A swimming group has put cones on public lap lanes. Should I ask them to move or go straight to pool staff?
SportsI reached the end of the lane and was told, "This one's for our set." The swimmers had put cones beside two of the four lanes, but the session was advertised to me as public lap swimming.
They may have arranged something I don't know about. I paid at the desk and didn't ask which lanes were available. The remaining two were already busy, while one coned lane had only three people using it.
I don't want to remove the cones or argue from the water. The group says keeping together helps them follow the same set, which I understand. I also want to know whether I can join that lane at an appropriate pace or whether it really is reserved.
What would you ask staff first? If the lanes aren't reserved, how could the pool explain the shared arrangement without making it a confrontation between one casual swimmer and a group that comes every week?