AIBU to use a family changing room left occupied by a buggy?

[Calpolinator]

Was I unreasonable? Swimming today with 5yo, 3yo and 18 month old. The pool has 6 family changing rooms and the rest are single cubicles. They were all occupied when we were out and showered apart from 1 which was open but had a buggy in. I waited for about 5 minutes and no one came out of any of the others and I couldn't see who this pram belonged to. It was getting a bit much to juggle the hangry kids and there was a queue forming for the family change, so I popped in and got everyone changed really quickly (was in there less time than I'd waited). When I came out someone was waiting to have a go basically saying all there stuff was in there, but here's the mind blowing (to me) part - they were in the pool! They'd wanted to reserve the changing room for the entire time they were in there?! I explained I'd waited and no one had come back and clarified they only got out the pool because they'd seen me go in, not because they needed anything and I hoped they would realise it was all a bit ridiculous. But AIBU for using the changing room?! Feel like I've committed a social faux pas

YANBU! Did they bring all of their kids out of the pool to challenge you too? Or did they have another adult to help them? They were being V unreasonable, but if they had an additional adult with them make that VVV unreasonable!

YANBU

But can we take a moment, a buggy in the changing areas? As in the same wheels that roll through the streets on the tiled floor where people walk barefoot? 🤢 Our local pools all have buggy storage at the front. I thought this was normal. Buggies in the changing rooms is gross!

I had this once when my youngest was little. I took the buggy out of the changing room. It was gone when I came out so someone had moved it but no one said anything.

I wouldnt have left it in there while I used it.

YANBU at all OP. People doing this are so rude! At my local pool I ended up in a weekly battle with one person who always left their clothes in one of the four changing rooms to reserve it (including used undies hanging on the peg ). The first time I explained they can't do that and pointed to the signs, then showed how everyone just uses the lockers but without paying to lock them. They didn't care to stop and would just come and wait at whichever cubicle they'd ''reserved' as a way to queue jump - infuriating. So I started putting their clothes in a locker myself as lots of shivering kids were peering into the 'reserved' cubicle and not using it as it seemed occupied, all the while this person was doing their swim. After I started moving their clothes they were then getting out and doing their queue jump routine, only to find the cubicle empty of their stuff when it vacated. Then they'd start looking along all the lockers, eventually find their stuff where I'd put it, then join the back of the queue. Every week. They never actually thought to put their things in a locker themselves and save the bother of hunting for it.

Also infuriating are the parents that go and lay out towels and clothes five whole minutes before swimming lessons end for their children when there's only four cubicles. All the children who are out first and quick in the showers now have a choice between jumping into those cubicles and risking a scene with the entitled parents, or shivering and waiting for them to vacate. The pool supervisors stop it when they can but it happens so much they can't stop.it all.

This is actually a great point, it was 2 adults with 1 baby - maybe around 6 months old so I sympathise that swimming can be a bit of a song and dance but we are all in the same boat!

In that case it is absolutely ridiculous that they reserved a changing room like that. I could sympathise if it was a new mum struggling with a very young baby (we've all been there) but this is just lazy and entitled! I hope you reported them to reception!

You did right.

Not my proudest moment. Swim club. Bane of my bloody life. My child has SEN and hates showers. So they’d come straight out to get changed. Without fail all the cubicles would be reserved by people waiting for the showers.

During a bout of severe PMT and emboldened by braver souls than me on here I finally snapped, emptied a cubicle and used it. Had to put up with a lot of bleating on when the original occupier got back but I think she saw the look on my face and decided not to push the issue.

I just find changing room hoggers rude and entitled. We’d all be out a lot quicker if they were used as necessary.