Re: A New Gym Issue: The Invisible Treadmill Runner UPDATE pg 3

[weeblewobble]

I POD everyone else's advice, but I also have to say I'm a little surprised that this is an issue. Why doesn't this guy cool down (it can be unsafe not to), and why wouldn't he bother to stop it if he knew he was leaving?? Doesn't the machine have a pause/quit button?

Yes!  A big red one!  That's why this is such a silly, pointless thing to do.

[Dragons 8 Cactus]

OK, I need to know.
How old do you think this guy is ?

Saying old guy could cover a lot of age groups.

[weeblewobble]

OK, I need to know.
How old do you think this guy is ?

Saying old guy could cover a lot of age groups.

In his 60s, most likely.

[Dragons 8 Cactus]

yeh Ok,  old enough to know better.

[BeagleMommy]

You are not tattling on him.  You are preventing him from hurting himself or another person.  I don't know about the treadmills at your gym, OP, but the ones at mine go into pause mode if they are not actively being used.  After a few minutes the pause mode shuts the machine off.

[Eeep!]

I really really don't understand the motivation for someone to do that. It seems waay more complicated than just hitting the darn stop button. 
I think that, if I were you, I would stop my workout one time to notify a worker. Or, if he comes in at around the same time each day, I would mention to them on the way in about him and hopefully they will keep an eye out for him. 

[Hmmmmm]

This is may be one of the oddest things I've heard of at a gym.  Really trying to come up with a motiviation.  Only one I can think of is he is using a pre-programmed workout that is for like 30 minutes, he does 20, and doesn't realize he can stop it mid work out.

Or can you log into the treadmills with an ID and it records your work out so he's trying to make it appear he's working out longer than he really is? 

Anyway, this would bug me enough to stop my work out once to follow him so I could point him out to a staff member.  Or have my cell phone handy and snap a picture of him the next time he comes in and show that to the staff for identification purposes.

[weeblewobble]

Success!  I deliberately delayed my arrival at the gym by about 20 minutes today.  I scoped out the treadmills and spotted The Invisible Runner on one of the machines.  I went to the staff member at the head desk and pointed him out and explained the situation. (I didn't actually point, because that would be rude.)  The staff member said he would watch him and correct the behavior if it happened again. 

Of course, a few minutes after I climbed on my machine, the Invisible Runner hopped off of his treadmill without turning it off.  The staff member walked by, noted the running machine and explained to The Invisible Runner that this was dangerous and explained how to safely turn off the machine. The Invisible Runner stared at him with this irritated, "Why are you explaining this to me?" expression on his face, but didn't say anything.  He just nodded and walked off. The staff member looked at me and shrugged.  I shrugged in return and continued my workout.

I don't know if this is the last of it, but I feel like I've done my part to protect my fellow gym members and the equipment.  

ETA: Oh, and the staff member thanked me very sweetly as I walked out of the gym.  "Now, if you could just do something about people who don't wipe the sweat off of the machines before they get off of them!"

I told him that was a bit beyond the scope of my powers. 

[Softly Spoken]

Congrats on doing your part! 

Hope an update reporting he has changed his ways will be forthcoming.

Really glad to hear the gym employee backed you up - sometimes business employees are too spineless because they don't want to upset customers and potentially lose them.  I can't stand places that insist on this "gutless doormat" policy. 

PS: As to the problem mentioned about other patrons not wiping off sweat (ewwwww!)...the only thing I can think that would be ehell approved would have to be done if you caught them in the act. You could act very considerate and concerned and exclaim: "Oh my, I noticed you didn't wipe down the machine. Would you like me to get you a towel?" Just act like you were sure they were just about to do the right thing, and you would be only too happy to assist them in doing so. If they aren't shamed into cleaning up after their stinky selves then take a moment to grieve their snowflake status, shrug, and move on - to a clean machine. 

[weeblewobble]

Congrats on doing your part! 

Hope an update reporting he has changed his ways will be forthcoming.

Really glad to hear the gym employee backed you up - sometimes business employees are too spineless because they don't want to upset customers and potentially lose them.  I can't stand places that insist on this "gutless doormat" policy. 

PS: As to the problem mentioned about other patrons not wiping off sweat (ewwwww!)...the only thing I can think that would be ehell approved would have to be done if you caught them in the act. You could act very considerate and concerned and exclaim: "Oh my, I noticed you didn't wipe down the machine. Would you like me to get you a towel?" Just act like you were sure they were just about to do the right thing, and you would be only too happy to assist them in doing so. If they aren't shamed into cleaning up after their stinky selves then take a moment to grieve their snowflake status, shrug, and move on - to a clean machine. 

I thought the staffer handled it really well.  His approach was polite and helpful, sort of, "Hey, in case you didn't realize, you're supposed to turn off these machines when you're done."

I am not touching the sweat issue with a ten foot pole.  I am careful to wipe my own machine every time I use one and I think that's as far as I want to go with.  There are only so many interpersonal confrontations I want to have at the gym.

[Dragons 8 Cactus]

*looks around hopefully* Update Pretty please. has anything esle happened  lately ?

[Cami]

"Now, if you could just do something about people who don't wipe the sweat off of the machines before they get off of them!"

I told him that was a bit beyond the scope of my powers. 

  To be honest, that is why, after trying out a gym for a month, I declined to buy a membership. Going to the gym actually did not improve my health. I'd been warned by several people not to go to the gym during X and Y hours because "The Sweater" was there -- a man whose sweat flew so profusely that anyone within 5 feet on either side would be sprayed with it. I saw it and FELT it (oh the yuck factor) because the time between X and Y hours were the only time available to me to go. Then you had the people sweat all over their equipment and don't clean it and people coughing and sneezing into the pool water. It  not only grossed me out, but I was sicker that month than I've been in entire five year spans.

[weeblewobble]

No update, really.  I haven't seen the guy since his conversation with the gym staffer.  I hope he wasn't embarrassed away from the gym because he was corrected.  But honestly, what he was doing was dangerous, so the correction was necessary.

[Dragons 8 Cactus]

Sadly Weeble, I think he isn't back because he had 'ill intent' and Your good intentions means everyone is Safe now. So Goodonya sweetie ((Hug))

[Yvaine]

Sadly Weeble, I think he isn't back because he had 'ill intent' and Your good intentions means everyone is Safe now. So Goodonya sweetie ((Hug))

What kind of ill intent do you mean? Some kind of nefarious plot to injure people with the treadmill?