Women complaining to me at the swimming pool

Options
ak415
ak415 Posts: 12 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I swim at a 24hr fitness. It is the only "sport" location in my city with a pool. Yesterday I was doing laps and a kooky lady with a shower cap said I was swimming too fast. I was doing some awesome butterfly and freestyle. totally under control and at the time my lane was empty. I work as a lifeguard and am aware of my surroundings (would never purposefully hit anyone). Since she just had a foam tube and a shower cap I figured she complained because she didn't want to be splashed. Totally hoping that she is not a regular at the time I swim, and will not complain about me on a regular basis. I apologized just to keep good relations and she says "yeah, yeah, yeah" Any suggestions on how to deal with complainers. I suppose if it continues to be a issue I can talk to staff there, I know she and I are both entitled to be there.
«1

Replies

  • blankiefinder
    blankiefinder Posts: 3,599 Member
    Options
    Ignore, move on, and if it persists let the staff know.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,902 Member
    Options
    Reminds me of when I was a machine operator and the first shift guy told me I was running my machine too fast on my shift, lol.

    I don't think you are violating any pool etiquette, but you could always talk to staff.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    Options
    Maybe let it happen more than once before you get your hackles up about it.
  • Chezzie84
    Chezzie84 Posts: 873 Member
    Options
    You will always get moaners wherever you go, whatever you do.
    Just ignore it.
    There is a woman at the pool I go to who is constantly bitching and whining about one thing or another.
    You know the type, the one who struts around like she owns the place, intentionally hits kids who are learning to swim because they are not quick enough to get out of her way.
    How she hasn't got punched by a parent I don't know.

    As long as you are not that women, I really wouldn't worry.
  • Valrotha
    Valrotha Posts: 294 Member
    Options
    Assuming a tazer in the swimming pool isn't your thing (if it is, please post videos), I'd be proactive with the staff. Just tell them about the run-in and what your response was. Politely ask if you were doing something wrong. That way, it looks like you're trying to resolve the issue instead of just causing trouble.

    No use in trying to cause waves yet (A pun! Can I be a journalist?). As was said already, if it only happens once then just ignore it.
  • brynnsmom
    brynnsmom Posts: 945 Member
    Options
    Maybe she was just having a bad day. I wouldn't worry about it too much; you have every right to swim laps in the gym's pool.
  • giantrobot_powerlifting
    giantrobot_powerlifting Posts: 2,598 Member
    edited December 2015
    Options
    Gift her a pair of cement flippers.
  • BZAH10
    BZAH10 Posts: 5,709 Member
    Options
    blankiefinder wrote: »
    Ignore, move on, and if it persists let the staff know.

    This. And you should've told her she was going too slow.
  • crossfreddy
    crossfreddy Posts: 12 Member
    Options
    Oh some people aren't happy unless they have something to complain about. Ignore this person. Does the pool you attend set aside lanes for fast and slower swimmers? Our pool has three lanes - slow, medium paced and fast. Maybe it's something you could suggest to the facility?
    Hope it doesn't become an issue.
  • chelsy0587
    chelsy0587 Posts: 441 Member
    Options
    What crossfreddy said... some people just enjoy complaining... some people complain because they can't do it themselves...

    Sounds to me like you did what was polite by apologizing, I sure wouldn't apologize any more after that though. I might smile at her and ask if she wanted to race? :D
  • LaurenAOK
    LaurenAOK Posts: 2,475 Member
    edited December 2015
    Options
    ak415 wrote: »
    Yesterday I was doing laps and a kooky lady with a shower cap said I was swimming too fast.

    I don't mean to laugh at your problem, but this is hilarious to me for some reason. I think as a runner I just picture someone coming up to me and saying, "excuse me, but you're running too fast." Like, WHAT?! Is that not the point? I'm dying laughing

    Anyway, as others have said, I'd ignore it for now but talk to staff if it happens again. I don't think you were doing anything wrong by *snickers* swimming too fast.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    Options
    I'm not even sure what she's going to talk to the staff about. Is she going to report that another person spoke to her?
  • kgeyser
    kgeyser Posts: 22,505 Member
    Options
    I figure there's two possible explanations here: first, the person is a perfectly sane individual who was just having one of those days where everything annoys her; or second, she's one of those people who lives in a perpetual state of everything annoying her and the staff is already well aware of her shenanigans, having most likely talked with her about on previous occasions.

    So the only real solution here is to decide how much it bothers you and whether you feel it warrants a conversation with the staff now or after it happens again.
  • tomatoey
    tomatoey Posts: 5,459 Member
    edited December 2015
    Options
    If you think she's going to complain again - are the lanes really close together? Can you take the lane one over from the slow lane? I think between that and maybe this lady hearing from a staff member (i.e. neutral 3rd party) that it's good to share, etc., you should be good to go.

    I am a slow swimmer right now and tbh it is mildly annoying when people do the butterfly really close to me, yes because of splashing, but only for a split second, and it only happens because the lanes at a pool I sometimes go to are super close together, like the other person's arm has nowhere to go but over the cord. But I see them coming and it's no big deal to just pause and wait for them to pass, because I'm going slowly anyway, and obviously it's not their fault.

    I'm much more annoyed by people who go to the pool just to stand in the water *right* in front of the jets, and hog the wall for the whole hour, never swimming, while staring at everyone. So creepy. (There is a "therapy" hour if they need to just be in the water.)

    (I don't have any need to be near the jets but am suspicious re why *they* need to be near the jets.)
  • jlisa24
    jlisa24 Posts: 305 Member
    Options
    Just as an FYI, lap,swimmers take priority over casual swimmers. It is in their rules (you can look up online). Youre in the right in this case, and she has no right to tell you anything.
  • tomatoey
    tomatoey Posts: 5,459 Member
    edited December 2015
    Options
    jlisa24 wrote: »
    Just as an FYI, lap,swimmers take priority over casual swimmers. It is in their rules (you can look up online).

    Well it depends on the pool, and the hours, and the rules. Some places have leisure and lap swim at the same time, just split up by lanes. Some have a lane allocated to very slow remedial swimmers & rehabbers. Some have a special hour dedicated to that. Maybe this lady is doing laps but very slowly.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    Options
    DavPul wrote: »
    Maybe let it happen more than once before you get your hackles up about it.

    Bingo.
  • zoeysasha37
    zoeysasha37 Posts: 7,089 Member
    Options
    Some people just like to complain. Do your swimming, continue to be mindful of others and never mind this lady.
    If others start to complain , then maybe rethink your swimming style.
    If this lady is the only complainercomplainer either ignore her or ask her what time she comes so you can try not to be there at the same time as her. If she is crazy and keeps bothering you every day , then maybe talk to staff.
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    Options
    kgeyser wrote: »
    I figure there's two possible explanations here: first, the person is a perfectly sane individual who was just having one of those days where everything annoys her; or second, she's one of those people who lives in a perpetual state of everything annoying her and the staff is already well aware of her shenanigans, having most likely talked with her about on previous occasions.

    So the only real solution here is to decide how much it bothers you and whether you feel it warrants a conversation with the staff now or after it happens again.

    To be fair, it's kind of a "thing" at some pools. I swim at a Y and even at lap swims you'll often have a group of more casual swimmers who often aren't familiar with lap swim etiquette and then you have your lap swimmers (not all of whom are familiar with the etiquette either, to be fair). The more casual swimmers curse the "lap" swimmers, the lap swimmers curse the casual swimmers.

    My local Y was closed so myself and two other guys who swim regularly went to another pool for a "lap swim". Afterwards the regular ladies were complaining about the guys who were splashing around like it was a bathtub. Both were swimming according to proper swim etiquette. Both are experienced swimmers but they are fast and strong.

    I've even seen people go to management because the lifeguards have asked people to move into other lanes to try to even out the lanes and the lifeguards stop doing it. I know people who have literally been asked not to splash so much because another person didn't want their hair to get wet.

    So it might not be a one time thing or something that management will automatically side with the OP with even if OP is technically in the right.

    Personally, I just do my thing. I don't have much other choice sometimes. I try to arrive early enough to arrange myself in a lane where I am less likely to encounter swimmers who aren't doing the same thing as me.
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    Options
    as a swimmer and triathlete, i've encountered this at my pool. i'm there to swim hard and get a workout in, but i will be considerate of others that are in my lane. but if you are not in my lane, i'm not going to be overly concerned with splashing you, since we are in a pool.

    my pool does not have lanes marked with slow/medium/fast or anything like that, but people do tend to group with others of their swimming ability if it is crowded. however there is one woman that i regularly see doing her water aerobics during lap swim time and it bugs the hell out of me, but i have never said anything because she's not really bothering me or anyone else.

Categories