To feel angry at the 50% who ignore the sign to remove outdoor shoes in changing rooms??

[DippleSun]

Swimming lessons today and there is a big sign saying please remove outdoor shoes beyond this point and a tub of shoe covers.
I’d say approx 50% of parents covered/took off shoes and 50% didn’t. I start feeling unreasonably? angry with the 50% stood at the poolside who hadn’t bothered. Why not follow a simple hygiene rule? It’s so simple. And judging by the response by the pool - only 50% felt it was necessary. So I’m asking Mumsnet - I need to
understand the 50% who would ignore this rule!

Same at our poolside, stipulates no outdoor footwear. They do have covers for shoes but seen a few people slip on those.

They also provide sliders at the pool mine go to, I always take my own though (indoor only, never been used outside)

The swimming instructors do enforce it the rule too, one parent was arguing that she had a verruca and couldn't be bear foot and didn't want to risk spreading it by wearing the provided sliders. They told her to either put the covers on or wait outside.

YANBU. we used to live in Switzerland and no one would dream of going into a swimming pool with their shoes on. They all came off at the door and you carried them to your locker. No plastic covers needed because no mud on the floor so everyone happy to walk barefoot.

Result was immaculately clean changing rooms and swimming pools. It was such a pleasure to swim in public pools there.

yanbu

even better my pool has a shoe changing “foyer” with benches and racks so you can leave your shoes and NO plastic shoe covers

It is 100% compliance - many people bring sliders and change from outdoor shoes to sliders but I have literally seen no one go in with outdoor shoes on

And it’s nice inside - no grit or mud being traipsed through the changing rooms

And yes this is a large pool with a kids pool and swim lessons in the evenings - often the shoe area is chaotic and I don’t think they anticipated the number of parents who would be taking off shoes alongside their kids!

YANBU - all the pools we’ve used have this rule including at our gym. Indoor sliders/slippers are allowed though

Exactly this. Our pool is well designed and I think someone would actually speak up (including me) if someone appeared to be going in having forgotten shoes

Oh and we have a buggy park outside the swim foyer too, you can even “chain up” your buggy like a bike. Awesome.

I’m in Aberdeenshire and it’s standard practice at the two pools we regularly go to to remove shoes at the door and go barefoot or socked. This was introduced in the last 4/5 years. Everyone complies and it is so, so much nicer than muddy bits on the floor. They also have underfloor heating so it’s nice and warm underfoot. Maybe people go along with it because it’s a rural area and the chances of people having grubby footwear are quite high? I’m surprised to read of people being opposed to this in any way!

It should be easier to put them on though, and a seat by where the box of shoe covers is.

My anger would not be at that, but the way that leisure provision has become almost a race to the bottom with things such as reduced hours and changing villages.

You’re the problem here.

So utterly self centred. Irritating for the pool cleaner yet you don’t give a fuck.

I’m with you OP. I take mine off then tip toe through the mud and detritus left by others who don’t.

As per previous posts it’s a me,me,me and that’s a rule for others.

At my daughter's swimming it's more like 100% don't take their shoes off (me included)

100% ignore it at Hartham Leisure Centre- hello everyone! 👋🏽 except me I loudly say “let’s take shoes off” I think they need to go back to shoe covers because people don’t care enough 😳

Pool buildings are just so badly designed here. What’s needed is a place where you can sit down, take off/put on your shoes, and leave them.

those plastic covers are appalling - microplastics everywhere and such a waste.

its repulsive having outdoor shoes and buggies in changing rooms but round us that’s just how it’s been designed.

We have the same rules, for general swimming most ppl seem to follow the rules.

It’s when the swimming lessons are on and I see parents and kids that aren’t swimming (waiting for siblings) in the changing rooms by the pool with shoes on. The floors are always filthy / covered in mud, it’s disgusting!

I have flip flops for the pool as a result, and make ds do the same

Ours has a cuby holes and benches and the floor is painted with a 'no outdoor shoes' sign. There are shoe covers which you are told to reuse. About 80% comply.

Swimming nappies are supposed to let wee through. Most parents I know found that out the hard way when they got their kids dressed for swimming before leaving the house!

Im surprised so many people are surprised by this. Most swimming pools I’ve been to are the same. Shoes fine in the building, but off once you enter the changing room. I keep a pair of clean flip flops in my kids swimming bag! I’ve only very rarely seen anyone ignore that rule at the two leisure centres we go to. Would be gross, wet floor plus the dust and grime from outside.

It doesn’t suprise me OP. Some people’s hygiene protocols are grim at best. They use the excuse as above posters have “We go in the sea barefoot” etc….

These are they types of people that likely don’t wash their hands much proclaiming that they are clean. Yes they might look clean but you’d be disgusted if you could see under a microscope everything that was on your unwashed hands. 🤢 These mingers are the ones that help spread infections, germs and the like around society.

Yes, human being have been doing these things since time immemorial, but it doesn’t follow that we want to continue to do it. Human beings have progressed - isn’t it amazing? We no longer have to do these things! We no longer have to walk through muddy dirty water like medieval peasants; we live in a modern world with clean facilities.

I agree with you OP, there really are some lazy people about. It is the same as the the people who ignore the signs telling them to shower before they get into the pool.

@Lemoncanine

Thing is, they’ve recently invested and updated the changing rooms and they look great. Nice big area as you walk in with seating, places for shoes, clear sign to remove shoes, plastic covers (agree about plastic waste) - easy seating and places for shoes. Coat hooks - everything to make it happen. Yet 50% traipsing round the showers and poolside (where the cleaners don’t routinely go) with their filthy shoes on.

It’s pure laziness and a huge ‘I don’t give a fuck about my dirt around kids/giving the cleaners extra work’.

Bet I know who they’ll be voting for too.

I agree with you OP, except at the pool I use, I would be surprised if as many as 10% remove their shoes or use the shoe covers that are provided next to the door. What irritates me even more is that even when people do remove their shoes to go into the changing room, they invariably put them back on again when they get dressed and walk through the changing room to get out again rather than waiting until they can sit on the benches in the reception area. There are signs up everywhere at the pool, and at the other two I occasionally use, but most people ignore them and I’ve never seen a member of staff ask anyone to remove their shoes. People also seem to ignore the signs saying that pushchairs aren’t allowed in the changing rooms.

100%

Just to add that there is a large area where people can leave pushchairs just outside the changing rooms, with several benches, and a big box of shoe covers. I always have a pair of flip flops in my bag which have never been worn anywhere but the pool
changing rooms as there’s no way I would want to walk barefoot across the filthy floors at my pool.

The pool I use has a strict no outdoor shoe policy in the 'wet' changing area. Most people put flip flops or sliders on at the entrance to the changing rooms or go barefoot in the poolside changing areas. There are shoe covers available. @DippleSun The pool staff could remind people that no access will be given to anyone in outdoor shoes (without covers).

All sorts of debris can be tracked in on shoes. In addition to dirt or mud, little stones and even glass can caught in the treads on the soles of shoes. It is not just for hygiene but safety when barefoot.