To be furious at swimming pool regulars who think they own the bloody pool. To the point of kicking a disabled child?

[Sneezecakesmum]

Dont know who I am angrier with. Myself or the middle aged woman swimming in the local pool apparently doing her daily 50 lengths of breast stroke, when we (the interlopers) dared to be in her way and which gave her the right to kick a 5 year old disabled boy in the chest!

FFS she came up behind us so definitely saw us. I was holding a child festooned in buoyancy aids, (so both arms needed) and facing away from her so I didnt see her. The first thing I knew she kicked/or hit me lightly then with the next stroke kicked out strongly and I felt the childs body rock against me. Luckily he is a tough nut and just looked a bit shocked.

AIBU to want to rip her fucking head off? No apology, no acknowledgement despite being fully aware she hit us!

I just stood there like a wimp feeling it was my fault for being in 'her' pool

You know that thing where you do/say nothing at the time, but rage and vent afterwards? Well I am venting!

[MurkyMinotaur]

You do get some awkward scenarios in pools. It's lots of people moving around in a defined space. And to be honest, everyone (myself included) tends to default to assuming our own right of way is more important and legitimate. Whose attitude is always naturally, 'Well, let's see how I can best share this place with these other swimmers'?

It is right to apologise when you accidentally make contact with another swimmer. But the root issue is selfishness, I think. 'How dare they not treat me with the importance I deserve?' 'How dare they block my path?'. We're all the same.

[Sneezecakesmum]

She didn't need to look round it was breast stroke she was looking ahead. Breast stroke is not a noisy splashy stroke so no I didn't hear anything. I was busy holding a child with armbands and a swim vest on so my concentration was where it should be. But I take your point and will try to grow some eyes in the back of my head so that I can get out of the way of adults swimming in a shallow learner pool. There was plenty of room it was not busy. She could have swum elsewhere but of course all the children should scatter when a real swimmer is in the learner pool

And I'm not moaning about me I'm complaining that a small child was heavily kicked.

Murky. This thread supports what the pool manager says about this red mist that a few swimmers get in a pool. Your experience sadly also. It's fair enough to have a 'get out of my way attitude' in a big pool with swimming lanes, but in a learner pool?

[ChelsyHandy]

Sounds as though the pool management didn't adequately cater for people who wanted to swim that day. They should have perhaps made it clearer that swimming wasn't permitted, instead of blaming the user for swimming.

The OP was the only one who knew her child was disabled, and should therefore have taken more care. It sounds like the swimmer was already swimming when she went in, so the OP should have been aware of this. The swimmer most likely wouldn't notice someone new entering the pool if she was swimming.

Judging by the number of times I've been kicked by breastrokers, it really is possible to kick someone and not notice, or perhaps assume it is a slight brush.

At the end of the day, swimming pools are for swimming, and I'd always come out on the side of someone doing just that.

[mercibucket]

It isn't the learner pool if it is the only pool available for swimmers. It is just the pool

I do not rate that reply from the manager. Why dont they lane off part of the pool or just close to 'swimmers' and have it as a toddler session if it is that tiny a pool

[Sneezecakesmum]

Taken more in what way? It's a swimming pool there were people swimming and children splashing. I'm supposed to anticipate someone commencing a length at the opposite side of the pool?

Close the pool to swimmers? Just because one person behaves like an arse? Believe it or not it's possible to swim in a respectful manner.

It was a 1.1 metre learner pool. The other one had schoolchildren in it. Not big enough to cordon off.

[mercibucket]

Of course you are supposed to anticipate someone setting off swimming laps!
Standard procedure
See where the lap swimmers are
Go elsewhere to play

[mercibucket]

Well i have reported your aggressive swearing but i think it is becoming clear who had the problem with swimming rage

[Picturesinthefirelight]

" piss off"

But not in a pool obviously!!!!

[Picturesinthefirelight]

Have any of the posters here ever seen or been in a learner pool. It's laughable to think someone can try to swim serious lengths in one!

[Sneezecakesmum]

Asking for thread to be withdrawn as it's clear some sad people just enjoy winding others up.

[mercibucket]

It really depends on the pool. We have two pools. Both used for swimming but one is more suitable for children as it is about 1.1 m deep (approx. My 6 year old cant stand in it but my 8 year old can)
That is not a 'learner' pool but is not ideal for lap swimming

Presumably it is not a 'toddler' pool where you cant really swim at all, as the centre is still selling tickets to swimmers

[Pagwatch]

I suspect, and very much hope, that mnhq won't remove a thread just because you don't like the posts.

I would have thought it would be easier to just stop replying. Every time you post it bumps back into active convos.

[MurkyMinotaur]

It is sad that people have a 'get out of my way' attitude. It's a lot like using roads in that respect! I think we're all that way, to be honest.

It's tricky. I'm usually the door mat who waits for a space before starting a lap, stops, treads water, zigzags etc to give other swimmers space. I seem considerate, but inside I have the same 'me first' attitude, it's just that it manifests in me getting frustrated about having allowed others to go first! Haha. Same thing really.

[sunshinecity17]

so why doesn't the manager rope off a lane for teh serious swimmers then?