To not want to get splashed in the face whilst swimming

[IKnowImAGrump]

Went for what was supposed to be a nice, leisurely and peaceful swim at 9pm on a Friday night and yet again some inconsiderate twat gets in and starts hammering from one side of the pool to the other, arms and legs flapping about everywhere and splashing me all over the face and hair (I'm doing breaststroke) every time he shoots past me. I even said "EXCUSE ME!" hoping he'd move across (he had room I didn't).

Yes it's a pool and yes you get wet, it doesn't mean you should put up with other people disturbing you with their fucking splashy, watery presence.

People are cunts.

splashing me all over the face and hair (I'm doing breaststroke)
you shouldnt be doing breaststroke with your head up, you will damage your neck as well.

I recently had to get a new cap because my father and husband thought it would be funny to draw eyebrows on my old cap with a sharpie, then to take turns wearing it and taking selfies

😂😂

i assume, those who don't like the waves and water, that you never swim in the sea

Yup, that would be correct I only like swimming in billiard table flat water, which is why this autumn I will be attempting to achieve fitness by doing step aerobics routines in the comfort of my own home.

I don’t understand why swimming pools don’t put signs up explaining this and request people comply with it.

Ours has it (with a few other pointers) on a sheet of A4 stuck on the back of the signs at the deep end which say "slow," "medium" and "fast." Most people start in the shallow end, so won't even be aware there's anything on the back of the signs, let alone have stopped to read them. I only noticed one day because I was sat on a bench next to them while waiting for swimming lessons to finish before an aquafit class. I think it's also on the website somewhere, but I bet most people there are only checking the opening hours and booking gym classes, so again won't see it.

Maybe they’re there at that time for the same reason as you

They weren't, Joey - it's a small swimming school and I know everyone at least by sight. I agree that it might have been the only time in the week that they had to come, but then they should have adjusted their swim style to take account that the pool was very busy. They don't have swimming lanes in that pool (it's in Switzerland, they don't tend to have lanes except for lessons) so by thrashing up and down at high speed what they're doing is claiming about a quarter of the whole pool for themselves.

What happened to all those lovely post exercise mood enhancing endorphins? Perhaps you're not doing it right.

YANBU it's my pet hate, everyone else is having a nice quiet splash free swim and some Bell end always gets in and starts thundering up and down like sodding jaws is after them!
I was always taught the most efficient swimming style is minimal splash.

thundering up and down like sodding jaws is after them

I will think of this every time I see them now!

I was always taught the most efficient swimming style is minimal splash.

Tell michael Phelps that. I've yet to see a successful swimmer not splash a lot when swimming. Obviously you aren't racing, but I assume you're doing swimming for exercise and to possibly lose weight. It's not gonna do anything properly if you don't swim correctly. You'll get fitter much quicker by swimming correctly, and that means producing some splash.

I have an awful time swimming because I hate having water in my face, especially my eyes. This leads me to rub my eyes constantly so if someone splashes past me and gets water in my face i have to stop and rub my eyes. I have tried goggles but they are either too uncomfortable or leak anyway.

I don't tend to go swimming anymore which is a shame because I like swimming, I just don't like others in the pool. I once had a man swim over me! There were 3 lanes, slow, medium and fast. Because the other 2 lanes were busy he used the slow lane, I was the only one in the slow lane and he definitely wasn't a slow swimmer! He was fast and splashy and I was almost at the end when he just swam into me making me "sink" and carried on. It's hard to explain what happened because you would think that would never happen!

There was me thinking I was doing ok in the slow lane not bothering anyone then this idiot comes along. I didn't go swimming for years after because it knocked my confidence.

Absolutely, if you’re doing anything more than about 400m anyway. However, swimming is a technical sport. Everyone that tries to learn to swim front crawl is going to be a bit crap for a few years until they get some sort of technique honed.

My above was in response to the poster that quoted ‘I was always taught the most efficient swimming style is minimal splash’ to give context.

I just think you’re all being a bit mean about people that are just trying to learn and improve a new swimming stroke. It’s that sort of attitude that makes people nervous about taking up a new sport or excercise regime.

*swimming technique

But you are just as much a nuisance in the pool as the splashy man.
People who swim heads up rend to swim wide breaststroke and take up the lane leaving no room to overtake.

@SweatyFretty

My DH is a splasher too... he's not a serious swimmer now (used to compete in galas when he was a teen) but I don't think he knows how to swim any other way than his "louder" style when trying to exercise.

Ha ha!! I think you are definitely being a bit unreasonable! Having said that, Im enjoying swimming in the outdoor pool at the moment because everyone else seems to have moved indoors and I often find it totally empty... there’s nothing quite as serene as swimming in a lovely empty pool! I hope you have a better experience next visit OP!

Who's to say what a 'proper' way to swim is anyway? Some swim association that you have a choice to be governed by or not. You may go faster with your face in the water but not everything has to be a race. Surely the point of swimming is to keep afloat and move towards where you want to go. It's like saying people can't go for a stroll in the park, because they might get in the way of runners.

Re people chatting, why can't people spend time in the water for pleasure? It's a public pool after all. Should I not go because I'm unfit and can't swim more than a length without a rest?

Gah wrong thread!

I find pools a bloody nightmare outside of classes and ‘serious’ pools like ones used by university squads etc. I’m fast for a standard public pool which is annoying when you have to dodge people and I have had a lot of swimming lessons in life so I am constantly irritated by people doing excessive splashing who think that are great swimmers when, as Pps have said, you shouldn’t be over splashy! Actually I think a lot of people can’t swim very well; at least granny stroke doesn’t come with the arrogance that splashy stroke does.

If I was a millionaire, I wouldn't have my own pool. There's no lifeguard and I wouldn't swim with no one else around.

Ozymandias if i was a millionaire i would get one of those pools that are like a treadmill. They cost about 10 to 20k.