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

[Jazzybean]

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!

Just reading this makes me feel a bit stressed out. The days you get a lane to yourself, or with one or two swimmers like you, make you feel like a millionaire. I think pool attendants should mange lanes much better, where I swim, they Pay no attention to anything.

where are these pools where the lifeguards are so vigilant they actually intervene in lane allocation/rest stops? Every one I've ever been to has been staffed by barely conscious 18 year olds who couldn't give a less of a shit!

I agree overtaking is fine in any lane, slow-medium-fast isn't broken down enough to mean that you will be swimming at completely equal pace to everyone else. Often fast is for competitive sprinters, slow is for the walkers/barely floating and everyone else is in medium, so overtaking is inevitable. And yes if someone is faster than you, waiting until they've gone is just common sense.

Swimming brings out the absolute weirdos though, I was once LITERALLY undertaken by someone, as in they dived under by my feet, swum beneath me for a few metres then resurfaced in front of me!

It sounds like you didn't want to stop and let those faster than you pass you in the fast lane, so you moved to the other lame so you could swim uninterrupted and she had to stop to let you pass to your convenience.

yep, I can see why she wasn't cooperative!

But she could have moved to the slow lane if she objected to the current speed of the medium lane.

You put your own perception on her actions, just as she has probably put her own perception on your actions (maybe thinks you were acting impatient or annoyed at her slow swimming). I often walk to the other side of the lane as a break to get my breath back.

m Maybe just chill out and enjoy it. Shit like this ruins lane swimming in pools for wveyone. They’re just no need. I’m guessing no one there is training for the Olympics.

you’re right tho, she should have just waited for you to pass rather than push off right when you arrived at the end too.

Small pool not open to the public.
Absolute bliss!
Any aggy twats get chucked out.
There have been a few permanent bans.
Overtaking is not allowed, you either move up a lane or turn to create space

Maybe just chill out and enjoy it. Shit like this ruins lane swimming in pools for wveyone. They’re just no need. I’m guessing no one there is training for the Olympics.

Amen to this
That person you are " raging" about might be injured, recovering from surgery or trying very hard to get fit.

YANBU. Everyone has the right to swim at their own and I have no problem whatsoever with considerate slow swimmers but it's rude to keep getting in someone's way when it's obvious they're faster than you. Would you do that walking on the pavement?

Also can't stand end of land ditherers who look like they're about to go but then don't and you have to do the whole 'after you' 'no it's ok, after you' palaver which just interrupts your rhythm.

Then you get the ones who've gone to trouble of going to a pool and getting in a swimsuit so they can do one length and then chat at the end for the rest of the time. There's a jacuzzi at my pool they could sit in but they choose to get in everyone's way instead.

Once every couple of months though the stars align and I get a whole lane to myself for my whole swim. It's absolute bliss!

So the entire lane has to swim at the pace of the slowest swimmer

They are asked to move either up or down a lane if impeding or overtaking others.
It's really not a big deal , most people are pretty evenly matched.
As I said previously if the fast lane is busy then no sprints or slowing down with breast stroke.
Most people manage perfectly well, just the odd " get out of my way" person who swims as if they are alone.

YABU. Turn mid-lane or go to the faster lane. Do not overtake. I saw two people crash when someone did this once. I appreciate that’s a rare occurrence, but your behaviour just screams entitlement.

In our pool you are not allowed to overtake in the slow lane as there are a lot of nervous swimmers who use that lane.
We have set times for lane swims and most of the swimmers are regulars who take care of the wooses.. like me!!
We all wait in the 'corner' for (slightly) faster swimmers to go ahead.

And this is why I'm so reluctant to sign up for a swimming membership again.

I remember what it's like and how complete arseholes overtake and swim literally over you kicking you in the head as they go.

If I started again now I'd put myself slow to middle but everyone swims at such different speeds you can't really judge well and I don't want to be behind the 'can't get my hair wet, here for a natter' breastrokers or in the middle lane with an impatient person who really should be in the fast lane.

YANBU you had right of way. Fuming on your behalf.

I swim daily. 8 to 10 km per week

Early mornings during the week is a pleasure. Everyone sticks to their correct lane (2x fast under 30s per 25m, 1x double medium 30-50s & 1x double slow over 50s).

Weekends a completely different experience. Apart from it is supposed to be lane swimming in main pool we have loads of people in the medium lane as it is impossible to do lanes in the slow section. They have now tried to fix this and kick out the casual pissing about teenagers. But we still have v poor discipline .

I'm not quite a fast swimmer (40s for one up the length of the pool) but mid medium lane time. Yesterday as usual we had the

1 Saturday lady who doggy paddles, head above the water who clearly doesn't want to smudge her lipstick (she wears a full face of make up) and complains if anyone splashed her (easily happens as she is next to the fast lane) and the

2 "I'm getting near to the medium time" woman who spends three quarters of her time resting at one end and swims a 90s lap (fucking double the time limit) and is passive aggressive if you overtake her. NO YOU ARE NOT NEAR THE TIME JUST MOVE LANES.

3 don't start me in the men who who should be in the fast lane but just speed up and down the middle of a double lane so they can strike their own ego by being the fastest

The lifeguards are hopeless. Just teenagers who don't know how to deal with middle aged people who tell them they are not moving.

I just want to swim to bring my blood pressure down but some weekends I swear it go through the roof

I don't get the no over taking. Are we talking mid length, or switching at the ends too?

I'm far, far, far too slow for the fast lane. But am regularly the fastest in the middle lane - except I don't look like should be fast, as I don't put my head under the water very often, and don't wear goggles. There is one bloke who cannot accept my breaststroke is faster than his crawl. He will not let me past - despite letting others past. If it's busy, I will sit on his toes for upto 2 lengths, then cut him short at a turn. If it's quiet, I overtake him after giving him 2 opportunities to let me infront at the turns.

Mid lane.
Far too many crashes as they used to just plough into people coming the opposite way.
If you approach someone and they are slower just flip round and go the opposite way -same as cutting short at the end.

If some one is too slow they will be asked to move.

Regular year-round swimmer here. I spend time in fast, medium and slow lanes depending on the day. I always calibrate my speed to the average sort of pace going on in the lane I’m in because I don’t want to disrupt others’ experience. If I want to put distance between myself and others I’ll turn around mid length.

People who overtake in any lane but the fast lane really annoy me. They come across to me as entitled and selfish. They go charging past grannies, disabled people, swimmers trying to relax or have a nice time. They don’t seem to care about anyone but themselves.

I also don’t agree with pp saying that the etiquette at the end of the pool is to let overtakers overtake, even if you’re resting. It sort of is, but there is some additional etiquette too… in that if you’re the one coming up on someone resting, its the done thing to ask the resting person if it’s ok to keep going. It doesn’t have to be verbal - often it’s a gesture of some kind (like a sort of nod with your head in the direction you want to go in, or a raised eyebrows, or whatever, or even ‘can I go?’ If you do want to b verbal. The rester should then usually nod or whatever or say of course or go ahead - obviously - they would be mad to say ‘no’. often the rester will indicate to you that you can go even before you ask . But it’s polite to ask, and most people do this, at all the pools I go to, except the overtakers who seem oblivious to this etiquette.

I get so annoyed by overtakers, it’s just their attitude!!

Also , while I agree with most pool rules to move down a lane if you’re going slowly… it also works in the other direction. Ie if you are going too fast for the lane you’re in, you should move up a lane.

if you’re note fast enough for that lane, you should at least not disrupt others in the lane you’re in

Buy some spiked arm bands, an underwater fart machine, and flippers with blades. That'll show em!

Or...just chill! It's only swimming 🏊

What in Heaven's name is wrong with you? It is incredibly selfish not to accommodate faster swimmers.
Decent people wait at the end of a length if they are holding up a faster swimmer. If they don't there is a permanent traffic jam and the lane swims at the speed of the slowest swimmer. If they do then everyone swims at their preferred pace. I really can't believe your selfishness.

OMG, YADNBU.

Slower swimmers are often a nightmare. The worst ones are those who I've patiently been swimming behind for 5 lengths (and it's clear I'm on their toes), but they won't let me past at the end of their length. So then il overtake and then they decide to wait at the end after another length or so... and push off right before I lap them.

If they deliberately do shit like that, I overtake at speed and attempt to crush them with my wake.

I'm prepared for some give and take with lane swimming cos it's not an exact science, but if they're always taking I have no qualms going to war 😂

Your last paragraph has just had me in stitches!! 😂 What an odd bod!

I'm an average swimmer, but at our gym, there's often only a slow and a fast lane, and I'm definitely a middle laner!

My bug bears are the retirees who swim side by side chatting; the ones who have decided to do 'speed walking' in thr middle of the lane; backstrokers who can't backstroke properly, and the ultimate - Billy bloody biceps who decides to ostentatiously do his wave causing big armed butterfly stroke in the middle of whatever lane he fancies

Ooh, I'm getting stressed just thinking about it all!

This is what the kids at DSs swimming club do, its safer than overtaking especially as they swim in single width lanes. Although its rare they have tonas they are very good at organising themselves by speed depending on what set they are doing.

OP could you join a masters squad at your local swimming club. You will find everyone's lane manners are a lot better than the general public.