i was ordered out of a pool in vendee because i had swimming shorts on and i would not wear the speedo style shorts the french demanded me to wear, needless to say my family have never returned to france

What is it with English men ??

This is a general comment not personally aimed at any HT user it is my personal opinion ONLY

Speedo's are REQUIRED by 99% of Campsites abroad although some do not enforce it

The reason why is simple (as told by a campsite owner last year) those folk who wear shorts stuff the pockets but then forget the stuff is there it floats out and clogs the filtration systems which then costs the campsite loads of money to get a service guy out AND being France (as this site was) you never get an engineer the same day you are lucky if it is the same month. So the swimming pool has to be closed down thanks to forgetful holidaymakers but it's the same holiday makers who complain that they will never return because they can't usethe pool they caused to break down

Speedo's

Why do so many English men refuse to wearthem ????
They are an English product that gets the Red Top newspapers to get their nickers in a twist WHY?????

If you are swimming what is wrong with swimming trunks ???

Is it because so many UK men are overweight and feel that such tight clothing makes them look even more of a blob
OR is it because the tight clothes make them feel inadequate in the wedding tackle department

It worries me not I swim in trunks or wetsuuit and they do not make you look like James Bond I can tell you especially if you have to wear a three part one due to the cold

I was merely answering a question that had been posted didnt realise that a rant would ensue regarding the merits of wearing speedos .As for swimming shorts breaking filtration systems of pools ,it would seem that three quarters of the male population of the uk wear swimming shorts and miraculously our pools still function

Well, speaking as a woman, and a Brit happily resident in France for the last 16 years ...............

I think that madcaravaner's post asked a fair question, and as he stated that it was a personal opinion I don't think he should be questioned for his point of view. And I know that I risk inflaming the situation but I would comment that over the last 30 years, clothing has become more casual and suitable for multiple situations eg shorts for swimmming, camisoles for daytime wear, and don't get me going on 'dropped trousers' or visible 'midriffs'!!

Part of our cultural development seems to be to accept overlaps in situations for wearing certain clothes - ie 'dress down Fridays', non-uniform days at school and choice in 'work dress' such as scrubs, trousers or skirts in hospitals. OK there I have noticed a trend towards branding in the form of uniform dress in banks, department stores and such like.

But it does seem to me that we do not accept that certain clothes or accessories are required for certain situations without modification, such as waterproofs for those who work outside in the rain, earprotectors for those working close to loud noise (eg hammer drills and pile drivers), eye goggles for those working with chemicals or electric arc welders, and ...... swimming trunks for gentlemen proposing to swim in a public pool or a pool owned by a company that lays down certain rules.

Appropriate dress is always in fashion, and the trouble with shorts, as I have mentioned previously, is that sometimes the wearers forget to empty their pockets (soggy tissues/banknotes anyone?) or the dirt or other 'unwholesome germs and debris' picked up naturally when wearing them - from the air, sitting on a dirty chair or dropping your dinner on them - get into the water and infect others.

Perhaps too much information? Use your imagination!

And swimming trunks can take up less space in the packing than shorts, and could double as gents' underwear if needed (not that anyone should be able to see!).

bnira wrote:

I was merely answering a question that had been posted didnt realise that a rant would ensue regarding the merits of wearing speedos .As for swimming shorts breaking filtration systems of pools ,it would seem that three quarters of the male population of the uk wear swimming shorts and miraculously our pools still function

It is MY personal opinion

but consider that the majority of the time in the UK swimming is done in pools where you go just to swim whereas on holiday you live in your short/swimsuit/wetsuit

I was relaying information I had been told and yes I was a little bit of a grumpy old man that day but it was a General comment not personal

HeHe....

I was advised by a pool manager friend in the South that the main reason is not the filtration risk but the fact that the trunks double us as shorts as well. So by the time your average chap goes to the pool in the afternoon he's been in them all day, theres grease and rubbish on them from breakfast, whatever chores he's done etc... and it's just plain unsavoury.

I prefer to wear shorts, but have speedo types to hand. I wonder if those that complain or use it as a farcical excuse not to go back to France would also insist on driving on the right as it's the English way?

i have only been to 2 sites in france and ( thankfully!) hubby was able to wear swim shorts

I'm sorry but NO ONE looks good in speedos,not even movie stars etc
they are so not flattering ! lol

but yes especially on older,larger guys !

I'm sorry but NO ONE looks good in speedos,not even movie stars etc

Well I've obviously missed the point here. I thought we were talking about actually going swimming in the pools rather than looking good around them! If you're just sunning yourself and not actually entering the water, I'm sure your shorts will be fine. (But you may have to explain that to the pool staff - Je ne vais pas nager. Je suis ici seulement pour me bronzer. JUH VAY PA NAZH-AY. JUH SWEE EECEE SEULMENT POOR ME BRONZAY I'm not here to swim, I'm just here to sunbathe.)

<sigh> my reply was a bit tongue in cheek

and was in reply mainly to

Is it because so many UK men are overweight, and feel that such tight clothing makes them look even more of a blob ?

OR is it because the tight clothes make them feel inadequate in the wedding tackle department ?

thanks for the french lesson BTW
i know enough to know how to pronounce though

that GCSE B grade, although rusty, comes in handy enough for holidays

I too was leg pulling a bit! Sorry if my transliterated French was unnecessary ... I'm glad that you can use what you learned in the past, but sadly many folk these days prefer other subjects at school!

lol very true!

sorry if i was mardy ! i am jet lagged still and neeeeeed more sleep lol

xx

Ooo, men in speedo's, not my bag!

Ever watched the men's swimming at the Olympics? Hmmmmmmmmm Seriously though, I hate to think how "clean" some men's swimming shorts might be.

Oi you lot whats wrong with Speedo's

Ever since I discovered them some 10+ yrs ago I've never looked back, got several types now, from the totally risque type to the hot pant style for the times I dont want to totally shock the locals.
Not that I've got much to shock with

I love them and any man who dosnt needs his head testing, they hold you together and also makes the nearly all over tan possible

I'm sorry but all you blokes that wander about in shorts down to your knee's just look totally daft and then when you put your shorter shorts and you reveal that stupid tan line it just makes you look even worse

Go on be a real man and get ya self a pair of Speedo's ................. you know it makes sence

Furbag