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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Swim rage!

102 replies

Pittcuecothecookbook · 10/02/2018 11:46

Two lanes - one fast, one unlabelled. One guy in the unlabelled lane right up behind everyone, overtaking without enough room and generally being an arse. I ask him, not that politely it must be said, to stop swimming so close behind everyone and to go in the fast lane if he can't swim slower.

He says "what do you want me to do if I'm not fast enough for the fast lane" and "you should swim faster". Well, actually, I'm quite fast but I am moderating my speed because I'm not in the fast lane and I don't want to be today. Plus, if it's that fucking easy to swim faster, you do it and go in the fucking fast lane.

I told him he was probably one of those drivers that drive right up the arse of the person in front. He said that in his plane he flies behind the other planes, and he did this stupid aeroplane thing with his hands. So funny, he looked like a right mug.

Anyway, yes I was unreasonable for being sarcastic and rude and for being happy when he made himself look stupid but aibu by MN standards? Please say No 😂

OP posts:
heron98 · 12/02/2018 05:40

you should give way to him if he is faster than you though by letting him pass at the end of the lane.

So many swimmers don't do this and it really makes things easier for everyone.

Joey7t8 · 12/02/2018 05:53

Surely if you are faster than the other people in the lane, and the other lanes are full, the correct thing is to (following the direction you have to swim in) not complete a length every now and then so you are half a length in front?

When you’re doing a reasonable paced length, it’s actually quite hard to stop turn and start again without a wall to push off. The correct thing is that the slower swimmer will pause for half a second at the wall and let the quicker swimmer overtake on the push off.

Minniemountain · 12/02/2018 06:44

Yesterday we had a 11 (ish) yo overtaking by swimming down the middle of people in the only lane. Then stopping mid length to take instruction from his dad. Apparently he was training. If training was that so sodding important, he shouldn't have been doing it at 11am on a Sunday.

rwalker · 12/02/2018 07:02

I swim regularly and can honestly say there is some of the rudest people swimming seems to be the worst out in them. They go in what ever lane is quietest not the one for there ability, you over take them and go to push off and they push of right in front of you even though you are faster and you have just overtaken them.Do strange thing like walking in the fast lane doing high knees . Strangely enough the worst one's are women over 60 tbh think they just don't realise .Back to your swim today yes he was being a twat

Original poster
Pittcuecothecookbook · 12/02/2018 07:03

heron98 - RTT

OP posts:
Coffeeandcrochet · 12/02/2018 07:44

Surprisingly I've had little problem with men in my local pool (apart from the drenched in deodorant thing which is just gross).

The worst culprits for me are the terminally vague early 20s women who are very slow, and go in random diagonals at each end, totally precluding any attempts to nip ahead of them despite the fact you've been on their toes for 6 lengths.

TheOrigRightsofwomen · 12/02/2018 08:21

I swim a lot. Lane swim. Seems people are much more accommodating in my pool as I don't see these problems very often.
There's sometimes the odd arse but it's rare. Shame people can't just get on.

ljlkk · 12/02/2018 09:15

this would be an example of when lane etiquette would require you to move to a slower lane

Joey78, the other lanes were packed with other people. We would have overcrowded slower swimmers instead of crowded in with the clubbies. The clubbies didn't mind us at all. Clubbies were quite used to pushing thru regardless, it's how they treat each other (kids).

The correct thing is to ... not complete a length every now and then so you are half a length in front?

I tend not to do this, and don't think it's required, but I applaud folk who do it. Last night a faster swimmer did this to me (we were only 2 people in the 4m lane, so she preferred early turnarounds rather than it was her only way past me). She was doing 30sec-ish lengths. I can't see any reason the 15 second-length guys CAN'T do the mid-lane turn around, they just choose not to (like clubbies).

The 15/20-sec guys are often part of wall-hogg groups, it's not like they have any respect for allowing all folk to get to the wall for a push off.

Kidssendingmenuts · 12/02/2018 09:39

Next time he is behind you "accidentally" kick him in the side/face/gut. Should sort him out in no time Grin

judgejudyandexecutioner · 12/02/2018 09:44

I am a slow swimmer I have a spinal condition and even in the slow lane people get frustrated although I often let people past.

In my opinion the OP got the thread title just right it's like Road rage in the swimming lane.

I sometimes wish there was an extra slow lane lol wonder what they would call it???

DGRossetti · 12/02/2018 10:21

I am a slow swimmer I have a spinal condition and even in the slow lane people get frustrated although I often let people past.

When set up for lane swimming, my pool has a double-width lane for people who want to lane swim with no particular agenda. There are a few folk who have medical issues, but it seems wide enough to let them swim without issue. Although the lanes aren't graded, that lane is respected by better swimmers, so it could be called an "extra slow lane".

I think "etiquette" also depends on facilities. A 25m pool doesn't really lend itself to overtaking in lane the same way a 33m does. (I'd love to try a 50m pool, but ....).

If you're "training" then you shouldn't be in a public swim session. You should be getting up at 5:30 and swimming 6:00-7:00 with your club. And yes it is a PITA to get up that early. (Which is my my DM let me use the car for college if I took my youngest brother training back in the 80s Smile).

judgejudyandexecutioner · 12/02/2018 10:31

Yep that's me extra slow!

I try to go when it is super quiet then I know I am not going to frustrate others. It's all about give and take and just being aware and considerate of others.

Coffeeandcrochet · 12/02/2018 10:33

Just to be clear, I have no problem with people being slower than me, I always wait patiently behind them and would never hassle them. I just wish some of them would have some common sense and courtesy in return.

When someone is faster than me, I let them pass at the end, it's not hard and it makes everyone's lives just a bit smoother!

FluffyWuffy100 · 12/02/2018 10:40

Ah swim lane rage. Part and parcel of every swimming session.

I swim in a 50m pool with 5 lanes - 2 slow 2 medium and 1 fast. Convention is slow lame by he wall is the extra slow lane and the med lane next to the fast lane is the faster of the two med lanes.

Why is there always some fucking useless man (it’s always a man) swimming SLOWER than the slow lane... in the ‘fast medium! medium lane.

Never really seems to be a problem with fast swimmers in the slow or med lanes.

Does fuck me off when slower swimmers don’t pause to let you past at the end, or set off just as you get there if they have stopped for a breather. I just turn around a bit short of the end of the lane. Good practice for me to not touch off anyway.

Joey7t8 · 12/02/2018 10:51

Next time he is behind you "accidentally" kick him in the side/face/gut. Should sort him out in no time

Seriously, don’t do this. Someone swimming close behind you has slowed down and is probably hoping that you’ll let him/her past at the end of the next length. I don’t think that that deserves a physical assault.

Minniemountain · 12/02/2018 19:24

Exactly DGRossetti or at least at 8am when the Sunday public swim opens. Luckily I normally get there earlier, so shouldn't encounter Training Boy and Dad again.

pontiouspilates · 12/02/2018 19:43

I was swimming with a friend and rather than overtake (irritating and rude enough) Mr Massive Ego swam underneath her to get in front. Such a knob!

G120810 · 15/02/2018 04:01

I've never laughed so much for ages I clicked on this thread as I was curious I don't swim and I never knew any of this stuff happened when u went for a swim love some of the comments

Rufffles · 15/02/2018 04:32

@mrslandingham - I second this. Interestingly I swam until 37ish weeks pregnant recently, and the bigger my bump got the more some of the male swimmers seemed to dislike being overtaken by me. I’m not normally sensitive / aware of things like that but it was very, very apparent.

Original poster
Pittcuecothecookbook · 15/02/2018 04:36

Ruffles, I am actually preggo so maybe it was that with this dick head...

OP posts:
Minniemountain · 15/02/2018 07:41

Is overtaking rude? I often do that as our pool generally has only the one lane. But I am very careful to only do it when there is enough room.

bruffin · 15/02/2018 07:55

Our pool lanes are wide enough for someone to overtake on both sides.
Problems happen when slow swimmers swim to wide lor the arrogant thinks he owns the pool and wants to tumble turns in his fins. Then we have the leisure 50 who want to swim side by side chatting and sometimes even swim in a triangle with someone swimminng backwards joining in.

I would rather be a slower person 8n the lane. I always swim close to the side to make sure there is ample room for someone to pass.

bluepears · 15/02/2018 08:27

'YYY to sharp toenails and a strong kick.' yes yes yes to assualting someone and yes i did report you oh and you should allow the lifeguards to do their job or find a diffrent swimming pool if you believe the service is not good enough

AwayAndStuffYourself · 15/02/2018 08:47

I've experienced lane based frustration many times, but I'm afraid that for me nothing but nothing tops the frustration of the older ladies walking three abreast up and down the tiny pool (not swimming, walking) chatting to each other and taking up all the available space, who refuse to move at all when you are trying to swim seriously (if not that fast). I don't understand why they don't just go for a coffee instead.

EBearhug · 15/02/2018 15:24

I too have experienced lane rage. It's actually not too bad with us - there are some signs explain lane etiquette, but they're pretty small and usually not where someone can easily see them, but could easily be pointed out to inconsiderate gits.

We have a lane for fast, a lane for medium and a double lane for slow. I tend to vary between fast and medium depending on what stroke I'm swimming and who else is swimming. Now the new year resolution rush is mostly over, if I time it right, I can sometimes get a lane to myself for at lead part of my swim (which obviously is how it should be all the time, if only the council would realise and enforce it.) I've also been in a lane with just one other, and we ignored the arrows and kept to our own side each, which works well until someone else gets in. So then we change, because it's a public session.

There se always some who have no sense of lane discipline or consideration for others, and sometimes, they might accidentally get kicked.