Image courtesy of Salvatore Vuono / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
I’ve not written much about swimming for a while, so I thought it was about time. In the run up to the Windermere swim I didn’t do too much pool swimming – it was too warm to train in and I just couldn’t get the distance up like I needed to. However, I’ve been back in the pool a couple of times since and I’m reminded why I don’t like it – mainly all the other swimmers!
I’ve written about etiquette in the pool before, but I think there are a few other annoyances I need to point out – I’m hoping that this will be the third and final post of the etiquette trilogy – however I reserve the right to do a George Lucas and randomly add three more at a later date. Anyway, the current crop of annoying pool users are:
Danglers – you know, the people who before getting into a lane to swim sit on the edge dangling their feet into the water. It’s hard to state just how off-putting this can be if you’re trying to turn in the lane. In fact the danglers probably take up more of the turning space by dangling than if they had jumped in and were standing in the water.
Half-lap turners – this is the group of people that feel the need to turn before the end of the lane. This is usually done as a way to get around other swimmers. However what it does do is usually mean that they just get in the way and break up the rhythm of everyone else. I could understand it if they have been following a dawdler for a while, but it usually done at the first available opportunity and just shows an arrogance and disregard for the other swimmers.
So, if you’re lane swimming please don’t commit any of these “crimes” (or these or these). Thanks.
1000kmstowindermere 
Patrick, I confess that I am a half-lap turner but only because so many people commit the biggest pool offence of all: getting in the wrong lane. They’re worse than your dawdlers – perhaps “speed bumps” works as a collective noun.
When I’ve been feeling particularly grumpy I have asked people to move lanes but it normally feels less antagonistic to do the half-lane-turn.
That doesn’t mean that the fast lane is reserved for would-be Olympians. But if there are only 2 lanes and you swim more slowly than half the swimmers, go in the slow lane. If you decide to suddenly cruise down to the shallow end on your back, move over to the slow lane.
Part of the problem is that UK pools reserve so few lanes!
Aaargh! You are the swimming devil!
Seriously, I agree with you about people in the wrong lane and if that is a consistent problem then I accept that you might *sometimes* need to be a half-lap turner. My anger is mainly targeted at those who are only fractionally faster and just can’t be bothered to wait to be let through. If you are never let through then I grudgingly accept that you might need different tactics.
Of course all of this is solved by swimming in the open water.
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