Swimming - The Fast Lane
Discussion
Stand buy chaps, rant coming up.
Why they f
k do people insist on swimming extremely slowly in the lane marked FAST during lane swims. My pool has 8 lanes, during most early morning lane sessions there are Slow, Medium, Fast single lanes and then two double width lanes for the biddys to float up and down in.
Was swimming this morning and some whale of a woman comes wobbling over, gets in the first lane (fast) and starts swimming the slowest breast stroke I have ever seen. How the fk she didn't sink is beyond me. Someone else said something to her and she changed lanes with a right look of thunder on her face.
The rest weren't much better. They seem to have no concept of how slow they are swimming and as you approach the wall they suddenly go and the hold you up for the entire length. Then when you overtake them to push off first they get in a strop. I was doing a mix of speed skill sets and longer endurance sets but even during warm up I was swimming faster than the rest - and I am not a fast swimmer 1:47 / 100m roughly over a 45 min swim.
And don't get me started on the tts who turn up with flippers and start dolphin swimming the whole length. Don't want to complain too much about that as I use hand paddles sometimes.
Sorry, had to get it off my chest. Pisses me right off.
Why they f
k do people insist on swimming extremely slowly in the lane marked FAST during lane swims. My pool has 8 lanes, during most early morning lane sessions there are Slow, Medium, Fast single lanes and then two double width lanes for the biddys to float up and down in.Was swimming this morning and some whale of a woman comes wobbling over, gets in the first lane (fast) and starts swimming the slowest breast stroke I have ever seen. How the f
k she didn't sink is beyond me. Someone else said something to her and she changed lanes with a right look of thunder on her face.The rest weren't much better. They seem to have no concept of how slow they are swimming and as you approach the wall they suddenly go and the hold you up for the entire length. Then when you overtake them to push off first they get in a strop. I was doing a mix of speed skill sets and longer endurance sets but even during warm up I was swimming faster than the rest - and I am not a fast swimmer 1:47 / 100m roughly over a 45 min swim.
And don't get me started on the t
ts who turn up with flippers and start dolphin swimming the whole length. Don't want to complain too much about that as I use hand paddles sometimes.Sorry, had to get it off my chest. Pisses me right off.
I feel your pain.
Although only a medium lane swimmer myself several other things to mention are:
The types who crowd out the entire wall at the ends leaving no space to turn - can they not stand to the sides/corners
Like yourself these same types see you swimming repeated lengths then decide to go just as you are turning - usually just missing kicking you in the face - then hold you up as they breast stroke along. Then - and yes there is more - having made a well timed burst to get passed them they turn at about 3/4 of a length so are back in front of you on the way back.
Personally I blame the attendants for not pointing out the basic etiquette to those that need 'educating'.
Although only a medium lane swimmer myself several other things to mention are:
The types who crowd out the entire wall at the ends leaving no space to turn - can they not stand to the sides/corners
Like yourself these same types see you swimming repeated lengths then decide to go just as you are turning - usually just missing kicking you in the face - then hold you up as they breast stroke along. Then - and yes there is more - having made a well timed burst to get passed them they turn at about 3/4 of a length so are back in front of you on the way back.
Personally I blame the attendants for not pointing out the basic etiquette to those that need 'educating'.
over_the_hill said:
etiquette
That is what it's all about, or rather people's lack of.Where I train, we've got half the pool for arseing around in and 3 lanes for swimming. A couple of weeks back I had all 3 lanes to myself, so I just jumped in to the middle lane and started doing my stuff.
Half an hour later and still with all 3 lanes to myself, I'm halfway through my main set when I suddenly (and totally unexpectedly) collided with someone swimming up my lane (well, when I say "collided", it was more a right hook followed by a shoulder barge!).
Evidently, some dopey bint had thought that on arriving at an empty pool (bar me), it is "etiquette" to choose the one lane that actually had someone swimming in it. If that's not weird enough, in her world it's obviously not at all rude to then start swimming in it without a) asking me if I was OK with that or b) letting me know she's even there.
WTF was going on in her head?!! It's not even like you have to be a regular swimmer - it's just being polite!
Glad its not just me who gets cheesed off with it!
I have people before come along when I have been the only person in 1 lane and a few others in the other lanes and someone comes in a just picks the lane with the least in. No-one reads the signs at the end. They are usual the same tts who proceed to swim down the centre of the lane
I'm going to write a stern letter to the pool manager and see if they can get some better signs.
No use relying in the lifeguards. They are all drippy teenagers who skulk around ignoring everyone.
I have people before come along when I have been the only person in 1 lane and a few others in the other lanes and someone comes in a just picks the lane with the least in. No-one reads the signs at the end. They are usual the same t
ts who proceed to swim down the centre of the laneI'm going to write a stern letter to the pool manager and see if they can get some better signs.
No use relying in the lifeguards. They are all drippy teenagers who skulk around ignoring everyone.
dangerousB said:
or b) letting me know she's even there.
Generally when joining a lane with people already swimming I will either get in and stand in a corner or sit on the corner with my legs dangling in until everyone has passed by, so they are all aware that a new person is coming in.Then you get the 'Turbo' types who dive in and have to blast a length or two as fast as possible trying to get passed everyone - although they usually end up having to stop and just stand there in the middle of the lane.
Saw a very near miss a few weeks back with someone like that. There was a guy doing lengths when someone else dived in at the far end a blasted down in the opposite direction and on the wrong side of the lane (not following the direction sign). Length guy completely unaware and a head on just avoided.
I'm no great shakes and have only been swimming for about 18 months so it hasn't been drilled into me since I was a kid. But if I can work out what to do and what the rules are it can't be that hard.
Edited by over_the_hill on Saturday 31st August 13:33
esuuv said:
You guys have it easy - the pool at my gym has a flat bottom - people walk up and down it, i've seriously had people walking in the fast lane...........i'm sure theres a sign that says swimming pool somewhere......
I stayed in a hotel in Manchester recently that had a pool like that and there were about 6-7 fat chaps marching up and down the pool. Wacky.^^ Just the odd surf board to avoid though eh? 
Went on Sunday. The fast lane was surprisingly well mannered with people swimming a good pace. Once I finished my speed sets I want to do a continuous 700m which I do at a slower pace. I switched to the slow lane which was empty and started swimming, after abut 150m two women joined and it was fine, except on three occasions they waited on the wall and the pushed off the moment I reached it. Why the fk couldn't they wait 3 seconds for me to ? Got right stroppy when I over took them.
Decided now my first lottery purchase is going to be my own private pool!
Went on Sunday. The fast lane was surprisingly well mannered with people swimming a good pace. Once I finished my speed sets I want to do a continuous 700m which I do at a slower pace. I switched to the slow lane which was empty and started swimming, after abut 150m two women joined and it was fine, except on three occasions they waited on the wall and the pushed off the moment I reached it. Why the f
k couldn't they wait 3 seconds for me to ? Got right stroppy when I over took them.Decided now my first lottery purchase is going to be my own private pool!
There's a big fat turd of a bloke who uses the indoor pool I sometimes go to. He has a knack of being there whenever I want to go. Breaststroking his way up and down the fast lane, slowly. He's such a fat st that holding his head up for breaststroke produces rolls of fat on the back of his neck, the asshole.
And as if that were not bad enough, he wears rubber socks, I assume because he has some disgusting foot infection. But these fill up with water, so from time to time he sits on the side and empties them into the pool!
None of the staff do anything about this. Ever.
s.
t that holding his head up for breaststroke produces rolls of fat on the back of his neck, the asshole. And as if that were not bad enough, he wears rubber socks, I assume because he has some disgusting foot infection. But these fill up with water, so from time to time he sits on the side and empties them into the pool!
None of the staff do anything about this. Ever.
944fan said:
I use hand paddles sometimes.
But whenever I get my hand paddles out, they shift themselves out of their torpor to wander over to me to say that rulez is rulez and hand paddles and not allowed in the pool. Useless s. As someone who was once a lifeguard and worked with a load of aforementioned stroppy teenagers, I can sympathise!
Best thing to do is beckon one of them over and explain the problem, and let them deal with the flak of telling someone off for being too slow. If they refuse, ask to see the duty manager who will then tell off the slow pokes.
I used to enjoy kicking slow people out of the lanes, it's awkward at first but then to power-high kicks in
Best thing to do is beckon one of them over and explain the problem, and let them deal with the flak of telling someone off for being too slow. If they refuse, ask to see the duty manager who will then tell off the slow pokes.
I used to enjoy kicking slow people out of the lanes, it's awkward at first but then to power-high kicks in
Greg66 said:
But whenever I get my hand paddles out, they shift themselves out of their torpor to wander over to me to say that rulez is rulez and hand paddles and not allowed in the pool. Useless s.
I have expected this but no-one yet has told me not to. There are a few who use flippers which seem more likely to cause an injury than hand paddles so they must allow it.s. Anyway, I emailed the pool manager with my comments. He as responded by saying he will get posters made up to put on the back of the lane signs to indicate speed and to choose appropriately and will talk to the life guards about monitoring the lanes. Quite happy with that. See if it has any effect.
I find a few lengths of fly fists drills normally clears any stragglers, or if you want to be more subtle some breaststroke kicking with a well timed strike followed by an apology of course, or even better some erratic backstroke with some grazing tumbles at the ends is good for clearing the end hangers out of the way.
I don't think anyone is disputing that everyone has a right to use the Pools and to enjoy a swim or whatever , but the issue is when they are causing problems for other people.
Unfortunately this seems to be symptomatic of society as a whole. You only need to read many of the other threads on here about middle lane hoggers on the Motorway, people dawdling along on single lane roads holding up a lot of traffic etc. People are either too stupid to realise what they are doing or just don't care. There is also a certain element of 'but this is what I always do' and again people are too stupid to adapt to a situation change.
Unfortunately this seems to be symptomatic of society as a whole. You only need to read many of the other threads on here about middle lane hoggers on the Motorway, people dawdling along on single lane roads holding up a lot of traffic etc. People are either too stupid to realise what they are doing or just don't care. There is also a certain element of 'but this is what I always do' and again people are too stupid to adapt to a situation change.
rips my knitting this does. Thankfully I have a club to swim with 98% of the time. But when I am away, I need to find a local pool and use the dreaded lane swim where there'll be some old duffer doing head up in the fast lane.
Heh, the uni pool here do have a good idea though, as its quite renowned for its great swim team and is home to many good swimmers and triathletes we have slow, medium, fast and very fast lanes. They see very fast and do actually steer clear!! They soon move anyway when you are cruising 1.15's for 100's because it causes them more agro than it does me, because ill just swim past them. Thats what chain swimming is for! Overtaking down the middle!
Have to say though most places I go won't let you use paddles or fins! Kick boards and pull buoys are the limit!
Heh, the uni pool here do have a good idea though, as its quite renowned for its great swim team and is home to many good swimmers and triathletes we have slow, medium, fast and very fast lanes. They see very fast and do actually steer clear!! They soon move anyway when you are cruising 1.15's for 100's because it causes them more agro than it does me, because ill just swim past them. Thats what chain swimming is for! Overtaking down the middle!
Have to say though most places I go won't let you use paddles or fins! Kick boards and pull buoys are the limit!
Edited by Otispunkmeyer on Tuesday 3rd September 09:27
Edited by Otispunkmeyer on Tuesday 3rd September 09:29
Well, true his word the manager at my pool as added posters to the back of the boards stating the lane speed and suggested workouts in that lane e.g. Slow Lane: for continuous swimming at a relaxed pace.
Have also found that if I go at about 6:30 in the morning it is dead in there. I had all 3 lanes to myself this morning.
Have also found that if I go at about 6:30 in the morning it is dead in there. I had all 3 lanes to myself this morning.
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