Asked to move at the gym

The women sound like 5 year olds. "I'll only work out if I can do it next to my friend" pathetic.

*sofa

How old are these people that they need to be side by side at the gym? 😆

The sofá bullies in Friends

Firstly, what kind of gym is this if a member of staff as the need to ask how long your going to be ? Those women should have been told to use other workout machines, not harass members like themselves are intitled.... because they are not, just because they wanted to exercise together. Shows what sort they are, mouthy and gobby with attitude. Presumably the staff member was getting a mouthful as he came over to you. Strange they didn't tell the man on the other machine to move, funny that.... Maybe he would've told them where to go. You did nothing wrong hun.

YANBU at all. She wasn't even polite, but told you that you had to move. I would not have moved either. Very entitled of her.

I commend your restraint. I’d have told her to get fooked 😊

These two women are those who have to go to the toilet together when they are out when the other doesn't need to use it

The sense of entitlement of others blows me away sometimes. Next time you see her in the gym disrupt her workout and ask her if she has much longer? 😂

Because there was a water bottle there and someone talking to someone on the machine next to it so I thought it was them. Normally I don't bother and do just use it.

For the PP who is leaving their Nuffield gym because of the children in it:

Children being allowed in the gym, even without also being allowed to climb and hang on equipment let alone that as well, is very dangerous for both the children and the people exercising!

I am not sure but I think this is how to report this issue:
https://www.hse.gov.uk/contact/tell-us-about-a-health-and-safety-issue.htm

Please please do report it; you may help avoid an entirely avoidable serious accident or even a death.

And please also report it to Nuffield's Head Office in writing, but do both at the same time so they don't have the opportunity to deprioritise it and kick the problem into the long grass, with you not being a member any more not being able to monitor it further.

@xSideshowAuntSallyx

I was in the gym the other day, saw the leg press was free, asked nearby and they said oh think she's might be using it. She was also using the cable machine (whilst posing in full face of make up including lip gloss), she had saved it with her water bottle. You can't use two things at once.

If there was no one on the machine why did you ask other people if it was free? You just jump on it

I remember a friend innocently tapping me on the shoulder when I was on a treadmill with my earphones on once, it really shakes you up, did me anyway. I think I’d mention this to the gym, the fact one of their employees then got involved is strange at best and bordering on harassment at worst, there’s generally no time limits on gym equipment and even if there was it would be way longer than an hour. What strange behaviour, can see why you feel the way you do. The perpetrator was lucky they came across someone like you, they’d have gotten a real mouth full in some gyms!

You should have done a loud trump - she’d have moved then!

Good for you standing your ground OP. Same thing often happens in group exercise classes too, especially when new people are unknowingly in a regular's 'space'. I was given death stares by the class Queen Bee when I was new to a class as I had unknowingly taken her space and didn't move.

Other class members often reserve spaces for their friends. It's cliquey and unwelcoming especially for new people and so it's usually just established members at the classes at my gym.

Yes I do get annoyed when people use Two machines at once, you can't use both a seated row and the Fly machine at the same time its physically impossible. Or the cable machine and the leg press.

I was in the gym the other day, saw the leg press was free, asked nearby and they said oh think she's might be using it. She was also using the cable machine (whilst posing in full face of make up including lip gloss), she had saved it with her water bottle. You can't use two things at once.

I walked off and did something else (and got on the other leg press at the end) but the selfishness of people is beginning to piss me off.

@CatamaranViper no, not if there's an identical machine free. It only applies if all that type of machine is in use and someone is waiting for one to become free. Also, there are signs up everywhere reminding people of the rules.

Arrrgh! This is typical of the rude, entitled, arrogant, ignorant behaviour sweeping our streets right now.
I can’t stand people lurking behind me for machines at the gym as well as people who try to bagsie several machines at once. I was waiting (on another nearby machine so not to be annoying) for a specific weight machine. When the guy got off and went to a nearby one I quickly got up and jumped on it. I could see him twitching and staring at me and finally he came up and said “I’m afraid I’m using these two machines together as part of training reps I’m doing so can you please move”. I carried on, took a while to respond and said “no, I’ll be done in a few minutes” he then said “but I’ve saved this machine, I need to use it now” I said “I’ve been coming to this gym for 10 years and can tell you, it’s not policy to save machines” he then said “you bitch” and walked off. A gym staff heard, asked me to confirm what was happened and they went up to him and told him to leave the gym!! I’ll never forget it. Good for you for holding your ground OP don’t give in!

Gosh, you were nice. My response would have been 'And you need to get out of my face'.

No you were not unreasonable. I would never have asked! What a rude, entitled person! I can understand them wanting to work out together and could even accept them asking nicely whether you'd mind moving machines but as soon as you said "no" that should have been an end to it. I hope she felt embarrassed by her petulant behaviour once she'd had time to reflect.

I have PTSD. If anyone were to tap me on my shoulder when I was in “The Zone” with headphones on (required to get into a crowded place) I would be a crying, quivering mess, or they would be scratched to pieces while I was screeching like a banshee. If it was a bloke, I would be sounding like a car alarm!!! Aren’t there rules in place about invading people’s personal space???

Cheeky monkey, you were quite right to stay on your machine.

I had this happen before a yoga class. I got there early. I was lying down peacefully stretching waiting for the teacher whilst other people got their mats out. A lady insisted I move to the other side of the room. She didn’t even ask nicely. I said I was settled where I was. She put her mat right next to me and said, you have to move now.
i said in the interests of this being a peaceful class I will. Everyone else just stared at both of us.
very odd.

I was just wondering if you wouldn’t mind moving I like to work out next to my friend, but not a problem if not

I think I’d have even less respect for someone who asked me like this. You’ve used all the self-effacing words coaches teach women not to use, like ‘just wondering’ ‘not a problem if not’.

The fact is no matter how polite your words, it’s exceptionally rude to interrupt someone in the middle of their work out, bar an emergency such as a fire.