What is your pet peeve about swimming?

**Sonic Swimmer78** · November 11th, 2004, 11:56 AM

Let's hope not for all our sakes...

Seriously though, if it's one thing that REALLY annoys the hell out of me is a Faux pas, Phoney, Overweight Aqua Aerobe who thinks she's "Working out and burning carbs or calories"

"...I'm trying to tone up and lose weight" *strolls down the full length of the shallow lane with buoyant and not so heavy aqua weights*

"...DO YOU THINK I SWIM LAPS FOR FUN?!" ...okay, that was dumb, but I burn twice, if not THRICE as much calories and carbs as you! If you're gonna workout, SWIM SOME FRIGGIN LAPS LADY!!!

...The shower cap instead of a swim cap thing was over the top!

Much better than the little old ladies doing water aerobics (after their hair salon appointment) who insist upon wearing shower caps in the pool instead of swim caps!

- msgrupp

I agree with Jean Sterling (Quoted from the "You Know You're a Swimmer..." thread). I'd rather shave myself bald then nervously worry about my hair getting wet or harmed by pool chemicals.

One of the aerobic ladies told me that she had to "go straight to the beauty parlor" if her hair got wet. I would shave my head and get a wig before I would be such a slave to my hair. Admittedly their hair does look better than my overly chlorinated tresses, but what a price to pay.

- Jean Sterling

**swimshark** · November 11th, 2004, 01:29 PM

Sonic reminded me of one.

How about the swimmers who put their cap on with the seam (fold) going from ear to ear rather than down the middle from forehead to neck?! Cracks me up every time

**Guvnah** · November 11th, 2004, 01:33 PM

Originally posted by Sonic Swimmer78
Touché... I too have feelings for Lane 5, but if I ever swim at Guvnah's pool, I'll just go on days he's not swimming... I don't mind sharing lanes, but Guvnah has given me the impression that he's not willing to share with a moderatly slow to medium swimmer like myself.

Looks like some clarification on my part is in order.

Notice that I ended my post with respect for anyone willing to share with me.

Here's how it works at my pool: We have 6 lanes. First 6 people are expected each to take their own lane. If more than 6 show up, then we start sharing -- one person to each side of the lane. Only if there are more than 12 do we ever start circling.

Someone "takes my lane" if I get out there and there are 5 or fewer in the pool, and someone is in lane 5. Etiquette dictates that I have to swim in another lane. Pet peeve has occurred.

As I mentioned in my post, if only one lane is empty, at these times I might linger on the deck and see if someone else is gonna come. If they do, I gladly cede the last open lane, and then the lane etiquette dictates that we start sharing. With all lanes equal, I get to go in "my" lane #5!

Who doesn't prefer his/her own lane? I didn't mean to indicate that I look to kick out the person I'm going to share with. I don't swim any differently whether someone is sharing with me or not. But since I am one of the more aggressive (and largest) swimmers at my pool, most people prefer to move if they have to share with me, and of course I have no problem with that. Again, if someone wants to stick with me in that lane, I have respect for him/her.

On a recent occasion I arrived at the pool and there were exactly 6 people in there. I attempted to share lane 5, but the lady who was there (a wetsuit/snorkel person, as it turned out) asked me to go to another lane. Counter to my preferences and to my usual take-no-prisoners nature, I just moved to lane 4. (The guy in lane 4 later asked me why I didn't go in lane 5. He knows I always go in 5, so he chose another lane when he got in.) When she was later finished her workout and was getting out of the pool, I moved back to 5 and started up a brief chat with her. I told her that next time, if all things were the same as today, I definitely WOULD get in lane 5, even if she asked me not to. All lanes are NOT the same to me, and there is a definite advantage/beneft for me in lane 5. She tried to make the case that I didn't own lane 5. I told her I wasn't looking to kick her out. I was perfectly willing to share with her, and apparently she was the one not willing to share with me.

No, Sonic, please do not fear sharing with me. I will not kick you out, and you can decide if you want to share with me. Even if you AND Scansy are in there, I will not kick anyone out since etiquette dictates that I share another lane in that case. (If I'm the 13th person, they you and Scansy will be circling with me though, and you will have to decide if that's OK with you.)

**dorothyrde** · November 11th, 2004, 01:51 PM

At least your pool is divided into 6 lanes and allows 12 people to easily swim side by side.

My Y divides the 6 lane pool into 3 large lanes. That means 9 people swim without circle swimming. And the middle person of the 3 has to swim without benefit of the black line or a lane line to guide them, talk about a colision hazard. Then if you have to circle swim, you have to circle the whole thing which adds bunches to you swim. The only good thing about it is it makes it easy to pass and I usually ending up swimming circles in the middle of the outter circle(does that even make sense?).

I have suggested to the Y to use all the lane lines and therefore utilize the pool better. They say people don't like it and will complain<sigh>. I say try it, change it and then people would get used to it.

I dropped my teen son off to swim laps one day and came back to see him swimming with 4 in a lane not circle swimming and at first thought he had "broken" the rules and would be in trouble. Then I realized Nadine had jumped in with him and the two of them had devised their own little circle swim without benefit of lane lines and were able to get a good work-out together without worry of upsetting other slower swimmers.

Guvnah, I have a fellow Master swimmer who told me that her favorite lane was lane 4, but she did not make a big deal about not getting it. However, if I knew she was coming and there were other lanes open, I made sure I did not take "her" lane out of respect for her wishes. The lady should never of told you to move, if she cannot deal with her fellow swimmers, SHE should have moved.

I have learned to time my breathing when passing the big fellow that swims next to me in the morning. You guys DO make a big wake!!

**emmett** · November 11th, 2004, 01:59 PM

Originally posted by swimshark
Sonic reminded me of one.

How about the swimmers who put their cap on with the seam (fold) going from ear to ear rather than down the middle from forehead to neck?! Cracks me up every time

How about people who call it a swimming "hat"? (generally the same ones that wear it like a goofball as well)

**Scansy** · November 11th, 2004, 03:14 PM

Originally posted by Guvnah
No, Sonic, please do not fear sharing with me. I will not kick you out, and you can decide if you want to share with me. Even if you AND Scansy are in there, I will not kick anyone out since etiquette dictates that I share another lane in that case. (If I'm the 13th person, they you and Scansy will be circling with me though, and you will have to decide if that's OK with you.)

HA! There was a previous discussion about butterfly (probably almost a year ago) in which it was revealed that my fly looks like those really fast race boats when they wreck - flipping, turning, rotating, splashing, generally making a big mess! Maybe if we shared, you would only be the second biggest wake in the lane!

**LindsayNB** · November 11th, 2004, 03:56 PM

Originally posted by dorothyrde
My Y divides the 6 lane pool into 3 large lanes. ... Then if you have to circle swim, you have to circle the whole thing which adds bunches to you swim.

Most of our workouts we only have three "double" lanes, we swim out along the lane lines and back in the middle, and that works well. In fact, even when we have all the lane lines set up we swim with alternating lanes rotating in opposite directions so that you are always swimming in the same direction as the person swimming in the adjacent lane. I find this works a lot better than all lanes rotating in the same direction where people on both sides are always going in the opposite direction.

As for pet peeves, the "you go first (so I can draft off you)" is my favorite.

**Guvnah** · November 11th, 2004, 04:20 PM

Originally posted by LindsayNB
Most of our workouts we only have three "double" lanes, we swim out along the lane lines and back in the middle, and that works well.

If a pool is going to set up circle swimming, this is actually a better way to do it, in my opinion. There is room down the middle for two or even three (tight) abreast, and that makes for easy passing if necessary, at least for that half of the lap.

**USMSarah** · November 11th, 2004, 10:09 PM

At the old pool that I used to manage, the water aerobics ladies would complain that they were getting splashed by lap swimmers... they would get mad because their hair would get wet! UM... YOU ARE IN A POOL, it's WATER, you will get WET!

Oh, that stresses me out just thinking about that.

**Sonic Swimmer78** · November 11th, 2004, 11:49 PM

Aqua Aerobes are snobs of the pool... I can't sand them altogether.

Another pet peeve: Swimming in City Pools or the at the Y! Its an absolutely dreadful experience for the Swimmer.

"...but I'm a swimmer too!"

"No, I'M a Swimmer, you're just a petty Pool-Goer IN MY WAY!!!"

Here's another good one: Whiney (Mainly Female, sorry ladies) Swimmers.

*Whine* "...I Don' Wanna geddin! It's Too Coooolllllldddd!"

**HoosierGirl** · November 12th, 2004, 11:05 AM

Originally posted by Sonic Swimmer78
Oh, oh, here's a good one! What about Scuba Divers?? Anyone know what I'm talking about?

I'm guilty of snorkeling laps on occasion. It's the easiest way to keep my legs in shape for scuba diving. Scuba fins work your muscles differently and there's nothing quite like snorkeling laps in big scuba fins to stay in shape for dive trips.

**jean sterling** · November 12th, 2004, 01:12 PM

Originally posted by USMSarah
At the old pool that I used to manage, the water aerobics ladies would complain that they were getting splashed by lap swimmers... they would get mad because their hair would get wet! UM... YOU ARE IN A POOL, it's WATER, you will get WET!

This is especially annoying when the aerobes lean on the lane line so that they are taking up half the swimming lane. Try circle swimming in half a lane - and then have an aerobe ask you to move over.

**Edward The Head** · November 12th, 2004, 01:45 PM

I've got a couple.

The first is the people who do flip turns on the same side you are swimming up. Even being a couple of seconds behind thye are still on my side of the lap when I get ready for my turn.

The second is when there are a lot of people at practice and they keep the interval the same, so a 200 is still on 3 minutes. Well by the time I'm coming back they are already starting the next 200. So slowly I get further and further back because there are 5-6 people in the lane.

I also don't like it when they change how long the interval is going to be, especially when I haven't come in yet. This has happened enough in the last couple of months that I don't swim at night any more.

**Fishgrrl** · November 12th, 2004, 02:07 PM

YES! those people who do flip turns on your side of the lane!! There's one gal in particular who comes to mind...I love swimming with her except when she leads - she flips right into the midddle the lane and I have to duck under her so we don't crash! Grrrrr......

**SWinkleblech** · November 12th, 2004, 03:15 PM

We have one lap lane to swim in. There are not a whole lot of lap swimmers so most of the time it is not a big deal. We don't circle swim we just stay on either side of the lane. It doesn't work if a third swimmer comes in. Then that swimmer has to either wait or work around any lessons or what ever is going on on the other side of the pool. Although I am not fast I am one of the fastest lap swimmers at our pool. A lot of times some of the swimmers who know me well will move over for me. I like the side where the lane line is. I hate it when I get stuck on the wall side.

A year ago, during Thanksgiving vacation I went swimming early. The lap lane was taken up by some private lessons(which should have not happened) Another lap swimmer was swimming by the lane line, so I came in and swam next to him. Some regulars who just kind of float along were there and started to get upset that we were doing laps on their side of the pool( they had 2/3 of the pool). One of the ladies started to purposly get in my way. Let's just say she got cobblered when I was doing my backstroke. I was totally peeved at this point and a shouting match started. I was pretty much told that I didn't belong there. Sorry ladies I pay to use the pool, too. Well Thanksgiving is coming soon. Might want to go for another early swim.

**Scansy** · November 12th, 2004, 05:26 PM

Wow, I don't realize how good I have it I guess.

My Y has at least 2 lanes open at all times - except from 3:00 to 6:00 pm when the swim teams (high school and then age groupers) take up the whole pool. In the morning, there are 4 lanes until 9:00. Most of the day there is 3 lanes. Saturdays and Sundays are 2 lanes from noon until about 8:00 during the winter when the outdoor pool is closed - and the other four lanes are "open" swim. The funny part is that I NEVER have to circle swim. About half the time, I split a lane with someon, the rest of the time I have a lane to myself. In reality, they could go with less lap lanes..... but please don't tell!

November 12th, 2004, 05:28 PM

Hey everyone! Great pet peeves!

I want to say something concerning the "overweight" ladies. I'm
overweight myself. I am thankful that my weight doesn't stop me from my love of swimming. But there are some very heavy women that come and water walk in the morning.....and all I can say is that I am actually proud of them for stepping out of their comfort zone...into a swimsuit and at least walking. Plus...water walking is easier on the joints. It may seem they are not working hard (some might not be) but I give them credit for doing something! And since I am overweight myself...can we stop referring to overweight people as a manatee?

I do agree that the ladies with the perfectly done hair bouncing in the water and talking about their husbands....that is annoying!

**scyfreestyler** · November 12th, 2004, 05:54 PM

Originally posted by swimmnjenn
And since I am overweight myself...can we stop referring to overweight people as a manatee?

I was wondering when that might become an issue. As long as people don't actually block my lane I don't care if they are skinny like me or have a 50" waist. I agree, the overweight people should be respected for stepping out on the pool deck, often times in a Speedo brief. I don't think I would ever be able to do that if I were in their shoes.

November 12th, 2004, 06:00 PM

yeah...I am not offended in any way by the comment...it doesn't affect my view of myself....I just know that our comments can become too negative about others.

Ok....if someone is overweight they need to pick the correct suit for them.....a bikini or a speedo might not be the best option.

**Sonic Swimmer78** · November 12th, 2004, 09:33 PM

Naw... You're cool, swimmnjenn. It's the snobby aqua aerobes I can't stand... Especially those who just got out of the beauty parlor and had their hair (and nails) done.

"...Young man, would you PLEASE stop splashing so much!?"

"Yes, MOTHER!"

*Old Aqua Aerobe is speechless and leaves the Sonic alone*

Yes, I'm a young man in his twenties, but when someone addresses me that way, I feel like they're talking not to a man in his mid twenties, but a child no older than eight.