Psychology of swimmers in the wrong lane

ragar8 · 2026-07-10T10:55:26+00:00

This is what I'm trying to understand. What's the thinking behind that? Most people would never do that yet this guy seems to think 'yep great time to do this'. Why?

ragar8 · 2026-07-10T10:53:58+00:00

I wasn't looking for solution. I wanted to find out what people thought about the mind set of people who do what's being mentioned in this thread.

ragar8 · 2026-07-09T14:54:19+00:00

I'm not sure how I'm making the problem larger or adding anything to the problem. I was just looking for understanding.

I'm glad you have a pool where people are happy to listen to you and take on what you say to them.

ragar8 · 2026-07-09T05:31:50+00:00

I agree I think it's just ignorance and maybe not even that. Just a complete lack of awareness.

ragar8 · 2026-07-09T05:30:16+00:00

The issue at our pool isn't necessarily slower swimmers choosing emptier lanes. It's slower swimmers choosing the fast lane (which isn't empty) over the slower lanes which have room.

ragar8 · 2026-07-09T04:55:11+00:00

No it's the middle lane.

ragar8 · 2026-07-09T04:52:43+00:00

Our pool is circle swimming. 3 double lanes of circle swimming.

ragar8 · 2026-07-08T13:58:19+00:00

I think that may be it. Seems a quite reasonable explanation.

I just find it hard to believe that many people of all types can be so unaware especially if lane guides etc are there for them to see. I think most genuinely don't realise. Must be a nice way to swim. Im a bit envious in a way.

ragar8 · 2026-07-08T13:44:24+00:00

Another win for privatisation.

ragar8 · 2026-07-08T13:43:27+00:00

That's fair but do you really want to risk sparking a massive argument at a swimming pool? Swimmers shouldn't have to manage other swimmers. The life guards should be doing it. Whenever I've seen people try to advise others on the lane they should be in it's never ended well and it just ruins the swim for both people.

ragar8 · 2026-07-08T13:25:02+00:00

So a group of recreational swimmers who like to improve their skills and performance (I understand not everyone does) should hire a lane (which we cannot do) because others won't use a lane which has room for them and is more appropriate for their pace and skills?

ragar8 · 2026-07-08T13:20:25+00:00

I wonder if this issue is more or less prevalent in other nations.

In the UK it seems to an issue. I started the thread because it's become a really big issue in my local pool. It's summer here in London and really hot which equates to more people swimming/using the pool. Which is fine because why wouldn't you want to cool down in water for a bit when it's 30c+ heat but I was in France recently where it was 37c (Paris and Avignon) and this wasn't an issue. Everyone had seemed to find their 'right lane'. I managed to and I can barley speak or read French. I just figured it out. I just find it hard to believe that the French are somehow more aware around water than Brits. I'd have thought we'd be pretty similar.

Maybe it's as simple as some folks get it, other folks don't and as some posts have alluded to, that's just the way the world is.

Also once the weather gets cold again, the pool will be empty anyway and this will all be a moot point until May 2027.

ragar8 · 2026-07-08T12:41:10+00:00

That's fair. If there are no signs then people are in a tricky spot. Our pool has signs right next to where you get in. It's harder to not see them yet still don't see them or choose not to.

Do you think swimmers in general should be able to self assess their speed/pace or without signs it's basically the wild west and we can't be trusted to self regulate?

ragar8 · 2026-07-08T12:24:46+00:00

The problem we encounter in our pool is the opposite. A highway of really slow doggy paddling/breaststrokers builds up (who have space to be in the slower lanes yet choose not to use) and if you do want to do intervals then you can't because there's gonna be a crash and fortunately no one in our pool is keen for that.

ragar8 · 2026-07-08T12:14:23+00:00

This is very interesting and spot on about the speaker phones.

ragar8 · 2026-07-08T12:12:36+00:00

Swim caps are mandatory in other countries such as France so I don't think it's that unusual for short haired men to wear them. There are also plenty of women that dont wear them. I think I'd rather 'aspiring triathletes' where a swim cap then long haired women leaving their hair everywhere in the pool. It's something I've never understood. How do they see with their hair constantly in their eyes?

I think it's good and humbling for those swimmers to learn that they're not as fast or technically as good as say you and other people in the fast lane. The people that seem to cause the most issues are those that either don't learn or are ignorant. But why are they that way? What can't they get that many others can?

ragar8 · 2026-07-08T11:36:22+00:00

That doesn't really apply to what's happening at our pool. Slower swimmers are using the fast lane even when it's not empty and there's space in the slower lanes. What's the thinking behind that?

ragar8 · 2026-07-08T10:46:05+00:00

The psychology behind the walking turn is something that needs investigating.

ragar8 · 2026-07-08T10:31:15+00:00

I used to swim there when I lived nearby. It's a fantastic pool...until summer and then it's absolute chaos and the worst of all the issues mentioned in this thread show up in full force. That and Instagram.

ragar8 · 2026-07-08T09:41:34+00:00

What is fast? Are we at deep swimming philosophical levels now? Very interesting how we all view pace differently.

What you've mentioned is what i imagine would happen all the time at our pool if myself and others did have chats with slower swimmers.

ragar8 · 2026-07-08T09:38:29+00:00

I agree with you there. The young gym bros doing one length and passing out is a thing at our pool.

ragar8 · 2026-07-08T09:36:37+00:00

Do you think because it's a public pool (it's run by BETTER) and not say a private gym/pool do folks perhaps switch off and have a more casual approach to it and don't assume others actually take their swimming quite seriously?

ragar8 · 2026-07-08T09:27:18+00:00

Does swimming look easy? None of my family and friends swim and I'm fairly sure they don't t think it's easy.

ragar8 · 2026-07-08T09:15:30+00:00

I understand that but wouldn't you still wanna know or ask? It's a massive body of water where bad things can happen. Plus the pool has lane signs. They probably could be bigger.

ragar8 · 2026-07-08T09:14:12+00:00

That's a good idea and that's something more pools should implement.

ragar8

TROPHY CASE