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Original poster

Vindicate me (or not) in my fury (lane swimming)

119 replies

Jazzybean · 18/06/2023 15:54

Went for a swim this lunchtime. Pool is busy in the leisure areas but the lane swimming is separate and tends to be quiet during the day. Just a few people in a double lane. I was trying to get an hour or so done as I’m going a 5km swim next weekend . I did my first km in the fast lane and then moved to the medium lane as there were people doing faster intervals in the fast lane and I was swimming steady (so not sprinting).

Despite there being AMPLE space for three people to swim in the medium lane, one woman seemed to take great offence at me swimming slightly faster in the medium lane (not unreasonably so at all but I did have to overtake - usually very easy in a double lane) and went, what felt like, out of her way to cut me up.

Firstly she stopped kicking about 5 metres before the end of the lane, meaning that she massively slowed down. Then rather than pushing off, walked the double lane width before starting her next length, meaning that it was really hard to overtake at the end of the lane!

Secondly, she kept pushing off (after a rest), just as I got to the end of my lane. Meaning that I was then stuck behind her for a length or had to overtake mid-length.

AIBU to think that the person who is already swimming and just turning, has right of way over the person who was resting at the end of the lane? This is just common sense IMO!

OP posts:
Denimdreams · 18/06/2023 16:28

rwalker · 18/06/2023 16:25

Ridiculous you Can overtake in any lane as long as there’s enough space to pass along side and you don’t cut them up

Show quote history

No this will get you a warning at our pool and a ban if you carry on.

SimpleHoardOfTruth · 18/06/2023 16:31

LoobyDop · 18/06/2023 16:21

Overtaking in the middle lane is a dick move. If you’re genuinely faster than everyone else, move to the fast lane. But overtakers ime are rarely faster, they’ve just got something to prove. Just pace yourself a bit and give other people enough space.

This is bonkers. The lane etiquette, of waiting at the end to allow someone to go in front who is coming up faster behind you, allows swimmers to all go at their own pace with no overtaking. I am frequently faster than most in the slow lane but slower than most in the medium lane. I don't think everyone in both lanes should be forced to swim at the pace of the slowest. There's absolutely no need for it.

TitInATrance · 18/06/2023 16:33

I agree with you, OP, also at the pool I go to you can overtake in any lane if space allows.
However, the “swim to the end, stop and then start again just as I’m about to turn” is something I’ve only encountered from people who call it “interval training”. It sounds a little as if you would tolerate that and even give it priority in the fast lane, but not from a slower swimmer.

ErrolTheDragon · 18/06/2023 16:39

YANBU, op.
Ignore the idiots who clearly haven't bothered to read your post who say you should have stayed in the fast lane.

Whapples · 18/06/2023 16:43

YANBU but I hate that others are funny about people having to stop and rest. The way she did it was irritating and provocative and she should have waiting. However I often need to stop for a minute due to my health condition and I get so many angry looks but I also am too fast for the slow lane so I can’t help it!

FridayNightDinners · 18/06/2023 16:47

Hard to say without knowing quite how fast you were. One of my pet hates (as a middle lane swimmer) is when some bloke swims in the middle lane because it's quieter than the fast lane but continues to go at full pelt and expects everyone else to get out of the way. Faster swimmers don't take precedence over slower ones or get to dictate the speed of the lane and yet that is how people sometimes act.

As long as you were going at a speed that was conceivably the right speed for the lane, it's fine.

Avondale89 · 18/06/2023 16:47

YANBU. I’m unclear why you overtaking, when there was room to do so, is an issue.

However couldn’t you have just waited at the bottom of the lane (the pool I go to has space to do this safely and I have had to rest while pregnant, admittedly in the slow lane) and put some significant distance between you so it wasn’t an issue? I often wait there for a bit if there’s someone ahead who is much slower/stopping mid lane to do aqua aerobics moves.

InvincibleInvisibility · 18/06/2023 16:48

YANBU
As for stopping at the end - I find it much less disruptive to have 1 person (or even 2 if they keep close to the ropes) stopping for a breath at the deep end, than when you have a collection of 5 to 8 (!) people stopping in the shallow end to chat.

I always swim in the fast lane and spend most of the time overtaking everyone else. If I was told off for overtaking I'd be very pissed off.

When there's too many people I tend to double back half way down the lane (its a 50m pool) to avoid awkward overtaking.

I absolutely detest people who push off just as I'm coming up to tumble turn.

We have recently moved abroad and Ive found a fantastic 50m pool where I ALWAYS get a lane to myself!!!!! It is utter bliss and removes all the stress and angry ranting in my head.

johnd2 · 18/06/2023 16:48

I can sympathise. I grew up in swimming clubs as a teenage and on into my mid 20s and we were 6 to a lane, 36 in the pool, all swimming like clock work.
You knew exactly how quick everyone was and could cut across the lane and pause your tumble turn to let them past without slowing anyone down.

Then I quit swimming and now occasionally go to the public session and wow everyone in the pool was swimming wrong!! Ridiculous. No one seemed to have a clue about how to use a lane. I even ended up kicking people on the turn when they swam in hard left - great they're letting me past - then zoomed across the lane as my feet swung over.
Then the penny dropped - it was a public session, everyone has their own way to swim and it's not the most efficient but that's what happens in a public sessions, all shapes and sizes are in the water.

So that was my journey! Maybe it helps someone. Have fun!

Augend23 · 18/06/2023 16:53

YANBU OP.

My expectation with swimming etiquette is that you stop at the end of the lane to let a faster swimmer pass if they're at a point where they would need to overtake you during the next length.

CaptainCorellisXylophone · 18/06/2023 17:00

AIBU to think that the person who is already swimming and just turning, has right of way over the person who was resting at the end of the lane? This is just common sense IMO!

Obviously you are correct. I always think it's like a roundabout: the people already going around have right of way over people joining.

Also, if your feet are on the bottom of the pool you're not swimming any more.

Guardiansofthegalaxi · 18/06/2023 17:03

I’m a slow swimmer. Too fast for the slow lane but definitely one of the slower ones in the medium lane. If I know there is somebody close behind me, I stop at the end and let them past. I’d hate the pressure of feeling somebody at my toes. Very strange behaviour from that person.

CaptainCorellisXylophone · 18/06/2023 17:04

To the various comments about do a u turn, wait to let a gap open up etc - in a public swim session there will always be differences in speeds and swimmers should expect both to overtake and be overtaken.

Awareness and consideration are more critical than speed.

In a club session this might be different.

IncomingTraffic · 18/06/2023 17:04

Augend23 · 18/06/2023 16:53

YANBU OP.

My expectation with swimming etiquette is that you stop at the end of the lane to let a faster swimmer pass if they're at a point where they would need to overtake you during the next length.

And you’d think people would realise it’s in their best interests to do so. Why would you want to get in the way of faster swimmers and have the hot on your heels?

SweetSakura · 18/06/2023 17:05

the person who is already swimming and just turning, has right of way over the person who was resting at the end of the lane

Yanbu

Daisy03 · 18/06/2023 17:06

You are absolutely not being unreasonable.
I'm either middle or fast lane speed depending on who's in which lane. If I swim in the fast lane with faster swimmers I keep an eye on where they are and pause and let them past at the end when they catch up.
Nothing winds me up more than someone who won't follow the same etiquette.

lazywednesday · 18/06/2023 17:07

someone deliberately pinched my leg when I was lane swimming years ago. Pool
rage!

Popsicle42 · 18/06/2023 17:11

Augend23 · 18/06/2023 16:53

YANBU OP.

My expectation with swimming etiquette is that you stop at the end of the lane to let a faster swimmer pass if they're at a point where they would need to overtake you during the next length.

This!
I’m a frequent lane-end stopper. I always move to the push off side so I’m not in the way of someone completing their length. They can then push straight off and swim diagonally across where I’m standing to get to the right side of the lane for their next length. I give them a bit of space and then follow on behind.

Ideally, there are only 2 of us in the lane and we can agree to split it down the middle. I know this aggravated one of the previous posters, but it’s etiquette in the pool I swim in.

Leftbutcameback · 18/06/2023 17:13

Poor lane swimming etiquette from her, I agree. Our pool has a list of rules and one is that the overtaking swimming should overtake carefully and quickly, and the swimmer being overtaken should be considerate and allow the overtake. I always wait at the end of a lane if there is someone coming up faster behind me so they can overtake there.

There will also be a fastest swimmer in a lane, and a slowest one, and as it’s all relative I could be either of those so all swimmers need to be considerate and bear that in mind.

Peachy2005 · 18/06/2023 17:14

Lane Swimming sounds very stressful!

Leftbutcameback · 18/06/2023 17:15

Popsicle42 · 18/06/2023 17:11

This!
I’m a frequent lane-end stopper. I always move to the push off side so I’m not in the way of someone completing their length. They can then push straight off and swim diagonally across where I’m standing to get to the right side of the lane for their next length. I give them a bit of space and then follow on behind.

Ideally, there are only 2 of us in the lane and we can agree to split it down the middle. I know this aggravated one of the previous posters, but it’s etiquette in the pool I swim in.

Show quote history

Our lifeguard suggested we split the lane like this but I just kept forgetting!

LilacSorbet · 18/06/2023 17:15

I can tell when I'm tired because that's when I get the swimming rage in my before work lane swim. Specifically at our pool, by the two ladies who swim in a pair chatting, and don't like to get their hair wet.
Most of the time I can reason it away -they're entitled to be there, the lido needs as much support as possible, it's good they're getting exercise, chatting is good for mental health etc. But they are an absolute pain in the arse to overtake.

Popsicle42 · 18/06/2023 17:20

LilacSorbet · 18/06/2023 17:15

I can tell when I'm tired because that's when I get the swimming rage in my before work lane swim. Specifically at our pool, by the two ladies who swim in a pair chatting, and don't like to get their hair wet.
Most of the time I can reason it away -they're entitled to be there, the lido needs as much support as possible, it's good they're getting exercise, chatting is good for mental health etc. But they are an absolute pain in the arse to overtake.

Oh god, 2 people (almost invariably middle-aged women) swimming breast stroke side by side fill me with rage! They take up the space of at least 3 people and are impossible to get past.

Notveryanything · 18/06/2023 17:24

Malificent1 · 18/06/2023 16:02

You should have turned mid length and put some
distance between you.

The midlength turn is crucial at times.

I always go in the slow lane because I'm slow.
I get really annoyed with people who clearly need to be in the medium or fast lane going up the middle of the slow lane and back, because there are fewer people in the slow lane.

NeverDropYourMooncup · 18/06/2023 17:26

And this from all the people who are better swimmers than me is why I never improved. I stopped going because

  1. Everywhere was 100% lanes
  2. I wasn't a strong enough or fit enough swimmer to make a whole length in one go
  3. I wasn't a strong enough or fit enough swimmer to be able to move away from the side of the pool
  4. I didn't know that pawing at my foot wasn't a thing weird blokes did to get their rocks off, it was a perfectly reasonable way to say GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY WAY WOMAN
  5. I didn't like people splashing their way into my face as I was catching my breath at the end, whether to stop or, worse, to tumble turn and sometimes kick me in the process
  6. It's never pleasant being overtaken because it always meant I got a faceful of water and sometimes a foot to the face and the water disturbance makes it even harder to swim
  7. They made it absolutely clear that I had no business trying to improve my swimming and fitness from only having had 6 lessons aged 8 in 'their' pool
  8. 'Free sessions' always meant assorted children launching into the pool at random places so you could end up with four stone of child landing on you. Or random men leaping in directly in front/over your head.

'Swimming for All'? Pffft. Only for those who have already been taught to a high standard.