Compulsory wearing of swimming hats in Irish swimmimg pools, why?

FortySeven

jimbobaloobob wrote: »

For real?

Yes.

jimbobaloobob

FortySeven wrote: »

jimbobaloobob wrote: »

For real?

Yes.

Why do you do that?

FortySeven

jimbobaloobob wrote: »

Why do you do that?

I don't like other people.

323

Nanny state..

Realt Dearg Sec

Once again the notion that something that happens in Ireland is therefore uniquely Irish rears its head on boards. In Hungary at the public baths you can go to the bathing pools hatless but if you go into the swimming pool you have to wear a cap. I don't have any idea why this rule is enforced but it's definitely not uniquely Irish. No more than drinking, or being friendly or being nosy, or enjoying yourself supporting the national football team, or being too nationalistic or not being nationalistic enough, or any of the other things I've read on this site are uniquely Irish that clearly are not.

guppy

Realt Dearg Sec wrote: »

Once again the notion that something that happens in Ireland is therefore uniquely Irish rears its head on boards. In Hungary at the public baths you can go to the bathing pools hatless but if you go into the swimming pool you have to wear a cap. I don't have any idea why this rule is enforced but it's definitely not uniquely Irish. No more than drinking, or being friendly or being nosy, or enjoying yourself supporting the national football team, or being too nationalistic or not being nationalistic enough, or any of the other things I've read on this site are uniquely Irish that clearly are not.

I was on holiday recently and there were 7 pools on-site. 6 had no rule about swim caps, the Olympic sized one, which was used for training and was lane swimming only, did have a swim cap policy. This was Spain.

Teyla Emmagan

Oh I so support this. Other people's hair floating into your face in the pool - beyond gross. No hats is just disgusting. People can't even shower properly before they get in the water. At least the hats hold in their shampoo and hair product and stinky smell a bit.

Ireland is very civilised really.

Shenshen

It's one of the reasons I only swim in the sea these days, I can't stand wearing the hats.
That and the fact that in most Irish pools you feel like you're practically swimming in warm bleach, not in water. Absolutely disgusting.

SuperS54

Realt Dearg Sec wrote: »

Once again the notion that something that happens in Ireland is therefore uniquely Irish rears its head on boards. In Hungary at the public baths you can go to the bathing pools hatless but if you go into the swimming pool you have to wear a cap. I don't have any idea why this rule is enforced but it's definitely not uniquely Irish. No more than drinking, or being friendly or being nosy, or enjoying yourself supporting the national football team, or being too nationalistic or not being nationalistic enough, or any of the other things I've read on this site are uniquely Irish that clearly are not.

In Taiwan the swimming cap requirement is rigorously enforced and only speedo type swimming trunks allowed. My German colleague was most put out by being forced to buy an overpriced swimming cap despite the fact that he shaves his head completely!

Shenshen

SuperS54 wrote: »

In Taiwan the swimming cap requirement is rigorously enforced and only speedo type swimming trunks allowed. My German colleague was most put out by being forced to buy an overpriced swimming cap despite the fact that he shaves his head completely!

I understand the speedo thing, though, I have to say.
Those wide shorts can make it more difficult to swim in and are a bit of a safety hazard. And if you've ever seen how much water they carry out of the pool anytime someone gets out, I suspect they'll also cost the pool owners quite a bit of money.

Badly Drunk Boy

jimbobaloobob wrote: »

I used to work on the pool plant side of swimming pools, hats blocked up the filters more than hair did. Its just a racket.

I wouldn't use a swimming pool if they insisted on it and others wouldn't either, so they're still losing some business. Some of the business they get from charging for hats, they are losing from people not wanting to wear or be charged for a hat.

323 wrote: »

Nanny state..

Eh, it's private policy. Nothing to do with the State.

Akrasia

Burial. wrote: »

It makes you more aerodynamic whoooosh

Aquadynamic

goz83

Shenshen wrote: »

It's one of the reasons I only swim in the sea these days, I can't stand wearing the hats.
That and the fact that in most Irish pools you feel like you're practically swimming in warm bleach, not in water. Absolutely disgusting.

I tend not to swim in the sea. Emoty cans of dutch gold and excrement floating around the place, no thanks.

Akrasia wrote: »

Aquadynamic

Swoooosh

LordSutch

LordSutch wrote: »

So why must we buy/wear swimming hats in Irish swimming pools?

This local 'quirk' really only raises it head after you've been away out of Ireland for a holiday, then on your return you realise that there was no need to wear a swimming hat in (insert country), and yet, now that you're home, the need/demand to don the old rubber hat is a must

But why?

Ah, summer on boards.

Some mad adventurer goes on an expedition to Santa del Beergut and comes home to regale the islanders with tales of how they swim without swimming caps abroad, and oh God isn't Ireland so backwards altogether?

Shenshen

goz83 wrote: »

I tend not to swim in the sea. Emoty cans of dutch gold and excrement floating around the place, no thanks.

Never seen either of those - outside of swimming pools.

jester77

Surreptitious wrote: »

Hygiene.

But then they insist that you wear swimwear in the sauna, that is about as unhygienic as it gets.

josip

Ted111 wrote: »

Well next time your swimming p1ss in the pool.

We are the People.
Fight the system!

FortySeven wrote: »

I've pissed in every pool I ever swam in. Sometimes while wearing the head condom.

That swimming pool smell that we all think is chlorine is not actually chlorine.
It's the smell from the reaction of chlorine with other chemicals, usually urea.
A clean, chlorinated pool has only a very slight smell.

Thoie

I don't really see it as a money making racket - I paid IR£1 about 20 odd years ago for a hat, and still use it (complete with name of long defunct hotel emblazoned across it). Maybe that enabled someone, somewhere to buy a new helicopter, but I doubt it.

Calina

Jesus some of you are disgusting individuals altogether.

I am minded not to swim in an Irish pool again.

topper75

Akrasia wrote: »

Aquadynamic

You don't know how he swims! :mad:

He could be kicking himself along on a lilo. So he would be right. Aerodynamic. Gives you 0.00000001 sec less per length.

BeardySi

Akrasia wrote: »

Aquadynamic

Hydrodynamic

/pedant

LordSutch

Teyla Emmagan wrote: »

Oh I so support this. Other people's hair floating into your face in the pool - beyond gross. No hats is just disgusting. People can't even shower properly before they get in the water. At least the hats hold in their shampoo and hair product and stinky smell a bit.

Ireland is very civilised really.

But is it anymore civilised than say Germany (population 80 million) with no compulsory swim hats!

LordSutch

LordSutch wrote: »

But is it anymore civilised than say Germany (population 80 million) with no compulsory swim hats!

Germany gave the world Goethe and schnitzel, we gave the world James Joyce and the Irish Breakfast. They gave us Oktoberfest, we hit back with Halloween. They sent us Kraftwerk, we sent back the Chieftans. Weissbier? Mine's a Guinness. Karl Marx. The Liberator. Bayern Munchen. Coolmore Stud. Bertold Brecht. Samuel Beckett. 99 Red Balloons. Riverdance.

If it goes down to the wire,


WE BEAT THE BRITISH.

topper75

I swam only once in a German pool. It was a while ago and I was so intent on cutting cleanly through the water using an efficient stroke with my rubberised hydrodynamic head (mit der Wasserschnellkopf) that I can't even remember what the locals were or weren't wearing.

pickarooney

Here the main swimming pool requires a hat in winter but not in summer. Explain that one...

Thoie

pickarooney wrote: »

Here the main swimming pool requires a hat in winter but not in summer. Explain that one...

97% of the swimming pool heat is lost through people's heads?

Boom_Bap

I was in 2 different outdoor swimming pools in Italy recently. Hats were mandatory.

LordSutch

Brother, wife & kids just back from the Canaries - No swimming hats needed there either!

It really is just an Irish scam & money naking racket.

Smondie

Nits in your hair.

Not all countries have nits. They seem to like ireland.

I remember pools years ago in ireland and the nits would be hopping on the surface.

D9Male

There was a fellow on Moncrieff the other day. Expert on lice. Apparently they are not any more prevalent in Ireland than elsewhere.