Swimming pool etiquette

[Mypuppywontsleep]

I swim at my local gym/pool regularly this year. They have a lane system where adult only members book online or turn up at reception to see if there is space, and book the lane speed that suits them slow medium or fast.

Each lane is sectioned off and has instructions of which direction to swim in each lane - up one side of the lane, back up the other side. You have to move over about 1-1.5 meters at each end of your length of swim to start your next length. It’s no hassle to do this tbh takes a second or 2. I always pick the slow lane which has one side against a rope and the other side is the pool wall.

The central rope side you will always get splashed by people in the faster lanes but it’s not a big deal. I swim to the rules, trying to time match others who swim in my lane to give them space so I am not getting too close to them or if they are a lot faster, I will let them go off before me.

I go at mostly quiet times and almost every time if there is only 1 other person in my section they will either ask me if we can just swim up and down in a straight line and they will ALWAYS be asking for the wall side, or they will just start swimming up and down against the wall and not say anything. If a 3rd person joins they will go back to swimming in the right direction. Not the same person, always different people.

I am a self taught (as adult) swimmer who isn’t that confident in the deep end so I choose to swim in a lane that isn't just in the middle of the pool. I’m not insanely slow but there are other lanes to use if you are a faster swimmer!

Recently I said no, sorry to someone who asked me to swim in the middle of the pool as I said I was still working on my confidence and they laughed and said I ‘seemed fine’. I didn’t ask for just the wall side, I said can we just swim in the rotation as per the rules? If they told me they felt worried and wanted the wall I would have let them tbh, but they didn’t.

AIBU that the directional system is fine and this way it means everyone gets to swim near the wall for one length if they need/want/like to?

You clearly haven't got a complex prescription that changes every few years.

I prefer to rotate because it's fair. My club is clearly marked.

Someone else asked if we could split the other day and I couldn't be arsed to argue as I was almost finished. She said she was slower than me, she was, and should have been in the slower lane but decided she wanted to me in the faster one.

I find that odd.

I personally think it's a bit selfish when people split the lane because then it makes it impossible for new people entering the pool to just hop in and join a lane.

Well I didn't know it was common. The reason I don't like it is because when someone inevitably joins us there is a moment of confusion for the new person. I don't think it's a big deal but I also don't see any big advantage to splitting the lane when there are only two in the land. I was in a lane today with one other person. He was a bit faster than me so I always made sure I didn't get in his way.

I like lane splitting and hate to be against the wall but you need to get assertive. If you're not assertive in a swimming pool as a woman you'll just end up being shark bait. If you want to do circuits tell people. If you want the wall, tell them.

Swimming pool etiquette is my biggest bug bear. I swim regularly in a gym pool that has a mix of good swimmers and leisure swimmers. It's not got a life guard and the lanes are narrow. It requires people to be more aware and considerate of their fellow swimmers. Lots of people are, lots of people are selfish twats. If you don't say anything then you end up being pissed off. No one rules the pool no matter how good a swimmer they are or they think they are. Or indeed what sex they are. So if it doesn't suit you and it's not a bother to someone else then just say.

There are worse things that happen in a pool though. I have probably moaned on mn before. My recent favourite things to moan about is the woman who routinely goes into the medium lane and she doesn't swim. She does a very slow walking underwater thing. The type of thing you do if you have an injury.

This is one of my pet peeves!

At my pool the slow lane is the biggest and lots of room, but still have the odd person who obviously can't swim well at all in the medium lane.

Extra annoying points if they huff and puff at people overtaking them. Also if they have an equally slow pal and swim in a pair chatting, whilst I plot their demise behind them.

@MissMogwai I think I could write a book about what I see at the pool. Recently a man turned up wearing his underwear. Not swimming trunks - clearly cotton underwear.

How are you all getting to swim with only one other person in your lane?! I go at 6am and still count myself lucky if there are only four or five of us in the lane!

My absolute bugbear is people who insist on going in the middle lane when the fast lane is practically empty and then get in everyone’s way overtaking. Just move to the fast one! I can only assume it’s an ego thing.