Anonymous
07/16/2025 15:16
Subject: Anyone else's pool cracking down on "lightning" -- making people get out of the water at the slightest hint?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:This has been the practice for over 50 years. Even indoor pools make everyone get out. Nothing new.
Hey dumdum, the post was not expressing amazement that pools close, it was asking what the policy at your pool is, because clearly, policies vary widely!
Why so aggressive? You’re one of the screaming parents, aren’t you?
No, I'm the OP who is fascinated by the people at my pool who are upset about it, so I thought to ask what the policy is elsewhere.
The given is that you should not be in the water when there is lightening, but I'd like to know how pools are deciding, how long they are requiring people to be about and how do community members handle it.
It sounds like: some use lifeguard's judgement, some use automatic systems, a lot of people complain.
And that warrants name-calling? Are you 12?
Anonymous
07/16/2025 14:58
Subject: Anyone else's pool cracking down on "lightning" -- making people get out of the water at the slightest hint?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:You don't have real problems in life, do you?
DP. I have a lot going on in my life, but the lightning rule at our pool is one of my top pet peeves. Ours does a 10 mile radius thing, so if a lightning strike is detected 9.9 miles away, the pool is closed for 30 minutes. It's a system required by insurance, but is absolutely not based on any sort of common sense, which is what annoys me most.
So you would rather chance a lighting strike to, checks notes, swim for fun? Ok.
Um. Your formulation is funny. But it's really stupid to keep closing a pool when I can see lightning strikes go from 1 mile to 3 miles to 6 miles to 9.9 miles away, and understand the trajectory. We do have more advanced tools at this point. But yeah, I get how the lazy, one size fits all scenarios, route is easier.
Anonymous
07/16/2025 13:47
Subject: Anyone else's pool cracking down on "lightning" -- making people get out of the water at the slightest hint?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:This has been the practice for over 50 years. Even indoor pools make everyone get out. Nothing new.
Hey dumdum, the post was not expressing amazement that pools close, it was asking what the policy at your pool is, because clearly, policies vary widely!
Why so aggressive? You’re one of the screaming parents, aren’t you?
No, I'm the OP who is fascinated by the people at my pool who are upset about it, so I thought to ask what the policy is elsewhere.
The given is that you should not be in the water when there is lightening, but I'd like to know how pools are deciding, how long they are requiring people to be about and how do community members handle it.
It sounds like: some use lifeguard's judgement, some use automatic systems, a lot of people complain.
Anonymous
07/16/2025 13:46
Subject: Anyone else's pool cracking down on "lightning" -- making people get out of the water at the slightest hint?
Imagine being so desperate to not take your own kids home that this is so upsetting to you. Just go home and come back tomorrow.
Anonymous
07/16/2025 13:41
Subject: Anyone else's pool cracking down on "lightning" -- making people get out of the water at the slightest hint?
Anonymous wrote:Floridian here laughing at you all staying in the water when there’s lightning about.
+1
Anonymous
07/16/2025 13:40
Subject: Anyone else's pool cracking down on "lightning" -- making people get out of the water at the slightest hint?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:This has been the practice for over 50 years. Even indoor pools make everyone get out. Nothing new.
Hey dumdum, the post was not expressing amazement that pools close, it was asking what the policy at your pool is, because clearly, policies vary widely!
Why so aggressive? You’re one of the screaming parents, aren’t you?
Anonymous
07/16/2025 13:29
Subject: Anyone else's pool cracking down on "lightning" -- making people get out of the water at the slightest hint?
Floridian here laughing at you all staying in the water when there’s lightning about.
Anonymous
07/16/2025 13:14
Subject: Re:Anyone else's pool cracking down on "lightning" -- making people get out of the water at the slightest hint?
Yes. This has been the case for at least the 20 years that I’ve been using this pool.
Anonymous
07/16/2025 12:55
Subject: Anyone else's pool cracking down on "lightning" -- making people get out of the water at the slightest hint?
Anonymous wrote:This has been the practice for over 50 years. Even indoor pools make everyone get out. Nothing new.
Hey dumdum, the post was not expressing amazement that pools close, it was asking what the policy at your pool is, because clearly, policies vary widely!
Anonymous
07/16/2025 12:54
Subject: Anyone else's pool cracking down on "lightning" -- making people get out of the water at the slightest hint?
Anonymous wrote:I'm on a pool board, one of the officers, and I'm here to share how much people can suck. We regularly have 40 something dads and moms cursing out 17 year old guards for doing their jobs and enforcing longstanding, clearly articulated rules. Oh, you want to stay in the pool when a storm rolls through? Dig up your backyard and put in your own pool. Our management company, their insurance, and common sense require you to get out and off the pool deck. Oh, you think little Johnny or Susie should be able to be in the deep end despite clearly struggling to swim and not passing the swim test? Because you don't want to have to get in the water to be arms length? Tough. But then you scream at the guard and call them stupid and insist you are more important? Yeah, this is a bit of what happens at your local neighborhood pool
Does having an automatic system make it easier? Lower insurance?
Anonymous
07/16/2025 12:54
Subject: Anyone else's pool cracking down on "lightning" -- making people get out of the water at the slightest hint?
Our pool has lightning detectors installed and the lifeguards also use a weather app, which is required by their employer.
The HOA said the detectors alert at lightning within 10 miles. They flash & sound an alarm. That notifies the lifeguard to monitor his apps. The lifeguard said that he's instructed by his company to clear the pool once his app alerts that lightning is within 7 miles. At 7 miles you can still be on the pool deck just not in the water. Once his app alerts that lightning is within 5 miles, he clears the deck and sends everyone home. The pool can't reopen until 30 minutes passes with no new nearby lightning strikes.
The pool management company the HOA used last year went only by the lightning detectors. Once they went off, everyone had to exit the pool and the pool closed until there was a 30-minute period with no new lightning alerts.
The HOA said the detectors alert at lightning within 10 miles. They flash & sound an alarm. That notifies the lifeguard to monitor his apps. The lifeguard said that he's instructed by his company to clear the pool once his app alerts that lightning is within 7 miles. At 7 miles you can still be on the pool deck just not in the water. Once his app alerts that lightning is within 5 miles, he clears the deck and sends everyone home. The pool can't reopen until 30 minutes passes with no new nearby lightning strikes.
The pool management company the HOA used last year went only by the lightning detectors. Once they went off, everyone had to exit the pool and the pool closed until there was a 30-minute period with no new lightning alerts.
Anonymous
07/16/2025 12:49
Subject: Anyone else's pool cracking down on "lightning" -- making people get out of the water at the slightest hint?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:These people complaining about a pool closing out of PRECAUTION when an actual threat is identified were probably also screaming about why the Texas camps weren't more prepared to evacuate during a flash flood warning. Except one scenario inconveniences them.
I don't think the two things are related.
Its not wanting to be inconvenienced during a weather threat.... people ignore warnings all the time. They scream when something bad finally happens.
Yes, see Camp Mystic. 😔
Anonymous
07/16/2025 12:34
Subject: Anyone else's pool cracking down on "lightning" -- making people get out of the water at the slightest hint?
I'm on a pool board, one of the officers, and I'm here to share how much people can suck. We regularly have 40 something dads and moms cursing out 17 year old guards for doing their jobs and enforcing longstanding, clearly articulated rules. Oh, you want to stay in the pool when a storm rolls through? Dig up your backyard and put in your own pool. Our management company, their insurance, and common sense require you to get out and off the pool deck. Oh, you think little Johnny or Susie should be able to be in the deep end despite clearly struggling to swim and not passing the swim test? Because you don't want to have to get in the water to be arms length? Tough. But then you scream at the guard and call them stupid and insist you are more important? Yeah, this is a bit of what happens at your local neighborhood pool
Anonymous
07/16/2025 11:58
Subject: Anyone else's pool cracking down on "lightning" -- making people get out of the water at the slightest hint?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:OP, the only thing that is different is that we’re getting more frequent severe storms. Expect more pool closures than in the past. This isn’t about teens randomly thinking they’re seeing or hearing thunder or trying to get out of work. In fact, when the pools close early, the kids don’t get paid at least at the pools My kids work at. They are fighting for hours Because there’s hardly any other summer jobs available for that age group these days.
This!
My maternal grandfather’s people were watermen. If growna** men paused their livelihood to get out of the Bay, it sounds like a recreational swim should also pause for safety’s sake.
Thus complain to the fossil fuel industry worsening climate change, not the lifeguards following a policy.
Anonymous
07/16/2025 11:38
Subject: Anyone else's pool cracking down on "lightning" -- making people get out of the water at the slightest hint?
Anonymous wrote:OP, the only thing that is different is that we’re getting more frequent severe storms. Expect more pool closures than in the past. This isn’t about teens randomly thinking they’re seeing or hearing thunder or trying to get out of work. In fact, when the pools close early, the kids don’t get paid at least at the pools My kids work at. They are fighting for hours Because there’s hardly any other summer jobs available for that age group these days.
Thus complain to the fossil fuel industry worsening climate change, not the lifeguards following a policy.