny and DP is a runner so we take our gym seriously if not in my case, our salads

I get pissed when my paid for gym takes the slow lane for swimming lessons and leaves a fast lane and everyone else. I'm a slow swimmer, so I only can piss people off or I have to avoid the families.

Having said that DP and I (aged over 30) have been known to take a bouncing ball for holiday pools, sometimes playing with the kids / young adults staying. I got my 30 lengths in either prior to breakfast or after 4pm on hols. I've stayed in hotels that have a spa and also the local gym for the locals. Never felt very welcome on either side and so would prefer to avoid it myself. Also, hotel gyms are almost always crap.

VonHerrBurton · 28/01/2014 00:13

I would be pissed off if I paid for a weekend away to a nice hotel, sauntered down for a relaxing float/'mom swim' (doggy paddle, no hair wetting :)) and the local swimming police were there, huffing and cross, because I didn't want to swim at the time of day or certain area of the pool they deemed appropriate for me - a mere tourist.

I would be gutted if the pool was full of locals when I thought id booked into somewhere quiet and, er, relaxing.

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