Baskstroke banned...

Don't know if anyone else has heard this, but some pools in Blackburn have banned swimmers from doing backstroke, because there is a high risk of injury to other swimmers...isn't this the most absurd thing you've heard in ages? This country is becoming more ridiculous every day! Crazy!

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Reply 1

serious narb

Chicken

that is a joke

I used to be amazing at backstroke

Reply 2

Clearing and Applications Advisor

Actually I think it's quite sensible - I never do backstroke in a crowded pool unless it's in the "grown up swimming" lanes set to one side.

It's obvious that there are a good proportion of swimmers who don't show as much consideration (in fact I used to be one of them when I was a kid).

If people show that they can't make sensible judgements about when it is or isn't appropriate to swim a fast stroke that by definition means you're not really looking where you're going and have your arms flapping about in front of you then an outright ban during busy times is better than an outright ban at all times.

Reply 3

....

Breast stroke should be banned for being irritatingly slow and pointless :tongue:

Reply 4

Chicken

But this country has hardly any decent swimmers...how many times have we won gold medals in the past few years? How are young swimmers meant to practise? Its no wonder we've got no rep for swimming in Britain.

Reply 5

Clearing and Applications Advisor

Chicken

How are young swimmers meant to practise?

Not on a Saturday and Sunday afternoon when the pool is full of little kids, families and groupd of kids having a muck around. Weeknights, weekends mornings and weekend evenings most pools are deserted.

Reply 6

lilsunflower

Don't they have two different pools for swimmers over therE? Or different lanes? Hmmm.. banning it is quite retarded.

Reply 7

Clearing and Applications Advisor

lilsunflower

banning it is quite retarded.

So is using a word as offensive and insulting as retarded

Reply 8

gwirion

Backstroke is the only stroke I can do without suffocating to death-last time I did front crawl I couldn't get my breath for like 1/2 an hour and as for breaststroke..wel the water keeps going up my nose so I suffocate....and there is no way I would wear a nose clip thingy!!

Reply 9

Clearing and Applications Advisor

gwirion

Just breathe out through your nose (warning - do not attempt if you have a cold). My swimming became so much better when I realised that (very irritating because it seems really obvious yet it took 10 years of swimming for me to think of it).

Reply 10

lilsunflower

Pencil Queen

So is using a word as offensive and insulting as retarded

It's only offensive if you make it out to be.

Thiis political correctness is so frustrating. In normal speak, it would mean "slow" or "hindering advance"...

Reply 11

blissy

doggy paddle all the way :smile:

Oh, and then shouldn't diving be banned as well? And swimming underwater? And children who splash around when someone is coming up for air. Goodness me. And I thought "no petting" was silly.

(I hate it when people say "retarded" or "spasicated" etc as well Pencil Queen. I also have a bit of a thing about people taking the mickey out of mental illness.)

Reply 12

starry

lilsunflower

It's only offensive if you make it out to be.

Thiis political correctness is so frustrating. In normal speak, it would mean "slow" or "hindering advance"...

Agreed. It does not have anything to do with mental illness unless you define it that way. Retardation simply means slowing down. We use it in music and science.

Reply 13

Clearing and Applications Advisor

lilsunflower

It's only offensive if you make it out to be.

Thiis political correctness is so frustrating. In normal speak, it would mean "slow" or "hindering advance"...

Sorry maybe I should be clear.

*I* find it offensive (and have a lot of friends in the disabled community who feel the same way) and would appreciate it if people wouldn't use it.

It might be commonly used but that doesn't remove the negative connotations and doesn't change the way I feel about the word.

In fact lets be specific 20% of people find it the most offended word associated with disability http://www.bbc.co.uk/ouch/yourspace/worstwords/results2.shtml

Reply 14

lilsunflower

Pencil Queen

Okay fair enough. It's prob some british thing then. It's freely used in SEA because we do not have a large disabled community and hence, no need for politically correct terminology.

But I understand why "spastic" would be offensive because it relates directly to mental disability.. the only definition. "retarded" however, as someone pointed out above is used in nearly all fields, not only mental illness.

Reply 15

Clearing and Applications Advisor

lilsunflower

But I understand why "spastic" would be offensive because it relates directly to mental disability.

Actually spastic refers to a symptom that affects the movement - most commonly assiciated with people with cerebral palsy...a large majority of whom have no mental disabilities.

Reply 16

shazza

good, I have been clowted before by someone doing backstoke!! i think it is a good thing, but should be allowed at lane swimming sessions, where there is noone else for them to bump into.

Reply 17

username9816

Chicken

Is this all the time and in any pool, or only at busy times during the week in the pool where children go?

If it's all the time and in all pools, then it is a stupid rule.

Reply 18

Chicken

bono

Is this all the time and in any pool, or only at busy times during the week in the pool where children go?

If it's all the time and in all pools, then it is a stupid rule.

Its only one or 2 pools in Blackburn at the moment, and as far as i've heard its a complete ban on backstroke.

I can't see the point in it all, many people find that they can only swim on their backs, so basically its inconveniencing them in that they either can't swim anymore, or have to go to an alternative pool. And if that happens then obviously the pool is going to lose out becuase people are going elsewhere.