Gripe: Lifeguard never showed up this morning (Page 3)

Same with my pool, I have to wait for the lifeguard to unlock the pool area door. 

My pool does not open until 6:30am, which only allows me a 30 minute swim before work. They know I can swim, Im there several times a week. I BEGGED the management to let me swim without a lifeguard, they said no way

Edited by Meljoypip 2013-06-16 3:40 PM

I'm a current guard as a part-time gig, and I can understand the frustration of not being able to get a morning swim in, especially if you're on a schedule and you can't do it later in the day or after work. There's nothing more annoying in the exercise world than getting pumped up to get your work out in early in the morning and then you don't get to do it. ANNOYING!

Just something to keep in mind (though, this is not an excuse): Most guards, who guard at pools that are not college pools, also have full-time jobs, and life guarding does not pay well at all. I mean, think about it. Guards have to usually plunk down 100-200 dollars of their own money to be certified, they are responsible for the lives of everyone on the deck and in the pool, and they usually pull in minimum wage (8.25 in the state of MD). It's a tough job, and a very un-rewarding one, for such a low wage. When was the last time you thanked your guard for having a kill count of zero? When was the last time you bitched at the guard for the pool being too cold or the chemicals not being perfect to your personal specifications? Exactly.

So, when a guard doesn't show up early in the morning, 9 times out of 10, they over-slept. They probably over-slept because they may have been at the pool until 11 pm the night before, they may have already worked 60+ hours and turned their alarm off in their sleep, they may have opened multiple days that week, or just straight-up forgot to set their alarm. They may have also quit or been fired the day before and the gym couldn't find anyone to cover.

Even though it's totally frustrating, and I can completely empathize with the frustration level, try not to assume that a guard that doesn't show up are just lazy and looking to inconvenience you. Just take it with a grain of salt and either try again the next day, or find a pool that doesn't need a guard to be open.

Shhhh! People can only have heart attacks, cramps, and/or strokes on dry land. Water makes them immune from things like that.

I do call out a "thank you" to them as I'm leaving the pool. =)

I took today off but we'll see if he's on time on Wednesday. I know this is not a real problem. Life happens, people oversleep, etc. Just annoying, and I knew I could commiserate with my fellow BT'ers.

That's nice of you! You're in the definite minority. Granted, no one needs to thank their lifeguard every single time they swim, I just mean that for every "thank you" guards get, they get 10 people who complain for no reason.

And I am totally empathetic to your frustration. It is a real problem in the sense that it's something that's important to you (and others) and you weren't able to do it. While I do advocate for the guards, at the same time, if you can't be up to open the pool, switch your shift so you can handle it. That's why I work three times a week from 6 pm - 11 pm, not 4:30 am - 10:00 am. It's much easier for me to close the pool than open it.

nm

Edited by trishie 2013-06-17 12:53 PM

Oh, it's totally someone's choice to be a lifeguard, my point is that there's not really any incentive to show up on time. The problem actually lies in the fact that life guards are always in high demand, since it requires certification and you don't get much pay, so pools are always very short on guards---thus, they rarely get fired in most places.

And you don't have to thank the guard I just meant that being a lifeguard is an extremely thank-less job, so not many guards have the incentive to go to work on time, since they are just going to get bitched at constantly whether they are on time or not.

You also seem to be a smart person, and complaining to management is the correct person to go to in that situation. Most people, though, feel as though the guard has direct control over things like temperature, chemical levels, and general pool rules. I could write a book about the hilarious things people complain to me about when on the pool deck. Last week, a woman didn't understand why we don't let 6 month olds go into a hot tub that's 105 degrees. Um, how about Darwin?

I think there is a general trend in young kids today to not care about their job and take no pride in their work. Hey its not their problem if they miss work, Who carses if they slack off and dont get the job done. Someone else will take care of it. I can get another job. Not saying thats what happened here, I have no idea what the reasons were. I was just commenting on the attitude of kids today to have a care less attitude, then complain when they don't get their own way. Rant over.

If you think that all life guards do is sit in a chair, then I hope none of them show up to let you swim ever again. That's just ignorant.

Its says that your comment was in response to mine. Not sure where you thought I said this but you might want to read my post again.

I'm sorry, it wasn't. I'm still new to the site; getting used to it! My comment wasn't to you, it was more in a general sense to anyone who thinks that all guards do is sit in a chair. That's like saying all mothers do is get laid.

Just because when you're there for a short period of time and all you see them do is sit in a chair, there's a lot more than that. Guards do more than just show up.

Edited by BostonSwim41 2013-06-17 2:17 PM

Hahaha I just meant that we all know mothers do much more than just have sex in order to be a mother. Guards do more than just sit in a chair. It was a pretty radical comparison, but I was just getting at the idea behind it.

WAIT! WAIT! WAIT!

Let me get my popcorn first.

I asked a question, and I get those answers. If I would've chastized, it would've been on the original posting comment, but I didn't. I was asking a question about WHY the O.P. assumed the "BT Community", not chastising. Perhaps if I left the "Uh" out in my question.

Anyways, continue to chastise. It's interesting to know who to avoid or blast in the future.

So I'm lost on this branch of the original thread.... Am I being asked the question or is someone else? This whole thing is just a little toooo ironic. Yeah, I really do think.



Edited by siouxcityhawk 2013-06-17 3:35 PM

Please take a breath and come in off the ledge...if you look back at MY comments (including "Good advice that you just didn't take") and some of the quoted replies...they are lyrics to a SONG "Isn't it Ironic" by Alanis Morisette.  Some people 'got it', you obviously didn't.  I'm sorry if you feel offended. My intention was NOT to offend/insinuate/chastise/avoid or 'blast'. 

Geezz Laweez, I'm going to COJ.

Edited by jeffnboise 2013-06-17 3:40 PM

Not commenting. Not worth my time.