Why don't you just ask the person nicely to get into the other lane because you are competitively swimming and not for lesisure? I'm sure they'll understand.
If I wanted to go swimming, and all three lanes were full, then I wouldn't go swimming. Seems kind of rude to use a lane someone else is using imo.
So if you drive to the gym just to swim an hour or so...get there, change into your bathing suit, rinse off, put your stuff in a locker, head to the pool and see all the lanes full, you'd just walk out? Nope, someone is sharing a lane...that's the way it is. I always politely ask if I can share their lane(I've never been told 'no') and they usually move out to another lane when they see I'm a more serious swimmer. I'm like the OP, I grew up swimming and swam through HS. I'm not sorry if people feel like I'm 'lightly intruding' on their once or twice yearly trip to the lap pool. Growing up with swimming we ALWAYS had to share lanes with the other swimmers, it's a shame that people feel uncomfortable with or don't follow swimming etiquette (judging from responses in this thread). It's just like other rules you follow...traffic, golf, restuarants, etc....just because you aren't familiar with them doesn't mean you aren't being a jerk because you don't follow them.
Well to be fair I wouldn't go swimming at the pool in my gym anyways...not only because there are people in it and I don't like to be crowded but also because that water just doesn't look clean (even if it is). But that's just me. I do see your point though about sharing lanes. And quite honestly, being me...I probably would just leave even after going to all the trouble.
I swim daily and lane etiquette usually sorts itself out where I swim. You get the occasional jerk, but that is in everything, right?
Same here. I used to go swimming at the UH pool and pull a hammy half way through or get too tired and realize I couldn't finish the lap. Then the lifeguard would get on my case for holding to the rail or whatever it's called. I'd be too embarrassed to say I'm too tired or I pulled a hammy.
Join a bigger pool. At Lifetimes Town and Country there are two indoor lap pools and 1 outdoor; usually 9 or 10 lap lanes open; 5 in the laps only pool, 5 in the 86 degree pool that adjoins the children's pool and 1 or 2 in the outside pool but it's about 90 degrees in Summer.