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!

@Blossomtoes

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

Sorry but just what I was thinking!

Bloody well annoying when people leave stuff in cubicles. Up there with those that bag sun loungers 6 hours before they want them.

You got to the cubicle with your dd first but should not have tried to lay claim to the room without your child. At 9, surely the boy should be changing in the men’s?!

Good suggestion up thread re changing poncho

No bagsies.

Our pool is cubicles only but there aren't enough for each child. If there aren't any empty ones, we'll use a bagsied one and the staff remove the clothes and put them in lost property.

I’d be eye rolling at the both of you, it’s not first come first served if folk or chucking their stuff in there before they need it!!!

Ugh, you're one of those people that puts their shopping bags down at the only empty table in the coffee shop and then goes and joins the massive queue at the counter, aren't you?

YABU.

The worst bit after swimming lessons is the changing room drama afterwards.
All the parents save a cubicle 10 mins before the end of lessons however there isn’t nearly enough cubicles (no benches).
I had a dad threaten me a few weeks ago over this.

I've been to our pool when every single cubicle has been full of peoples stuff. The only other place to get changed was the toilet cubicle - it's really selfish behaviour and makes me feel like throwing their stuff in the pool!!

@Borissbirthdaycake

I understand - thank you everyone for your replies

Google dry robes. They were made for surfers but they come in child sizes too. They are baggy so you can put your arms inside whilst you dry and dress yourself. They were designed so you can change on the beach/ in a car park after water sports. We bought 2 this summer they are brilliant and very cosy when your daughter is cold from the pool. It would solve the privacy problem completely.

I've started moving the stuff of people who leave items in the changing rooms, there's multiple signs and I won't keep waiting everyweek for cubicles with just clothes in. Don't be obnoxious, it's first come first served, don't leave your stuff in there.

@Borissbirthdaycake - You both are in the same situation and rightly as furious as each other about it, so instead of giving each other hell, how about joining forces and complaining to the leisure swimming centre instead. It's happy to take your money but give you unacceptable changing rooms with ridiculous limitations on privacy. If you both laugh about what insane crap we get used to putting up with, then not only could you change a lousy system but you may walk away from this as friends for life.