[seorphates]

One person per lane is generally guaranteed only in competition. You can get your own lane if your pool is lightly loaded but by no means would your lane be off limits to others, normally.

It's crowded when you're finger tips to toes or you smash into the oncoming swimmer off the wall (the ones following you) which is typically the mistake of the one turning and not the oncoming swimmer but not always. You try to stick to lanes moving at your preferred pace. It's a little like driving - sometimes you get your own lane and sometimes you don't.

You haz kwestuns we haz anserz