r/Swimming • u/aknomnoms Moist • Jul 21 '26

Beginner question: pool etiquette?

I’m taking a beginner swim class and have gone to the pool at my gym to practice on my own. It’s only 3 lanes, and the first 2 times I went there was either no one or only 1-2 other people.

But all 3 lanes were full today and I got kind of “told off” for accidentally cutting in line to be next for a lane, and when I apologized and asked what the system was they didn’t give me an answer except “wait your turn”, and then I spent 40 minutes waiting but no one got out.

So, in general, what is pool etiquette when you show up and all the lanes are full?

  1. If all the lanes are busy, how do you let others know you’re waiting? And do you stake claim on one lane, or just take the next available?

  2. What’s a commonly accepted amount of time to continue using the lane, if you’re not sharing, when you know someone is waiting?

  3. In a gym setting, does it matter which lane I get in if lane sharing doesn’t seem to be a thing?

I appreciate any insight. Thanks!

Mods - this was edited to be broader in scope because you removed my earlier post saying it was too specific to my gym. Thanks.

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u/Ichirou_sensei Jul 21 '26 edited Jul 22 '26

Yes! Always keep to the right like in traffic (do they swim clockwise in the UK/Aus/Thailand?). An old man once scolded me for swimming in "his side of the lane". I told him to fuck off, and keep to the right. (edited: clockwise 😅, got that detail mixed up)

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u/Dark-Horse-Nebula IMer Jul 21 '26

Australian here, we always keep left.

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u/rainhut Jul 21 '26

Yep, at my pool in NZ, it's clockwise and to the left.

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u/Ichirou_sensei Jul 22 '26

That would make sense :)