People who can't swim.

[Blazing Tiger]

As a cracker, I learned how to swim at an early age. No one pushed me into swimming, I jumped in at my own discretion. I love swimming, as both an exercise routine and recreatively. Although, ironically, I've got a fear of being trapped in shit underwater. I can't even watch it on TV. Euugh.

For those living near the coast, it should be a priority. Inland? Meeeh. They can do what they want.

[Dascoo]

... You probably won't learn much from the school. And it's very unlikely you'll learn how to save someone else who's drowning.

Atleast you could swim towards them and try to keep their head up.

[Shivorken]

Learning to swim should be encouraged from a very young age. That way, they will not know about drowning or have a fear of water since they don't know any better. You will never know when you will need to swim in a life/death situation and isn't always better to know more?

I've been swimming for 1km every day for the past 3-4 years and its gotta bet the most wonderful form of exercise ever as well!

A couple of years ago my school gave us life guard courses and we had to swim in our clothes, perform CPR, learn how to use ropes properly, learn how to hold onto people with out drowning the both of you and all that crap. Very useful =] Do you guys have this kinda stuff?

[Zero72]

Swimming is just one of those weird things that I've always had a really hard time picking up. I could probably swim well enough to keep myself alive if I needed to -- providing, as Dascoo mentioned in a slightly jackassish manner, I kept a cool head about it.

[Dascoo]

Exactly! It's not that it's impossible for a person to swim, it's just that they have to CALM THE HELL DOWN and paddle like every other mammal does when they're dropped in the water.

[n00bface]

I think it should be mandatory, I've been in a few situations where I would've been pretty fucked had I not been able to swim.

[PANZERCATWAGON]

A kid not being taught how to swim is like a kid not being taught basic mathematics. Sure they might not use it, but it's fucking essential.

[Will]

I laugh at people who don't swim. It's natural. Like walking.

[SDFilm]

Well it was mandatory to learn how to swim and swim damn well during my pre-highschool education, being mandatory to learn different ways of swimming and racing against the class. Although I rarely swim nowadays, I am glad that I had swimming lessons.

Maybe because I've known how to swim for most of my life, I really can't understand how people seriously "can't swim". It's like running or climbing- you can be taught how to be very good at it, but the basics are natural to everyone.

Reminds me of some game review about Vice City- "Tommy Versitti can pilot and drive all kinds of vehicles, has great aim when firring most weapons and runs a mafia empire; but he can't swim to save his life."

[Mitak]

Ye, for me it was like ridin' a bike @_@

[Mangled*]

I think it should be mandatory unless theres extenuating circumstances (chlorine allergies, disabilities etc...)

In my primary school, swimming was what was done for physical education when you were 8 - 10. But they didn't actually teach how to swim, all they did was say 'look, paddle from this side of the shallow end to the other end.' Which was of no help at all. They never taught how to tread water or any of the swimming techniques, it was just doggy paddling.

I can't swim, and I wish to hell I could and that I was taught properly. My problem is (or was) that I can't seem to float. (I haven't actually tried swimming since 6 or 7 years ago) ... also not to mention that the lifeguard that was present was so obese that she needed a walking stick to aid her walking. - You have no idea how unnerving it is to know that if you start to drown, the only person who can save and who is qualified to save you, is probably the most immobile person in the entire building.

Any way... Point is, I wish I knew how to swim, because then I'd be able to do lots more things such as surfing, canoing, windsurfing etc...

Being able to swim can save your life and the lives of other people. We live in a world which has over three quarters of its surface covered with oceans and rivers.

[Dascoo]

....you can't float? That doesn't make any sense......unless you have no air in your lungs. My brother had a hard time sinking FFS. Every time he tried to swim underwater his ass was always floating.

Try swimming again. Just swim around in the shallow end of a pool....and if you get tired and don't want to touch the ground, go on your back.   

[Domokun]

People who cant swim should learn swim

[LtKillroy]

Shouldn't be mandatory, just like riding bikes, etc. People panic becuase of natural survival instincts. Pretty much it.

[PaFel]

I think that everyone should can swim. I even don't know how can someone can't swim but I also think that if somebody can't swim she/he shouldn't be blamed for this.

[Dascoo]

Shouldn't be mandatory, just like riding bikes, etc. People panic becuase of natural survival instincts. Pretty much it.

Other mammals don't fag out and panic. They paddle. But humans want to fucking scream LIFEGUARD HELP HELP GAAAHHA AGH then swallow a shitload of water and drown.

Riding a bike and Swimming are two different things. Riding a bike is easier

[Mitak]

Well it seems easy when you're far from the pool/sea but when you get there, things are different.
I learned to swim when I was... oh... Maybe 11. We don't have covered pools in my town, nor do we have any pools with water temperature above 10C and with less odds and grass. So I started going with my family in some tourist village. There I started paddling in the water - saw this from a d00d that was smaller than me. So... I started floating and swimming around very slowly.
I think it's not hard to learn how to swim - you just need to know a few general things and how to properly move your feet and hands so that you don't lose energy.
My dad taught me to shove with my hands and how to kick with the feet and so on. After a while you start composing your own technique, which would suit your body best, so that you don't lose energy.

[Wolf_Man]

omfg i almost drowned when i was 2 and almost did just again this summer, my friend like pushed me and i cant swim worth a shit, and he just laughed and my sister in law didnt even notice....the bastards

Date Posted: September 11, 2007, 08:51:10 PM

Any way... Point is, I wish I knew how to swim, because then I'd be able to do lots more things such as surfing, canoing, windsurfing etc...

i cant swim but i can like float and i go canoeing alot its fun im gonna go like this weekend even!

[The Geologist]

I've had 5 years of competitive swimming, coached by real swimmers. And I've seen how schools teach swimming...

... You probably won't learn much from the school. And it's very unlikely you'll learn how to save someone else who's drowning.

We're talking about learning to swim.  Not general CPR or emergency rescue. 

Edit: Wold Man: Buddy..you need to learn to swim if you do that sort of stuff.  Just floating isn't enough in some situations.

[BondJamesBond]

... You probably won't learn much from the school. And it's very unlikely you'll learn how to save someone else who's drowning.

Atleast you could swim towards them and try to keep their head up.

Trying to swim without correct techniques would probably just exhaust you more and cause you to go down quicker. However, I just realized that having any sort of swim lessons can give you confidence - and help you keep your cool.

hm. Playing into the mind a bit.