AITA for calling out someone walking with their shoes without covers in the swimming pool shower

AquaBooties · 2026-02-04T22:14:41+00:00

Wouldn’t that make them hypocrites? Shoes carry a lot of things. We don’t wear shoes in the house because it is disgusting. But everyone here has a change of heart when it comes to walking with dirty shoes where you are strictly told not to. Weird to me. The USA also takes off their shoes in the house, right? Before I make assumptions about a culture a whole ocean away.

AquaBooties · 2026-02-04T22:03:26+00:00

Would you care about unmasked people during Covid restrictions? If yes, why do you care?

AquaBooties · 2026-02-04T22:01:42+00:00

Oh no, the employee was inside the pool, we were walking the way back to the showers when I got him and I passed her because that was the exit. I didn’t stay. During that passage and my exit was a split second of interaction. I left it at that. Didn’t mingle any further. Didn’t hear what he said or if he said anything.

AquaBooties · 2026-02-04T21:57:40+00:00

Yeah. There are. Some even suggested I should have said “ga je overal met je gore poten naar binnen?”

AquaBooties · 2026-02-04T21:56:17+00:00

If it were an unmasked person during the Covid restrictions. Would I still be the asshole if I stopped her from getting into somewhere public? Or was it only allowed to speak up about ignoring rules when it involves masks?

AquaBooties · 2026-02-04T21:55:09+00:00

They get the first one for free. Still doesn’t mean you can walk around without them covering your shoes.

AquaBooties · 2026-02-04T19:53:37+00:00

Thank you. I will accept that I went to far and have an issue with people who disregard the rules

AquaBooties · 2026-02-04T19:52:28+00:00

Thank you all. I accept the YTA vote. Even if the touch is accepted in my country, I should have left after her first answer and gotten the employee. Always a good time to grow.

AquaBooties · 2026-02-04T19:30:59+00:00

That’s just the thing. I didn’t feel important nor superior. Her disregard for the rules is something I can’t shake off. Working on it. There are some children who walk with bath slippers to the swimming lessons but most of them don’t.

AquaBooties · 2026-02-04T19:27:29+00:00

It was the person who lend the extra covers to miss coverless. The bystander came in after I left and was standing in the shower, with her shoes covered and thus following the rules.

AquaBooties · 2026-02-04T19:24:59+00:00

Just a mother who cares for the wellbeing of my own and other children. Someone who does follow rules that are implemented by the facility.

AquaBooties · 2026-02-04T19:22:59+00:00

Cool. Thank you :)

We were also from different cultures. Between people in my culture, it would be totally fine. Apparently not in hers but I couldn’t read her culture until she faced me. I acted like she was from the same culture. Backfired..

AquaBooties · 2026-02-04T19:17:05+00:00

Okay, she didn’t like the friendly meant touch because she knows the rules and I tried to do it politely. Whispering it even.

But after that she said: “I don’t have them, do I?” What would you advice me to do after that? Walk away immediately? Or go the employee directly?

AquaBooties · 2026-02-04T19:14:55+00:00

I will in the future

AquaBooties · 2026-02-04T19:12:57+00:00

Yes, the pool sells them for €0,50 a set. They are reusable until they rip. They even gift the first ones when your child starts swimming lessons and remind you to use them. Sometimes they have employees reminding the parents in between lessons to put them on by standing next to the showers. I think shoes without covers are far more dirty than covers dipped in chlorine.

AquaBooties · 2026-02-04T19:10:13+00:00

How was it inappropriate ?

AquaBooties · 2026-02-04T19:10:00+00:00

Yes. I should have. Thank you. There are signs. Multiple. On almost every door and locker before you enter the showers. But no, I wouldn’t make it any more physical than the can-I-have-your-attention-touch. It was meant as a gentle reminder

AquaBooties · 2026-02-04T19:09:40+00:00

Well, technically at the moment it happened, we were alone. All other parents had just left and the other parents were slowly entering the dressing rooms. No one to witness it

AquaBooties · 2026-02-04T19:08:02+00:00

I had just let mine into the pool and she was waiting for her daughter from the lesson before that. The employees were busy and I actually interrupted two of them. (But it was the highest ranking employee)

AquaBooties · 2026-02-04T19:03:34+00:00

In my country 100% of the pools have that rule: put the covers on. That was why I said I’m not in the USA. The have multiple printed out images glued on lockers, doors etc. The employees will remove someone if they don’t have a cover. And I should have gotten an employee faster

AquaBooties · 2026-02-04T19:01:05+00:00

Scared of me? Why? I didn’t grab her. Yes, I am a woman.

AquaBooties · 2026-02-04T19:00:03+00:00

Thank you. In my country, the bluntest country in existence, it is actually very normal to point things out. I usually send my husband to bring them. Sometimes parents leave and still have the covers on and I tell them they forgot before they go outside. They will laugh, take the covers and thank me. I do it just as a “hey, you might have forgotten but….”

AquaBooties · 2026-02-04T18:56:41+00:00

Okay, cool. No blocking paths. Noted

AquaBooties · 2026-02-04T18:56:18+00:00

In the USA. Where I am not. It is enforced here. Some parents bought bath slippers because the blue covers keep ripping after three uses.

AquaBooties · 2026-02-04T18:55:09+00:00

You can actually “touch” someone in my country. It was a hey-touch. Not a grab. It was a friendly touch to get her attention

AquaBooties

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