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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To feel absolutely pissed off with this jobsworth?

36 replies

Tiari · 18/06/2021 16:13

Started swimming again a few weeks ago. Lane swimming, fast, medium or slow. Chose medium, although I think this made no difference to what happened.
It's nice, not too packed because you book beforehand and they take a limited number.
Everyone swimming up and down, some (including me) having a break for a few minutes at the end of the pool.
No problem for weeks, then this morning the lifeguard said apologetically that her manager had just radioed her, to inform swimmers that breaks are not allowed, has to be continuous swimming.
I said I have illnesses including anaemia, therefore need to have a breather now and again, that if I tried to do my 10 lengths non stop I would probably flake out and she would have to rescue me!! Noticed others were also continuing to have breaks but we were all having shorter breaks.
I really need this swimming for my physical and mental health but feel it's being spoilt by one miserable git.
You would think they would be glad to have reopened and welcome customers back instead of being ridiculously hard handed.
As if we haven't had enough rules and regulations for over a year, now we can't even bloody swim in peace!!!!!
Sorry, rant over.

OP posts:
Tee20x · 18/06/2021 16:15

How ridiculous. Not as if you were at the end of the lane drinking cocktails on a float.

OrangeRug · 18/06/2021 16:18

Yeah that's ridiculous.

RhymesWithOrange · 18/06/2021 16:19

Ridiculous and dangerous.

SmidgenofaPigeon · 18/06/2021 16:20

Swimming is my pregnancy exercise and I take breaks too. I did do the slow Lane option though. If I was told off for taking a break then someone would be on the receiving end of my sharp tongue.

Original poster
Tiari · 18/06/2021 16:53

SmidgenofaPigeon usually someone would be at the end of my sharp tongue but I don't want to spoil it iykwim, just so nice to be out and about and swimming again.

RhymesWithOrange
Yeah agreed, ridiculous and dangerous. I'm sure most swimmers especially elderly need a short break. When I was fit (in the good old days) I used to manage 30 or 40 lengths but couldn't possibly have done that without a break.

Feeling a bit sensitive I suppose, going in for surgery next week and wanted to build a bit of strength first. So I'm not going to argue or cause a fuss. Annoying though!!

OP posts:
Thevoiceofreason2021 · 18/06/2021 16:56

Take no notice. Some people are as thick as mince

Original poster
Tiari · 18/06/2021 16:56

Tee20x
Now, there's an idea SmileWine

OP posts:
HereticFanjo · 18/06/2021 16:57

They've had complaints probably. Look for the person who never takes a break. They are your prime suspect! YANBU to be pissed off, they might be trying to encourage you to the slow lane.

AddisonMontgomeryShepherd · 18/06/2021 17:13

I agree with pp I think the slow lane would be the best option. The people in the slow lane at my pool take breaks, the people in the faster lanes don't really.

I use the slow lane and I would say 90% of us aren't that slow it's just more friendly and people Stop if they want Grin

AltiC · 18/06/2021 17:18

Breaks between sets are absolutely fine OP Grin

If you were in the right lane for your speed not dawdling along oblivious while everyone has to tread water behind you , resting at the side of your lane not taking up all of the turning space, and fitting in with the general flow of your lane not setting off immediately before a faster swimmer and causing a log jam then yes the manager was a jobsworth,

But... The lane etiquette at our pool is awful and I wish our lifeguards would do something proactive instead of just sitting about when people are being lane hogs (which I'm sure you weren't OPSmile)

WhereYouLeftIt · 18/06/2021 17:21

"to inform swimmers that breaks are not allowed, has to be continuous swimming."
Apart from being eye-rolling ridiculous - would this also be discriminatory? Continuous swimming would be very difficult for some people, including the elderly and disabled. Insisting on it would disproportionately affect such people, and could constitute indirect discrimination.

I'd run that one up the flag and give the manager some paperwork to do.

Ambo21 · 18/06/2021 17:22

I swim permanently in the slow lane as I am a woose.. I stop at the ends to let others pass so I dont hold them up.. without fail they all say thank you. Staff dont bother.. but always greet each of us by name when we arrive..

Phineyj · 18/06/2021 17:27

It can be annoying when people do this because either you have to go close to them to turn (and the whole point of the restrictions on numbers is to space swimmers out) or else cut your length short. Although I save my ire for the people who pause in order to chat. I think as long as you're not making other people go round you, it's OK.

Anyway, men who do huge splashy bad front crawl taking up the whole lane annoy me much more!

BearOfEasttown · 18/06/2021 17:28

@Tiari

That's a bit batshit, and a surely it should be OK to take a 2 or 3 minute break.

That said, in some ways I think they need to stop people having breaks for any longer than 2 or 3 minutes, because I have lost count of the amount of times my swim has been impeded/ruined, by 3 or 4 women staying still at the side of the pool, gasbagging and gossiping for 20 minutes at a time, whilst others are trying to swim. (And yes, it is always women, not men.)

At least 2 or 3 people are unable to get right to the end, and touch the side of the pool to complete their length when these ninnies are stood there in the shallow end, just bloody talking. We have come here to swim, not fucking talk. Fuck off.

BarbarianMum · 18/06/2021 17:28

If your break is that long, maybe wait on the side? It is irritating when the ends of the lanes are clagged up by people chatting resting but of course few people can swim continuously.

Kjr33 · 18/06/2021 17:33

As long as you stop off to a side for a break (not hogging the whole wall so others can’t use it to turn) having a break is perfectly acceptable and very encouraged in swimming.
You should be having breaks to take on water at least as it’s hard to gauge how much water you are losing when you swim.
High level swimmers do sets with breaks etc and swimming continuously is actually quite pointless if you want to get fitter or improve your swimming as your stroke will just get worse and worse as you get tired.
Our local pool has the slow lane set out wider to accommodate this and for overtaking etc. You should raise this with the pool/management rather than an individual lifeguard.
Our local pool has lane swimming sessions but some are considered tougher than others eg the after work time is usually busy and full of faster swimmers than the 8-9pm swim and the daytime ones are more relaxed, maybe if you speak to someone they can guide you to a session that works for you.
Best of luck

OccaChocca · 18/06/2021 17:41

How ridiculous!

I used to swim loads and could plough up and down for ages. I very much doubt I could do a few lengths without a break now. I am sure there are lots of people in the same boat.

If you can't swim more than a couple of lengths without stopping what do they expect you to do? Get out?

TheStarMachine · 18/06/2021 17:47

I am a fast lane swimmer and almost everyone in the fast lane takes breaks between sets for recovery. As long as you keep to the side and are not just hanging around chatting for ages it is perfectly acceptable. I would ignore and enjoy your swim!

5475878237NC · 18/06/2021 18:17

I swim in the fast lane and would expect you to take your break out of the way/to the side so that I could still get to the end of the lane if you are not taking a one min break but a long one.

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 18/06/2021 18:19

No, that’s crazy

Original poster
Tiari · 18/06/2021 19:54

Thanks for good advice and support everyone Smile

OP posts:
RBKB · 18/06/2021 20:03

I tend to find local swimming baths are full of moronic men who've booked their first triathlon and now think they're olympic athletes. I expect it was one of them. Everyone detests them op...you'll get one careering into you doing Very Bad Backstroke within a month. Ignore ignore ignore

Lemonwoe · 18/06/2021 20:28

While we are here. Can the fast people stop using the slow lane please!!! It’s really stressful for the genuinely slow to have someone swimming up your arse. Thanks!!

AddisonMontgomeryShepherd · 18/06/2021 20:51

@Lemonwoe

While we are here. Can the fast people stop using the slow lane please!!! It’s really stressful for the genuinely slow to have someone swimming up your arse. Thanks!!
It's difficult though for people like me because in our pool we have a fast lane or slow lane. Slow is for anyone who is using mostly breast stroke (which I do) & fast for anyone faster and using other strokes.

I'm not massively fast but faster than people going really slow - but I'm not fast enough to go in with the crazy wanna be Olympians as described up thread 😂

I think we all need to just agree the quicker things go back to normal the better!

DulseSeaweed · 18/06/2021 20:55

I agree this is crazy but could you duck out of the lane every couple of lengths and take a break in the main bit of pool?