Disgusting behavior in swimming pool changing rooms!

[WakeAndBake]

Returned to the U.K. a few months ago and took the kids swimming to an indoor water park with a ‘changing village’.

The facilities were not sex separated and everyone goes into cubicles to change. And that is when things got nasty.

Instead of having a decent shower and getting clean before entering the pool people just stood under a shower IN THEIR SWIMWEAR for a few seconds. No attempt made to wash sweaty bum cracks or armpits. Most women did not even bother to wet their hair!

How horrible to swim in a soup of shit, smeg, sweat, hairspray and toe-jam. This also meant the amount of chlorine in the water was insane, burned my eyes and I nearly crashed the car on the way home!

Who thinks this is a good way to do things???

'I remember once swimming at Chiswick pool and there was a shower area poolside and a man dropped his swimmers and lathered up his bits. The life guard went over and told him off'

that's made me giggle

In Australia no one ever showers before the pool (only after). But everyone showers at least once a day at home so you’d expect people to be clean before they arrive.

When I lived in France, the first time I went to the local pool, I had a shower at home when I woke up before heading straight to the pool for an early swim. I didn’t know to have a shower before (on the way in) and I was told off and called disgusting by the other women... I had no idea what I’d done wrong and was too scared to go back again!

I thought this was normal I have never seen anyone shower naked in a communal changing room

It is normal, in the UK. Swimming pool culture is remarkably different in different cultures.

Different countries not cultures, I meant to write there. Damn the lack of an edit button!

Yeah most people don’t have a shower before going in the pool

I wouldn’t want to shower naked in front of everyone either

When I saw the man do it in the UK it was at least 25 years ago and the local baths had all recently become leisure centres. The showers had been previously still communal but in the more private sex segregated changing rooms. From what I remember everyone showered naked but after their shower then (the 80s) and no one seemed to care. Then they refurbed the municipal Victorian baths to the more modern leisure centre styles and all the showers were put poolside or by the lockers so mixed sex and in front of every one.

I do remember a bit of confusion at first when people were wondering where to have their proper shower. A friend who worked at Brentford leisure centre up the road said they occasionally had some nudity round the lockerside showers but usually by non brits visiting.

And you're posting this now? In the middle of the worlds biggest crisis you're thinking about swimming showers. Wowzers, I would hate to be in your head!

To be fair, I'm thinking about swimming showers in the middle of this crisis, too. I have such withdrawal symptoms from my twice-weekly swim and sauna!

On a related note, the continuing trend toward mixed sex changing areas is not good news for women and girls. Statistics show these place us at increased risk of sexual assault or crimes like voyeurism, phones under cubicles etc. I couldn't care less about showering in front of other women, but men are a different proposition entirely. Statistically, these are the people who are far more likely to represent a threat.

In Switzerland it is normal to have a shower before going into the pool, but I don't think anyone monitors you.

It is also normal to leave a towel and flip flops at the side of the pool.

One thing I get int trouble for when I first swim in Switzerland was not swimming in an orderly direction in the "slow lane" of the pool (I just thought the other lanes were for more professional swimmers, and the 2 lanes together were for people who just wants a casual swim)

When I was in primary school there was always a woman showering naked when we arrived to get changed for our lesson. Needless to say as 9 year olds we had quite the giggle about that! Can't imagine that scenario happening these days.

Spam I wouldn't want to imagine it happening these days either! I wouldn't want to go for a nice relaxing swim to be confronted with people washing their bits,... keep it private 🤣1

God I love this thread it’s exactly what I needed tonight.

Most swimming pool showers are so pitiful that it’s impossible to have a decent shower.

I always thought the point of showering before swimming was to remove any body lotion, conditioner etc before you get into the water, rather than to get clean, I would assume that most people had showered that morning anyway.

SerenDippitty exactly, me too. I thought showering right before was to stop people polluting the chlorine

It is gross but if you over think everything, you'd never do anything.

🤣😂🤣 FWIW I completely agree, that’s why we don’t do public baths in this house. Or hot tubs for that 🤮🤮

@Spam88 always!!!

It's nice to see a post like this

When I first read that comment, I thought you meant that you didn't bath in front of everyone in your house, rather than that you don't go to the public pool! I was thinking, does anyone want a bath surrounded by their family...

sonjadog haha I thought I was the only one to think that! I thought it wa referring to a family bath! 🤢🤭😂

We live in Germany and nobody showers naked with soap before going into the pool. People would think you are bloody weird.
You generally have a quick shower with swimwear on. It's just meant to get perfume and lotion off. I have a shower every day at home in the morning anyway.
People do shower naked with soap after a swim. Fair enough. I used to do that when I went to the gym and they had a pool there. Nowadays I generally have toddler DS with me, so I throw him quickly under the shower, get us both dressed and then shower properly at home.

Spot the Scandinavian 😂

So OP if I go to Sweden do I have to get nekkid and wash my nethers ?

You're supposed to. But people don't. Because they're mingers. Mind, I'm not particularly watching you in the showers, but if I do notice you not washing I am judging you. I will never say anything, because I am Swedish. The British think they are reticent, but they have nothing on the Swedes.