A swimming pool is indeed one of the finest places to have fun, freshen up, and of course, get yourself moving. But how often do you end up splashing people and squabbling around when you’re out there trying to just…SWIM? Well, we hope you don’t.
What Happened
A netizen recently asked on a popular forum, Am I a jerk for splashing women with water at the pool? We want you to go through the backstory and drop your views!
Backstory
Swimming is OP’s (F31) hobby and how she keeps healthy. Her favorite swimming pool is the local university pool. As a graduate, she has access, but they also have community hours when people from the town can pay and swim.
OP says, “It doesn’t do lane swimming but typically everyone knows to stay away from those doing laps. I was doing laps at the far end with the pool wall on my side so I couldn’t move if I wanted to.”
What Happened When OP Was Mid-Session?
OP was mid-session when two women her age jumped right in front of her and just stood there by the wall on the shallow end. OP couldn’t stop in time and pushed from the wall between them forcing them to move aside.
OP further explains, “I was being more careful next lap but they just kept standing there. There was plenty of space on the other side of the pool where they could stand and chat without bothering anyone, but they chose to stand right before me.”
So, OP continued swimming, pushing from the wall. If they refused to move, she just turned in water making sure to make a big splash.
How Did The Ladies React?
Next, OP took a break to drink some water, and one of them started screaming at her about how she got her hair all wet. OP told her it was her fault and continued swimming.
What Did OP Say
OP says, “She waited for me in the changing rooms and went on about how I was inconsiderate and I ruined her hair. I told her to buzz off. She started going off at me and started screaming, calling me a jerk. I grabbed my stuff and went to one of the cubicles to shower and change. When I was leaving, they were talking to the manager, one of them was crying about her hair.”
OP told her sister, and she thinks OP was a jerk, but OP didn’t think so before. Now, with her sister agreeing, she worries that she might have been. “Am I a jerk?” she asks.
Some More Context
OP later edited and added the following information:
She says, “Just to add, I was the only person there when they came in. They had the whole pool to stand in; they chose to purposefully stand in front of me without swimming at all.
The pool is 25m long, and you swim length-wise, from deep to shallow end and back. They had the whole shallow end wall free except for the meter or so I used for kicking off. I didn’t take the whole shallow end. Who would do laps there (except for kids)?
While there are no designated lap lanes, lap swimming isn’t forbidden. Typically, during open swimming, 75% of swimmers do lap swimming. Also, they weren’t older ladies, they were about my age (early 30s). I didn’t leave the pool to grab water, I had water on the edge along with my other stuff for drills or my earplugs, etc. This is perfectly normal and acceptable.”
Wearing A Cap Might Have Prevented It All
“If you go to a pool but don’t want to get your hair wet, you wear a cap. Simple as that.
You already were there; those two had all the pool space but chose to stand there and get mad at you for something they could’ve avoided in more than one way.”
“Swimming pools are full of water. If she didn’t want wet hair, then she should either wear a swimming cap or find a different form of exercise/chatting place.”
You Aren’t Entitled To The Whole Pool, Though
“I’m a swimmer as well, but unless a pool has dedicated lap swimming, you aren’t entitled to an entire length of the pool. Part of the deal with lap swimming during rec hours is you’ll lose your “lane” if the rec swimmers take up residence in your path. You’re also the jerk for splashing on purpose and cursing at her.”
By All Means, It Was Your Fault
“It’s a public pool that *doesn’t do lane swimming*. The first time you went by them and pushed them out of the way could *maybe* be excused as an accident (but, really, how fast are you swimming that you “couldn’t stop in time”?), but then you kept doing it. On purpose. Without ever bothering to stop and say “Hey, I’m sorry to bother you, but I’m doing laps here, would you mind moving over slightly so I can finish up?”
And if there was plenty of room on the other side of the pool for them to stand, then there was plenty of room on the other side for *you to swim*. Then, when they continued to try to enjoy the shallow end of the pool, you started deliberately splashing them?
You were absolutely the jerk in this situation. They were right, you *were* being rude and inconsiderate. It wasn’t their fault that her hair got wet, it was yours for *deliberately splashing her.*”
They Were Being Jerks, But You Surpassed Them
“You missed the “using your words to ask” step before you decided to passive-aggressively splash them. They were being inconsiderate jerks, but you escalated beyond what was necessary.” Said one.
“Yeah agreed. OP decided to be a petty passive-aggressive jerk instead of asking them to move.
The other people were clearly jerks too though by complaining about their poor wet hair…while in a pool!” Another added.
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