Lap Swimming Etiquette Question
I’m really trying to be patient with the lap swimmers at my Y association. I believe swim is for everyone and I honestly think it’s the safest and most effective to achieve whatever fitness goals one has.
We have 5 Rec centers across the towns in my specific area. I am really struggling with other lap swimmers. I have no problem sharing lanes and infact I love sharing lanes. I prefer it to solo swimming. There’s some old guy I swim with occasionally who apparently was a college swimmer way back and there’s another lady who was also a college swimmer.
My issue is when people ask to split a lane or ask to circle swim and then it becomes very obvious they have no idea what either of those are. Often they’re on my side of the lane when splitting or swimming down the middle when circle swimming. Sometimes they’ll ask to split and then literally walk laps down the middle of the lane. Or worst I’ve had parents ask to share the lane and then when I say yes they then put their kids in the lane to play… (it’s against the rules to play in the lanes and kids under 16 aren’t allowed to use lap lanes unless it’s a lesson or team practice)
Other issues I’ve had are other lap swimmers becoming frustrated with me. I’m quite faster than the average lap swimmer, I just recently swam in college and have maintained my shape (roughly). I try to be very respectful. When splitting lanes I have had members get upset when I pass them. I stay as far away as possible when I pass them. And I don’t just like blaze pass them splashing. I stay long and very smooth (I don’t really kick a whole lot to begin with).
Another issue I’ve had is when I have the lane to myself and decide to work on some sprints or quicker tempo I have patrons yell at me because I’m “too splashy” and am being “disruptive”. (I don’t go faster than smooth when I share lanes just out of precaution too)
I know the easy solution would be to join the masters program for our association but the issue with that is I am one of the coaches of the club team for that y association and I’m in charge of the older kids morning practice which coincides with masters.
Is there a constructive way to handle and navigate these situations? Do I just need to find a different way to workout? I’ve noticed this across the 5 Ys and across multiple times. So changing locations and times hasn’t really worked. Is there a good way to approach people who don’t understand lane etiquette? (I usually don’t bother because I don’t want to get yelled at)
The patrons complain about me to the aquatics director and lifeguards (who day they don’t get it and that I’m not doing anything crazy) but since that hasn’t yielded results they are now going above the aquatics director to complain about me. The AD just says they’re being grumpy old people when they yell at me. Again I am incredibly polite to these folks and I more often than not modify my planned workout if someone joins my lane or expresses that they aren’t comfortable with me doing certain speeds. However it’s really starting to grind my gears. I don’t want to blow this out of proportion because at the end of the day it doesn’t really matter (floating around rock in space) but it’s going on a year and a half of this and I’m getting really fed up