To think the lifeguard should have done something about these children?

[MaryPoppinsPenguins]

I was at the gym earlier, checked out the pool from the window and it looked blissfully calm! (Very rare..) so rushed down, changed and got in.

The pool is split into four sections, fast lane, medium lane, slow lane and a bigger area that’s just general pool.

It was 7.30pm and there were some serious swimmers in all the lanes. I love swimming but I’m a bit slow so I went as close to the lane line as I could and swam there, as did another woman who was fairly elderly. (Still faster than me!)

Five minutes later three girls about 12/13 came out and jumped in the pool. They were screaming, splashing, they kept getting out and throwing floats to each other and often into the path of myself and the other swimmer and one actually hit her. She kind of rolled her eyes at me as she passed me and they all kept whispering and laughing and would jump around or jump in whenever we swam past to splash us. It made it impossible to swim. I tried to move into the slow lane but it was hindering others so I gave up and got out.

I walked around the original side to get my towel from the hook and one of them took the long metal stick from the wall (not sure what it is, for lifeguards I think) and was twirling it like a baton. I couldn’t get past and said excuse me and she twirled it in my face and then put it back and jumped in the pool and the woman still trying to swim said ‘if you’re going to act like Children go to the kids pool’

Despite being in my mid to late thirties, I felt a bit intimidated by them. I get that it’s family swim.. but there was no adult with them and they weren’t swimming. It’s a really expensive gym (for me) and I would expect a lifeguard to say something about this behaviour rather than just sitting there.

Or am I being ridiculous. Is ‘family swim’ code for anything goes?

I’m annoyed. I was so looking forward to a swim!

This is completely unacceptable! If I were related to them in any way, shape or form I would be ashamed! These children deliberately being annoying little things to adults is stupid. I wonder if it how they were raised or teen over-excitement

It was so frustrating. And I really felt for the woman swimming.. once she said that they were relentless with annoying her. They kept jumping all around her until I made my way out.

Sorry, but I think you are being U, for everything except swinging the pole. I get that the children were being annoying, but I don't think your desire to be in the water doing what you wanted to do should trump theirs.

There's a slow lane, which you're welcome to use if you're swimming lengths. If people are swimming faster than you, they swim round you or go into the medium lane. The area you were in was general swimming, which should include children playing. 12 or 13 year olds who can swim, shouldn't need an adult with them. In our local pool, it's over 8s

With the pole (and the splashing you on purpose), you could have spoken to the lifeguard.

Sorry not to be more supportive.

That’s fine, that’s kind of what this board is for

Did you complain to the lifeguard? I certainly would have.

YANBU

Can't believe anyone would defend such behaviour

Their behaviour sounds inappropriate, especially the wooden pole bit but to be clear....there were three lanes dedicated to people wanting to swim at varying speeds and a free family swim fun bit? Everyone was accommodated for, you chose to swim in the "fun" bit. Putting aside their cheek, it seems that you were the one being a bit unreasonable expecting to be able to swim undisturbed in the one section not for that

Make a complaint. Do it with a email if you prefer. Ask them to review CCTV and take actions so it won't happen again

That's disgraceful and possibly dangerous behaviour. Life guard should have stopped it.

YANBU and should have complained.

The problem was their deliberate annoyance of other swimmers. Nasty.

Not to be rude but I don't understand your opinion KeepServingTheDrinks, that behaviour should not be allowed, most pools have rules against most of the things they were doing and it is and adult pool so just swimming should be expected.

They were just being silly children...the pole stuff was dangerous but they were in the main pool area...your desire to swim calmly doesn't trump their right to play.

You should have been in the slow lane all along.

User, I totally get that it’s a fun bit. I’ve taken my own children there. But I think it’s big enough that there can be ‘fun’ and swimming with consideration for others. I didn’t choose to swim in that bit because I felt entitled, I did it out of consideration for the faster swimmers in the lanes.

It’s a good idea about emailing. I’m going to do it, thanks.

But deliberately annoying adults for no reason, should we really have to deal with that? But yes pole stuff should have been dealt with by the lifeguard

Yanbu. Family swim doesn't mean throwing floats at people and spoiling their activity. 12 year olds can enjoy themselves without spoiling it for others.

I go to a similar set up and all children under 16 must be out of the pool by 6pm and vacated by 7pm, we get there at 6.30pm to avoid them, we are early 50 and love kids, work with kids, have kids, but our time of swim , gym etc is for a kid free zone.

Ours is family swim till 8 unfortunately, which I think is a bit late. I assumed they had to be with an adult but maybe it’s an age thing... my DD’s are 4 and 7 so the rules might be different for them.

They were being rude and intimidating. I’d have made a serious fuss when I got out. Goodness knows what kind of parents they have!

Apart from the pole I think yabu. The general area of the pool isn't for swimming laps. I personally found it very annoying when people swam laps in the general area and they expected everyone to get out of their way. I would swim laps in the lap lane then find a space in the general area for my physio water therapy exercises or just to float about. The kids and teenagers splashing, screaming, laughing, playing didn't annoy me. That's what the general area is for. It was anyone who stubbornly insisted on swimming laps in there instead of the lanes, bumping into people coz they want to swim in a straight line. When I moved house and went to a new gym/swim centre anyone who tried to swim laps in the general area were instructed by the lifeguard to move to the lanes

How were they "playing"?! They were deliberately targeting other swimmers and intimidating them.