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To the Editor: 

A few fast swimmers dominate the deep end during the Berkeley High School city warm pool program time slots, each taking an entire lane, setting the rules, in effect, for others for the rest of the day. As a result, only six to eight people use the deep end most of the time. This, when many more obviously want to swim there and could swim there, but are shy and don't make an issue of it. (These are disabled people who are vulnerable and are used to being pushed around.) Many seem to give up and quit coming. 

One lifeguard about five years ago made a point of asking people to follow each other, as occurs at the other pools, when population reached a critical point. The current lifeguard supervisor has told me she intends to let people make up their own system, in effect. Rarely, eight to 12 people will manage to get along and squeeze into the six lanes there. A number of deep end users seem unable to adjust to detecting others to avoid collisions and seem unable to steer inside one lane while swimming on their backs. Lifeguards seem to have been given a completely hands-off order when it comes to coaching and organizing such swimmers.  

Terry Cochrell 

Berkeley