retaliation during a swim?

Perhaps he did it on purpose.  Perhaps it was an accident.  You won't know unless you talk to him and find out.  We are all human and tend to see things that happen to and around us through our own lense of our experience.  Maybe he's been through something similar where the person passing was rude and obnoxious.

Each pool has it's own rules about lane sharing and passing, etc.  Maybe he's mistaken on the rules governing slower swimmers in the faster lanes.  Or maybe the rules say you're not supposed to pass.  Or maybe it was an honest mistake on his part. 

In my experience in my swim class, where I have to swim with a number of different swimmers of different abilities, it's frustrating to share a lane with someone going significantly faster or slower than I am.  If there's someone fast coming up behind, I always feel like a rabbit that's being chased.  If I'm coming up on someone slower than me (if that is possible) I generally slow down so as not to rush them.  Only once or twice have I been passed, and I have to admit that it did ruffle my feathers -- I mean, I know I'm slow, but there's no need to point it out to me. 

Surprisingly, this semester I seem have been stuck in a lane with people who are just a touch slower than I am, at least on the drills we've been working on so far.  Instead of passing them, though (since there are 5 in a lane, it's impossible to pass even if I wanted to), I'm considering moving into the next lane over.  We've sort of self-sorted into lanes based on speed, and I may have progressed into a slightly faster lane (or the new people in my lane are a bit slower).

How did you get in a lane with someone so much slower than you that you needed to pass him?  It sounds like one of you should be in a different lane.

OK...so I've been swimming for a long time. Like 33 years. Age group, HS, college, masters, triathlon, OW. At levels from just learning how to race when I was a pup, to collegiate and US Nationals. I've swum in the relative pandemonium of the La Jolla Rough Water Swim, USAT Naitonals, and 1000-swimmer mass-start tris. I've even spen a fair amount of time at the Y in the lap lanes.

And after all that, I've never had incidences of malicious violence, beyond standard rough housing from too many people in too small a place in a tri or OW swim start. I played a bit of water polo, but that's a totally different animal. Karate chop to the hamstring? Shot to the ribs? I dunno, to me it's almost unimaginable that this would be a common occurence. Maybe the occasional wingnut who's had a bad day, but I've never seen it.

Another poster said something about a conversation. I think that's the way to go. Find the guy or girl stopped on the wall and ask them, in a non-confrontational way, what's up. Most likely an accident. But to retaliate? To me that just seems silly. Maybe it was an accident. Lanes aren't very wide for grown people to share them and not have occasional contact. But to just haul off and sucker punch someone seems extreme.

Some people aren't used to being tapped on the feet, so I don't know, maybe that's part of it?

I pass people if I need to (rare) - either bounce off the wall, or just turn around BEFORE the wall and start swimming the other way.  If people need to pass me, I stop at the wall to let them by, then follow them.

I've had contact in my lane with one or more swimmers besides me - IMO, it was always accidental - almost a head on collision once when the other guy was doing backstroke and got a little off course into my side.  Been kicked by someone breaststroking, various connections of arms/hands/feet.  It happens occasionally.  Now, if it keeps happening, I would need to talk to that person and ask them what's up.  I'm talking like maybe some contact once or twice in a hour of swimming here.

IMO - you don't go to the pool and start beating on people.  In a triathlon, well, you still don't go out there to show you're the biggest, baddest swimmer - but you DO protect your space more, higher elbows, etc.  It can be a trip, swimming next to someone with practically locked arms.

If you want to see the difference between triathlete swimming and real swimming, do an OW event that's just for swimmers.  There's hardly any body contact at all, besides a little bit of feet tapping if someone swims up behind you.

Here's my policy if I get roughed up during a race:

First time I let it slide.  May have been an accident, I'll keep on truckin'. 

Second time from the same person is going to result in either an elbow, body bump or a foot to the shoulder/head/whatever. 

Of course, if it's obviously accidental I won't do anything.  Most of the races I've been in haven't had too much rough play in the water. 

99% of the time contact is accidental.  You throw that many bodies into the water at once with limbs flailing and someone is going to get bumped, it's just a fact that comes with the sport.  Most triathletes are courteous and eager to help their fellow athletes.

However, you do get the rare person who is just a jerk and they'll grab your leg and yank you back, try to swim over top of you, elbow you intentionally (and you can definitely tell when it's intentional), etc.  It's undeniable that people like this are out there.  I usually give them the benefit of the doubt the first or second time, but if it's blatant you're going to get some back.

Probably, but if you do it it should be on land. That way they won't drown when they're unconscious.

Mmmm. As an only child I've heard the mantra that I don't play well with others!

That said I've read the book, "Hands are Not For Hitting," as well. Maybe I'll send you a copy smokeeater! Ha.

Seriously though I am the most non-competative person (most times) because I'm always slow but I don't like getting hit or touched when I swim. So when I swim in a race I usually go high and outside and I usually don't bump into anyone. I can also tell if a touch is accidental. If someone touches me on the foot then they get a mouthfull of bubbles as I turn up my speed. But I've never been hit, kicked or punched in the head. Then again I don't swim with guys and most of the women in tris I can pass. My vote is to actually wait and talk to the person that hit me. And I'll ask point blank if they did it on purpose. If they say no then I'll let it go. But if they say yes I proceed to give them the beat down! Well, not really.

I think there are two issues here....Etiquette in the pool and etiquette in the OW during a tri. It is hard at times for me to think like a "beginner" or "newbie" in the pool since i have swum since HS.  There are those that "get it", meaning they will adapt to the circumstances, whether change lanes, circle swim, or share a lane as best as possible. There are those that don't get it yet, or know and discussion/explanation you would think would be welcome. Then there are those that just don't care. I have found quite a few of those recently...not to stereotype..but they tend to be older and every time i talk of "sharing a lane"  i have been barked at.  In the pool, i think talking, using a lifeguard if possible (unfortunately they are often 16 yrs old) is the way to go.

In the open water during a tri...well my experience is 1..Sand/running start...didnt know where to place myself...so sort of first 20 of wave of 75.  There was definitly some pushing, elbows, kicking etc...but i just chalked it up to adrenaline, excitement, and about 50 people or so all trying to be in the same place at  the same time. I dont see it as malicious or intentional, and everyone should think of where they should position themselves for the swim start.  If there was a persistent problem with someone in the OW though...no discussion needed. Wouldnt want to waste energy with them...id do whatever it took to seperate myself permanently from them as quickly and easily as possible, whether an elbow, a leg, or just grabbing there suit/wetsuit at the hip and pulling them back while pushing myself forward.

My .02 worth

JT