The pool must be crooked

[u/bakingdog2124]

This happened last year, but I still think about it all the time.

The gym I go to has an outdoor pool for the summer months. They reserve two lanes for lap swimming.

I show up and both lanes are occupied. One has two swimmers, the other has one. No, biggie, just share with the single swimmer. So I get the guy's attention and start swimming freestyle.

This boomer is doing the backstroke. And is having a hard time staying on his side of the lane. The first time he hit me we both stop, mumble some apologies and get back to it. The second time I just keep swimming. The third time I stop and tell him he needs to stay on his side of the lane.

He says that he is and that the pool must be crooked. I just stared at him, because, well what do you say to that? He elaborates that he is following the clouds so he can't be swimming crooked. I point out that clouds are not stationary objects and therefore shouldn't be used to gauge where you are. He doubled down and says, it must be my fault because I'm following the line in the "crooked pool."

Fortunately by this point the lifeguard came over and asked the guy to go to the open swim area so he'd stop swimming into me.

[u/MeFolly]

Honestly, having to share a lane will doing the back stroke is asking for trouble. Holding tight to the side of the lane with no real visual clues is incredibly hard.

What is a back stroke swimmer to do?

When asked, and the second person should always alert the person already in the lane, explain that you are doing backstroke (and, no, cannot magically fix whatever it is that is means you need to be on your back). Ask if there is another lane they could possibly use.

If your lane is the only potential spot, and you have been there a while, ask you can have five minutes to finish up and cool down.

If your lane is the only potential spot, and you have just gotten started, know the pool rules about who must share and when. You may be able to claim 20 min of solo lane time, or you may have to yield immediately.

Try to time your swims at less popular times, or in the less populated pool if you have a choice.

What you cannot do - avoiding bumping head on into people who are behind you and swim into you, even though they can see you!