Changing room etiquette - WIBU or was she?

[Borissbirthdaycake]

At the swimming pool for my DD's swimming lesson. In the changing rooms there are only two cubicles for privacy and the rest are benches. DD(9) prefers privacy and we normally manage to get a cubicle.

Today on arrival both cubicles were busy so we got changed on the bench and left our stuff on the peg. Half an hour later the lesson ends and I have to walk through the changing room to collect DD from poolside. One of the cubicles is now empty so I put our stuff in there and pull the curtain.

However when DD go back to cubicle two minutes later, the curtain is open and someone else's stuff is on top of ours. All the kids finish at the same time so I knew this person's arrival was imminent but I moved their stuff to a bench, closed the curtain and DD starts getting changed. Then the curtain is pulled open and a lady and her grandson are standing there. I apologised and said our stuff was already in the cubicle and I pointed at her stuff that I had moved to a bench. We were both wearing masks and it was loud in there so I couldn't hear what she was saying in response but she did walk away and got her DGS changed on the bench.

She couldn't possibly have missed our stuff being in the cubicle and all the kids finish at the same time so she knew we were coming back. As far as I'm concerned the cubicles are first come first served - if it's empty, crack on, if there's stuff there, you've missed out. WIBU in "bagsying" an empty cubicle for the two minutes it took to get DD out of the pool - although that's what the other woman was trying to do by putting her stuff in there with ours.

This is a weekly lesson with the same people so we will keep seeing each other - I just want to know if I was in the wrong!

Drives me mad when all the cubicles are full of peoples stuff before the swimming lesson has even finished, some are even for the next lesson..meaning I am walking around trying to find one with my wet son…

You were both being unreasonable. No bagsying allowed in that situation IMO

You were both in the wrong - cubicle bagsying is the pits. It’s the equivalent of parking in a space you shouldn’t because you’re ‘only going to be two minutes’ - the other pool users have no way of knowing how long you’re going to be.

YABothU. Neither should have bagsied the cubicle- but you got back there first with wet child so no issues with you using it in the end.

You're both wrong.
No bagsying.

You were both wrong! No leaving stuff in there in advance!

Hmm i think its a bit of a grey area, but i went with yabu, because I think the reason the other woman wanted it would give privacy for all, if it was a boy that she had with her in the ladies changing room.

If cubicles are limited, then its more comfortable for all if the male child is ine the cubical.

I think the changing room is taken once there is a person there and ready to get changed. Which you were not. You left things then went to collect your child, so were not ready to get changed when you left your belongings in the changing room.

You can’t bags a cubicle by putting your stuff in it when you are not using it!

I'm with others, first come first served, but that's first in the cubicle with their child not first to get their stuff in the cubicle.

You can't bagsy a cubicle, though!

You were both wrong. No bagsying!

No bagsying. Even when the pool is totally empty I don't do it. It's not your personal cupboard? That's what lockers are for!

As far as I'm concerned the cubicles are first come first served

Well they're not really are they, if people are reserving them en route to get their kids from the pool.

You did exactly the same thing she did.

Your daughter wasn’t ready, so it’s not first come first served.
The person out the shower/pool first gets first choice. That’s first come first served.

Both out of order.

You were both in the wrong. You can't bagsy a cubicle with clothes. But she was doubly wrong to open the curtain.

I bet you rush out at dawn when you’re on holiday to put your towel on a sunlounger @Borissbirthdaycake. It pisses people off.

You were both in the wrong!!!

I had a changing room incident with a lady reserving her kid a shower with a towel last week. Waiting to see what this week brings.
Yes, you were both in the wrong here.

You were both equally wrong, but your child got back to the cubicle agin first, so you won.

It’s the equivalent of towels on sunloungers. You were both unreasonable.

First out the pool and showered gets cubical. Neither of you should put stuff in. First of all children out gets the cubical. Most 9 year olds prefer cubical and there are only 2. 3rd person waits or uses bench.

She was really cheeky to put stuff in with yours.

I understand - thank you everyone for your replies

Another reason kids swimming lessons are a pain.

Ours is cubicles only. The lessons start and finish at different times so there is enough cubicles. But people still leave stuff in them for the whole time, meaning there is limited space for those arriving and leaving...

Not to mention crowding around the door so kids can't get from the pool into the changing room.

Whoever got there first with the wet child and dry clothes should have had the cubicle.
No dry stuff should be left there if you’re not ready to use the cubicle.
It’s really bad form.