Poll: Reality and Movies - How Many People Can Swim?

[LongAndShort]

I can swim the bare minimum to be able to float for a few minute in case of a shipwreck on calm seas, but not much more.

But yeah, if I was in such a situation, living on boats or floating cities, I'd fuckin make sure I could swim. And that my kids could swim. And my friends and family. But non-protagonists and NPCs are often not the most practical bunch.

 

[Smokej]

Here in Germany swimming is part of the school curriculum in most states (from primary to highschool and academic highschool) So most children learn it in school if they hadn't picked it up before. But in the recent years due to the dissent of state law and cultural conventions of muslim families, who refuse to send their daughters to the swimming classes (or send them fully clothed...), there is an increasing part of children who aren't taking part in this system.

As a teacher speaking, this subject is always a big deal between muslim parents and the sport coaches and school administration (often resulting in lawsuits and the likes...) Apart from that the majority of kids in Germany, from the northsea coast to the alps, is learning to swim at some point in their childhood. Most males had to take swimming tests as well during their military service. For example for a sporting badge (which was a voluntary test) i had to swim 600 and 1000m within a time limit.

 

[newdarkcloud]

I can swim. I don't have any training and I can't move very fast in the water, but I can swim.

 

[NightHawk21]

Yes mind you I haven't in like 5 years. I used to be quite good and finshed every prelifegaurding program 4 years ahead of schedule to the point where I was 12 and in a class with 15-18 year olds.

 

[Boris Goodenough]

3 star CMAS snorkel diver
2 star CMAS SCUBA diver
So I guess I can swim.

Edit: I took the certificates before they were "degraded" to not include such things as the ABC test.

 

[TheFinalFantasyWolf]

I can keep myself afloat and I can swim, however I'm not a really strong swimmer. Againest a strong tide I would be pretty weak.

 

[Something Amyss]

My family's from coastal Maine. I'm pretty sure if I couldn't swim I'd be forced to commit ritual suicide.

 

[hazabaza1]

Eeeeeeeh. I can float. Move around a bit. I wouldn't win any races that's for damn sure.

 

[Seneschal]

I've never met a person who couldn't swim, to be honest (kids don't count). I even thought it was a sort of movie cliché that doesn't appear in real life.

Mostly because movies depict it as "people who know how to swim are buoyant, people who don't know how to swim have the density of solid rock," as if you suddenly gain an air-bladder organ after learning how to swim.

I have a feeling that "I can't swim" means something like "I haven't tried and would likely panic if thrown in deep water"; you'd really need to put some effort into sinking yourself because water generally won't do it for you. And I can't swim super-fast or very far, but that doesn't prevent me from floating on my back indefinitely.

 

[redisforever]

I've been learning to swim since I was 3, so about 13-14 years now. I used to go to the pool with my grandfather every day when I was younger. I can also hold my breath for quite a while. 3 minutes is the longest I've done, so far. Probably a bad idea to try going further.

 

[redisforever]

Got the Water Survival Qualified rating for my swim qual. Drown proofing is fun training (That's where they bind your hands and feet and drop you in 10 ft of water)

Well, it fits your name, to be honest. How long did you have to stay under? Do you have to escape, or something, or do they pull you out? I can do 3 minutes underwater, after a little while of preparation.

 

[Woodsey]

Yep, its part of the curriculum here until you're about 10, and my parents taught me anyway. I'm a pretty strong swimmer; certainly no chance of me drowning out of being an inept swimmer.

 

[Zack Alklazaris]

Yes I know how to swim and I know how to swim well. I believe EVERYONE needs to learn this. Drowning because you don't know how to swim is just a sad (and terrifying) way to go. I've almost drowned once (apparently trying to complete two laps underwater is a bad idea) it is not pleasant. Learn to swim.

 

[Thunderous Cacophony]

Everyone should know how to swim.....

I really cant fathom why you would not know....

(Other then being Hydrophobic)

It's a cultural thing. There's an interesting article on the BBC about why lots of Black Americans can't swim:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-11172054

I know it's a racist trope that black people can't swim (at all, because of genetics), but it's also a true observation that lots of black people can't swim because they've never learned how to, for a multitude of reasons.

It's probably a cultural thing. I come from an Brahmin Indian family, and no one is very athletic because people with tans and big muscles are seen as people who have to do physical labour to make a living. It's stupid, but if I didn't have German mother and I wasn't living in Canada, I probably still wouldn't know how to swim.

 

[Nalgas D. Lemur]

the ocean screams "Fucking don't come in here, idiot" which anyone with common sense takes to heart.

I grew up and live near the ocean, and I must've missed that part. It usually seems pretty indifferent. Sometimes it says, "Come play with me!" and it only occasionally gets cranky like that when the weather's bad.

As far as swimming, I don't think I know anyone who can't, at least that I'm aware of. I'm not particularly amazing and won't get anywhere in a hurry or anything, but I've made it across Walden Pond ('sup, Thoreau?) and back without stopping with a couple friends.

 

[BathorysGraveland]

I grew up and live near the ocean, and I must've missed that part. It usually seems pretty indifferent. Sometimes it says, "Come play with me!" and it only occasionally gets cranky like that when the weather's bad.

What I meant is, how unwelcome we are there. We are the dominant species on land, of course, but in the ocean? Not even close. Hell, we haven't even seen a lot of it, who knows what is roaming around in the uncharted depths? Sharks would be the least of it, I can imagine. I just see so much danger in the sea, that I can't understand why so many people are attracted to it. Would anyone swim in a river that is known to be infested with crocodiles? The oceans are full of much similar, and in some cases worse, things.

 

[Nudu]

Keep in mind that the escapist is not at all a representative sample.

 

[Realitycrash]

Eh, it's mandatory in Sweden to learn how to swim, and I grew up in the archipelago, so I can swim pretty well. Did a test back when I was twelve and in pretty crummy shape, and I could swim 2KM then (1.2 miles or so). 25 now, and it better shape. No idea how far I can go.

 

[Cpu46]

I know how to swim and can do it quite well. Spent almost an entire summer of my childhood at the beach every single day, went to the local indoor pool in the winter on a regular basis. Haven't done it in a while though due to college and stuff, maybe I should see if the campus pool is open.

Oh yes and one request for the people who can't swim. Don't go into the deep end until you can. I have been smacked in the head by random strangers twice my age who were flailing in a panic. I have been dragged under by people who thought my seemingly mystical (average) swimming skills must mean I am unnaturally buoyant and able to support their weight which was probably three times my own.

That being said learning to swim is not all that hard if you don't panic. Flailing will keep you on the surface but will tire you out incredibly fast and that is definitely a bad think if your inexperienced. Breath deep, it keeps you more buoyant and calms you down. Use slow strokes or else you will exhaust yourself. The calmer your are the longer your air will hold out if you do go under.

 

[Cpu46]

What I meant is, how unwelcome we are there. We are the dominant species on land, of course, but in the ocean? Not even close. Hell, we haven't even seen a lot of it, who knows what is roaming around in the uncharted depths? Sharks would be the least of it, I can imagine. I just see so much danger in the sea, that I can't understand why so many people are attracted to it. Would anyone swim in a river that is known to be infested with crocodiles? The oceans are full of much similar, and in some cases worse, things.

Very little in the ocean will go out of its way to attack a human. Like you said we are a land based species. We are relatively unknown to the creatures in there and as a result are only seen as food when misidentified as existing prey. Shark attacks are extremely rare and are even rarer for normal swimmers and divers. Hell, lakes and rivers are a lot worse simply because the predators in there depend on land creatures for most if not all of their diet. And anything in the uncharted depths of the ocean would have little reason to come near shore nor would it be well suited to hunting in the shallower regions of the ocean.