I would guess that your privilege to use the diving blocks is only valid during team or masters practice... how is she (or any random lifeguard) supposed to know that you're entitled, during an open swim session? Even if she knows, because she knows of you, how does she explain to all the other people in the pool that they cannot use the blocks?

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Less is more.

doesn't sound like she reprimanded you. Just told you about the policy. It actually sounds like she was nice because she did it via IM and not in public in front of everybody.

Pool i work at only allows squad to use the blocks when supervised. I use discretion and would let squad kids i know have a practice, but I don’t know all of them.

How is it her place to even say anything? She’s not a lifeguard or a coach, yet she went out of her way to specifically talk to management and determine I was the person diving. Since there are others that dive off the blocks are they going to find and tell them as well? Perhaps if there was a problem it should have been management’s role to talk to me. Provided I’m not a danger to myself or anyone else what’s the issue and why am I the only one being told I can’t do it anymore.

Hell, during swim meets kids that aren’t even members are diving often without being watched. WTF?...

Full disclosure, I had my own lane and no one needed a lane to share.

Apparently I’ve lost the privilege to dive, so yeah I’d call that a reprimand.

Very bizarre she didn't say anything at the time and followed it up with a FB message! In Australia a lot of pools ban diving off blocks for safety reasons, especially in shallow pools. Lifeguards would normally pull u up on this. I'm surprised (if it was banned) that no-one mentioned it at the time. It would have been obvious to the lifeguards, unless they weren't doing their job.

Why do you need to practice diving-do you compete?

She asked if I was swimming this morning around 10am. I told her I was. She then told me diving was not allowed and she verified it with management. She said “So you’re aware the next time you swim”. Diving is permitted for the swim team and masters (which I paid for two years). Many other fellow swimmers practice dives. I feel like she really singled me out.

Why don't you just ask management to confirm it?

It is painted “No Diving” all over the pool deck.

It sounds like she's not singling you out at all.

As a former lifeguard and pool manager loads of things going on here:


This. We never allow the diving blocks to be used during public sessions. By anyone. Only when directly supervised by a swimming teacher/coach in a lesson or squad training session.


If she is an employee of the pool (as opposed to someone hiring pool space to run her own sessions) then she has a duty of care to report H&S issues, regardless of her actual job role.


Yes and no. On the one hand she was in the middle of delivering a session of her own. But on the other hand, if it is truly against the rules for H&S reasons, that should have taken precedent.


But this is quite odd. Although:


Which is actually quite a nice way to go about it.


Keyword there, apparently. I'd check with the pool management exactly what the score is next time you go, because if you really aren't allowed to dive off the blocks, I can't believe that any lifeguard who's not literally asleep would let you do it 12 times. Back in the day as a LG I would occasionally be "slow" to tell people they couldn't dive in so that they got their one in, but knew they couldn't do it again, but 12 times? And if the LG wasn't paying attention, I'm surprised that the instructor didn't point it out to them at the time so that they could speak to you.

Ultimately, the mistake you made was diving in next to the aqua aerobics session. From my lengthy experience in Leisure, albeit in the UK, aqua classes are populated in the main by a certain sub-section of customers, ones who sure as shit don't come to the swimming to pool to get their face, or god-forbid hair, wet!

Some things are just incompatible. Racing starts and people bobbing along during aqua aerobics, playing soccer on the velodrome grass, walking the dog in the bike lane and so forth. Those are just a few things that I can see that seem like logical oil and water type problems. I guess "management" does have a policy in place, whether enforced or not 100% of the time seems like bad management. I would have expected the lifeguard to mentioned something to you at the time. I know I have told others as a lifeguard/ pool manager to keep out of the lap lanes when they are playing, controlling ball playing, rough housing during open swim, and not doing sprint kick drills next to the exercise classes. I have seen a lot of odd things in the pool but never recall seeing racing starts next to the aerobics class. That seems like a no brainer. Everyone comes to the pool expecting an enjoyable experience, getting totally splashed by divers during aerobics class probably isn't going to help.

Pools are expensive to operate and multiple use groups are often sharing times/space. People need to be considerate of others and I guess some people that instance thought you were not. If this bothers you, why don't you just talk to the Pool or Facility Manager?

After all, what's the problem ? A splash ? FFS Its a swimming pool ! Its got water in it ! And its not like the heard of hippos in the class are going to be splashless and waveless is it.

I'd go do it on purpose then. Just to make the point.

Alternatively.. are there any 'no bombing' signs ? NO ? GOOD.
time to get some top bombing practice in. You never know how useful a life skill it is.
I got on the TV a year or so back at a local Tri by doing a bomb (into suitably deep water of course) start.

Then as you're a masters swimmer, I guess your butterfly is OK ? A few vigorous lengths of that, with maybe an over- exaggerated kick.

After all, wHt do they want ? Dry water ?

Do you know for a fact that she doesn’t contact everyone that’s diving outside the permitted times privately and respectfully remind them of the pool policy on diving just like she did with you?

I'm definitely a big hater on those aquatics classes that think swimmers splash too much. But I wouldn't ever do dives off a block next to them if I wasn't doing a workout with the swim team. Seems incredibly rude from here.

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 . . . aaahh, I think that is the rule most places. Lots of good explanations as to why.

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David
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Your first mistake was getting the blue-hairs wet :)

Sorry you can't dive anymore :(

The indoor pool is 24 hours with no lifeguard. You sign a liability waiver as part of your gym contract and that’s it. It is only guarded for public swim on weekends from like noon to 5pm. It’s pretty remarkable really and surprising. The deep end is 6 feet and the shallow end is 4 feet, so it’s shallow but still deep enough to drown. I’m kind of surprised she didn’t say face to face anything either.

I’ve competed in masters meets in the past. The workout from Triathlete.com called for dive sets. It’s a skill set I’d like to maintain and it breaks up the monotony. In my opinion they’re like flip turns in terms of prioproceptive movement.

You’re right about the mistake being I was diving next to the class. They were off the the shallows, but there must have been comments about whether it was dangerous or permitted. Perhaps her hands were tied. OTOH, if it was 5am no one would have said a word.

I was 25 yards away and was already using that lane. All other lanes were in use. They were not even close by.

From the tone of the thread it seems like the aerobics instructor handled the situation quite well. On one hand it's probably not her job to guard the pool but as she's on deck she takes on some responsibility.
She recognised you and realised there was no real danger but knew about the rule.
Rather than make a fuss she informed you via message so in the future if someone does say something you are informed.
I've been on both sides of this. In the UK many of the pools have a blanket ban on paddles, snorkels, fins etc. I've been a user and been informed by a snotty lifeguard and I've been the coach that says "I don't care if you use them but there is a rule so if anyone complains just put them away".

This sounds like one of the one eye closed, one eye open situations. You sound like a regular that the staff recongnizes and gives you a wider berth. Probably safely doing the dives also helps.

But like many above have said, pretty sure it's required by most insurance policies to have the no diving signs present and enforced.

So while you probably felt that it was ok to use the diving blocks and continue to use them after no one said anything the first time, that doesn't make it right.

Was it right for the instructor to question your practice, absolutely. May it have been a bit douche, subjective. How she handled was definetly more classy than just going up to you at the pool and up front shutting you down. FB msg part agreed is above and beyond.

Unless your pool is an outlier, fairly sure I'd just chuck this up to you had a good run while it lasted.

....but, you never had the "privilege" to dive? Were you diving while practicing with the masters team you paid for?

It sounds to me like she just doesn't want to hear her class members complain to her about your diving in the future. Probably nothing more nothing less, and to be fair to her, you even say there are "no diving" signs plastered all over the joint. So one could probably infer that the management aren't too keen on diving in the pool. I don't know. Just a guess.

My guess is this ^

She likely doesn’t really care, but someone on her class complained to her, so she had to say something to you so that she could tell her member that she spoke to you about it.

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Swimming Workout of the Day:

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2020 National Masters Champion - M50-54 - 50m Butterfly

My regular pool has a similar rule, but I’ve gone off the blocks during lane swim before. The trick for me has been to ask the “right” lifeguard beforehand and get permission. Go to the pool enough and you learn who to ask and who not to.

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Swimming Workout of the Day:

Favourite Swim Sets:

2020 National Masters Champion - M50-54 - 50m Butterfly

I used to do the same, then I found out through a third party that one of the guards who let me use the blocks got reprimanded for not enforcing the policy. I save starts for Masters team practice, now.

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"They're made of latex, not nitroglycerin"

You're just not attractive enough. I was diving next to an aqua aerobics class once, and the next thing I knew I had like 30 80 year-old women stop and watch me while the instructor sang along to the music that was on - "It's Raining Men." It was really cute.

It seems the members were more distracted and in awe rather than annoyed. I think the instructor was irritated that it took the attention off her class. Her tone and tact completely caught me off guard. She was kind of mother henning me. I would have preferred she approach me face to face, rather than go out of her way behind my back. If she was a true authority on the matter, she would have approached me at the time of incident.

I have a good friend that pays the U.S. Masters Swimming annual fee so he can compete in meets. He doesn’t swim with the club. He’ll be in a difficult position, if something similar happens to him.

I’ll have to find a work around. Obviously no dives during aqua aerobics. Since it’s not guarded, I shouldn’t have any issue at the right time and circumstance.

Or the instructor at your pool isn’t a nosy old hag? Lmao.

“In awe”?

Oh my

Water Aerobics instructors are the worst.

You broke a pool rule and when caught, were politely asked to follow it. What’s your issue exactly??

These people are very old and not particularly athletic. It doesn’t take much. Believe me.

Perhaps if there was an issue management would approach me face to face, not some random aquacise instructor that I don’t know going behind my back to management and then personally handling it by cyberstalking my FB profile. But I’m glad she took the liberty to go out of her way to tell me what to do rather than management. Lol.

He’s awesome?

You don’t think a paid employee has the ability to enforce pool rules?? Or to discuss a situation with management without your knowledge or participation? Are you a part of the workforce?

As for the method of delivery, it is a little bizarre...I’m not even on FB so that wouldn’t work for me but I have little down if you use FB, then I think even you can recognize it’s widely used for all sorts of arguably inappropriate communications. The communication here was not nearly as over-the-top as you are making it out to be. You came here looking for support and you may receive some. But you are also going to receive a reality check that not everyone agrees that you are right here.

How would this face to face meeting happen? She was in the middle of a class, so, if she didn't interrupt her class for a potential confrontation, it wasn't going to happen then. That leaves her summoning you to the pool or stalking the pool till she sees you again.

Sounds like she politely relayed a request in a non-confrontational matter.

I'm with the group that thinks you were in the wrong and that this was handled relatively well.

Do you think that you are so special that the rules shouldn't apply? Because that is kind of how you are coming across....... "how dare they enforce the rules on me? I'm a masters swimmer (and a triathlete too, look at my laminated triathlon.com swim workout)!"

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

Damn dude you were going off the blocks in only 4ft of water? Going into 4ft is just plain stupid/dangerous (although I believe that is the current minimal rec although I thought it was 6ft 7in).

20 min sitting under the lifeguard chair for you the next time you roll to the pool!

IMO 6ft though safer is still pretty damn shallow for going off the blocks. From the side yes, from the blocks IDK, you do you, I'd personally pass and just go from the side.

6ft is marginal for safety for an adult off the blocks imo.

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Brian Stover USAT LII
Accelerate3 Coaching
Insta

I’ve swum in older pools that had blocks set up in about 4ft deep water, although that was a long time ago and I’m not sure if they are still set up with the blocks in the shallow end.

It was always a little sketchy when starting in those pools.

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Swimming Workout of the Day:

Favourite Swim Sets:

2020 National Masters Champion - M50-54 - 50m Butterfly

I’m going off in 6 feet. Lol. During the State HS Meet it’s used as a warm down pool. I’ve swam in there and had high school kids dive into 4 feet over my head, while we were resting on the wall. Kind of freaked me out. Just diving in 4 feet is very shallow.

Gotta say I’m in this group as well.

+1

You broke the rules and you lost me at " It is painted “No Diving” all over the pool deck. I guess it doesn’t apply to everyone but me apparently?"

So you knew you were breaking the rules, too.

How she approached it was odd, but it might be seen as a gentler response vs. approaching you in person the next time you're there.

You can always post in the "cry like a biatch thread" instead

So then why are diving blocks installed on both the indoor and outdoor pools? I suppose only for the use of the premium paying swim team members? That’s the only difference I see. One member pays more and gets more rights of use.

In addition, other members and non-members utilize them for diving, but apparently I’m the one that can’t now? I signed a waiver. I can think of much riskier ventures such as crossing the street. Spare me the damn rules, when the rules don’t make sense.

Swim team has coaches watching, so does masters. My pool has the same rules. It is a liability issue, and just because someone else is breaking the rules doesn't mean you should. Two wrongs and all that.

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This..

We often get squad kids come in during the day in summer holidays outside of squad hours, I’m happy to let them practice if they ask.

This is the most sensible and direct no non-sense response.

I guess if I’m not doing any meets I can just forego any portions of workouts calling for dives, so as to stay in line with club rules and etiquette.

I still think it wasn’t proper protocol for her to be the person to contact me and also the means of communication. Either way, I’ll get over it.

You really can’t comprehend how/why there may be a general no diving rule but an exception may be made for supervised, fee-paying, advanced swimmers??? This really comes down to you being upset that an exception wasn’t made for you. You aren’t being singled out. You just aren’t getting the special treatment/exception you feel you deserve. Too bad.

Ah, there it is.

Entitlement 101

Do you similarly break rules during races that you deem nonsensical?

lol. It's a shame you weren't able to piece it together on your own.

Lol talk about a thread backfire!!

Many outdoor pools also have 5 and 10 meter towers for the use of diving teams. Would you feel similarly entitled to use them at you whim? Damn rules. So inconvenient.

My 2 cents

1. If someone stalks you on instagram, ignore it....just go and keep diving. They can talk to you on the pool deck but they can't stalk you on your personal channel. Stalking on the personal channel is not an official communication. I say you have carte blanche to keep diving as no one from the pool talked to you on the pool deck. They have no idea if instagram you is swimmer you.
2. Having said that, probably best to dive when the blue cap crew does not want to get wet. The blue cap crew ALSO have the option to not be right up against the rope of the lane that you are swimming in. I have no clue why they keep moving back and back away from their instructor until I almost smack my arm on their heads as I do a 100 fly and someone is coming down the lane the other way....but I digresss...generally I am trying to avoid doing fly when the blue cap crew is in the next lane.
3. Once you get officially asked on the pool deck ask why. It is unclear if there are or are not "no diving signs". Is it no diving in the shallow end only or everywhere? Or does a purchase of a masters membership allow those swimmers to dive outside of masters in the deep end? You said other people dive too?

Thank you for lending a voice of understanding. Management should be conveying the message and not via social media. This is a big reason I was so put off. It wasn’t so much the message but the delivery was all wrong. How do I know who she spoke to and what was said? Such communication really needs to be conveyed on the pool deck by someone that’s in charge at the time of incident. I think she knew it wasn’t her place so she didn’t go there.

As well, I’m totally with you on the grey hairs creeping toward the lane ropes. They actually were repeatedly crossing my line and staring me down the day before, looking at me as if to say “Try me”. I’m always aware and try to be polite. Not these folks. They don’t share. It’s their pool for those that don’t know. These are the folks with entitlement issues.

Finally I agree with asking why? I’m assuming the response would be because it’s posted. Lol. That’s code for nobody really knows and it’s not enforced. The other obvious would be liability. They allow 24 hour unguarded lap swimming so I’d say they’re assuming a lot of liability all over the place in many areas.

The masters coach doesn’t know this woman and thinks she’s nuts.

Thanks again for seeing this from a non-judgemental perspective and from someone that’s just there to swim.

quote devashish_paul]My 2 cents

1. If someone stalks you on instagram, ignore it....just go and keep diving. They can talk to you on the pool deck butt they can't stalk you on your personal channel. Stalking on the personal channel is not an official communication. I say you have carte blanche to keep diving as no one from the pool talked to you on the pool deck. They have no idea if instagram you is swimmer you.
2. Having said that, probably best to dive when the blue cap crew does not want to get wet. The blue cap crew ALSO have the option to not be right up against the rope of the lane that you are swimming in. I have no clue why they keep moving back and back away from their instructor until I almost smack my arm on their heads as I do a 100 fly and someone is coming down the lane the other way....but I digresss...generally I am trying to avoid doing fly when the blue cap crew is in the next lane.
3. Once you get officially asked on the pool deck ask why. It is unclear if there are or are not "no diving signs". Is it no diving in the shallow end only or everywhere? Or does a purchase of a masters membership allow those swimmers to dive outside of masters in the deep end? You said other people dive too?

[/quote]

The blue hairs at my club steal an extra lane so they have more room. I do swim butterfly and do some pulling right next to them. My goal is to be out of there by 9am when their class starts so I have not been in a recent conflict. You should see the stink eye the guy moving the lane line gives me haha and he is typically wearing a hat he is trying to keep dry.

I am definitely thinking to do more sprints from the blocks for training in 2019 and also some underwater sets to improve my turns. My club does not prohibit diving but I’m not sure about using the blocks but no lifeguard on duty. This is a very under practiced area neglected by older swimmers. When the college swimmers come home and train on their own they all seem to do underwater sets of some kind.

As far as the club rules on diving. I would go straight to management for clarification though I don’t think you need to throw the aqua aerobic lady under the bus. Tell them you are a competitive masters swimmer and offer to avoid diving in front of the aqua classes and only in the deep water lane etc. educate them that starts and turns are actually an important part of practice. Suspect you won’t get anywhere but you might gain an understanding that it will tolerated if no further complaints are received

[/quote]
Hey, I THINK the issue is privileges granted vs rules. At some point, if everyone is diving and no rules enforced that privilege becomes the norm for everyone. That's like everyone on our highway speeding at 110-120 kph. Either enforce it for everyone or the rule may as well no exist. Now, if you are one of many divers, then they can say, "It's the rules" at which point you can say, "fine, I won't dive, but no one does...the moment I see no enforcement of diving on others, then it's open season on diving...". They can turn around and say, "No we can enforce it on any one we want" (and they will be correct, but at least you ask them to enforce it on everyone)

I have a ridiculous body was 6'3" wingspan on my 5'6" body. I have neck and shoulder limitations on one side so my right arm swings wide on freestyle. Because of this, I swim a bit in from the lane so as not to smack people in the next lane. But this old dude complained about me and they made a "rule" that I can't swim with paddles. Its a rule for one person. I fought it but this old dude basically hates me and he'll come up with another and another and another thing that he does not like about me and keep complaining (I think he hates it when I swim fly, but what what about the guys who do wide breast stroke under water in the fast lane....same thing less visible). We're both regulars at the pool so I figure itis easier to co exist than fight it. So I don't use the paddles at this pool.....well guess what, I went to another city pool when a swim meet was happening at ours and since we live in a similar part of town, this guy was there at the VERY SAME TIME. Well I was at the other pool using my paddles, and he comes over and says, "I am going to complain about you"....WTF....I was in a solo lane minding my business and did not even come near him and he wants to transpose his 'victory rule' from Pool A to Pool B. I asked him to go ahead and complain to the guards. I ended up doing a nice long 6000m swim with 3000m with paddles (because I COULD at this pool), and then I go to the lifeguard afterwards and ask if the old dude complain and she responds, "Swimmers are allowed to use paddles....you're good...we sent him away".

In any case, all that to say, its about co existence and working with the management. It's a shared space, so work around all these people. And I disagree wtih people saying you should not diving in 6 foot deep water. Should be totally safe given that you know what you are doing.

Also the instagram stalking is uncallled for. It does not count as any notification.

So you can keep diving but do it in a very accommodating manner when it does not create problems for others. Do your diving when others are diving and cannonballing too. Do your diving in a safe manner that accommodates others (aside form the generation of waves, but breast stroke, and fly and even flip turns at the wall when people are resting create waves). Just do your diving when you are not causing trouble and while others are doing the same or worse.

Wait for the moment that you are singled out and summoned by management and then have a reasonable calm discussion with them. Point out what is going on. A reasonable discussion should follow. If everyone gets banned from diving because of it (including you), well at least this was done in a methodical, well thought out reasonable way that is also legal (vs the backchannel instagram stalking) and now the rule is being appied to all.

Thanks again. I agree it’s about peaceful coexistence. The I’m right and you’re wrong attitude is counterproductive. I was just doing my thing. I did not interfere with anyone or cause any problems. I was quietly going about my business. There will always be people that try to impose their will to prove they are right, like the paddle guy. He should just mind his own business. This woman is not a life guard, so she shouldn’t be trying to assume that role. She is there to teach an exercise class. Nothing more and nothing less. She has no more power to enforce pool rules than any of the members. Again, she’s not a guard or manager. She can complain and that’s about it. It says more about her than me the way she acted. When I walked right past her on the pool deck to do my second round of dives, I noticed she wouldn’t make eye contact. She looked down purposely. I thought it was odd at the time, but I suppose she was pissed.


Hey, I THINK the issue is privileges granted vs rules. At some point, if everyone is diving and no rules enforced that privilege becomes the norm for everyone. That's like everyone on our highway speeding at 110-120 kph. Either enforce it for everyone or the rule may as well no exist. Now, if you are one of many divers, then they can say, "It's the rules" at which point you can say, "fine, I won't dive, but no one does...the moment I see no enforcement of diving on others, then it's open season on diving...". They can turn around and say, "No we can enforce it on any one we want" (and they will be correct, but at least you ask them to enforce it on everyone)

I have a ridiculous body was 6'3" wingspan on my 5'6" body. I have neck and shoulder limitations on one side so my right arm swings wide on freestyle. Because of this, I swim a bit in from the lane so as not to smack people in the next lane. But this old dude complained about me and they made a "rule" that I can't swim with paddles. Its a rule for one person. I fought it but this old dude basically hates me and he'll come up with another and another and another thing that he does not like about me and keep complaining (I think he hates it when I swim fly, but what what about the guys who do wide breast stroke under water in the fast lane....same thing less visible). We're both regulars at the pool so I figure itis easier to co exist than fight it. So I don't use the paddles at this pool.....well guess what, I went to another city pool when a swim meet was happening at ours and since we live in a similar part of town, this guy was there at the VERY SAME TIME. Well I was at the other pool using my paddles, and he comes over and says, "I am going to complain about you"....WTF....I was in a solo lane minding my business and did not even come near him and he wants to transpose his 'victory rule' from Pool A to Pool B. I asked him to go ahead and complain to the guards. I ended up doing a nice long 6000m swim with 3000m with paddles (because I COULD at this pool), and then I go to the lifeguard afterwards and ask if the old dude complain and she responds, "Swimmers are allowed to use paddles....you're good...we sent him away".

In any case, all that to say, its about co existence and working with the management. It's a shared space, so work around all these people. And I disagree wtih people saying you should not diving in 6 foot deep water. Should be totally safe given that you know what you are doing.[/quote]

Good grief. The OP is being insanely obtuse about this whole ordeal. There are signs plastered all over the building.. it's pretty cut and dry.

Sounds perfectly reasonable to me. I learned basic etiquette in masters, since it teaches you how to share the pool/lanes. I plan to avoid this woman and will try to be sensible and respectful around her and her class. She obviously took exception to me. OTOH, if I’m there early among other “swimmers” then game on, provided there’s communication with lane/pool mates and nobody takes issue.

I hate to say this, but I love these threads. I bet when you hit the send button, you figured all these like minded sports people would jump on your side, and everyone could skewer this gal. Instead you get ripped a new one!!! The one just before you was a guy buying a bike grey market from another country/continent, and then complaining about customer service!!!

Sorry, not meaning to pile on, I actually sympathize with you, I hate it when I get in and the pool, and it is full of lily pads floating all around, not wanting to get wet.. But big lesson here is, just ask folks that are directly impacted by something that is out of the ordinary, then there should be no issues, unless someone is a backstabber, in which case you would have had a slam dunk!!!

ripple wrote:

Good grief. The OP is being insanely obtuse about this whole ordeal. There are signs plastered all over the building.. it's pretty cut and dry.

Here are the pieces that I saw but may have missed some things.

1. Lots of people are diving and doing cannonballs by the account of the OP. The rule may as well not exist, or minimally its not cut and dry anymore if the people running the pool allow for it to happen.
2. The OP seems to be doing this respectfully (I think) away form other swimmers). He is not hurting anyone other than himself if he does a 6 foot 1 inch deep dive, which he seems to be competent enough to not do.
3. Even if this is a rule, this woman has no place enforcing it. She is more than welcome to complain to management about the user in question who can then talk to the user, or she can approach the user directly on the pool deck (ideally with other people around who are witnesses) and suggest that he does not dive. At this point the OP can agree and not dive or say that he would like to continue but will do it respectfully and not cause safety or comfort problems for people in his lane (there is no way he effects people in other lanes)
4. The woman stalking him on instagram is borderline creepy. If it is a male aqua aerobics instructor stalking out a female masters swimmer diving to "lay down the law" that would just not be acceptable
5. No one from management has told the OP he cannot dive any more or any less than other users.

I'd personally keep diving, being respectful and away from others until a management discussion happens. An instagag stalk order mean anything yet.

I wasn’t really looking for moral support, but rather thought it was an interesting story that would generate a lot of discussion and different views. I could do without personal jabs from some posters.

Monty, I came to the side of the OP, (obviously without both sides of the story like the rest of you), because I am not supportive in general of nonuniform application of rules and I am certainly not supportive of random pool users stalking other pool users over the internet.

The real story is that the aqua ladies didn't like your dives getting their hair wet. At my pool, they don't even like vigorous kicking. :)

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

Ehhh.. I don't know dev. It looks pretty clear. Signs up, class member complains, and instructor tells him to stop diving next time. The only area I actually don't like is she shul have said something to him right there at the pool and then maybe told management too to cover her own butt.

I'm sure mwanner31 didn't mean anything but he's got to just give it up at this point. At the end of the day the signs say no diving. Case closed. Don't look for grey areas out of something so obviously black and white.

Dev, does that mean that if I get dinged for doing 110 in a 100 zone, I’ll get it thrown out because other people were doing 115 and NOT getting tickets?

It’s the same argument.

Bottom line, he was violating the regs and was told to cease and desist. OP just has to quit whining about it and either stop or make arrangements with the pool.

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Swimming Workout of the Day:

Favourite Swim Sets:

2020 National Masters Champion - M50-54 - 50m Butterfly

I think the best passive aggressive response here is to replace the diving with cannonballs.

Moreover, the old folks that tend to join the aqua trim/aerobics classes happen to actually vote en masse in the local elections, so the municipal powers that be are likely to listen to them. Consider yourself warned or else they'll make the pool manager turn the heaters way the f.ck up up to soothe their arthritis and straight up remove the blocks because they are the core clientele and by god they hate to be splashed on.

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Next races on the schedule: none at the moment

Thankfully, the core clientele of my main pool are competitive teams, whether club teams, masters, water polo, synchro or diving. There are a couple of aquacize classes a day, but they aren’t the ones keeeping the lights on.

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Swimming Workout of the Day:

Favourite Swim Sets:

2020 National Masters Champion - M50-54 - 50m Butterfly

It’s what’s wrong with this world. No one wants to confront anyone anymore in public. It’s so much easier to be tough with people when they aren’t standing in front of you. I wouldn’t call that being nice.

Sounds to me like it “disturbed” the old ladies normal routine so they complained and you got singled out. I’d try it next time see what happens. ;)

What you're missing is that most pools have insurance policies that only cover diving when under the supervision of an instructor. Therefore diving during a swin meet or practice is ok, diving during lap swim isn't.

I was just about to quote post #23, the only other one to mention the insurance issue.

What you said warrants being at the top of a page.

It probably is their policy outside of swim practices... Masters or otherwise. The pool I swim at puts big orange cones on the blocks to keep lap swimmers and otherwise from diving.

Lots of people are diving and doing cannonballs by the account of the OP. The rule may as well not exist, or minimally its not cut and dry anymore if the people running the pool allow for it to happen
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Yeah, but highly unlikely from the blocks. Jumping and diving in the 'deep' end is typically allowed from the deck in most pools.

Even if this is a rule, this woman has no place enforcing it.
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Um, as per the OP, it sounds like the instructor wasn't enforcing anything. In fact, quite the opposite. She was sending a message to let him know of a situation BEFORE he got reprimanded. I don't know about your pool or the OP's, but in most pools I frequent, the Active Older Adults have a lot more power over pool management than pretty much everyone else. The OP should be grateful that he got contacted by the instructor before he got completely kicked out.

The woman stalking him on instagram is borderline creepy.
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1. Facebook Messenger. 2. Are you not familiar with how the world works these days? I'd agree with you if it were something like Tinder...

No one from management has told the OP he cannot dive any more or any less than other users
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YES. That's the point! The instructor was sending a friendly message letting the OP know that the natives are restless and getting ready to go on the war path. Now he's aware and can adapt before a battle breaks out.

I'd personally keep diving, being respectful and away from others until a management discussion happens.
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Let me rephrase this: I'd personally keep breaking the rules, even though I was politely informed of them via signage and conversation, regardless of how the other people in the pool react to my behavior, until I get removed for violations and unsafe practices. Then, I'll probably come to ST and complain about the injustices of the pool management for kicking me out for doing something that I've been doing for quite some time with 'no problems'.

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

Having slept on it here are my thoughts.

1. If I had done something at the pool that bothered people, stop me right there and let's talk about it and I change my behavior
2. If you don't stop me and go to management I'd like to hear about it "RIGHT THEN" so I can change my behaviour (recency effect for those that studied psychology).
3. If I hear about it days later from management I want to know the exact details so I can fix it. I'll be pissed that you took so long because along the way I may have kept doing it
4. If you stalk me on social media, and tell me to stop, its going to encourage me to just keep doing it, because you're bothering me on my personal time
5. If I am speeding 120 in a 100 zone and I was driving safely and not bothering anyone on an open road, and a non cop tells me to stop speeding, I'll tell them to go away and mind their own business.

I think most people are reasonable and if ask them to stop doing something and do it properly they will. Especially when they are doing something that is completely solo that no one is affected by. In any case, I don' even dive off the blocks in a swim meet, so I don't have an skin in the diving fight at this pool or any (for the record we are allowed to dive off blocks during lane swim at my pool provided it is done with care).

Why I jumped in support of the OP is how this was done on the backchannel. If it was done on the pool deck right there the story would have ended in my mind...."See that sign...please stop diving". OP "I see the sign, but there are other people doing the same, why me ONLY", "Because my clients are complaining about YOU". "OK, I will save my diving with others so it does not affect your clients...everyone happy?". Then the answer is "Yes, no problem let's peacefully co exist" or the answer is , "NO, you can't dive now or any time, see that SIGN I am reporting you to management". Then OP answers, "OK, let's just go have that discussion and get the law enforced on everyone and call it done".

I looked at it as the instructor was busy at the time the OP was in the pool instructing her class. The window of opportunity for the instructor to talk to someone who wasn't in her class wasn't that large. The OP likely left before the class ended and the chance for such a conversation was limited.

I've been on the receiving end of this from the Wife and other womens who happened to be in the locker room at the same time as the water aerobics people. They've relayed complaints about that guy doing flip turns and getting them wet. Stuff like that. The only main difference I see is that the OP was actually breaking a rule. So, instead of confrontation, it sounds like the instructor may have 'known' this guy from different circles and went out of her way to give a friendly heads-up. "Psst- just to let you know, some of the other people were complaining..." There was no reprimanding. No need to involve management. No consequences. Only an FYI. If I was the OP, I'd be gracious because I'm aware of a valid complaint and can change behavior before consequences or reprimanding are invoked. I see it as an act of kindness, which it seems like you and the OP took in a far different light.

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

Or, you could just take the suggestion not as an invasion of your personal time (all of my time outside of work is “personal time”) but as a friendly reminder.

The other person might not have been aware of complaints from her class at that moment, so followed up after the fact. She might not want to confront face to face, not knowing how the op would react. They may not want to get in an argument then and there. They simply may not have the time to take away from their class. If you’ve ever actually watched an aquacize class, the instructors are generally engaged with the class for the entire class, not just during breaks.

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Swimming Workout of the Day:

Favourite Swim Sets:

2020 National Masters Champion - M50-54 - 50m Butterfly

Agreed.

The only weird part about this whole thing is the Facebook message. That's it. OP knew he was in the wrong, didn't understand why, but hopefully now he does. We've all learned something.

The Facebook part depends on the instructor. I see 2 possibilities, but we'll never know the truth:

1) If she's younger, contacting someone on social media is no big deal. Although if she's on FB she probably isn't that young.
2) Reaching out via FB could be seen as a kindler, gentler response especially if you have friends in common (which she used to find OP). Instead of confronting you to your face and you being potentially embarrassed by it, she's reaching out in a way that lets you save face. Nothing is mentioned in person but you know the issue and change your behaviour and everyone is happy.

She cares about you and doesn't want you to break your neck. Regardless, I'd bring in a couple pairs of boxing gloves and tell her it's time to throw down.

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https://connect.garmin.com/modern/profile/domingjm

Why so indirect? Not respectful at all. Go to management first and have a discussion to clear up what is and is not permissible. If diving is permitted, management should talk to the instructor. If diving is not allowed in free time, you should hear it from directly from those who make up the rules. No need to beat around the bush.

Bingo!! As an employment attorney, I hear this same argument all the time!! Drives me bonkers. It’s not a defense to bad behavior that others didnt getting caught/reprimanded. Plus, they may also have been reprimanded as the OP wouldn’t be privy to such a reprimand.

She is 55-60 years old. Her class had ended as I was leaving. She had every opportunity to speak in person. One lady in the class approached me and was complimentary of my dives. I didn’t think anything of it at the time, but later it made sense that the dives proved to be an issue I hadn’t even considered at the time.

This morning one of her class members was using the entire lane next to the aquacise class. Maybe I should go to management and send her a message tonight telling her that lap lanes are for swimmers and not aqua aerobics classes.

Maybe I should go to management and send her a message tonight telling her that lap lanes are for swimmers and not aqua aerobics classes. //


Thats how the Hatfields and McCoys started!!! At least they were fighting over a pig...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hatfield–McCoy_feud

I say do it, then we can keep this thread going all through the holidays!

Reply back using social media and Invite her over to your place to “watch some Netflix” and remind her that swimmers have a lot of endurance.

It's pretty obvious she wants you. Send her an ab pic.

People are missing the obvious answer. Do cannonballs off the block, or off the side if you want. Yell, "I'M NOT DIVING" while in the air. Then tell her to leave you alone and let you dive or she'll keep seeing more of your balls.

This is a good idea, especially because apparently contact on social media doesn't count, so there will be no consequences.

This is all ridiculous. Every pool I've ever swum in (and that's a decent number) has banned the use of the blocks or even diving from the deck outside of a coached practice. Yes, even for people who are competitive swimmers but not in a practice. That's why there are signs. As much as asymmetrical enforcement of rules sucks, I am skeptical of that part of the situation as reported, given the OP's motivation and emotion.about the situation.

OP, the bottom line is, you broke the rules and were politely asked to follow them in the future. If you decide that you do not like the manner in which you were asked (or the persona who delivered it), the next conversation will be much more formal. You may also need a new pool afterwards.

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The point is, ladies and gentleman, that speed, for lack of a better word, is good. Speed is right, Speed works. Speed clarifies, cuts through, and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit.

I’d say she was 70 years old. The class questioned whether I was performing the dives correctly and the instructor reassured them they were clean dives. These people know more about eating popcorn than swimming. It’s kind of irrelevant. Lmao. I do appreciate the humorous turn this thread is taking.

Agreed. And I'd like to see some of your fancy dives. I'm imagining that she wants you to stop because your flamboyant technique and/or stunning physique is making it difficult for her to keep her jazzercizers attention. Just be courteous to her and stop being so sexy.

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https://connect.garmin.com/modern/profile/domingjm

To honor this thread, I did a cannon ball when I enetered the lap swim lane today during aqua aerobics.

I’m proud of you. Did you enter off the blocks?