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Original poster

Is Swimming a life skill (following on from driving thread)

213 replies

girlfriend44 · 23/07/2022 20:56

Alot of people here said that driving was a life skill.

If you drive can you also swim?
Do you consider Swimming to be a life skill too that everyone should learn?

OP posts:
TPL · 23/07/2022 21:14

I don't think it is a life saving skill. There is always talk of people drowning because they can't swim but I find most non swimmers (myself included) tend to be a lot more careful around the water. As a non swimmer I'd never ever swim in a lake or river and I only ever dip my feet into the sea at the seaside.

TPL · 23/07/2022 21:15

*life skill not lifesaving I meant

EwwSprouts · 23/07/2022 21:15

Totally a life skill. More people die falling into inland water than in the sea in the UK.

3luckystars · 23/07/2022 21:16

Driving yes, walking and cycling yes, swimming absolutely not (unless you live at sea.)

no way is it a life skill.

I could go my entire life and never need to swim anywhere ever

ShinyMe · 23/07/2022 21:23

Not everyone who drowns is someone who went swimming stupidly - these people who can't swim and are 'careful' around water are high risk, surely. Look at the numbers of people every year who drown falling into canals and rivers on their way home from nights out, there are several every year. Anyone can fall into a canal by accident, being 'careful' won't stop it, and not being able to swim is going to massively decrease your likelihood of surviving.

RedWingBoots · 23/07/2022 21:23

godmum56 · 23/07/2022 21:11

you can cope and live well not being able to swim. Where I live it would be much harder to be a non driver than a non swimmer.

Show quote history

I've lived in large cities and towns in the UK and abroad, and have managed quite easily without a car. There are many people in London who don't bother learning how to drive because their entire lives are inside London where it's difficult to park and generally slower to get anywhere by car.

As lots of cities and towns are built on waterways which I have done leisure activities on or near, there is always the potential for me to fall in. To be fair some of them are so polluted or so cold, I damn make sure I don't fall in.

TempName01 · 23/07/2022 21:27

Hmmm I don’t know, i think a swimmer is more likely to drown than a non swimmer as more people who can swim spend time in the water whereas non swimmers would avoid any activities on or near water.

InChocolateWeTrust · 23/07/2022 21:28

Absolutely, being able to swim is essential in my opinion.

RhymesWithAntelope · 23/07/2022 21:29

Yes. Absolutely.

JockTamsonsBairns · 23/07/2022 21:30

No, I don't think swimming is a life skill. And I don't understand the rationale that says it is.

I'm 49, I've got very basic swimming skills - in as much as I could swim the length of a pool if I needed to.
My DCs are better than me at swimming, but probably not adept enough to save their own lives in an emergency situation. They're confident in a swimming pool context, but less so in the English Channel.

I genuinely don't understand the "life skill" thing? None of us are likely to fall overboard on a ship, or dive into a deep lake. We don't take part in any watersports, so I don't get how it's perceived to be a life skill.

roarfeckingroarr · 23/07/2022 21:37

Yes it is.

All kids should learn from baby age. I had mine in weekly lessons from 3 months.

VeniVidiWeeWee · 23/07/2022 21:39

Allegedly, many fishermen on seagoing boats never learnt to swim.

It merely took you longer to drown.

LilyMarshall · 23/07/2022 21:40

Swimming is an important life skill
driving is a life skill
alot is not a word.

GeorgiaGirl52 · 23/07/2022 21:40

In secondary school we have a required Physical Education unit called "Drown Proofing". It is not exactly swimming, but it does include how to float for a long period, how to inflate a pair of jeans to create a makeshift life vest, how to support an unconscious person, etc. All students must pass this PE unit.
And yes, driving is taught in secondary school also. 2 lessons a week for 16 weeks plus two weeks of classroom lessons in signs, rules of the road and safety.

thistimelastweek · 23/07/2022 21:41

I am in total agreement with JockTamsonsBairns
For sure, the ability to swim will stand you in good stead if you happen to fall in to water without your clothes on. Otherwise, you are just likely to flounder and sink.
Those that can swim in the safety of controlled circumstances are much more likely to put themselves in danger.

I can swim fine - in the right circumstances in the right kit. I doubt my ability to last in challenging circumstances with my jeans on.

Cuck00soup · 23/07/2022 21:42

It's great to learn to swim as it's great fun and good exercise. But I get twitchy when people refer to it as a life saving skill.

The sad truth is that most people who drown can swim. But get cold, drunk or underestimate the power of the water and overestimate their ability to swim.

Non-swimmers are more likely to keep themselves safe.

YerAWizardHarry · 23/07/2022 21:42

Meh. I’m an okay swimmer but it doesn’t affect me because I very rarely even to near the water despite living near rivers and beaches…

5foot5 · 23/07/2022 21:43

ShinyMe · 23/07/2022 21:23

Not everyone who drowns is someone who went swimming stupidly - these people who can't swim and are 'careful' around water are high risk, surely. Look at the numbers of people every year who drown falling into canals and rivers on their way home from nights out, there are several every year. Anyone can fall into a canal by accident, being 'careful' won't stop it, and not being able to swim is going to massively decrease your likelihood of surviving.

TBF if you fall in to the canal on your way home from a night out then the chance is you have had too much to drink and any swimming skills you have might be seriously impaired.

I strongly disagree that it is a life skill as important as driving. Not being able to drive could impact your everyday life and limit where you are able to live and work.

Being able to swim might save your life in very rare situations. However, there is more likelihood that you would put yourself in to these situations if you are a swimmer. Bet the people who tragically drowned after going swimming in lakes and rivers during the heat wave had all had swimming lessons.

sellebrant · 23/07/2022 21:44

Yes, swimming is a life skill. A boy drowned in my area last week - he was cooling off at the river with friends - his parents were quoted in the newspaper as saying he never learned to swim because he showed no interest in watersports. Presumably he didn't tell his friends he couldn"t swim when they invited him along to the river. ☹️ It's the responsibility of every parent to make sure their child can swim - like teaching them road safety and stranger danger.

VeniVidiWeeWee · 23/07/2022 21:51

Does no-one remember the public safety films with Rolf Harris?

paddingtonstares · 23/07/2022 21:52

I learnt to swim at 40, the only time I've been in water in a position to need to swim was when I was actually learning. I've managed to avoid falling in rivers or off a boat in my 55 years. Although, ideally children should learn the reality is school lessons are inadequate and private lessons not all can afford, particularly low income families.

Driving is a luxury. Not everyone can run a car or afford to hire. Lessons are prohibitively expensive for a large proportion of the population. I have 3 adult DC, only one drives, having just passed a test at 30. The older ones don't drive and have no interest in learning. One could afford it the other couldn't.

paddingtonstares · 23/07/2022 21:52

I learnt to swim at 40, the only time I've been in water in a position to need to swim was when I was actually learning. I've managed to avoid falling in rivers or off a boat in my 55 years. Although, ideally children should learn the reality is school lessons are inadequate and private lessons not all can afford, particularly low income families.

Driving is a luxury. Not everyone can run a car or afford to hire. Lessons are prohibitively expensive for a large proportion of the population. I have 3 adult DC, only one drives, having just passed a test at 30. The older ones don't drive and have no interest in learning. One could afford it the other couldn't.

PuppyMonkey · 23/07/2022 21:52

I can’t swim. I had lessons and nearly got it when I was young, but just never cracked it.

I’ve survived till the age of 55, so that’s good going.

Yep I could drown one day as a result of not knowing how to swim. I accept this.

I CAN drive. I think I’m far more likely to come a cropper driving a car tbh.

I avoid swimming pools. Even if I could swim, I would avoid swimming pools due to them being revolting germ ridden manky things.

I don’t generally get myself into a situation where swimming is essential. I live in the East Midlands so the nearest sea is Skegness and I don’t feel compelled to go to Skegness. Grin

Yes I know there could be a tsunami one day and my not being able to swim would be a major issue. Also if I was in a situation like the Poseidon Adventure or Titanic, swimming would definitely help.

My mum couldn’t swim either and she lived till she was 89.

My DDs both learned, just in case anyone is worried I passed on my apathy for swimming - I thought they might enjoy it. They did for a bit but are now interested in other stuff.

CatLadyDrinksGin · 23/07/2022 21:52

Swimming is the one out of school activity that was non negotiable for my kids. They did it until they could swim a kilometre in one go and had done basic life saving (most of which was about not putting yourself in danger). And could do the main strokes well. I have no regrets of the hours I spent ferrying them about and sitting on poolsides melting!

For me- driving is also a skill I will do everything I can to make sure my kids have passed their test before they leave home. Even if they don’t drive again for 10 years at least they’ve passed the test and can if they need to.

Also first aid training is really important and well worth learning whatever age you are.

BirmaBrite · 23/07/2022 21:53

I learnt to swim as a child , I am not a strong swimmer, nor do I look good doing it. I am amazing at floating though Smile