I didn't expect this level of unfounded ignorant hysteria here. Have you really never gone swimming and inhaled some water? Did you go to the hospital?

> In the past, these terms were used to try to explain that some fatal drowning victims had very little water in their lungs at autopsy. Now it is understood that little water enters the lungs during drowning. Moreover, when water enters the lungs, it is rapidly absorbed when breathing starts again. The amount of water that enters the lung does not determine the amount of injury or determine the treatment of drowning. The amount of injury from drowning is due to how long the victim is without oxygen.

Source: Red Cross

Maybe the common factor isn't "everybody else".

Your lungs can handle a tiny amount of water just fine. It’s not pleasant but it’s fine.

You’re probably thinking of something along the lines of pneumonia, which is different than breathing some water and coughing it back up.

For the record, I think the GP comment is way off-base saying drowning is uncommon.