I got to the pool this monrning and there are 13 lanes, 4 of which were empty, 8 had one swimmer each and 1 had 2 people from the college swim team doing race-pace 25’s. I got into one of the empty lanes and another woman wearing a water jogging vest proceeds to get in the lane with me and says I prefer to circle swim. I responded that there were only 2 of us and I planned to split the lane. She then says, Well, this is the slow lane and you don’t look very slow. . I told her there were 3 other empty lanes she could use. She responds. Oh, you think I should move?. Well, yes. I was in here first and, unlike you, I’m swimming. We can circle swim and I can ram into you 2 times per minute. How does that sound? I took off down the lane with her glaring at me. So, was I a little too harsh, as in should I have explained nicely why circle swimming was NOT a good idea or my response OK?
No, fair enough response.
A little heated…but fair enough.
I got to the pool this monrning and there are 13 lanes, 4 of which were empty, 8 had one swimmer each and 1 had 2 people from the college swim team doing race-pace 25’s. I got into one of the empty lanes and another woman wearing a water jogging vest proceeds to get in the lane with me and says I prefer to circle swim. I responded that there were only 2 of us and I planned to split the lane. She then says, Well, this is the slow lane and you don’t look very slow. . I told her there were 3 other empty lanes she could use. She responds. Oh, you think I should move?. Well, yes. I was in here first and, unlike you, I’m swimming. We can circle swim and I can ram into you 2 times per minute. How does that sound? I took off down the lane with her glaring at me. So, was I a little too harsh, as in should I have explained nicely why circle swimming was NOT a good idea or my response OK?
Not at all because she probably plays that game often. It is about someone speaks up!
You were only being logical but heck that’s the least one could expect from being a lawyer. I would have enumerated and detailed why her proposal did not make sense. That would have been easy enough.
.
You were way too nice. These people in so called water aerobics are totally annoying … many pools require someone to be able to complete a lap of the pool in like 2 minutes to swim during lap swim … not 2 hours. They’re also the ones wanting the pool to be 90 degrees plus so they don’t get cold. I always make a point to splash on them when they’re in a lane next to me since most of them have their hair done before they get in the pool and wear sunglasses (outdoor pool here).
Never be nice to them … more will come 
Dave
Perfect response actually.
Well were you in the slow lane?
But wait. So she was a slow swimmer and she thought you were fast? Why would she want to circle swim then?
Total bitch … but I am kind of turned on right now
its an ok response but i can see where the old lady is coming from because at my old pool there were some older guys and they liked having the same lane same locker shower sink everything the same. same thing at burger king i see a few older people same spots every day. who knows the reason why she wanted the lane but not necessary to circle when theres only 2 people. shes probably bitching you out at bingo to all her friends tho.
i am guessing that the aqua lady has no freinds, and is likely confined to her house due to social anxiety. after years of self-induced seclusion she ventures out to the pool and finds what she beleives is a possible new friend. as she tries to share a lane, only wanting some human interaction, you lash out harshly…sending her back to her own torment. don’t worry about it, really…
You americans and your ‘lane splitting’. I wonder which you’ll get first, the metric system or swimming properly in a pool.
yeah that’s bad.
You americans and your ‘lane splitting’. I wonder which you’ll get first, the metric system or swimming properly in a pool.
funny… What the hell do yall do then?
You americans and your ‘lane splitting’. I wonder which you’ll get first, the metric system or swimming properly in a pool.
funny… What the hell do yall do then?
You call it ‘circle swimming’, we call it ‘swimming’
Perfect response, if there are open lanes she should have used them. She had it coming and she knew it.
If one person is aquajogging, then you can’t circle SWIM. That implies actual swimming. I’m with you
You americans and your ‘lane splitting’. I wonder which you’ll get first, the metric system or swimming properly in a pool.
funny… What the hell do yall do then?
You call it ‘circle swimming’, we call it ‘swimming’
X2
I got to the pool this monrning and there are 13 lanes, 4 of which were empty, 8 had one swimmer each and 1 had 2 people from the college swim team doing race-pace 25’s. I got into one of the empty lanes and another woman wearing a water jogging vest proceeds to get in the lane with me and says I prefer to circle swim. I responded that there were only 2 of us and I planned to split the lane. She then says, Well, this is the slow lane and you don’t look very slow. . I told her there were 3 other empty lanes she could use. She responds. Oh, you think I should move?. Well, yes. I was in here first and, unlike you, I’m swimming. We can circle swim and I can ram into you 2 times per minute. How does that sound? I took off down the lane with her glaring at me. So, was I a little too harsh, as in should I have explained nicely why circle swimming was NOT a good idea or my response OK?
I think you were being way too nice. My pool is also infected with floaters who think they are entitled to clog up any lane, any time they want. Good for you for standing up to her!
Unfortunately, Americans just aren’t all equally good at swimming, therefore we have a range of ability levels, which necessitates that public pool lanes be shared down the middle. It is only necessary to make the distinction outside of organized swim team practices. During swim practice with real swimmers, there are a number of things that are understood and go without saying:
- lap vs. length–whatever convention your team uses, it’s understood by everyone and unambiguous.
- circle swimming is standard
- aforementioned circles will be CCW as viewed from above. We swim on the right like we drive on the right.
- fastest person goes first in each lane
during lap swim, things aren’t so unambiguous
- triathletes struggle with lap vs. length
- splitting a lane is standard practice for 2 randos. 2 people of equal ability have the option of splitting for pacing/racing, or circle swimming for drafting
- when circle swimming the direction is usually still the same, but lots of rec swimmers don’t always stay on their side of the lane
- unequal ability means that one person usually runs into the other frequently, hence splitting the lane in the first place…
You were nicer than me…I would have said okay, swam into her everytime I lapped her, then asked her if she were certain she wanted to continue circling and sharing the same lane.