An end to the free swim for kids and over 60's

BLT_2

GEEGEE8 wrote: »

Afraid not no

Not saying everyone is like it, but come 8:30am all of the over 60's would clog up the shallow end chatting, so you couldn't even get to do a full length lol..

I'm sure not everybody is like that though

Got to agree there, my local pool was like that, 3 old ladies, who had all clearly been living on ginsters for most of their lives turned up most nights and barely swam, they would just stand their chatting to each other (and no doubt go out and tell everyone they exercised every night).

Once the free option has been taken away they will no doubt not return. They will congregate in their respective houses complaining that the government has taken away their inaliable right to get freebies because they have lived for 60 years. Everyone in the country is having to suffer the impact of the financial crisis, free pool access for pensioners is some way down the list of critical requirements.

If most pensioners had their way there would be a post office next to every house, free taxi's to and from the pop in centre, and no loud music or ball games within 5 miles of anyone over the age of 60.

BLT_2

Savvy_Sue wrote: »

I'm not so sure about that, apart from the cost of the extra showers, doesn't the water need more chemicals and checks etc if it's used more?

I wonder if GPs should be able to 'prescribe' swimming as they can slimming clubs and gym sessions?

Once you fill the pool up with pensioners there are more chemicals floating in the water than anyone needs. During the over 60's swim hour the water takes on a definite yellow tinge :rotfl:

Hannah_10

Savvy_Sue wrote: »

I'm not so sure about that, apart from the cost of the extra showers, doesn't the water need more chemicals and checks etc if it's used more?

Yes and no, it should be checked regularly throughout the day if it's in use at all, so at a well run pool the checks frequency doesn't vary hugely; but yes you are right, the use of chemicals is higher if the use of the water is higher. It's still a pretty minimal increase if you were to work it out per person per swim though.

GEEGEE8 wrote: »

Afraid not no

Not saying everyone is like it, but come 8:30am all of the over 60's would clog up the shallow end chatting, so you couldn't even get to do a full length lol..

I'm sure not everybody is like that though

BLT wrote: »

Got to agree there, my local pool was like that, 3 old ladies, who had all clearly been living on ginsters for most of their lives turned up most nights and barely swam, they would just stand their chatting to each other (and no doubt go out and tell everyone they exercised every night).

Thats a management issue. The lifeguard should be politely asking the people standing round in other peoples way to kindly move to one side as the primary function of the pool is for swimming. Whether or not the lifeguard does this depends on the managers approach to keeping order in the water. The first thing to do is speak to the lifeguard about it, if they say it's not part of thier job then speak to the manager.

I should probably say at this point, I was formerly a trained lifeguard and keeping order in the water is a part of your job/training.

Errata

I've read the posts on this thread with interest and I'm surprised at the spiteful derogatory comments about older people in many of them. What a shame.

tanith

BLT wrote: »

Once you fill the pool up with pensioners there are more chemicals floating in the water than anyone needs. During the over 60's swim hour the water takes on a definite yellow tinge :rotfl:

BLT it seems you actually never have a good word to say about anybody or post a positive post....... why comment if you can't offer something constructive..:o I guess its just to provoke a comment in which I case I appear to be playing your game... silly me

meerkat2007

Errata wrote: »

I've read the posts on this thread with interest and I'm surprised at the spiteful derogatory comments about older people in many of them. What a shame.

Don't worry, Errata - you never know, those making the spiteful comments might be lucky and never find out first hand what it's like to grow old.

dizzie

Well, personally I thought the free swim idea for over 60s and kids was a bit of a gimmick - a cheap vote winning ploy put into action as Britain was getting up to its neck in debt!

I think that there should be discounts for kids and people on low incomes. Maybe if the GP specifically recommends swimming for a health condition and the patient is on a low income it could be free then.

Our local council decided not to introduce free swimming since there was only a short term budget offered for it under the previous Labour government. Our council's decision was based on their thoughts that it was worse to offer it and then to take it away again (should further funds not be available) - than to abstain from the programme. I for one was pleased about that. If free swimming had not been scrapped but kept going after the short-term money Labour had given had ran out...then sooner or later we would be having to pay for it in increased council tax!

Yes, swimming has its exercise benefits but pools are expensive to maintain and run - and someone has to pay for that. Moreover, just how much swimming can you do in a crowded pool?

dizzie

meerkat2007 wrote: »

Fine, I can look forward to a reduction in my taxes when I no longer have to pay for kids to be educated - great!

Meerkat - I take it you were once a child too - and I presume were entitled to free education which would have been paid for by other people. Education is necessary for supporting the economy so this seems a nonsensical statement - the majority of those kids will become taxpayers one day and will pay for the education of the next generation - and so the cycle continues!

tanith

dizzie wrote: »

Well, personally I thought the free swim idea for over 60s and kids was a bit of a gimmick - a cheap vote winning ploy put into action as Britain was getting up to its neck in debt!

I think that there should be discounts for kids and people on low incomes. Maybe if the GP specifically recommends swimming for a health condition and the patient is on a low income it could be free then.

Our local council decided not to introduce free swimming since there was only a short term budget offered for it under the previous Labour government. Our council's decision was based on their thoughts that it was worse to offer it and then to take it away again (should further funds not be available) - than to abstain from the programme. I for one was pleased about that. If free swimming had not been scrapped but kept going after the short-term money Labour had given had ran out...then sooner or later we would be having to pay for it in increased council tax!

Yes, swimming has its exercise benefits but pools are expensive to maintain and run - and someone has to pay for that. Moreover, just how much swimming can you do in a crowded pool?

So I take it you don't think a lot of pensioners are on a low income or have health conditions? Many many do.. I live in a borough that had the forsight to realise the health benefits of free swimming for kids and pensioners and if as you say its a 'cheap vote winning ploy' then I guess a very small rise in council tax wouldn't be that difficult to swallow considering the many benefits. What makes you think pools are too crowded for swimming? I am sometimes in an Olympic size pool with only one or two other swimmers in the early morning...

meerkat2007

dizzie wrote: »

Meerkat - I take it you were once a child too - and I presume were entitled to free education which would have been paid for by other people. Education is necessary for supporting the economy so this seems a nonsensical statement - the majority of those kids will become taxpayers one day and will pay for the education of the next generation - and so the cycle continues!

Tell that to the students who leave university loaded with debt, thanks to a generation of politicians who just left with degrees - and no, I was never at university, so I don't fall into either camp.

Things change. I'm single, working and childless - that means I get to pay for everyone else, and I would rather pay for the older generation than someone else's kids.