Well, this is not impossible at all. I don't mean to be disparaging or brush with a wide brush, but it could come down to your personal situational awareness.

If you were a street cop, or a trained fighter, or someone else who is always looking around, paying attention to people, drawing conclusions about them from presented evidence and observations, then I would be shocked you'd never seen outsiders.

If you spent your career as an engineer or in some other cubicle profession with a hyper focus on detail or the bottom line and not on the macro picture around you and your surroundings, then this is entirely plausible.

It's amazing to me when I can observe and state, "he's on drugs" or, "those are illegals" or, "they're European" or, "that guys a parolee / convict." People sometimes get all bent out of shape and condescendingly demand, "How can you know that? You can't make those judgements about someone!!" Oh, but I can and I do. So do many others. Once you know what you're looking for and seeing - and your personality is one to actively observe others, then of course conclusions are drawn with solid probabilities of accuracy. Different ways of people standing, what they're looking at and how, how they go about what they're doing, how they are groomed and dressed, these are all details some notice casually. For some of us, a constant "game" of risk and threat assessment doesn't end with retirement.

If you know, you know and others can often be oblivious. Like I heard a guy say once, when you're stopped at a traffic light, are you looking at your phone, the car radio, the traffic light in front of you, absorbed in conversation with your passengers, or are you looking around at the other vehicles and occupants pulled up next to you? You know who is always looking around, prepared for someone to approach their car? Criminals and cops.

So, depending on which camp one falls into based on one's life experiences, training, or professional skill development, it is entirely plausible to have spent three years be-bopping around the bubble without having the first clue who is around you - or isn't.

I think it also geographical. The amenities near TV periphery and near the newer outside high density family developments are more likely to have the intruders. The interior locations can be too difficult to get to when there are easy pickings close to the developments. I suspect those that don't see anything are well within TV.

^ Very good point.

Can’t “vouch” for someone - does it work for the police officer who pulled you over when they ask for your driver’s license and your wife say, “Yes, officer, I know he has one, he just forgot”?

"Thanks, mam. But in the future make sure he has it with him before he gets behind the wheel. I'm letting you go with just a warning. Now drive safely and have a nice day"
That seems reasonable, don't it? 🤭🙄🤬

In most cases, when trying to prove something you need evidence. Not seeing any evidence being considered anecdotal is extremely strange. That's like saying not spotting any aliens (the extraterrestrial kind) being spotted is purely anecdotal.

Someone saying to the "pool police" that you know someone because they're your neighbor of several years is quite a different situation than the nonsense being presented here.

You did say "every 90 minutes" a person would come by to check ID's. Can I ask, what rec centers or pools you frequent?

So, please go home and bring it back to show. People have been known to lie or various reasons. Like for an outside friend?
Also, having to go get the I'd means they are less likely to forget it in the future. It's all about learning, you see.

So you are Swimming at 6 different pools and nobody checking at the Regional swimming lanes? (Pools that one can actually swim). No lounge chairs just a few benches.

Or are you using 6 family pools at any Recreational Center (pools allowing all ages no swim lanes) with chairs tables, and lounge chairs. That have onsite employees? Usually ID checked about every hour, depending on the employee can ask you leave ID in plain site while in the pool.

Or the 6 pools you are frequenting adult pools (no Swim Lanes) not at any recreation center? Pools to socialize get wet, unmanned? With lounge chairs and tables.
That can have territorial residents in a heartbeat will call CW if you don’t look like you belong?

When you posted “I Swim” my impression was you were actually swimming at a Regional Center, with ids checked at entry.
If you are getting wet at the unmanned Adult pools, usually checked every couple hours by a CW that makes big difference. In our 4 different neighborhoods, the adult pools were usually checked every few hours, but the local residents were the watchdogs.

Every time our daughter goes to any adult pools someone would approach or call to have her ID checked. Apparently at 50 she takes far better care of her skin than other residents.
Which definitely makes her look younger than the required age 30 for adult pools.

Let's flip this around and ask how you knew that "these people coming in to free load" were NOT TV residents.

Looks like a $5 problem with a $1000 solution

Slip of the tongue or out right admissions, mostly. At least that has been my experience.

For those of you who find it difficult, inconvenient, impossible, or distasteful to get out of the pool to show your ID - perhaps you could consider affixing your ID to a little clamp that you can attach to your swimsuit. My swimsuit bottom (I wear a two-piece) has a key pocket that's just big enough for a key and a single ID card. If I'm in the pool and someone wants to check my ID it's right there, no need to get out of the pool at all. I don't bother though, because I'm fine with getting out of the pool to show my ID.

Nice to see there were at least 3 Rec Center people checking ID's outside Rohan Pickleball courts this morning.