To feel absolutely pissed off with this jobsworth?

[Tiari]

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.

That makes sense. Or do lengths in the main pool till fitter (although it may be lanes only).

@AddisonMontgomeryShepherd well. Just keep your head from going up my arse! ;D

That’s ridiculous, the ends are for a little rest-people can go on a head if needed. Saying that I wish the life guards in my local pool were a bit more jobs worthy, some awful behaviour in my local pool that has never even warranted a slight toot of the whistle. That as well as the ubiquitous extremely fast swimmer who feels the need to dominate the slow lane.

Thanks guys. If I wasn't feeling a bit unwell and also don't want to cause an atmosphere (nice pool, near to home) I would probably have kicked up a bit of a stink.
ie: It doesn't state in the small print that rest breaks are not allowed or that continuous swimming is compulsory. Also, this could be discriminatory, dangerous, etc.
So will try the slow lane and shorten my breaks. There is no main pool, it's all lanes.
Disappointing attitude though from manager. As they say, there's always one !!

I work in a leisure centre and we had customers complaining because people were swimming too slow so really they can't bloody win whatever they do. I don't think people realise how hard working in the public sector can be and we are damned either way.

I think the response ought to have been to ask the manager to come and speak to you personally. Instead of being a coward and not even coming to speak to the lifeguard in person.

Point our the laws about disability discrimination and make a complaint. You may not have a respiratory condition but many people do.

Just say OK and continue to swim as you always do. It's likely that no one will say anything to you.

Our pool has signs saying WHEN you rest, please face away from the pool as you hang onto the side. Perhaps suggest this as an option that might prevent your pool being sued for disability discrimination!

They are trying to minimise people breathing on eachother within 2 m. Probably just following the rules. You are being a bit dramatic interpreting this to mean you have to continue and risk your health. What they mean is that you need to come out if you are going to be longer than the time it takes for the other person to reach you.

Agree that's complete bollocks, OP.

My partner is a very good swimmer (I am not and couldn't even swim a length without stopping!) Pre Covid he would regularly go and swim a mile or two in one session. But because he's not Adam Peaty he'd take a break between every few lengths of 2-3 mins max to get his breath back. I went with him once and saw most people did this, the only ones who didn't were the ones who'd get in, thrash through 4-5 lengths at speed and then get out (was it even worth it!) or others - mainly women - who would swim a length then stand at the end for 10 mins chatting. It's the chatters that the OPs pool should be telling to move on, and not stop for more than a couple of mins, not people who need to pause.

This is so appropriate after my swimming experience today, I totally get why one would need a break!

I booked the fast lane instead of the medium in error, thinking oh it’s fine it’ll just be full of middle aged men who think they’re quick but aren’t, like last time, but no. It was the weekday 0630 triathlete squad who a) all know each other, b) hog the entire fast lane daily, and c) have a naff little swim chart laminated and propped up at the end of the lane that they all follow (not applicable to interlopers obviously).

Well, my god I was absolutely exhausted. I’m medium-fast but these folk were superhuman. I had covid last year and have a much poorer exercise tolerance now, and I was literally dying at the end of each lane. I had to rest after each length. If breaks hadn’t been allowed I’d have got out.

Its good (ish) that your lifeguards are switched on though, at my pool there are so many people booking themselves into the wrong lane (me) and holding other swimmers up, but nobody cares. Older folk stand and chat in groups of 3-4 at the end of the middle lane, nobody says a thing. God forbid anyone actually drown, they’d probably be left at the bottom of the pool for a week 😬