Is the whole world nuts?

[Rootman 1,101]

Sorry in advance, this is a long rant. I wanted to write it out to try and calm my nerves as well as advise people to report suspicious behavior whenever they can.

All of us have been rocked by the recent school shootings, there has also been a mall shooting (no one was shot) and ANOTHER movie theater shooting where the gunman was shot dead by an off duty cop. All of this within the space of about a week. What is the world coming to?

The reason I write this is that I had a mere brush with a nutty person yet again and want to not only vent but to remind people to REPORT SUSPICIOUS BEHAVIOR where they think a person might be a real danger to others. We certainly don't need to become a "spy" society but we need to make sure stuff like the above shootings DON'T happen again.

I have been swimming for the last 2 years at our cities wonderful Adult Wellness Center. I went again Monday night. All 4 lanes were occupied and everyone who swims there knows you MUST share a lane when space is tight. A lady was trying to get a hold of a mans attention in the far outside lane that she wanted to enter his lane and swim. He was ignoring her. A man in the lane next to it spoke to her and said he was getting out soon so she abandoned her efforts and moved to his lane and started swimming. I moved to this remaining lane and waved and shouted to the guy to try and get his attention, he ignored my too and turned around and continued swimming. I hopped in and got my gear on and looked to the far end of the lane. The guy was standing there so I waved at him to let him know I was going to start swimming. Now I've shared a swim lane with dozens of people, these lanes are more than wide enough to accommodate 2 people.

So I was swimming and hugging the wall to give him as much room possible and half way down the lane he hits me. I pop up removed my snorkel and mumble "Sorry" and continue on. At the end of the lane I reverse course and about half way down he hits me again, he hit me in the face nearly knocking my swim goggles off and popping the snorkel out of my mouth. I popped up and tried to remind him that there were signs everywhere stating that 'LANE SHARING IS REQUIRED" and that he should move over. I was tight against the wall actually brushing my arm against it with nearly every stroke.

Well EVERY time we pass, he made sure and poke me in the side, arm or leg. After 10 laps or so I was growing tired of it. Thankfully the lane 2 lanes over opened up and I grabbed my stuff and moved over, I was glad THAT was finally over. About 50 laps or so out I look up and see that he is getting out. I just continued swimming and not really wanting to get into it again with him I just ignored him. He had to cross my lane to get out - he could of just gotten out the end of the pool but some people can't get up and over the edge so they cross the other lanes and use the steps. He stopped and lingered in the final lane next to mine next to the stairs. Now, I just want to swim, not fight, not argue not "make any point", just swim. I heard him shout something when I turned for another lap again and just ignored him. Another 10 laps I took a breather and noticed he was finally gone. I breathed a sigh of relief and continued on.

Well after about 80 laps I was again taking a mini breather when he comes BACK to the pool room. He had left, showered and dressed and came BACK into the pool room fully clothed. He started screaming and pointing at me and said "If you ever run me over again I am going to KILL you". I tried explaining how I tried to let him know I was in his lane and how he ignored me. I also let him know that he bumped, jabbed and poked me EVERY time we passed. BTW, the end lanes (which he was in) are about 8 feet wide, actually a lane and a half wide as the pool never puts the lane dividers up on each END side only between the actual lanes.

It went back and forth, I told him I was going to report him and he said he didn't "Give a **** what I did". At this point I was really frustrated and told him to "shove it up his ass" and tried to continue swimming. He went on again, reminding me "If I ever run into him again he was going to kill me". I again told him to "shove it up his ass" and swam away. He then left. I really wished I had kept my mouth shut, but I just could not take it any more and said what I said. I finished up my 100 laps and got out.

I reported the issue to the management. Unfortunately I didn't know his name and could only provide a description. It's behavior like this that unfortunately some times proceeds violent actions like we've seen recently with the shooting. Antisocial behavior and taking perceived "slights" to unhealthy conclusions. I was concerned this guy was going to jump me in the the locker room or outside, or worse yet follow me home and threaten my wife.

Please report it if possible any time someone threatens you, whether in real life or on a forum like this. Mental illness is very real and can lead to violent behavior

So in the days to come if you read about someone getting shot at a city pool in Arkansas, it might just be me who gets shot when and if this nut comes back..

Thanks for letting me vent. It feels good just to type it all out.

[Jessica9190 127]

Oh my goodness. Yes people are going freaking nuts. I don't get it. I'm glad you didn't get jumped but I would have the same worries as you. Just be careful and watch and look around at all times. You did the right thing to report him.

[COnative 192]

WOW! I am a swimmer myself and that has ALWAYS been common knowledge as far as sharing a lane WHETHER THERE IS A SIGN POSTED OR NOT! That was totally selfish and rude of that guy! I hope he gets kicked out of that center, really. I used to run a health center and I can tell you if it were me, I would 86 that dude! There just isn't enough room in any health center for bad etiquette! Just wanted to vent with you Thanks

[TheNEWME! 121]

WOW!!!!! So sorry this happened to you!!!! What a nut job!!! Thankfully you are safe! If you see him again, I would definitely suggest going straight to mgmt.

[gmanbat 5,889]

Rough one, Rootman. You handled yourself well. I can't say what I would have done in this case. Hopefully I would not feel the need to defend myself against an absolute idiot unless he tried to seriously harm me. But adrenaline is adrenaline.

You stayed out of jail. When I walk away from something like this that's what I congratulate myself for.

Good work.

[MoreganK 164]

Oh my gosh!! So sorry you had to deal with that nutter! I agree, the world is becoming such a place full of anger. I don't know what the cause is, but we need to find out how to bring people down from their place of anger, self-centeredness, and greed.

[thinoneday 445]

OMG, I'm glad your ok though, yes people have really gotten "crazy". I was just talking about that earlier today. I was explaining that I work in a crazy place here in San Antonio, (the STD/HIV clinic) and we get all sorts in here from the lowest of the low to the filthy rich who don't want to go to their own physicians. We are subjected to rivel gang fights, jealous couples, drug addicts/dealers, pimps, prostitutes, etc. in here every day. We have security guards in place who keep very busy. We've had fights break out so severely that police had to be notified and they made arrests. Staff has been punched, hit, kicked and spit on. I just hope that one day no one takes a gun and goes nuts in the clinic. I pray this every day. Violence is so prevalent now, it's very scarey. Just as I was typing this, a message from our police advisory came across "Murder Suspect Wanted in SA" This is too much. . . the police station is right here by the HD too, so the criminal could easily wander in here. . . May the Lord be with us all

[Butterthebean 8,146]

Rootman you handled ourself appropriately. There are some very insecure people out there who feel the need to prove that they are braver than they really are.

[Wolfgirl1978 256]

Wow! What an a$$ ! Luckily, that's all he was. I'm a probation and parole officer and I am a specialist, which means I supervise violent criminals. Most of the time violent crimes start off with a violent episode like you described. I'm glad you're ok, and I hope you don't run into that guy again.

[sweetie2003 36]

All i can think is great job swimming 100 laps! Thats awesome! And i want to be a probation/ parole officer!!