To find new swim lessons for DS because I don't want this app?

[GoodbyeLondon]

My ds does swim lessons at our local pool. They used to just log you in and let you through the barriers when you got there. Their new policy as of this week is that you have to have an app and a QR code which you then scan to get in.

I don't want the app, but I obviously downloaded the thing anyway, because I want my ds to be able to go to his swim lessons. But then it wouldn't let me log in without first recording MY weight! I am a bit funny about personal data anyway and this felt so intrusive. What the hell does my weight have to do with my DC's swim lessons? I checked with leisure centre staff and this is essential to using the app. You cannot opt out and you have to input your weight (although I might input something ridiculous just for badness JOKING).

Am I being really precious? I don't like having a tonne of apps on my phone and this is the first time I've ever had someone say I can't go in somewhere without one. It's definitely the first time I've had to put in my weight.

It's just a normal leisure centre fwiw. It isn't a free service or anything. I pay a reasonable amount for the lessons.

DS likes his lessons but they aren't perfect (they're a bit negative about his efforts - he's only four) and I could theoretically find him another place for his lessons. I'm seriously considering it as I find this so odd and the staff have been so insistent about it. Sounds like an overreaction, but it's a combination of this and other issues.

Is this just the way it is these days? I can't say I'm a swim school expert so maybe it is

I think you need to challenge it. Seems draconian and OTT

I absolutely hate the trend to need apps for everything- parking, ordering of a menu, tickets. It's tedious and discriminatory for people who don't have smart phones. My mum and many in her generation just don't have one. What if you can only pay for parking with an app?

Is it Everyone Active? As they asked me that. Think I put in 0kg (or something equally stupid). They kept spamming me with email telling me I needed to get fit for a while as well. None of their business!! (I was doing half marathons at the time anyway)

I get the proper rage with their app. To find out how well your child is doing, you have to play a ridiculous dragon game, maybe you don't, but I can't find any other way. And that's about twenty interactions in, it's not easy info to find. Information is lost off-screen or it doesn't scroll properly (I have a bog standard Samsung Galaxy, it really should work with that) Nothing is intuitive about it and it crashes all the time. And logs you out, and denies it's the right account details when you try and log back in, and so on and so forth. We won't talk about what happens when you need to change swimming lessons when they go up a level.

I left them a shitty review in the Google Play store telling them they should be embarrassed to release something this bad which people have no choice in using and they did actually reply, but only "please message us to see if we can help" but short of creating an entirely new app, no they can't.

And yes, I have to scan the sodding QR code at the gates each time, and 75% of the time it doesn't work anyway (or it does randomly about ten seconds later when you've walked away) and the dozy person who can manually open the gates pointedly ignores you begging to be let in. Meanwhile child ends up late for their lesson.

I completely agree it's massively unreasonable to expect people to have an app to be able to access their child's swimming lesson. Not only because you might not have your phone with you, or somebody different might be taking them, but plenty of people don't have or don't want to have a phone. Their management is off on another planet with their self-importance.

End rant!

I wouldn't want it either.

Where I live there is much drama because the bus company started using an app. You can use cash (and pay a more expensive fare) or the app,that's it.

Some secondary schools don't allow phones so the dc have to smuggle them.

Some areas don't have a signal so those people can't use the app.

And worst of all, you can only have one user per phone! So for every child you are taking on the bus you either have to have a phone for them or use cash.

This is both aggravating and kind of hilarious, in a ridiculous way. What idiot thought all this was a good idea?

I get the proper rage with their app. To find out how well your child is doing, you have to play a ridiculous dragon game, maybe you don't, but I can't find any other way.

I’m sorry @Shattered04 , but I just find this hilarious! It’s exactly the kind of thing that I would say to a friend before they look at me pityingly and point out the massive and really obvious direct link

I agree. It's batshit and the shitty faces from the grumpy staff (who I'm sure are underpaid and have rude people shouting at them a lot, so they do have my sympathies) when I didn't have the app 🙄. It is a bit comical. I'm going to try and call them tomorrow and ask if I can sign in another way because I'm getting rid of my smart phone. I might actually buy a cheap burner phone to carry with me for swim lessons. FFS

If it's everyone active, ask for a card. Ours has had a spate of locker thefts and i said I don't want to bring a phone if they can't keep it safe in a locked locker.

We use a card for entry. Booking can be done via website, though it's clunky

I would be outraged too.

I thought GDPR was all about only being allowed to keep data where there is a good reason for it to be held ? Your weight has nothing to do with your dc having swimming lessons.

Then, I hate "needing the app" for everything too. As a pp said - parking etc, but a different app for wherever you go. It is a right pain, and the phone I had until very recently doesn't have capacity for all these apps.

Whether it is practical and realistic for you to find other swimming lessons, that have space and are convenient for you to get to is a different matter - presumably you chose these lessons for a reason ?
I would be inclined to just put a made up ridiculous number in for the weight if that was what they needed for my dc to have his lessons.

I wonder if it’s because of something rational like a spectator balcony?
just put an average weight in and leave it at that

@twoandcooplease @UnshakenNeedsStirring
It’s a real attested observation that average weight is linked to ethnicity to some extent. Whether ‘Fatness’ is linked too might depend on your definition of ´fat’. Sometimes you can find adjusted values for the BMI scale for different populations. For instance, South Asian peoples tend to have a lower average weight and also tend to experience obesity related health issues at lower weights. So I have seen it suggested that the upper and lower limits of the healthy BMI range need adjusting downwards for this population. And Pacific Islanders tend to have higher average weights and muscle mass so I’ve seen it suggested that the healthy BMI values need adjusting upwards for that population. Look it up instead of picking fights on Mumsnet.

It's possible that it's for a balcony, but it's a really new gym so I'd be surprised if they had a rickety old balcony where an overweight person might send it crashing. I mean, they don't ask your weight on airplanes or concert venues, even in old theatres where things weren't built with larger people in mind. So I don't think it's for that.

I think it's probably just they have one app and it allows you to track your weight. Why they've made that compulsory is what fascinates me. Are they hoping they'll prove they get results? And if so, should I input nonsense weights it so that I gradually gain substantial amounts of weight over the next few months after downloading the app?

@Martialisthebestpup genuinely, I was only asking the question not picking a fight on mumsnet. I wondered if this was something everyone knew except me. Thank you for explaining I just wanted a bit of clarification and educating....

Seriously? Put in a random number, it's not like they're going to weigh you when you get there to confirm is it? Christ almighty people these days.

Our leisure centre has a qr code system but I don’t have a smart phone so they have to register me on the computer. Definitely say you don’t have a smart phone.

I think I would try to find another leisure centre!

It's arguably against gdpr to ask for this entirely unnecessary personal info.

Oh do simmer down sweet chilli. I've already said it isn't just about logging in with my weight / any random weight 🙄. If it was, it wouldn't be an issue.

I've spoken to one of the slightly less surly staff today and she said I can print a QR code and flash that at the thing instead.

That is ridiculous. My mum often used to take my kids to activities. She does not have a smart phone.

I have upgraded mine now but until recently I had a very old iphone that stopped supporting a lot of apps.

Op is it Everyone Active?!

take a screenshot then uninstall the app?

It isn't Everyone Active. But we do have some of their centres nearby. Do I need to avoid them too?

If you like the lessons I’d set up app as him as he’s using their service so guess his weight. But I’d feedback - not everyone has smart phone, people with eating disorders triggered by scales or unable to weigh (some wheelchair users) are excluded.

Personally I’d look for private swim lessons usually much better and more progress.

Oh that's interesting re private lessons.

There's a private swim school nearby which I was looking at. I might give them a ring.

Also, one of DS's little friends from school who used to do lessons at the same time doesn't seem to come anymore, so maybe he won't mind moving. Will think about it (and before anyone loses their shit 🙄, it isn't just about the app)

See I would go the opposite of everyone on here and put my weight at 1kg 😁

Could you download the app, print the QR code, then remove it again?