AIBU to use an unoccupied pool changing cubicle left full of belongings?

[Noddyslittleredcar]

Local authority pool, exclusively used for kids swimming lessons between 4 and 7. All lessons are 30 minutes, all starting and ending at the same time. 5 lessons with about 10 kids FS in each, so 50 kids. No idea how many cubicles, I'd estimate 50 but haven't counted.

Family changing rooms, so all cubicles. There are lockers and parents viewing area with chairs.

The pool periodically sends out emails telling people not to "reserve" changing room cubicles by leaving their clothes in for the duration of the lesson. Idea is the child changes and the adult takes their stuff to the viewing area. And yet, every week, almost all changing rooms have clothes, towels, bags and school book bags in them for the duration of the lesson. This means if you have to get your child changed before the lesson (like we do), there are no free spaces.

This week I went in a cubicle with stuff in it, because there were no free ones. Waiting would mean my child missed part of her lesson.

The parent shouted at me - actually shouted. "That's my changing room and you've taken it" and banging on the door. Her child was still in the water. I continued to get my child dressed, and came out - before the lesson got the children out the water. I explained she wasn't supposed to "reserve" cubicles like that. She said "it had my stuff in it".

So was I being unreasonable?

This is a weekly occurrence. They don't man the changing area so no employee to speak with, just reception and then the swim teachers who obviously can't come and police the changing rooms.

I have complained to the pool before now and an email goes out, but nothing changes.

You are committing a huge faux pas.

I dont understand why you are wet at the lockers and drippy. You take a towel to the shower and dry yourself and then go to the lockers, get your stuff and find a cubicle.

I'd absolutely be choosing a "reserved" cubicle everytime and letting wet child climb all over the bench- if there's someone's stuff there then that's their issue.

Don't forget to wring out your swimsuit all over it first.

My local pool parents just pick up the bags etc and stick them outside on the floor. Should a parent have an issue tell them to get real. Honestly the entitlement.

Perimenopause has its advantages as you just don’t give a f anymore and are up for a verbal fight 24/7. Bring it on.

Sorry I accidentally pressed you are being unreasonable… you definitely are not.
What a bloody cheek! It’s been a very, very long time since I’ve had to do the swimming lesson thing, this is new level of entitled behaviour that is staggering!
Well done for not putting up with it.

They had a problem with this at my local leisure centre and they had someone go round and remove the stuff and it was joyous!

They’d sent numerous requests that had been ignored. It used to really piss me off as only a few of the changing rooms had playpens and changing tables but people with older kids were just dumping their stuff and so people getting out from the adult and toddler classes couldn’t use them despite arguably having more need.

You weren't in the wrong at all. If you know who the parent is, I would contact the centre and report their intimidating behaviour.
Well done you for sticking it out.

I used to scoop up and the stuff and take it to lost property. Then try my hardest not to snigger when the entitled mothers were wailing someone had stolen their child’s clothes.

Oh yes, our swimming lessons used to be like that too, ridiculous! YANBU

Same happened to me once.

Why oh why do people do it. WTF is wrong with people?

This reminded me that during the kids swimming lessons at one point a chap used to leave his artificial leg in the changing room.😂

OP. Clearly you've had no luck with a resolution at the actual pool, if the centre is part of a big operator - contact them. If it's council owned contract the councillor with the leisure portfolio. Stress how you and your child felt threatened by the unhinged cubicle hogger. No one likes the overlords getting involved.

Get a grip, you're wetter than any if it.

Totally reasonable.

Maybe suggest that the pool could make the point by staffing the changing rooms with a duty manager for a few evenings.

Alternatively - deliver Whats left to the showers. That’s where they’ll need it. Right in front of the shower head.

Good lord that is a bold move - I salute you!

I did this once and the grandfather of the child having the lesson shouted at me. I responded by saying, "You can't reserve changing rooms", after which he called me a cunt. The whole experience was very unedifying. Eventually, I moved my kids' swimming lessons to another pool, where the parents were a lot more civilised. Unfortunately, I can offer no useful advice, though.

So it would have been better to leave it on the wet floor? Or take in to the public corridor where it's a bit dryer? I'll do that next time.

I would make a suggestion to staff that any items left in the cubicles can be moved to a lost property box placed near to the cubicles. I would imagine people will think twice if they need to keep fishing it out.

This is bizarre - changing rooms that can be locked (and even worse, UNlocked) from the outside?

Since all the cubicles look more or less the same I would dump the stuff in the next one. Just like I would dump stuff on the next sunbed along if I wanted one.

"Oh someone must have moved it, this was empty. You'll have to ask someone."

Yes do this. It needs stamping out.

I've done that before when coming out the pool, literally every cubicle taken up by selfish parents including buggies and prams that aren't meant to be in the changing room area due to dragging god knows what in on the wheels. I have to put CSI style plastic covers over my feet as I'm wearing outside shoes in the changing room which boiled my water all the more.

Keep complaining and suggest the manager assigns a staff member to changing room duty during lessons to educate the parents.

You were remarkably restrained not losing it at the cunt swear!

He probably thought twice before doing it again.

Amazing! Would love to have your confidence - I’ve been so tempted to do this a few times!

i had this exact thing at my daughters swimming lessons. After a while it started to make me so so angry! I would sit there seething about the sheer cheek of it during each lesson. In the end I thought it wasn’t healthy and it was never going to change so I moved the lessons to a pool that didn’t have this problem. My daughter didn’t mind either way but I do actually feel better.
well done OP for standing up to it!

Presume people sometimes have heart attacks after exerting themselves.

First answer nails it!