cut short

I will sometimes sit and wait for people to get out of a lane, rather than try to swim while dodging their flailing limbs, etc. There are a lot of BAD swimmers at my pool, and I'd rather not have my workout ruined.

no it was just annoying

My last pool session I witnessed the MOSTclueless behaviour in a pool. I was in disbelief. To be slightly fair the pool staff was hugely at fault here. First off I was MID swim when I noticed the pool staff was removing the lane dividers. I just figured I'd finish that lap and find out was goin on since the schedule had swimming in that pool for another 1 1/2 hours. Not seconds later I go head first into another swimmer. OUCH. She didn't see me and I guess I was swimming looking back too much. We made our way to the side where a lifeguard now told us ( didn't see us collide) that the pool was being opened for the diving board and swing, but we could swim down the middle if we wanted ( UH, no thanks) or the other pool ( warm teach pool) was open for lengths. SO we both head over there along with 2 other guys who looked to be there for serious training. The staff doesn't put in lane lines. WThell. SO we all just spread out and start swimming back and forth. I pick the edge of the pool and hug it tight my head is still ringing. The this elderly lady with a waist floaty gets in the pool and proceeds to hand pull herself along the pool next to the lane I'm in. Then she parks herself at the end of my "lane" and starts doing exercises where she's floating her legs out and then pulling them back. Totally oblivious that I have to swing around her. Then after about 10 minutes two woman with their 11/12 year old get in and start swimming three abreast right at me WHILE having a little chat. Luckily I did see them enter the pool so I was paying pretty close attention and swam between one woman and the kid. They proceeded to meander back and forth and basically left it up to me to avoid them. Good practice for an ow tri I guess??!!! There were sign boards set up identifying it as lane swimming, but I don't think those women would have entered the pool had there been proper lane lines set up ( or maybe they would have they were that clueless/ignorant) and had there been proper lanes those of us there to seriously swim( ended up being 6) could have formed up better to share lanes, but with no structure it was a mess.
I went the next day and bought a wetsuit and have since had two absolutely fantastic OWS with nobody nearby.