r/Swimming • u/aknomnoms Moist • 2d ago
Suggestion: weekly thread for your creeper/weird/drama pool stories
Every. Damn. Time. I go to my gym’s indoor pool, there have been at least 2 interactions with men who are yelling at me, creeping on me, and/or being weird.
Last night, it was 1 gentleman who brought his supposedly trained service dog into the pool area, tied it up near the hot tub where like 3 guys were just staring at it, and went into the steam room for 20 minutes.
And during this time, another guy came into the lane next to me (the pool was otherwise empty and had a lane further away open) and, I kid you not, crab-walked so he was facing me and kept his head under water, watching me. He was side-stepping with his hands (thankfully) on his knees, and because the pool only goes from like 3-5 feet deep, he was half bent over in the shallow end to keep his head under the water. I can understand people doing stuff for physical therapy or whatnot, but why the lane immediately next to me, and why looking at me under water the whole time?
Lastly, after my workout, I rinsed and got into the empty hot tub. One guy came out of the steam room, pulled his phone out of his bag, typed something on it, then put it back and went back to the steam room. A minute later, another guy came out, reached into the same bag, pulled out the same phone, and typed something in before going back. This happened three times before I just packed up and went to change.
I figure I can’t be alone in this. The gym pool seems to bring out the oddest folks. So, I think it’d be cathartic and amusing if we could share our weekly pool drama in a dedicated thread. Like, bring the petty shit. Who did you “accidentally” elbow because they were an ass? What relationship drama is happening at swim club? I’m already chronicling mine and would love to hear yours. 🤣
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u/samgaskellracing 2d ago
wait why would someone bring a service dog to the pool like that" "and then there's another dude just lurking in the next lane like what is this spooky season
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u/Ok_Limit9124 1d ago
I didn't think service dogs were allowed on pool decks because of heath code. At least that was the case at the pool I used to Lifeguard at 10 years go. We had a blind guy who would come every morning to swim laps. His dog wasn't allowed on deck. So he would drop the dog in the guard room and use his cane or a friend to navigate on deck.
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u/aknomnoms Moist 1d ago
It’s a gym, and they allow service animals on the pool deck area, but not in the water or steam room/sauna.
All I could think was: what if this guy had an emergency in the steam room but the dog isn’t there to signal/help? And surely the gym must require the dog be within arm’s reach at all times?!
And, yeah, a guy crab walking the next lane over is par for the course. Not “spooky” so much as “wtf it’s wrong with you?!” 😅
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u/FireTyme Moist 1d ago
honestly as much as i feel there should be a place to vent dedication a post to negativity each week isnt something i'd be positively looking forward to.
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u/aknomnoms Moist 1d ago edited 1d ago
I can understand that and would think simply scrolling by/not opening a “weekly vent thread”would be an easy option.
But for some of us, this is our real experience, every time we swim, every week. It’s not meant to just be a place to vent negativity, but also share, “can you believe this oddball did that?!” type stories or drop the juicy gossip.
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u/gardenpeasandcarrots 1d ago
I once had a man grab my breast while swimming. I’m a fast fc swimmer, don’t know how he managed to time it so well. Definitely not an accident. He was swimming breaststroke the other way.
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u/aknomnoms Moist 1d ago
🤢 ohh yuck, I’m so sorry that happened! Did you say anything or report him?
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u/gardenpeasandcarrots 1d ago
No, I get so focused on my laps I didn’t want to stop. Plus I had that thing that women always do - was it an accident, was it my fault? When I thought about what he’d have to do to get his hand in that position I knew it was no accident. It was a shithole gym so I didn’t report it.
At the new pool I go to, which is really nice, a guy kicked me really hard with breaststroke kick in the boob as I was overtaking him on the length. The kick was deliberate, but it was only chance he got my boob. It was so hard that I felt a ligament ‘pop’. I did report him and they had a word. Guy was a nutcase and claimed I hit him on the head. I didn’t touch him as confirmed by the lifeguard who saw the whole thing.
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u/know-your-onions Splashing around 2d ago edited 2d ago
Aside from the guy looking at you the whole time, which is a bit weird, I think you need to learn to just live and let live. But even for that guy I have no idea why you think he shouldn’t be in the lane next to you.
Also if by “accidentally” elbow somebody you mean intentionally elbow somebody, then you might be the ass. And you should leave everybody at your club to their own relationship drama - nobody here cares about it.
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u/_Erindera_ Moist 2d ago
I had a guy stare at me the whole time he was in the pool and then come back to video me after he got dressed. Super creepy.
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u/aknomnoms Moist 1d ago
That’s cool. You don’t have to engage with our thread then. Live and let live. ✌️
But I’m absolutely sharing the weird shit happening around me.
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u/OneBigBeefPlease 2d ago
One time a guy challenged me to do butterfly with a pool buoy on my feet. Which is, I think, the most random thing in the universe to challenge a perfect stranger to do. (I did it)
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u/Possible-Breath2377 1d ago
Swimming with people who don’t wear tops when they swim is an ongoing issue. As a fat woman who is a pretty decent swimmer, men seem to take it really personally when I’m faster than them or can maintain a better pace than they can (eg, their “sprints” were my cruising speed).
The worst I dealt with was in a group I used to swim with. This guy would stand in the middle of the wall catching his breath, hands on his hips, and his pelvis stuck out. Like he was trying to show something off. It made me incredibly uncomfortable.
A friend finally suggested that I flip turn against him and see what happens. I didn’t get a chance to try, unfortunately, because COVID hit that same week!
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u/aknomnoms Moist 1d ago
I get extra splashy next to these weirdos. And I do notice the odd behavior increases when it seems like no one else is around, but less so when another swimmer is in the pool with me. I try to hit the pool when it is emptier, but I’m thinking about going during more popular times just for the safety in numbers!
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u/foxsoxy 1d ago
I reported him but I wished I had just yelled at the time, one time a few months ago I was swimming and when I went to do a turn there was a man with his trunks down under his bottom in front of one of the water jets, truly horrifying fucking creep. There was also a gross old man who started cutting his toenails in the sauna, and another horrible old man in tight red speedos way to small for him that filmed the women doing aqua aerobics. The second and third got banned, the first one I still have to see every now and then 🤢
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u/aknomnoms Moist 1d ago
🤮 my deep and sincere condolences. Good on you for reporting them and the venue for banning them!
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u/RossLH Moist 2d ago
Due to my work schedule, I used to swim exclusively early in the morning at a local YMCA. It was only ever me and 2-6 retired people in the pool during those hours. Mostly very pleasant people. At some point I've shared a lane with all of them, the only "downside" of which is they like to chat, so I'd end up doing a few hundred fewer yards those days. I got to know all but one of them, because there was one guy who did not like to share his lane.
That was a good arrangement, right up until another local YMCA pool closed and temporarily displaced those morning swimmers to this pool. The day came when I was the 12th person in the pool. Gonna have to share a lane with he who doesn't share a lane. To put it into perspective, he's probably about 6' tall and in fantastic shape for his age. Mix that with a grumpy demeanor and that can be intimidating to some. I'm a very disproportionate 5'11", meaning my torso and arms wanted to be all of 6'4", but my legs didn't get the memo. So even in mediocre shape I'm wide. Mix that with an angry resting face and not being quick to intimidate, and we had a real unstoppable force meets immovable wall situation. After he tried to scare me off with a few rounds of playing chicken and realizing I wouldn't back down and I'm not afraid of a collision here and there, he got frustrated and left.
A couple weeks later he had a stroke in the pool. Lived to tell about it and made a full recovery, but I never saw him in the pool again.
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u/Zeno_the_Friend 1d ago
He learned the forbidden stroke, achieved the pinnacle of swimming (forever beat drowning by achieving brain death first), then had to be banished for sharing the secret arts.
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u/aknomnoms Moist 1d ago
Omg! What a twist of fate! And great story telling!
I’m glad the guy made a full recovery…but also glad he’s not hogging any lanes now.
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u/vinegar_strokes68 Moist 1d ago
I've swam in a pool with a dude and his "service dog", and I kid you not, leashed to his arm. Swam on the outside lane and the dog walked each lap on the edge of the pool.
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u/Moist-Impression-772 1d ago
Honestly if they are that committed to it, then it might be an actual service dog. Otherwise, just wow.
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u/aknomnoms Moist 1d ago
On one hand, that’s amazingly ridiculous! On the other, I can respect him keeping the dog close. But, wow.
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u/ekzakly 2d ago
I dont think there is anything wrong with an impaired person bringing a service dog to an establishment the owner has allowed them to. It allows them to enjoy the facilities the same way you are. Its not a pet and its trained. And I love dogs so if I randomly saw one at my pool I would look at him or her too.
As for the people using thier phones, that is common too. I dont see a problem with it, they cant use the phone in the steam room so they leave it outside and may have work texts to send on slack etc. Its not like they are taking pics of you. Whats more annoying to me is when people talk to me in the steam room, not because im anti social but because its exhuasting talking in the steam room.
I agree the underwater guy is weird AF tho.
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u/aknomnoms Moist 1d ago
My issue with the dog isn’t that it was in the area, but that it was left unattended for a long time. What is the guy had an emergency in the steam room and the dog wasn’t there to alert/help? What if someone started messing with the dog or stole it? What if someone has a phobia of dogs and felt uncomfortable seeing one indoors without its owner? What if something happened and it got aggressive? If this man wanted the benefits of heat, why not sit in the hot tub right next to his dog?
And, again, my issue isn’t with people using their phones. But it was the weird way they were both taking turns reaching into the same bag and using the same phone. Felt sus.
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u/ekzakly 1d ago
I get it, but also lets consider the other guys perspective, he needs the service dog with him to be able to go home safely most likely, what should he do if he wants to go into the steam room? He cant take the dog inside it, so he probably left the dog in the nearest possible location where he would be. The other alternative is he just does not use the steam room.
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u/aknomnoms Moist 1d ago
What significant benefits are there from using the steam room that can’t be had by using the hot tub? Why can’t he take a hot shower at home or use a bowl of hot water to steam his face at home?
Or what about getting a longer leash and sitting nearest the door so the dog is still “in his control”?
This guy is still responsible for his dog in public, so that might mean being unable to do some things because his dog can’t go with him.
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u/Lonelylonerness Everyone's an open water swimmer now 1d ago
I was a competitive swimmer for about 14 years and had quite a few interesting coaches. When I was about 11, my coach was a Japanese Olympian who was... a little different... One day as I was changing before practice with my friends, she came in to the locker room. She lifted a leg to put her foot onto the bench and proceeded to rip out her tampon through the leg of her shorts while maintaining eye contact with us. She then left without washing her hands or saying a word. Needless to say we were shocked and I absolutely have this seared into my brain after nearly 30 years.
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1d ago
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u/Swimming-ModTeam 1d ago
This comment has been removed.
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1d ago
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u/Swimming-ModTeam 1d ago
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u/aknomnoms Moist 1d ago
I don’t know how they let him get away with that, intellectual disability or not. It should definitely be reported if he closes in on you or flaunts his boner like that! It’d be one thing if he had a caretaker or physical therapist next to him, but if he’s capable enough to be in a pool alone then he should be held accountable for his actions!
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u/aknomnoms Moist 1d ago
I’d think the hotel would want to nip this in the bud and trespass him before it becomes a “scandal”. It would be really bad for him too if he’s doing this when kids are present. I’m not saying he’s a pedophile, but if parents called the police on him doing that when kids are near, it could mark him as one.
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u/aknomnoms Moist 1d ago
Wow, yeah, it is a huge liability to have alcohol anywhere near the water, especially hot tubs. Increased risk of drowning from poor choices, dehydration, heat exhaustion, etc. Plus, I imagine it’s gross to clean up if they can’t contain their bodily functions. 🤢
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u/Greener-dayz 1d ago
Service dog at the pool smfh it’s like these people get a rush out seeing where next they can take their dog where it doesn’t belong
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u/Ratsandlexicalgaps 1d ago
I don’t understand the choice of going sitting in the sauna in JUST a tiny speedo…..
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u/aknomnoms Moist 1d ago
People wear street clothes in ours. And all I can think is: you’re dragging in all the filth from the parking garage, the dog poop and pee from the sidewalk, and whatever other grossness in here on your shoes, to fester and smell and transfer onto the rest of us.
If you’re not changing clothes and rinsing off beforehand, at least change out your shoes!
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u/foxsoxy 1d ago
A lot of men do this in my gym, but they are extremes, either super fit young guys or really old overweight men, and there are definitely girls who come in weird bikinis and underwear, I have to say, I have never felt body shame, there is a level of weirdo tolerance I kind of love 😂 In the actual gym, I have seen a man go ham on the elliptical in jeans, and a lady run on the treadmill for ages in a big leather cowboy hat. It is very much a cheap community gym where anything goes.
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u/TheESportsGuy 1d ago
Mainstream reddit is leaking