cell phones and the gym

YogaRunner

This topic is so timely for me! Two weeks ago the woman on the treadmill next to me spent 25 minutes on her cell phone despite the gym policy not to allow cell phones while on equipment. Then, a few days ago, two women got on the treadmills next to me and began their social hour. No matter how high I turned my Ipod up I couldn't drown them out. I usually run outside but have had to take my runs to the gym lately because of horrible weather (I live on the east coast). When I am running and working hard on increasing my speed or endurance or doing intervals etc, it takes a lot of mental gymnastics to focus on what I need to do physically and mentally. I found myself having to use motivational messages to get over my annoyance with these women for 5 miles! "Just ignore them, who cares..." I really wanted to find a polite way to ask them to be quiet but figured I'd likely be dismissed or thought of as as a**. It was very frustrating. My dirty looks, hands over my ears, and audible "shushes" did nothing to curb their social hour. In the end, I cranked up my speed just to get the miles done! There are rules of etiquette at gyms, just as in any other place and people should be expected to learn them. I think that people in general have become more and more rude to one another as the presence of technology has increased in our lives. Or, maybe technology just gives people more ways to be rude.

tlapdx72

Imagymrat I love your way of dealing with this problem!! Too funny!! I wonder how people survived before the cell phone was invented?

toots99

There are rules of etiquette at gyms, just as in any other place and people should be expected to learn them. I think that people in general have become more and more rude to one another as the presence of technology has increased in our lives. Or, maybe technology just gives people more ways to be rude.

Amen!