Altercation over a changing cubicle

[AngeloMysterioso]

At swimming lesson with 5yo DS. He comes out of the pool, has a quick rinse under the shower, then I meet him, wrap his towel round him and we head to the nearest unlocked cubicle to get him changed. He goes in and starts undressing, I turn and shut the door, hang bags on pegs, start digging out DS’s dry clothes, carrier bag for wet stuff etc.

Then I turn round and realise someone’s left their fleece onesie thing and a few other bits on the bench. DS is already undressed at this point and the next lot of lessons has started so for all I know that stuff will be sitting there for the next half an hour. So I carry on getting DS changed which takes 5 minutes at the absolute most.

We come out of the cubicle, face to face with a very angry woman and her maybe 8 or 9 year old daughter, who starts ranting at me about how she’d left her kid’s stuff in there and she’s been getting cold, etc. I explained that I didn’t see it until my son was already undressed, and you don’t get to just dump your stuff in a cubicle and that means it’s reserved for you.

There’s a few minutes back and forth with her effing and blinding at me, in spite of me asking several times not to swear in front of my (and her) child. I ended up saying I wouldn’t apologise because I didn’t do anything wrong and turning my back to her and drying DS’s hair, while she continues calling me a bitch and saying I’m everything that’s wrong with people.

So… was I BU, or was she?

Batshit, really? I suppose all the leisure centre staff that ban it are batshit too..?

Ok, so the layout is, small cubicle, bench on the right at a 90° angle to the door, pegs to the left of the door quite high up. DS goes in, moves to the right, I go in, turn to my left, shut and lock the door, hang stuff up, rummage round for clothes, carrier bag etc. turn round to face bench, see other person's stuff, DS is already naked and I'm holding an armful of clothes. And I'm supposed to bundle all this stuff up, dry clothes wet swimming things, bags and all, and scuttle naked DS round in a towel to a different cubicle because some entitled individual has left their stuff in there and sodded off for who knows how long?

When I take my kids swimming and see someone else’s stuff on the bench I find another cubicle.

Didn't this exact same post come up a few months ago? This must be a common occurrence at swimming pools.

It's not holding anyone up because there are plenty of spare cubicles.

YANBU. Her unfounded entitlement. Drives me insane. Had the same issue yesterday.

Yes quite frankly. It's 5 minutes.

For me it would depend on whether she’d recently put her stuff in there and you were being cheeky by sneaking in, knowing that it was occupied.

In which case YABU because the first thing you’d do is check to see if it’s empty and move to a different one if not.

Or if she had had her stuff in there for 30mins+ and was hogging the cubicle.

In which case she’s BU because you don’t get to save an entire cubicle whilst you go swimming.

There are only a few cubicles at my local David Lloyd, so it does annoy me when someone’s bagged one by leaving all their stuff in it.

Next time I think I’ll use it anyway - if there isn’t another - and if they say anything, I’ll tell them to use a locker like just about everybody else.

You didn't 'have to' at all.

This doesn't reserve the cubicle in any case. Other people needing to use the space are quite at liberty to do so.

OP, of course YANBU.

Not at our local pool there aren't.

Still get selfish people thinking that others should stand around dripping, waiting for a free cubicle, whilst little Tallulah showers.

If there are so many cubicles why do you feel the need to "bagsy" one? Surely you could use a locker, put the towel and shower stuff on top for when they come our, shower your child, wrap them up and grab your stuff from the locker as you head to one of the many free cubicles?

Exactly any sane person faced with this situation would give a little knock or an "excuse me I'm sorry, i think ive accidentally left my daughter onesie in there could you pop it under the door for me please? And then be on their way. She's a twat

There arent, because peoe leave their stuff in all of them.

I have 2 children. One with SEN so no, I can't do that.

Yeah you did else your kid came out the shower with nowhere to get changed. Similar to if you go to a cafe you reserve a table before ordering so you don’t get to the other end and find nowhere to sit. It’s called common sense

At mine there are.

Unfortunately when people come in dripping wet from the showers, and are only concerned with changing and moving on, they don't have any means of knowing how long ago the 'reservation' has been placed.

Serve her right if her clothes got dripped on!

And it was five minutes that the OP used it for...

You don't leave stuff in cubicles and clear off.
If I've understood it right, she has left her stuff there instead of using a locker?

Why use a cubicle for a child so young?
we preferred the benches anyway as there’s more space for all the stuff my girls used to take 🤣

You didn't 'reserve' it. Unlike with a cafe, where reservations are done by agreement with the owner, leaving clothes in cubicles does not perform this function.

Other parent is in the wrong

Does your pool not have a disabled changing cubicle?

Interesting drip though.

Well no need for them to be naked and not sure why a child standing with their mother is vulnerable.

She could have knocked it's common sense isn't it. The op said she didn't notice because she was rushing to get him dry and dressed.