Forums > Social Chat > Rules of Swimming (Rant)

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MikeGinnyGOLD Member
HOP Mad Doctor
13,925 posts
Location: San Francisco, CA, USA


Posted:
Ok, after some especially POOR displays of manners at the pool the last few weeks, I feel it necessary to make public the UNOFFICIAL RULES OF SWIMMING.

I. Lane etiquette
A. When there is one swimmer in the lane, she may swim where she wants.

B. When there are two swimmers in the lane, they shall split the lane.

C. When a third swimmer enters the lane, the lane automatically switches to circle swimming. A lane shall be circle swim ir 3 or more swimmers are in the lane.
1.Circle swimming is when swimmers swim down the right side of the lane at all times. In the U.K., Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, Japan, and India, swimmers may swim down the left side of the lane.

D. When a circle swim lane has swimmers of varying speeds, the faster swimmer has the right of way as follows.
1. If the slower swimmer is only slightly slower than the faster swimmer, the slower swimmer should allow the faster swimmer to pass at the next wall after the faster swimmer taps the slower swimmer on the feet.
2. If the slower swimmer is very much slower than the faster swimmer (>20s/100 yards/meters difference), the slower swimmer should move over to the side of the lane and allow the faster swimmer to pass.
3. It is both impolite and dangerous to make the faster swimmer swim around the slower swimmer while the slower swimmer is still swimming. This is because it exposes the faster swimmer to oncoming swimmers, which can lead to very dangerous collisions.

II. Workouts
A. A workout is an organized group of two or more swimmers engaging in a coordinated, pre-determined set.
B. A workout lane follows the same rules for distribution and usage except that swimmers in a workout lane may decide to circle swim even if there are only two swimmers in the lane.
C. When a workout is happening in a lane, especially if there are 3 or more participants, it is both impolite and physically dangerous to join the lane unless you intend to get the permission of the people doing the workout.
D. Those running a workout at a recreational pool should welcome any swimmer who is fast enough or determined enough to do the workout. Swimmers who are a little slow should not be discouraged from swimming with the group. Nor should workout groups behave in an exclusivist way.
E. Each workout has a designated "coach" or the swimmers decide ahead of time to each write a set of a given distance.
F. Workouts may be large, organized events that take up an entire pool. In general, those involve a coach who does not swim.
G. Workout lane etiquette is as follows:
1. Circle swimming is the norm, even if there are only two swimmers in the lane.
2. The fastest swimmer leads the set.
3. Swimmers should wait at least 5 seconds after the last swimmer before leaving the wall. It is impolite and dangerous to swim right off the next swimmer's feet as this may lead to dangerous crashes if the leading swimmer needs to stop.
4. The same rules for passing other swimmers apply to workouts as for standard lap swimming.
5. Swimmers should try to take up as little of the wall as possible when resting.
6. Respect the midline, especially going into and coming out of turns.

Ok, most if this is common sense. SO WHY DO SO MANY PEOPLE BLATANTLY IGNORE IT???

-Mike

Certified Mad Doctor and HoP High Priest of Nutella



A buckuht n a hooze! -Valura


AdeSILVER Member
Are we there yet?
1,897 posts
Location: australia


Posted:
Written by:

Ok, most if this is common sense. SO WHY DO SO MANY PEOPLE BLATANTLY IGNORE IT???




cause that sounds like a lot of rules to remember just for a dip in the water wink

And this bit sounds like a tounge twister:
Written by:

make the faster swimmer swim around the slower swimmer while the slower swimmer is still swimming.




but it's Friday, I've just finished a mammoth work project, my brain's gone funny and I'm skiving off in about 5 minutes! ubbrollsmile

DuncGOLD Member
playing the days away
7,263 posts
Location: The Middle lands, United Kingdom


Posted:
Don't they put different speed swimmers in different lanes? That's what they do by me, slow to fast then they don't have to clash much

Let's relight this forum ubblove


FabergéGOLD Member
veteran
1,459 posts
Location: Dublin, Ireland


Posted:
Written by: Ade


And this bit sounds like a tounge twister:

make the faster swimmer swim around the slower swimmer while the slower swimmer is still swimming.








ubblol ubblol ubblol

lightning, you've got waaaaayyy too much time on your hands wink

My mind not only wanders, it sometimes leaves completely smile


George Bmember
13 posts
Location: Sunny Midlands


Posted:
I totally agree with Lightning, its all common sense! Folk who choose to ignore the rules make swimmies less fun for those of us who want to do our lengths in peace without having to navigate round idiots.

I think you should have a rule about middle aged women who insist on swimming in lanes side by side while gossiping (apart from when they are the only people in the lane, of course)

More use than a swiss army knife


MikeGinnyGOLD Member
HOP Mad Doctor
13,925 posts
Location: San Francisco, CA, USA


Posted:
George, my problem is with the FOB (Fresh Off the Boat) Chinese guys who jump in our lane and swim really slowly when there are clearly five very fast swimmers swimming a workout there.

-Mike

Certified Mad Doctor and HoP High Priest of Nutella



A buckuht n a hooze! -Valura


-TeenWolf-member
42 posts
Location: Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada


Posted:

Oh my god! I LOVE YOU will you marry me? ubblol
Okay Finally someone has started a rant about swimming ettiquette Holy wow. I don't think anyone gets it in the public lane swims, especially the old ladies that swim in twos, it makes me so angry when they hop in the fast lane, and just kind of float in my wake as I swim through them. Also another thing that bothers me is people who insist on taking up the whole freaking wall beyond their rest period! it makes it very difficult to pull of any proper turns, especially those of the flip variety ESPECIALLY with backstroke. When in an infamilliar pool one should always venture to get one's count before one gets in a lane to actually swim backstroke. Those who insist on testing their count in the lanes are excessivly annoying, and in the way. back to people hogging the wall... It's irritating, and slows down a practice considerably. Even if you are incredibly accurate at flipturns there's still a chance that you might hit them if you turn on the wall, so you have to do 'T' turns which are a set in their own. They make a difficult set into an impossible set..., and any timed set will be completely messed up if you have to do 'T' turns....

"By the pricking of my thumbs
Something wicked this way comes"
-Macbeth Act4 Scene1


-TeenWolf-member
42 posts
Location: Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada


Posted:
Written by: Fabergé


Written by: Ade


And this bit sounds like a tounge twister:

make the faster swimmer swim around the slower swimmer while the slower swimmer is still swimming.








ubblol ubblol ubblol

lightning, you've got waaaaayyy too much time on your hands wink





I highly disagree with you guy... Lightning is completely within her right to say this! it's true! any competitive swimmer has the exact same rant almost every time they get out of the pool... it's THE most irritating thing when people don't know the ettiquette of the pool.
BTW I'm not yelling... I'm in a really good mood right now, but also to ade's quote... that is what you do, you either tap them on the feet and they let you by, or you take a boost and swim by them before they reach the wall, that way your turn will put you a significant distance ahead of them and they won't be in your way for a little while afterwords.

"By the pricking of my thumbs
Something wicked this way comes"
-Macbeth Act4 Scene1


MikeGinnyGOLD Member
HOP Mad Doctor
13,925 posts
Location: San Francisco, CA, USA


Posted:
Written by: -TeenWolf-



Oh my god! I LOVE YOU will you marry me? ubblol




Yes! I thought you'd never ask! biggrin *kisses TeenWolf passionately* (mmm...no stubble! wink )

Actually, I hate backstroke. But my stroke count is 4 in yards and 5 in meters.

I'm a breastroker, though.

-Mike

Certified Mad Doctor and HoP High Priest of Nutella



A buckuht n a hooze! -Valura


-TeenWolf-member
42 posts
Location: Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada


Posted:
lmao! *gives you a big ass ring* so do you want this for a dinner ring, or an engagement ring?

Breaststroke is fun... but Butterfly is definatly the best! my count for backstroke in yards is 2 and in meters is 3, I turn on 1 and 2 though...
Do you swim distance or sprint?

"By the pricking of my thumbs
Something wicked this way comes"
-Macbeth Act4 Scene1


MikeGinnyGOLD Member
HOP Mad Doctor
13,925 posts
Location: San Francisco, CA, USA


Posted:
I'm a breastroke sprinter. And fly is NOT the best. Fly sucks. I can barely do a 50 legal fly.

I'm actually not a terribly fast swimmer, unless I'm swimming breastroke. Then, I'm suddenly in the top 50 in the state in my age group. I went a 1:08 low in the 100 (yards) a few months ago. However, it sounds like you're a faster swimmer than I am.

Luuurve the ring. We can get married in Canada now! ubblove

-Mike

Certified Mad Doctor and HoP High Priest of Nutella



A buckuht n a hooze! -Valura


DioHoP Mechanical Engineer
729 posts
Location: OK, USA


Posted:
Two phenomena you'll find when you go to the pool -

1) Old Naked Dude (OND) - the obligatory senior citizen in the locker room who likes to let it all hang out while he's walking, chilling in the sauna/steam room, etc. Occasionally tries to strike up a conversation with you, which is incredibly uncomfortable. Method of avoidance: bring a newspaper to focus on.

2) Speedo Guy - the one who likes to show off the shape of his ENTIRE body. Not particularly unpleasant to be around, but he does tend to make you feel inadequate because let's face it, only the really ripped guys wear the speedo. Either them or the incredibly wirey ones... and they're fun to see shivering.

What hits the fan is not evenly distributed.


MikeGinnyGOLD Member
HOP Mad Doctor
13,925 posts
Location: San Francisco, CA, USA


Posted:
Dio,

First of all, I do not wear Speedo suits. Speedo is an overpriced brand. I prefer The Finals or Hind. I can buy The Finals suits for less than US$10 a suit if I buy them "grab bag."

Second, brief-style suits (commonly known as "speedos," but I refuse to call them that because my HS swim coach was a The Finals distributor) are the only way to swim when you're actually training for competitive swimming. Swim trunks swirl around you and don't let you maintain proper body roll or alignment.

-Mike

Certified Mad Doctor and HoP High Priest of Nutella



A buckuht n a hooze! -Valura


MikeIconGOLD Member
Pooh-Bah
2,109 posts
Location: Philadelphia, PA - USA


Posted:
Teen Wolf says, "Lightning is completely within her right to say this!" "Oh my god! I LOVE YOU will you marry me?"



...Snickers hehe If he only knew.

Let's turn those old bridges we crossed into ashes.
We'll blaze a new trail,
and torch the rough patches.

-Me


-TeenWolf-member
42 posts
Location: Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada


Posted:
yeah yeah... I KNOW I KNOW... she is actually a he. my mistake but whatev.

"By the pricking of my thumbs
Something wicked this way comes"
-Macbeth Act4 Scene1


MikeGinnyGOLD Member
HOP Mad Doctor
13,925 posts
Location: San Francisco, CA, USA


Posted:
Oh, get my hopes up, will ya, TeenWolf! wink

-Mike

Certified Mad Doctor and HoP High Priest of Nutella



A buckuht n a hooze! -Valura


OrangeBoboSILVER Member
veteran
1,389 posts
Location: Guelph, ON, Canada


Posted:
*dies of laughte*

I find this all WAAAAY too amusing wink

~ Bobo

wie weit, wie weit noch?
fragst mich, wo wir gewesen sind...
du fehlst hier


-TeenWolf-member
42 posts
Location: Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada


Posted:
lmao, ah, i'll still marry ya... just not in the legally binding sence!
lol

"By the pricking of my thumbs
Something wicked this way comes"
-Macbeth Act4 Scene1


LyraSILVER Member
spiny norman
314 posts
Location: Cincinnati,damn it, USA


Posted:
congrats to teenwolf and lightning, hmmm a home of poi wedding this should be fun, can we all spin at the ceremony?

and lightning, those rules are....extensive, I HATE BACKSTROKE TURNS!!!!!! ah, much better>>>>luv

if you think that our kiss was all in the lips, come on you got it all wrong man, and if you think that our dance was all in the hips then, oh well, do the twist -The White Stripes


MikeGinnyGOLD Member
HOP Mad Doctor
13,925 posts
Location: San Francisco, CA, USA


Posted:
Ok, Lyra. For the majority of people, it's only the first section that you have to worry about...and remember to stay out of lanes where there's a workout going on (it's generally pretty obvious).

One problem, TeenWolf... When do you turn 18? ubblol

-Mike

Certified Mad Doctor and HoP High Priest of Nutella



A buckuht n a hooze! -Valura


-TeenWolf-member
42 posts
Location: Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada


Posted:
september lol

"By the pricking of my thumbs
Something wicked this way comes"
-Macbeth Act4 Scene1


MikeGinnyGOLD Member
HOP Mad Doctor
13,925 posts
Location: San Francisco, CA, USA


Posted:
Oh, I can wait, then! I even have a vacation month in September! ubbrollsmile

-Mike

Certified Mad Doctor and HoP High Priest of Nutella



A buckuht n a hooze! -Valura


DentrassiGOLD Member
ZORT!
3,045 posts
Location: Brisbane, Australia


Posted:
ubblol why do mike's threads always go down this track....

"Here kitty kitty...." - Schroedinger.


MikeGinnyGOLD Member
HOP Mad Doctor
13,925 posts
Location: San Francisco, CA, USA


Posted:
Because I'm both a ruthless and yet hopeless flirt?

And...HEY! GET OFFLINE AND GET BACK TO WORK!

Punk.

-Mike

Certified Mad Doctor and HoP High Priest of Nutella



A buckuht n a hooze! -Valura


OrangeBoboSILVER Member
veteran
1,389 posts
Location: Guelph, ON, Canada


Posted:
Hopeless flirt, eh Mike? I'll remember that one! *evil grin*

~ Bobo

wie weit, wie weit noch?
fragst mich, wo wir gewesen sind...
du fehlst hier



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