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[I collect VHS tapes]

grabbed dinner with my buddy, my wife, and my buddy's new gf this weekend. we started chatting and I learned that his gf doesn't know how to swim. this is like the 4th adult I met this year that doesn't know how to swim.

I truly have trouble wrapping my head around this. how does an adult not take steps necessary to learn how to swim? wouldn't you always be terrified when near bodies of water? water pretty much = lava for you because if you fall in you’re dead.

I find this even more surprising given that I live in Southern California, right near beaches and swimming pools are incredibly common.

anyone on gaf not know how to swim? if so, why don't you know how to swim and how has it impacted your life? I wanted to ask my friend's gf more questions but I didn't want to come off like a dick so I just said "oh that's weird" and changed the subject

 

[Dr.Guru of Peru]

Most people don't know how to swim. They just avoid large bodies of water.

 

[Winter John]

What, you just said oh that's weird and left it at that? I would've smashed her head off the table and thrown her in the sea. What sort of uncivilized animal doesn't know how to swim? That's disgusting. Go to her house right now and shove her down the stairs.

 

[bitbydeath]

Swimming classes are covered in schools in Australia. They don’t do this in the US?

 

[I collect VHS tapes]

Swimming classes are covered in schools in Australia. They don’t do this in the US?

we had swimming classes in high school but you could opt out. It was optional

Most people don't know how to swim. They just avoid large bodies of water.

Idontbelieveyou.gif

 

[Pagusas]

Swimming classes are covered in schools in Australia. They don’t do this in the US?

100% depends on the school district. Poor school districts don't have money for swimming pools.

If I had to guess, I'd say most rich communities/kids of rich families know how to swim. If your poor though, a very low percentage of them would know.

Nearly half of adults can't swim well enough to save themselves

Only 56% of adults can perform the five basic skills needed to swim and exit the water safely.

www.local3news.com

While 80 percent of Americans said they could swim, only 56 percent of them can perform all five basic skills needed to swim safely.

Those skills are: floating or treading for 1 minute, jumping into deep water and coming up for air, spinning around in the water and then finding a way out, getting out of a pool without a ladder and swimming one pool length without stopping.

 

[bitbydeath]

we had swimming classes in high school but you could opt out. It was optional


Idontbelieveyou.gif

It’s mandatory here, and they start in Prep.
(The level/year before grade one)

 

[I collect VHS tapes]

It’s mandatory here, and they start in Prep.
(The level/year before grade one)

it should be mandatory

it’s a basic life skill and just happens to be really fun

 

[bitbydeath]

100% depends on the school district. Poor school districts don't have money for swimming pools.

If I had to guess, I'd say most rich communities/kids of rich families know how to swim. If your poor though, a very low percentage of them would know.

http://[URL]https://www.local3news....t of Americans,before getting into the water.

[/URL]

A lot of schools here don’t have pools either but in those cases they get on a bus and drive to whatever’s closest.

 

[anthony2690]

I find it mind boggling that people collect VHS tapes

Spoiler

I can swim, I assumed everyone learned how to swim in primary school?

 

[Hawking Radiation]

Throw a few people overboard a boat and yell 'Shark!'. Trust me, they'll know to swim.

 

[kingfey]

I am sorry that I didn't live near a water area, or went to swimming pool in my live.

When there are tons of things going for my life, swimming is the last thing in my mind.

 

[mitch1971]

I'm 50 and still can't swim.

When at school there were around 30 plus in the class, and it was the teacher who took the lessons.The school didn't have a private swimming pool, so we took the trip to the local public baths. Travelling, plus getting changed, left us little time to really get a good lesson in. So, anyone who couldn't swim was pushed to the shallow end, given arm-bands and floats and the teacher crossed his fingers you didn't drowned that lesson.

I very rarely remember any one to one from the teachers back then; they had enough kids to be in charge off and it was easier to teach those who could compared to those who couldn't. Those were the days.

MY mother wasn't a big swimmer, as I'd never seen her swim oh holiday for example. My father left when I was around 2 so didn't have that Male father figure, who in those days, chucked you in at the deepend and you learned quite quickly.

Growing up, I had friends who, in the summer holidays, would grab a towel and 20 pence and spend an hour at the baths, or jumping off bridges into the local docks. It never really bothered me.

I've never been attracted to the water, but I don't shy away from walking along a canal or the sea. I'm just careful and not stupid enough to risk anything near water. I've been on ferries and such, and not really thought about it.

Would I like to learn, sure; mainly as an exercise not out of fear of being in a watery predicament. I'm not embarressed about not being able to swim, I just say I don't swim. People are suprised, sure, but hey ho that's me.

 

[Meicyn]

It’s definitely a good skill to have, I went whitewater rafting on the Ocoee River in Tennessee and almost drowned that day. Was an awesome trip.

 

[AJUMP23]

My wife is not a good swimmer but I am and my kids are.

 

[jason10mm]

In my experience there is a sharp ethnic and presumably socioeconomic, divide between kids who can than those who can't. Obviously access to pools, lakes, or the ocean is kinda a prerequisite so urban inner city kids and desert/farmland rural kids might be hard pressed to get to swimming.

 

[Ozzy Onya A2Z]

Aussie schools mandate a week or so of swimming lessons each year but it's not enough. It's on parents/adults to get it done. I don't understand not learning to swim let alone not having your kid in private lessons at some point. A best mate of my son has gone through all the same school swimming lessons for 7 years and literally cannot swim still. The parents stop at the school teachings basically. Our families go to the beach together and he just stays waist deep the whole day, his mum just hangs with him and she doesn't say it but I suspect she doesn't swim either. Meanwhile we're out the back with our snorkel gear checking out sand stingrays and the like. Blows my mind, I've joked to the misses we just need to teach him. We make time to include him but it's weird to me after each summer they haven't invested that time to bring him up to decent swimming level. I'm curious how he will go when our backyard pool is finished, he comes over to our house often.

We had our babies/kids in the pool/beach within their first months and they love the water. Swimming lessons went on for a solid 4-5 years for them too. My daughter wants to go spearfishing with me next summer. Took wifey/both kids snorkelling in Bali and Queensland, it's a brilliant activity for a family. Beyond the joy of swimming there is so many water activities out there I couldn't imagine keeping that away from a kid.

 

[Mistake]

I took lots of swimming classes and was always signed up during summer camp, but it didn’t matter because I had 0% body fat and minimal muscle. I just couldn’t gain for years so I sunk like a rock. This resulted in me having many near death experiences, so I absolutely hate going to the beach. Now that I’m older, I have more muscle and it’s a bit easier, so I’m trying to go to pools for exercise.

 

[Pagusas]

A lot of schools here don’t have pools either but in those cases they get on a bus and drive to whatever’s closest.

busses and field trips cost money. I think you are underestimating how bad poor school districts are in the US. Many times teacher have to buy supplies for kids themselves, and there are numerous areas where kids go hungry because they cant afford the school lunches.

I love my country, dearly, if you are middle class to rich here, your life will be wonderful. But if you are poor in the US and live in a bad school district? God help you and your children, because no one else will be.

 

[Doom85]

I mean, I never got the hang of riding a bicycle as a kid, so I’m certainly not about to judge.

 

[Trogdor1123]

My mom can’t swim (terrified of water) but my brother and I both swam competitively all the way into university.

I think it’s more about where you live than anything. I couldn’t imagine not being able to do water sports for me but after seeing my moms fear and different locations, it makes sense I guess

Parents that don’t try to teach their kids how to swim are really foolish though. It is a fun thing that could literally save their life one day

 

[Ailynn]

I love water and even listen to rain/waterfalls/ocean waves while sleeping each night...but I'm 47 and still haven't learned how to swim.

Growing up, we didn't have swimming pools in my school or neighborhood, and we hardly ever went to the beach. Also, my Mom almost drowned when she was young and understandably had a fear of deep water (as well as chronic painful health issues), so my family never made it a priority to even try to gain access to swimming opportunities.

I'm happy for people who can swim, though. It always seems so soothing and fun.

 

[Ionian]

I had to swim in school. hated it, the chlorine burnt my eyes.

So i fucked my best friends clothes in the swimming pool.




when in Barca, tried the beach. No hope. I can swim, just hate it.

 

[IntentionalPun]

What else gets boggled, or is it only minds?

 

[StreetsofBeige]

I dont know what it's like now, but swimming classes were definitely not covered by the government in Canada way back. You paid a fee and went to community centres to do 1 hour classes. Each level you'd get like 8-10 classes. And every level (badges if they still have them) costs money. To get the ultimate badge, you'd have to pass probably at least 10 levels.

 

[InterMusketeer]

I had real difficulty learning to swim because I couldn't stand getting water in my eyes. Teachers would twist it into fear of the water, but that wasn't really true. I loved playing in the water with goggles on. Just didn't want my eyes to sting like heck. I still can't handle it.

Anyway, it's only because of my mother's persistence that I was able to learn eventually. I was way older than most other kids when I finished. We went through several courses before we found a good one. It was focused on rescuing others in the water too. Holding their head on your belly and stuff, swimming with clothes on etc. Still, whenever we went to the pool some kids would start getting rowdy, splashing water everywhere, and inevitably a droplet would enter my eye and I'd run as fast as I could to our towels and wipe my eyes on them.

 

[I collect VHS tapes]

I dont know what it's like now, but swimming classes were definitely not covered by the government in Canada way back. You paid a fee and went to community centres to do 1 hour classes. Each level you'd get like 8-10 classes. And every level (badges if they still have them) costs money. To get the ultimate badge, you'd have to pass probably at least 10 levels.

Ultimate badge? Sounds like a Pokémon game

 

[StreetsofBeige]

I took lots of swimming classes and was always signed up during summer camp, but it didn’t matter because I had 0% body fat and minimal muscle. I just couldn’t gain for years so I sunk like a rock. This resulted in me having many near death experiences, so I absolutely hate going to the beach. Now that I’m older, I have more muscle and it’s a bit easier, so I’m trying to go to pools for exercise.

When I did swim classes as a kid and messed around in people's swimming pools, the theory is nobody can really drown as long as you act cool and lie back and relax. Humans always float to the top.

Absolute BS. I always sunk. At best, it'd look like its working and I'm still half submerged and my head is underwater, whereas all these pics online look like people are floating on a cloud on water.

 

[StreetsofBeige]

Ultimate badge? Sounds like a Pokémon game

Ya. These were given out. I have no idea what it's like now. After these badges, there were many more advanced ones which I think were meant for lifeguards and instructors.

- Canadian Red Cross Timeline

This set of eight colour Canadian Red Cross swimming level badges were iconic symbols of swimming in Canada during the 1980s and 1990s.

www.redcross.ca

 

[TheInfamousKira]

Get ready to implode, OP.

I don't know how to swim.

I never learned how to ride a bike.

I don't know the rules to football.

I don't know the rules to any sport, actually.

I didn't use cell phones until 2017.

I don't wear shoes, solely boots. Ha. Solely.

I'm left handed.

I think mayonnaise sucks.

I've never eaten fish.

BURN IN MY HELL FIRE

 

[20cent]

Swimming and riding a bicycle are the basic life skills any kid should learn before 6 years old.

 

[I collect VHS tapes]

Get ready to implode, OP.

I don't know how to swim.

I never learned how to ride a bike.

I don't know the rules to football.

I don't know the rules to any sport, actually.

I didn't use cell phones until 2017.

I don't wear shoes, solely boots. Ha. Solely.

I'm left handed.

I think mayonnaise sucks.

I've never eaten fish.

BURN IN MY HELL FIRE

 

[Pagusas]

Get ready to implode, OP.

I don't know how to swim.

I never learned how to ride a bike.

I don't know the rules to football.

I don't know the rules to any sport, actually.

I didn't use cell phones until 2017.

I don't wear shoes, solely boots. Ha. Solely.

I'm left handed.

I think mayonnaise sucks.

I've never eaten fish.

BURN IN MY HELL FIRE

We solute you, low bar setter man.

 

[bitbydeath]

What else gets boggled, or is it only minds?

Cars?
Although they say bogged, but same thing right?

 

[TheInfamousKira]

We solute you, low bar setter man.

It's an easy job, but somebody's gotta do it later.

 

[youta]

 

[Durien]

Dude, when I was in boot camp for the Navy we had one of many swim days where you need to jump in from 15ft tread water or float for 2 minutes then swim the length of the pool. The company commander says let us know if you will be unable to do this or don't know how to swim. I would say less than 10 people raised their hands. I was more amazed that someone would join the Navy without knowing how to swim. Not sure if there was a realistic correlation but the people who couldn't swim were midwest states. But people from coastal states all new how to swim whether they had been to the ocean or not.

 

[dr_octagon]

I don't wear shoes, solely boots. Ha. Solely

 

[Batiman]

Depends on their culture from my experience. I notice most Africans and East Asians don’t know how. Talking to my friends at work it seems like it mostly comes down to lack of places to swim. They don’t grow up with pools and so on.

 

[Batiman]

When I did swim classes as a kid and messed around in people's swimming pools, the theory is nobody can really drown as long as you act cool and lie back and relax. Humans always float to the top.

Absolute BS. I always sunk. At best, it'd look like its working and I'm still half submerged and my head is underwater, whereas all these pics online look like people are floating on a cloud on water.

Because you tense your your body. Making yourself like a rock

 

[Mistake]

Because you tense your your body. Making yourself like a rock

Kinda hard not to be tense when you’re drowning

Floating works alright if you use your lungs as air bags, but it’s still pretty uncomfortable without the right body mass

 

[TheInfamousKira]

What can I say, I'm a cunning linguist.

A...Master debater.

Good with lip service, if you will.

GIFT OF THE SILVER TONGUE

I like to give head. With words.

 

[dr_octagon]

I always sunk.

You a witch brah?

What can I say, I'm a cunning linguist.

A...Master debater.

Good with lip service, if you will.

GIFT OF THE SILVER TONGUE

I like to give head. With words.

 

[I collect VHS tapes]

 

[Wheeljack539]

Throw a few people overboard a boat and yell 'Shark!'. Trust me, they'll know to swim.

Yeah, but what if they don't come back up to hear you shout that?

 

[dr_octagon]

What, you just said oh that's weird and left it at that? I would've smashed her head off the table and thrown her in the sea. What sort of uncivilized animal doesn't know how to swim? That's disgusting. Go to her house right now and shove her down the stairs.

 

[GoldenEye Samurai]

I probably wouldn’t have learned to swim if it wasn’t for my sister taking me to swimming lessons at the local YMCA when I was like 8 years old. It’s a useful ability for sure.

 

[Hawking Radiation]

Yeah, but what if they don't come back up to hear you shout that?

You do it as you throw them overboard. That way you also get to see the fear in their eyes knowing they're about to be fucked by a 1000 pound fish.

 

[Dark Star]

I grew up in the hot Texas suburbs so I had a wealth of access to swimming pools. took a few swimming classes as a toddler, swam in my neighborhood public pool during the summer, went to friends houses and swam in their backyard pools, etc. even went swimming in many pools in hotels while traveling too. The beach isn't too far from me as well so I had plenty of experience trying to swim in the ocean too. I can't remember ever swimming in a lake or river, but probably a good thing considering what lives in those bodies of water lol snakes and parasites and shit.

So yeah, definitely depends on where you grew up + lifestyle. However my much older sister can barely swim in water over 5 feet. She can't tread water at all, scared to dive into a deep pool. We went swimming last weekend and she refused to hangout in the 12 foot area with the diving boards haha.

 

[poodaddy]

I can't swim. Can't deal with my head being underwater. I'm always amazed that people like you care. Like I've met tons of people just like you who seem to think it's a big deal when someone can't swim, yet it's extremely common. Honestly who gives a shit? Worry about yourself man, you're not good at everything. I'm disgusted that people drink soda and don't know how to squat properly, which I'd argue is a fundamental human skill just as you see swimming to be, but I'm not out here screaming about it and openly judging others.