Me "do you want to circle swim or sides."
Him "I don't want to share."
Me "Well I wasn't asking and the rules are posted right there saying you have to share. So again, circle or sides?"
Him "I am almost done, can..."
Me "Don't get in my way, I am swimming on this side"

That's how I go about it too.

Is this an American phenomenon? Or am I just sheltered? I've never had an issue with someone sharing lanes, although if there are a few lanes and the pool is full I do try and choose my lanemate carefully. I don't particularly enjoy lapping someone every couple of laps.

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Don't give him the option next time typically those clowns have not shown up at our local facilities once they get their bluff called. Let them blow up, guards call them on it and you go about your swimming and they will simmer down or stop coming. It's amazing the thinking process though that most don't even ask to share they just wait even when invited. I have made it known to the guards I'm happy as a clam to share and to drop a foot in front of me if I'm swimming a longer set to let me know someone is there. Oddly most are just happy to wait for the lane to be all theirs never been able to grasp that one. Amazing how the club team will drop 10 kids in a LC lane and no one dies.....but some joker always needs the lane to themselves.

This is how its done. I get in the pool and say "do you mind if we circle swim?" Too many years of swim practice left me incapable of splitting sides. If someone insists on splitting a lane that way its only a matter of time until I come off the wall on the "wrong" side of the pool and head butt them.

Me "do you want to circle swim or sides."


Out here, the default is sides if there are 2 people in a lane. Protocol dictates that the existing swimmer gets to pick the side. Then, chaos incurs when a 3rd attempts to join. What I've found is that there are so many people who have no idea how to circle swim. It's as if they have no experience anywhere else in their life on staying to the right, regardless of which direction they are traveling on the road, err, pool. Most people prefer to sit and wait it out in lieu of circling.

Adding to the noggin' scratching is why, when given the option of joining a lane of someone swimming versus someone water walking, the incumbent water walker will almost always picks the swimmer. It's as if there's some sort of water walking rivalry.

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Take a short break from ST and read my blog:
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The local pool seems to draw all the crazy denizens out. There are 6 total lanes and the pool is 100ft or 33.33yds. They put out signs stating Fast, Medium, Slow and wouldn't you know it the fast lanes always get filled before the slow or medium lanes. Yep, the backstrokers with their rash guards and sunglasses on and the swimmers who spend more time hanging out on the wall blocking it than swimming. The biggest joke is all the guys who hover around wanting to get in the fast lane with their million "swim toys" then get in only to barely be able to cruise 2min per hundred. I wish the pool would put some sort of pace range designation on the signs. I actually got yelled at by some dude who said "bro what the fuck is your problem" this weekend for passing him in the lane. Mind you he was wearing full on fins and still swimming slower than 2min pace and felt he belonged in the fast lane. <palm on forehead>

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I'm not sure what my lifetime swim mileage is but it has got to be close to 20K. Other than races, I can only think of a handful of times I actually had a lane totally to myself for any protracted stretch much less a whole workout. When you swim, you are not really "sharing" when someone else is in your lane. Multiple people to a lane is just how swimming is done unless you have a really unpopular pool.

This ^^
After a couple thousand meters I start to get stupid and forget.

There seems to be a direct relationship between the stupidity of the aquatic activity and the practitioners right to take up space. The more idiotic the activity, the more space the person deserves.

Wow... I'm still wrapping my head around there only being one other person in a lane. At my local pool, 6 people to a 25m lane is not unheard of during lunch hour.

I hit the pool at 5am. Rarely do I have to share a lane. If I do, it's with another serious swimmer. Granted it is 5am so you have to be pretty serious to wake up that early to swim.

On Sunday's the YMCA opens up at 1pm (they share the parking lot with a 2000+ member church (cult) so they wait until their rituals are done before opening. These days are nice because I can sleep in. Down side: kids in the pool. Never mind the family pool 10 yards away and parents who feel their kids can go anywhere.

If I have to share, I just put my legs in. That's the international sign of sharing. There is no choice in the matter. It's just working out the logistics. What's interesting, is that when the pool is full, I see people waiting for a lane. People who don't understand you can share. The LG's don't say anything.

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The curious task of economics is to demonstrate to men how little they really know about what they imagine they can design.

This morning two of us were looking for a lane. All had two or more people (some swimming, some not). While checking out prospects one person left, leaving one lane with only one person. This was the guy that studiously avoided acknowledging us, then later complained to my partner (thankfully she told him off) and another swimmer.

Meanwhile, one lap in I wave over a fourth person who was waiting for an opening. "Join us if you don't mind circle swimming." "Thank you SO much. That would be great." As he left later he made a point to wave and say thanks again. I'm trying to remember him as setting the tone for my day...

Some pools around here impose a 2-person-per-lane limit.
...but these are the same pools that don't allow anyone under 18 to lap swim.

Don't look at us all too weirdly. Some are actually being respectful by not circling.

As a runner, I get frustrated when I'm at the local track running 400 repeats and I need to negotiate Princess Yoga Pants and her Posse who are walking 5 wide. If I see swimmers who I know I can't keep up with, I won't circle because I feel like I'm getting in their way and I know I'll spend my workout thinking about staying out of their way instead of thinking about my technique. So, yes, I will wait in this instance to split sides.

I have circled before but with my wife and others I know. I agree it's not too hard, but I just don't want to bust up anyone's mojo.

I just don't want to bust up anyone's mojo.

That's the thing- you and me circling in a lane has very little, if any, impact on my swim. I'm used to swimming with droves of people. Imagine going to a big meet and your entire team is granted the use of a single lane for warmups. That's 20+ per lane. At worst, I'll adjust my sendoff so that we aren't passing on top of each other. NBD. Just get in and swim.

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Take a short break from ST and read my blog:
http://tri-banter.blogspot.com/

I never had an issue in 4 years at the local Y. It wasn't very busy, though, so it was all 'split the lane' and no circle swim.

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Proud Member of Chris McDonald's 2018 Big Sexy Race Team "That which doesn't kill me, will only make me stronger"
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What Tri-Banter said - you won't interfere with the swimmers, we are used to it and will just figure it out (cue last week's thread about the guy dolphin kicking under someone ;) ). I've had people tell me they don't want to get in my way, I just tell them not to worry about me. Just hold a straight line and I will work around you.

My wife was a college swimmer and she tells me I'm crazy and should just get in, too. It's good to hear it from someone else.

I was assaulted by someone once. Really. Another person in the pool asked if I wanted them to call the police. I said no. There were 3-4 in every lane but one and that lane had 1 person in it. I did the "we are going to share" routine and she refused. She told me to share with someone else. I told her (this is all true, I promise) that she might get lucky and have me rub up against her (maybe why she tried to punch me in the face 10 minutes later). Here is the funny part: the woman was 75 years old.

Same here, 5am. It's like having a private pool sometimes.

The pool is roped off into three wide lanes (so basically two "regular-sized" lane widths making up each lane) so splitting the lane is easily workable with up to three swimmers. I've yet to see any more than three swimmers in the fast lane that early so I've never had to deal with circle swimming, although my training partner and I would circle in one half of the lane and let the other swimmer have the other half if asked.

That is a solid one! We do have some old farts who are hilarious. One old bat YELLS to the lifeguards 'he is splashing me' if water comes into her lane. She will just shake her head and mutter to herself bless her heart I think she has some dementia. At least she is in there swimmin'!

I just don't get the 50m LC issues though. I have had days with people varying up to an entire minute in 100 pace swim peacefully and happily together. Last Friday there were 3 of us, one of which is my friend who swims right at 2min 100m pace. So when I come up to here I go underwater dolphin on my back to pass her and she flips me off and is laughing hysterically. People are either fun or not. I'm of the mindset the babies who go nuts over sharing an entire LC lane are showing but a sliver of their personality deficiencies.

No. I am in Israel and it is even worse. I got told yesterday I am swimming "too fast and your wave is pushing me out of the lane". I told the lady she was in the designated fast lane and if she gets to swim as fast as she wants to why shouldn't I get to swim as fast as I want to? She then told me " it's all about me me me with you isn't it?". I told her she hasn't seen fast yet as I was just warming up still.

I have had people here ask me "did I give you permission to pass me?" I usually reply "did you know you were in the fast lane?"

It is really funny to watch people immediately put on their fins and paddles when I show up though. The ones at my pool hate being passed. Just fuels me more.

Ugh, 30 more days or so and out of here.

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Formerly TriBrad02

That's awesome! Do that to me and you'd certainly get to see my balls on one of your underwater passes!

Same exact problem at my pool. Even funnier when they put on the fins and paddles and still get passed and get more pissed.

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Fit Endurance Coaching - Head Coach|Facebook
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I love swimming in the lane next to the aqua aerobics. It's like OWS practice with the waves.

Never had this issue either at 3 different pools. Hell I've even had to share with water joggers in the deep end a few times due to limited lanes. Wasn't an issue. Now if I see that a group will be done in 5 min and the open lanes have people in them, I usually just wait the 5 mins and do some light stretching.

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Ian

All these stories are so bizarre. I grew up swimming in an 8 lane 50m pool each lane with 20 - 30 kids in it. I hate splitting a lane, but nobody ever circle swims around here.

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Two wheels good. Four wheels bad.

What would be awesome is if I was able to pass someone with underwater dolphin who was swimming fast.....only reason I can pass her is b/c she is so freakin' slow!

Also helps to prep. for open water swimming. Improvise, adapt, overcome...

I usually say something like "mind if I share your lane?" and I've never had anyone tell me no. If I did I would let them know that I was asking to be polite but it wasn't really a question.

I hit the Y pool at 5AM when they open & it's not uncommon to have a lane to yourself that early. There's a regular group of people that are all there at the same time most days, so you get to know everyone at least by face, so sharing isn't an issue if needed. The lane signs (slow/fast/medium) are all ignored & I'm not sure why they even put them out. When there are 2 people in a lane, you split. 3 or more, you circle. That's the posted
rules of the pool. I think I may have had to circle swim 3 times in the last year. It's pretty nice!

If I show up & all the lanes are taken, I know the speed & workout of most regulars, so I pick one that matches well with what I'm doing that day. That said, it gets interesting when a non-regular shows up. I always have to remind myself that we all were minnows at some point. I've had a couple minor run ins, but mostly people are non-confrontational. I will drop a leg in the end to announce my presence. If they ignore that, I get in & stand in the corner of the lane. If they ignore that, I see if they are trending to one side knowing that I am about to come at them at a good clip. If they are staying solid in the middle, I wait one more length and then push off the wall with them when they make their next turn, basically forcing them to one side.

Really, you told a 75 year old woman she might get "lucky" and then were surprised that she tried to smack you.
And you're proud of yourself?

If I can't get them to acknowledge me I give them the benefit of the doubt and assume they didn't see me. Then I sit by the poolside with my feet in the water, or stand in the corner of the lane, and see what they do. Some will talk to me and we'll figure out how to share, or they are experienced swimmers and know what's up and just move over without interrupting their workout. I watch them for one lap to see if they are splitting or circle swimming, then I swim.

If however they refuse to share, and at that point I'd know they are refusing because they clearly know I'm there, then I'll just jump in and be careful about how I pass them. Screw them.

Obviously this whole discussion is dependent upon the local posted rules for the pool. There are none for the Kona Aquatic Center. Here you have to ask, if they say no you wait.

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The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits. -- A fake Albert Einstein "quote"

It depends on when you go. I swim before work at 5:30 or 6 and there are normally only. Couple other peoe. If I go at lunch or after work it's packed.

Oh go Phog yourself. You were not there and you don't know what was going on. The women went batt-shit crazy the moment I asked her to share. Did I momentarily stoop to her level? Probably. Am I proud of that? Of course not. Do I look back and regret it? Not really. All and all handled myself with composure.

The Lifetime I swim at has 5 lanes that are on the narrow side. In the evening, 3 lanes are taken up by their kids swim teams so t can get to where you might have 3 people in a lane, but usually two at the most. I get there one night and there is a middle aged guy trying to swim. He can only go maybe 1/2 the length of the pool before he has to stand up. I sit on the edge with my legs in the pool until he gets back and ask what side he wants. He says he wants to circle. OK, whatever. We circle for a couple laps then when we get to the end I tapped his toes as perfectly as I can to let him know I need to pass at the wall. He stands up immediately. completely flustered. Then he jumps into the wall lane with 2 women walking and floating. The next lap he stops me asking if I'll switch lanes with him so I am sharing the wall lane with 2 walkers in the wall lane and he gets the second lane to himself. I suddenly developed a hearing problem and soon after invited another swimmer to split the lane with me.

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I'm beginning to think that we are much more fucked than I thought.

That's weird. I've swam in probably 20 different pools and have never seen one without the sharing rules explicitly posted, and/or the implicit reality on the pool deck is that everyone must share. Except maybe hotel pools, those few that have a lap pool anyway. I have no idea what their policy would be. Something non-confrontational no doubt.

Whenever I'm in Kona I swim in Kailua bay every day. Never made it to the pool. :)

No rules whatsoever??? Nothing about no running, no glass containers, etc???

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"Anyone can be who they want to be IF they have the HUNGER and the DRIVE."

I'm lucky to have very few bat*** crazy circle swim moments - the YMCAs here are invariably circle swim at the times I want to go. Even 5:30AM when it opens - you'll get to split a lane for maybe 15 minutes, and then its literally like 7 people in a 25yd lane shortly thereafter.


Circle swimming with 6-7 people of very variable speeds is a royal pain - it's one of the main reasons I got a Vasa trainer because I was getting so po'd by wasting precious workout time getting stuck behind slowsters in the fast lane (and I'm not even fast!) Passing 1, even 2 people is no problem, but when there are 7 in a lane, you're pretty much stuck in the chaos.

Same here, went years without problem, just last month had three people say "no thank you". For sharing I always aim for the faster lane mates, but this time only three lanes with one person. One middle aged Russian lady about 5ft tall says "no, you splash too much!", other lane the dude never stopped though I know he saw me, third dude says "I'm waiting for my wife to share". Thankfully someone jumped out before I had to insist with one of these guys. The wife did show up 40 min later, about when I was finishing with my workout.

Next time going the AJ route of "which do you prefer...".

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some days you're the windshield some days the bug

I'm normally in the pool by myself early in the morning, so lane sharing isn't an issue. However, when it has come up I always share and always suggest splitting the lane, simply because that is the easiest thing to do for a beginner.

On the other hand, just jumping in the pool without alerting or asking me may get you kicked or swam over/under. Asking to share is just basic pool courtesy, especially in a short course pool. I will neither confirm or deny that I have intentionally kicked off someone's chest because they jumped in the pool and stood at the wall in the middle of the lane. Sorry, I didn't see you there, I was looking down and back like you are supposed to do.

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"...the street finds its own uses for things"

I got a better one. I came in and there was one swimmer in every lane. One guy was hugging the wall. Middle aged, average swimmer, in decent but not great shape, probably a triathlete. :D So he sees me and says "wanna share"? I say yes. Then he points to one of the other lanes. "You can share over there". And dives under. :D What an asshole. That was the only time someone was being a real jerk. I've never had another swimmer say no to sharing. I did have plenty who pretended they could not see me.

And your calling me out in the other thread regarding Galveston??? ;)

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The only issue I had sharing a lane was at the Orlando aquatic center. Every lane had two people in it except one. I jumped in that one. The prick swimming in it look directly at me and basically shoved me out of his way. As I came to the end of the length, the lifeguard asked me to get out and share with a couple other swimmers. I asked why. He said that is Mr. Rosen (a local hotelier and board member on the aquatic center) and he is kind of a big deal. I said I know who he is, he goes to my temple. But what does that have to do with anything. It is peak time. He said "he gets his own lane". I said fair enough, why don't you put up a sign that says "Mr Rosen's Lane". He gave me a shrug. I said "because it would look pretty stupid wouldn't it". I ended up in another lane, but it pissed me off.

But I have never been able to get people to do circular swimming unless it is really crowded and a lifeguard is managing it. First time I shared a lane at one place (usually lucky enough to get my own), I assumed since there was a sign, that is what you do. But apparently most of the people there cannot read.

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"In the world I see you are stalking elk through the damp canyon forests around the ruins of Rockefeller Center. You'll wear leather clothes that will last you the rest of your life. You'll climb the wrist-thick kudzu vines that wrap the Sears Towers. And when you look down, you'll see tiny figures pounding corn, laying stripes of venison on the empty car pool lane of some abandoned superhighway." T Durden

Does it actually get that busy there? When I was there everyone had there own lane except 1 pair and it was pretty obvious they were training together. OT - but am I blind? I never did find the pace clocks.

I find circle swimming hard when I go to the Y. First, everyone starts out in their own lane. Then people split lanes with the wrong speed of swimmer. So now you have two to a lane in each lane, everyone going different speeds.

If someone wants to circle swim, everyone needs to stop and reconfigure the lanes.

It happens about once per year that it's that crowded, though.

Not that I mind circle swimming with someone close to my speed (or even not going so slow that I lap them in 100 yds), though. It's easier than splitting, I think.

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Chris Harris

The times I've swam by myself in a lane are so rare, I even circle swim when that happens... It also makes it easier when someone does jump in and I haven't noticed. Like someone else said, I've tried splitting once and had some collisions because my circle swim is so hard wired... I can't imagine people not wanting to share (it's not even theirs to share, really). That said, I do think it is common courtesy to observe the swim speeds in the different lanes and place yourself in the most compatible lane, but that probably goes without saying.

I told the gf that when she goes for a new job that moving will be contingent on finding a pool as empty as our current one and easy to get to. That was about a month and she didn't understand what I was talking about as she always went in the evening. She has since started to go in the morning like I do... and now agrees that it would be difficult to move and lose having a pool to ourselves.

I think i've had to split a lane only a handful of times and it has always been on a weekend or in the morning. Never had to circle swim in this pool ever. It is fantastic since there is generally no one there that it would work well with. In HS everyone in a lane roughly the same speed and doing the same workout, not the case now.

I find the older folks can be bought off with a 4 pack of Ensure.....keep 'em in the backpack and the lane is yours dude. Trust....I live in God's Waiting Room(Florida)

It's the Mad Max version of a pool. That will harden you up quick for a mass start swim.

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"Just don’t abandon everything you’ve ever learned because of something someone said on the internet." - Eric McGinnis

Good to know.

There are numerous county pools here so that takes a bit of pressure off no doubt. Honestly though, we're not just crowded most of the time so there are no lane sharing rules. During masters and juniors swims lanes can get scarce but that's not the norm.

Now during the IMWC, it's s bit different. Then there are lane sharing rules. I avoid the pool during that period of time and for awhile afterwards while they disinfect it. You're on the right track swimming in the ocean while you're here, it's an ocean race and there's more to look at!

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The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits. -- A fake Albert Einstein "quote"

No rules pertaining to lane sharing outside of IMWC time. The rest of the time it's wait your turn or ask politely and accept a no even if it's absurd.

There are a lot of other rules though.

EDIT: Uncorrecting iPhone autocorrects.

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The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits. -- A fake Albert Einstein "quote"

Related question: In the UK, Japan, Australian, and other drive-on-the-left countries, do people circle swim on the left? I notice in London that 50% of pedestrians walk on the left, 50% on the right, 50% up the middle, and it's utter chaos.

Earlier this month I went to the local Y and ask someone if I could jump in their lane. The guy responded "Sure. But only if you shower first." I was shocked.. and then just got into the lane next to him.

What did he think I did beforehand? Greased myself up before heading to the pool at 5:45 am? I know it's technically a rule at all pools, but who seriously showers before swimming?

couple of the guards at my pool will not let you in unless they see you showered. Since very few people are there in the AM they catch most people and send them back into the locker room.

Since you asked I do. Didn't back when I was younger but I do now.

I would shower then jump in the pool and take a piss.

Fomites - the stuff that makes people sick - are a result of the dirt grime and oil people carry into the pool - especially if they don't shower before. I think urine isn't big deal though.

My understanding is that swimming sides matches the rule of the road. Drive on the left= swim on the left. Drive on the right= swim on the right.

Here's a post from Australia that suggests so.

However, the Brits are a little wonky and have a funky system of circling. Read here.

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Take a short break from ST and read my blog:
http://tri-banter.blogspot.com/

Lane splitting does not even exist in Australia. If one get in a pool with even one other, its circle time. Next person in, just jump right on in and add to the conga line. If you're a bit faster, you can pass me on the straight if it's clear, or at the ends... If I'm faster, I can pass you on the straights, but I prefer to just turn 5 metre short of the wall so as not to interrupt your swim.
But if others are resting in the middle of the end of the pool, I will politely ( and onj the second request, not so politely ) ask them to rest in the corner so to leave the middle for turning swimmers.
Local 50 m pool slow = > 2:10 medium = 1:45-2:10 approx fast = <1:45 approx of course, there's overlap and some in the wrong lane, but certainly not the 3 min breaststroker in the fast lane etc
for the past year or so I have had the luxury of lunchtime swims at a private learn to swim centre with 2 6 lane 25m pools, and sometimes I have the whole 6 lanes to myself and I still swim off to the left side ( we go clockwise in Aust.)


but I was in Azerbaijan last month and at the hotels 25m pool, they just put lane ropes at 1/2 lane widths, so there was only one person per lane... but not many swimmers or noodle floaters either so that was not an issue

lane splitting.... haaa

x3

So true. Splitting a lane is just so counter-intuitive on so many levels for real swimmers.

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willmillertriathlon.blogspot.com

10 in long course?! Try 30 PER LANE at any big short course meet. No Problem.

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willmillertriathlon.blogspot.com

You're not. Trust me. I've often had to reassure people who thought I was "too fast" to share with that I will never touch them. I may come very, very close, but I'll never make contact. I've been doing this a LONG time. I know how I work, I know how water works. You don't need to worry about real swimmers, we've been avoiding folks in crammed lanes since we were in the low singles digits. We can make it work.

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willmillertriathlon.blogspot.com

Yep - in countries who drive on the left, we circle swim clockwise.
And lane splitting does exist in Aus, it is just... rare.
Some people get it, when the local pool is empty enough, I usually split with my wife.

I used to Lifeguard at a local pool. I saw one woman who was trying to swim counterclockwise, and jumped up and screamed when someone got in her way when they jumped in the pool and started swimming, I told her "In our pool, like on the roads, we swim on the left" She nearly jumped out of the pool and clocked me - "HOW WOULD I KNOW WHAT SIDE OF THE ROAD PEOPLE DRIVE ON, I DON'T HAVE A LICENCE"
My reply was 'now you know the rules, which are stated by the entryway, please abide by them so that everyone may enjoy their visit in peace an quiet'
I did not reply with the line going through my head "Guess you must be blind then" But I was very tempted.
Some days I miss being a lifeguard, somedays, not so much.

I prefer splitting the lane because I don't want to think about you at all. If someone wants to circle I can do that too. I won't consider you "not a real swimmer" either way.

Any time I split a lane I'm always worried I'm going to forget and swim right into someone. Never actually done it, although I've gone under people while coming off the wall, oops. Pretty well ingrained to circle even if I have the lane by myself and the rest of the pool is open.

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All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us. ~Gandalf

Yes, but 30 per lane of people who are capable of swimming at similarly respectable speeds is a world of difference from 3 swimmers with speeds of 2:40/100, 1:10/100, and 1:45/100, trying to do a circle swim. I'd gladly take the 30 person circle swim if everyone can hold a steady pace.

I do, and I've taught my kids to do the same during swim practice! :p

This! Don't know if it's a US thing or what, but over here (UK), or at least where I am, circle swimming is pretty much ingrained into everyone. My own pet hate is people breast-stroking in the fast lane....there's a big sign there, it says Fast Lane, stop it already! And sometimes it can be busy so you're having to sight every few strokes to check you can overtake the floater in front of you...all good fun though!

Wonder which pool that is. Sounds all too familiar - the Hebrew U pool is 33m long, the lanes are extra-narrow and the general population is senile seniors and clueless students. There's usually a 0:30/100m difference between me and the next-fastest guy, but they insist it's not my right to pass them (and will violently defend themselves).

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ZONE3 - We Last Longer

I broke a finger once getting kicked by a breaststroker in the fast lane. Overestimated their speed, made sure that never happens again...

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ZONE3 - We Last Longer

Circle swimming is way more efficient use of space. In the UK most pools have a lane board on the deck indicating the relative speed and the direction, i.e clockwise or anti-clockwise, and you alternate so the swimmers either side of the lane markers are going in the same direction. I guess it's because you're much more aware of the swimmers in your own lane and less likely to clash. This is only in effect at about half the pools I use - I travel a lot and specifically seek out 50m pools when I'm away. As often as not you'll be in a free for all with folks floating on their backs in the middle of each lane, etc… If there are lane boards indicating speeds and no self-seeding in effect, I'll call over the lifeguard and ask them to get involved - I'd expect them to do this politely, but that's up to them. I've paid money for lane swimming and if the lanes are a free-for-all I'll just give up on the workout and ask for a refund. Whilst timings on the boards would help sometimes (with those who are clearly where they shouldn't be…) it should all be relative so it's a dynamic situation and makes best use of limited pool space.

I don't know why lane splitting exists as opposed to circle swimming. What's the advantage, except to even more forcefully dissuade anyone else from sharing 'your' lane? "We're already two in here, buddy. Move along!" If people want to act like that, they shouldn't be in a public facility. If someone refused to 'share' their lane, again, I'd just simply speak to the lifeguard and have them deal with it. I'm not going to waste my time or deal with aggravation at the pool - this is what I do for a hobby!

There is a great deal of common-sense etiquette that makes public pool swimming better. When you get in, watch the swimmers for a few lengths and judge their speed. If they're significantly faster, move down a lane. If you can see someone gaining on you and they're likely to catch you in the next lane, pull aside at the end and let them through. Don't launch off right in front of someone who's already swimming, swimmers have the right of way over those joining the rotation. Don't launch off right in front of someone who's faster than you. If you're running into the back of everyone continuously, move up a lane. If you're running into the back of one person, call the lifeguard over and have them explain it to the person who just doesn't get it… Yes, it happens sometimes.

You can fit more people in a slower lane than a fast lane, but people do need to have some etiquette, and make it work. Don't expect everyone to get out of your way, and try not to hold anyone up unnecessarily. It's really obvious when someone, or a group, has really poor etiquette. Just make note and try not to be that person. There's a group at my local pool who drop into the fast lane and swim as a pack doing intervals. The ability ranges from good to bad, so if you're in that pool you just get swamped, and they stand around at the end several deep blocking the wall. It's pretty rude, but the solution is just to slot into another lane. At least then they're all just in one lane.


Just shower. It's essentially a communal bath tub we're all swimming in. If you don't like it, build a pool in your back yard and play by your own rules. This is like a post I read about turning cycling shorts inside out to dry them for the next ride…




I don't get why any of this is so hard. It's a shared facility; just be a bit considerate of others and expect others to do the same.

GF and I split on a busy saturday one time. She does a 2:00/100 plus just constantly swims doesn't do sets. and I usually am about 1:10/100 during a set. That day I was doing 50s on 50. Had we been circle swimming I would have been passing her EVERY 50. She would have felt like she was getting in my way and I would have felt like I was not getting in the workout I wanted.

This is why splitting exists, not having to constantly pass someone is the advantage. If someone else showed up they could have swam in one of the lanes with a single person in it. If enough people showed up for there to be 3 people per lane I would have gone out side to check out what world ending event was occurring.

Has nothing to do with trying to prevent anyone else from coming in the lane and simply can be a matter of that is what works best for the two people currently in that lane.

Many Canadian clubs swim the same way. The simple reason is you only need half as many lane ropes with that pattern. Up the rope back down the middle...

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http://en.wikipedia.org/...eoesophageal_fistula
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerebral_palsy
2020 National Masters Champion - M40-44 - 400m IM
Canadian Record Holder 35-39M & 40-44M - 200 m Butterfly (LCM)

Ah, the sweet advantages of swimming in 'Merica. We can actually afford 2 more lane lines.

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Take a short break from ST and read my blog:
http://tri-banter.blogspot.com/

We can afford them... but we change our pool set up and swim LCM year round... it means a quicker change over.

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___________________________________________
http://en.wikipedia.org/...eoesophageal_fistula
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerebral_palsy
2020 National Masters Champion - M40-44 - 400m IM
Canadian Record Holder 35-39M & 40-44M - 200 m Butterfly (LCM)

Doesn't really make sense.

So you want to have a lane with your girlfriend, and can't consider maybe being in different lanes. Obviously one of you should be in a faster lane than the other, and then the pool could accommodate more people overall.

Obviously if it's just about you and your girlfriend, then sure, no one else matters. But it's a public pool and in your example more people could use the pool if you circled in the lane ans self seeded yourselves.

Interesting stories about how the other guy does not want to share or cooperate.

OTH, when at the pool and I see someone waiting or about to start their swim, rather than waiting for them to ask to share my lane, I volunteer to share my lane.

Interestingly nobody refuses my offer, no matter how fast (in my case slow) or how much splashing I do.

It does make sense at our pool, with our lane setups, and our membership. May not make sense at your pool but it does at ours.


Our pool has 8 lanes. On a saturday morning there are usually 4-5 for lap swimming and then a general swim area. There is NEVER a fast, medium, slow at this pool at any time any day. It is a community pool at a college in a rich (for the area) little hippy town. The people swimming are generally over 60 doing 10 minute per 100 breast stroke. We are the two people in the "fast" lane despite our difference in speed. On a weekday morning there are about 8-10 (serious) people locally that come in across 5 days and 2 hour window before work, I don't think I've ever seen a lane shared for more than 5 minutes m-f.

Also again there is no need to accommodate more people overall, hence my comment that if there was ever a time that 3 people needed to share a lane the something is seriously going wrong with the world. I have never seen it that busy one time outside of when a swim team is using it, even then those times are known and people just don't go then to swim laps, I forgot once or twice there was only 3 of us in 2 lanes, 2 open for general whatever and 4 for the team. The 3 minutes or so I was sharing a lane while some guy finished up his 20 total laps he was there doing was better done splitting than circle.

But thanks you've never been to my pool I"ll make sure I let them know they are doing it all wrong despite no need at all to change.

 
Never an issue here

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These stories are great. I swim in a small 6 lane, 25 yard pool at a local high school. Masters meet 3x a week at 5:30am. If its busy we circle and if it's not we split. There are very mixed abilities but the coach does her best to put people in the correct lane. Its a very friendly group and having a coach probably helps keep any one from copping an attitude. Either that or people who don't like it just don't come back.

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Gary Mc
Did I mention I did Kona

My problem with circle swimming is as a life long fish, I'm usually decently faster than most everyone else where I swim, so circle swimming would devolve to constantly passing everyone else in the lane. That just gets super annoying very very quickly. Sorry for a humble brag. I'm slower than a 12 yr old who trains, but faster than your average run of the mill pool swimmer.

I just get over myself and swim... I am used to being in crowded lanes and I am keenly aware of others in the lane. My last 1500 was 17.13 last weekend. So pretty quick by masters standards.

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___________________________________________
http://en.wikipedia.org/...eoesophageal_fistula
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerebral_palsy
2020 National Masters Champion - M40-44 - 400m IM
Canadian Record Holder 35-39M & 40-44M - 200 m Butterfly (LCM)

I would seriously like to see you attempt to do a real training session in a typical summertime 6AM-8AM or 12-1PM swim at my YMCAs here.


You'll be circle swimming in the clearly marked "FAST" lane with:
- One girl who goes 2:00/100 and does not yield at the wall
- 2 guys/girls who are 1:45-2:00
- 1 guy who guys 1:30/100 but then does a slow kick set at 2:30/100
- An sometimes, you'll get the bonus guy with long scuba fins who is going 1:18/100 (he's slow as mud without them)

I'd don't see how anyone can manage to do a real workout under these conditions, which are the norm during summer months here.

So I'm primarily a cyclist who dabbles in triathlon. As a result, I don't spend much time in the pool so I would like to learn the proper etiquette here.

I get the point of circle swimming when you're all somewhat close in pace. But what if I'm at a different part of my workout and I need to kick while the other guys are still doing free? Do I move to a slower lane? Is kicking dumb?

Whoa, I said whoa, there. Are you suggesting more than 1 solution to a single question. I don't get it. Are you going to claim sauce can be both hot and sour next?

If you're going to kick at a slow pace in a circle swim, it's good etiquette to wait for a break in the circle such that you can start your kickset on a length and get to the other side without blocking the swimmer coming up behind you.

If you're going to do 100+ of kicking, it's worth considering dropping down a lane for the kick sets.

Honestly though, there's no good solution if your pool is as mine as I described above. Most folks in your lane would really appreciate if you just skipped the kick sets while you're in the circling fast lane - do them later or separately in the slower lane.

Sometimes if I have a tool for a lanemate I will do extra kicking to keep the peace, doesn't happen often. I usually swim 1-3 / lane. Its nice when we have a few faster guys in the lane to scare off others. The big thing is be polite & talk to people. I make a point of explaining that I am leaving on a structured interval and most won't push off in front of me at random or will ask when I am going. I have had a few ignorant impatient people now and again but they are the exception not the rule.

I will also do sprint 25's on a non fixed send off as a way to squeeze in as well.

Pretty sure most people think of me as "crazy fast guy" at the ymca. I occaisionally swim at another ymca and my 8 year old is usually 2nd fastest... heads turn for sure.

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___________________________________________
http://en.wikipedia.org/...eoesophageal_fistula
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerebral_palsy
2020 National Masters Champion - M40-44 - 400m IM
Canadian Record Holder 35-39M & 40-44M - 200 m Butterfly (LCM)

Once I went for a swim in the local pool. I was a swimmer as a kid. There was 5-7 people in the medium and fast lanes and only 1 in the slow lane. I didn't want to deal with 5-7 slow people in the fast lane so hopped in the slow lane. I swam the first 50m and then swam straight into this guy standing in my lane. I stopped and he then pushed me back, saying his "missus' is just learning to swim and I should be in the fast lane. He was a pretty big guy, and where I am in NZ has a bit of a gang problem (look up Black Power) . He pushed me again, and I was thinking I don't want a confrontation here, this guy obviously has major anger management issues. He kept yelling at me. I thought better to keep the peace and change lanes rather than have him waiting for me outside once I get out of the pools. So I went into the fast lane and shared it with the 5 other people who were going slowly...which is annoying as fuck when you have to keep passing people. I thought about making a complaint to the lifeguards but decided it wasn't worth it.

Had a guy at another pool tell me off. I was passing him on the right going into the end (we swim on the left here), had touched his toes to let him know I was there, and he somehow managed to put his shoulder between my feet and the wall when I tumbleturned. He tried to give me a lecture at the end asking me to be more careful. I asked him if he pulled into the right lane when cars were passing him on the right.

Another guy who I was sharing a lane with and circle swimming was swimming up the middle of the lane. I was right over my side but one time I came close to "touching him" and he gave me a barrelling.

That's crazy talk.

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Eliot
blog thing - strava thing

I actually have stopped touching people's toes for the pass entirely, after a few well-intetioned attemps were met with angry berating from a clueless slow person in the fast lane.

I'm pretty sure it's an insecurity thing - it's not uncommon if you're dealing with recreational swimmers who choose to swim in the fast lane (read: don't know anything about 'real' training and etiquette) that they'll be very self-conscious about how slow they are, and some of these folks unfortunately react to that self-anxiety by trying to hold their ground no matter what in the lane. It doesn't matter what the pool etiquette is to them - they feel like you're bullying them if you try to get them to change their behavior and they are quick to lash out.

You can tell pretty quick who these folks are going to be. They're the folks who insist on disrupting the flow of the circle swim with their kick sets or other slow swimming sets, and also who never yield at the wall, even if it's so freaking obvious that they should yield to the guy behind who's going 2x as fast.

With 3 people in a lane, it's easiest to just swim around them, but it gets pretty tough to do this when there are 4 or more. I wish I could do that underwater dolphin kick thing to go right under them in the same direction - I'm seriously thinking of learning dolphin kicks just to do that! (My dolphin is like 2x slower than my freestyle right now....)

On the very rare occasions that I am forced to circle instead of split this is my solution also.

I just gauge my send off so that I know I won't catch someone or be forced to pass and also so that I won't interfere with other people's send off. I can usually get in a ton of 25s and some 50s on short to medium rest and get in some great training until things free up a bit.

Last week I did this with me (1:28/100), a much better swimmer doing around 1:12s, and a lady swimming around 2:15s and we all managed to coexist quite nicely. Not ideal but I was swimming while other folks who weren't willing to circle were waiting on deck for a lane. Ain't no one got time for that.

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Jason
None of the secrets of success will work unless you do.

^^^ This.

Down here there's never a question about whether you're sharing or not. It's a public pool mate - you don't get the option. Just work out which lane you should be in (and they're usually marked 'Fast', 'Medium', 'Slow' and 'Multi-purpose'), get in and swim on the left.

Sometimes I circle left to fuck with people.

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___________________________________________
http://en.wikipedia.org/...eoesophageal_fistula
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerebral_palsy
2020 National Masters Champion - M40-44 - 400m IM
Canadian Record Holder 35-39M & 40-44M - 200 m Butterfly (LCM)

As in you go anti clockwise? You know that if that's the opposite way to the way the water goes down the plughole in your part of the world you'll trigger an environmental disaster of biblical proportions...

I just do some random 100 IMs - that fucks everybody by the time I've flailed my way through the fly to arrive at 25m underwater, bounced off the lane ropes both sides on my back & kicked a few hapless old buggers in the cods on the breaststroke. By the time I get to free which I'm almost passable at, I've cleared the lane:-)

If the lane is empty sometimes I go clockwise. Many go in the next lane, good swimmers are not fooled ...

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___________________________________________
http://en.wikipedia.org/...eoesophageal_fistula
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerebral_palsy
2020 National Masters Champion - M40-44 - 400m IM
Canadian Record Holder 35-39M & 40-44M - 200 m Butterfly (LCM)

SCY?

Right.

Right?

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What are you people, on dope?

—Mr. Hand

I was at a swim meet last year where they did that in every other lane. I suppose it was so people wouldn't hook arms in adjacent lanes.

I avoided those lanes since I had never really done that before then tried it at my home pool, it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be.

Another reason I like that format, some folks are hardwired to stay right and they have difficulty with change.

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___________________________________________
http://en.wikipedia.org/...eoesophageal_fistula
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerebral_palsy
2020 National Masters Champion - M40-44 - 400m IM
Canadian Record Holder 35-39M & 40-44M - 200 m Butterfly (LCM)

I have been living in Germany for the past few years and it took me a long time to accept that swimming in Germany is always chaotic in some way, and more or less every session results in body contact of some sort.

After trying lots of different pools, different days and times, I split my swim sessions between 2 different pools; a 50m and a 25m, both are chaotic in their own special way.

The 50m pool between 7-8am usually has 10-12 people per lane, in the evening it can be 20+, which wouldn't be so bad if there was any ranking of the lanes, but there isn’t. People just get in which ever lane takes their fancy and no one controls anything, so there’s always a mismatch of abilities in every lane and some inevitable body contact.

This morning was a really good day - I only shared a 50m lane with 6-7 others, and my lane-mates were reasonably considerate - my lane-mates included a women swimming 2:00 – 2:10/ 100m, a man who alternated crawl / breast / back every length, 2 guys swimming together at I guess sub 1:20/100m, and a man swimming 2:30/100ms. More or less every length I needed to overtake or was overtaken by 2 people 10cm apart.

The 25m pool I use, like most pools in Germany don’t have any lanes marked, so people have to carve out their own virtual lane about 50cm wide to swim up and down, which works well ok until you get more than 20 people in the swimming pool or a group of old ladies breast stroking and chatting 5 abreast.

New low at my pool today: 3 of 6 lanes are completely empty and the person joining starts splitting my lane without even asking. I stopped and pointed out the empty lanes.

Sounds like you should have shared instead of being a dickweasle.

I have no objection to sharing if it's busy, but if it's not then I don't see why it's necessary. I even managed to make my point without calling anyone names.

Get in the lane and start swimming fly, you will have the lane to yourself in no time.

This is a triathlete who never swam competitively mentality. My son swims and I watched 100+ kids on his team warm up in 5 lanes with out issue several times this weekend and they were swimming all strokes.

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ishi no ue ni san nen | Perseverance will win in the end. | Blog | @nebmot | Strava | Instagram |

I am bringing just for two distinct instances this weekend. I was in the lap pool with the pool to myself and I had my kids come over to swim some laps (8 and 10), I asked the guard if they would prefer the kids share a lane or have their own (still empty pool) guard said its dead give them their own. Well we were swimming about 15 minutes and enough people showed up to each have their own lane, now come two distinct attitudes that I believe are polar opposites. My son was swimming his laps when an older guy (around 70) tapped him and asked if he could share (extremely politely), my son had the response I hoped he would and said, you can have the lane, I will share with my sister.

Now I had the opposite situation, I was swimming laps, and I naturally circle swim when I swim laps (not by choice, I just pull to the right so it works well for circle swim). I was swimming and suddenly hit someone else in the lane on the same side. At the end of the pool I said, hey sorry, I didn't know anyone else was in the pool and I was circle swimming. Her response was well I only split lanes and this is my side, now get out of my way. I was fine with splitting the lane, but at least tell the person in the lane you are joining, especially if you are changing how they need to swim their laps.

Sounds like the older guy was way too cool to be a swimmer. Must have been a runner doing some cross training.

Last Friday, I was sharing a lane with 4 people because the swim team had 5 of the 6 lanes and there was only one adult lap lane. Somehow, I was the fastest and I was trying to do tempo/fast 100's and 200's. I was constantly dodging the others.

I was 200 into a hard 300 when one woman seemed to be dancing at the wall so there was nowhere for me to go and I ran right into her as I made my turn. Certainly not optimal but I paused and then went on my way. The woman and I saw each other on the way to the lockers and she apologized. I told her I had many more things to worry about in the pool than her. She looked at me like I was Mother Teresa and told me I have a great attitude.

Sharing a lane...it's not that complicated, even for intellectually-deficient swimmers (that's all of you, by the way).