Pool PR & getting frustrated with the Y pool people

Congrats on the PR! Very nice swim. I get frustrated with some of the Y swimmers as well but I imagine that I frustrate just as many of them. I'll just comment on the points you brought up and give you my take on them.

1) Unauthorized lane entries - I never knew I needed an "authorization" to start swimming in a lane. When I enter a lane I usually dive in from the deep end when another swimmer is at the other end of the pool and I glide underwater with a light kick to the other end of the pool. This allows the other swimmer see that there is another swimmer in his lane, I don't think there is a need to wait for an opportunity to speak to the other swimmer and ask if I can join him. If I am swimming in a lane by myself I automatically swim in circles to make it easier for someone to join in without interrupting my workout.

2) Splitting lanes - I automatically circle swim unless someone secifically asks me to swim sides. I honestly don't think there is ever a need to swim sides. When people swim sides it makes it very awkward for a new swimmer to enter your lane. I hate going into a pool and see people sitting on the bench waiting for "a lane" because they are "all taken", and there are 12 people in the pool. The maximum capacity is 235 people and the pool is "full" with 12 people. Swim circles and it's easy to swim with 3 or 4 people in each lane.

3) Slow-Med-Fast lanes - This is so subjective and is just a guideline to try to get people to swim with others of the same speed. If you are the first person in the pool at a 1:52/100 pace, start in the middle lane and let people go where they will when they see your pace. If you see the "slow" lane filling up and noone in the "fast" lane the YOU are the fast swimmer of the day and you should move over and let the faster swimmers in the "slow" lane move to the medium lane. (In a perfect world of course)

Just some thoughts.

If I ever go for a swim in a pool outside of Australia Im going to get in SO much trouble!!!

Because all of our pools (at least where I swim) are generally pretty busy getting a lane to yourself is unheard of - you get to the pool and you jump in the most appropriate lane for your speed (Slow/Medium/Fast) based on the the people in the water.

Then you swim... politeness says you try to swim with people of similar speeds and space out the lane so you arent turning right infront of someone etc but people do it to me all the time!

All pools here are circular swimming - thats just how its done so on the odd occassion Ive had a single lane I swim that way. This works so if someone joins the lane they can hop right in and start swimming safely. To me it seems safer to circles swim because then there is always room for other people to join the lane without stopping anothers workout - but this is always what Ive grown up with too!

I aways have what I call 'people issues' where Im stuck behind someone in a lane or (even worse) someone who I get stuck behind and then wont let me swim through (that is BAD pool ettiquette). Having said that my main swim location is an outdoor 50m pool with 8 lanes across and even then I have had as many as 11+ people in the one lane! I also find there is a small portion of the population who think they are faster than they are....

Always pick the lane appropriate for your speed or if there are free lanes only use them as long as they are free then return to the appropriate lane for your speed... otherwise I will deliberately do sprints to get around you until you get the message... ok Im not that bad but Ive thought about it!

I will say busy pools make swiming sets on a time based interval really hard... I cant often do those kinds of workouts at the times I swim because with the amount of people in the lane I try to avoid getting stuck behind someone who is slower than me deliberatly (by say waiting a full rest interval) and because the constanct changes in pace just arent pratical when the lanes are that busy.

I also find that I sometimes change lanes during a workout - so might go down a lane for drills and up a lane for sprint sets. While its not ideal at least Im swimming the right speed in the right lanes for my workout even if I have to change a few times.

With winter setting in here i have noticed the pool is a little quieter... especially when its raining...guess not everyone things swimming in an outdoor pool in winter is fun!

Congrats on your PB and I hope you find lots of creative ways to make the pool situation work for you! Good Luck!

tcovert - 2009-04-22 12:31 AM
I've always understood the etiquette to be as above:  2 people = swim sides, 3 or more = circles. 

I always just automatically swim to one side of the lane when I do endurance sets, since people will just jump in without warning and I'd rather not run into them.

X3

Each Y, and really most pools, should have a lap etiquette posted or written for anyone that asks.  I am not only a swimmer at my local Y but also an employee so I have seen it from both sides.  Our Y had lap etiquette and it is clearly posted so there cannot be any arguments.   We do have people arguing but it is easy to correct because the rules are posted.  Two people in  a lane swim side by side.  Three or more circle swim and each lane is marked by pace.  If someone is walking in the fast lane and two or more people are looking to swim laps in that lane,  the walker has to move.  The speed is relative and sometimes you just have to deal with it.  As someone mentioned,  if there are 3 people already in the medium lane circle swimming and only one in the fast lane, you better believe I am getting into the fast lane.  

To be very honest,  when I am swimming in a lane to myself, which rarely happens, I do not take the middle of the lane because I know soon there will be someone else entering to swim with me.  I also don't want someone to interrupt my laps by trying to get my attention before they start their laps.  I think that if you are swimming in a busy pool, I feel it is my responsibility for my own safety to keep an eye out on who is in a lane with me and potentially who might be joining me in the lane because I cannot rely on other people to make their intentions clear.  I practice my sighting by scanning he pool deck as I am approaching one end  to see if anyone else is getting ready to join me.

Where I swim there are a few swimmers that don't stop.  So, what I do is get on the end and kinda wave my hand under the water as they approach (hello - I am here).  Otherwise if I were to wait for them to come up for air I would be there all day.

What I have done with a few regulars though is just talked about it and we all just agreed that if one person is alone in a lane that they can jump right in a go - no need to wait or anything.  It is nice if you can find some regulars like that.

Being new to swimming in a competitive capacity I should probably apologize to everyone at my pool.  I had no idea there was pool etiquette in regards to entering a swimming lane etc.  This thread has been very revealing and helpful.

These are all good points, but I'll tell you what irritates me.  I belong to a fitness center with a pool, just 4 25yd lanes.  Usually, there isn't a problem, I'm the only one in the pool-nice right?  But on several occasions, there have been 4  people in the pool.  1 per lane-not a problem.  2 are actually swimming laps.  The other 2 are friends, 1 in each lane who swim to opposite ends of the pool, hang on the wall for 10 minutes, BSing.  Get out, go to the whirlpool, (this is when I choose a lane), then get upset that I've "taken" their lane and proceed to try to kick me out of the lane by swimming in the middle.  I have no problem sharing, but I expect the same courtesy.  If they want to chat and idly "swim", they can share their own lane.  
That's my rant.