Would you ever interrupt someone walking on a treadmill?

[TreadmillWoes]

In a gym with several unused treadmills, someone with headphones on is walking on one of them. Are there any circumstances short of a fire alarm or closing time you would come up on the next treadmill and lean in to their field of view to get their attention?
I had been walking slowly backwards with my hands over the rails, I lifted myself up and put my feet on the sides - there are edges specifically for doing this - turned round and was walking forwards and turning up the speed and incline.
I had to stop the machine losing my stats, take off my headphones and stop my podcast, and engage in a several minute conversation which turned out that she wanted me to use the stop button on the string rather than the side platforms to turn around.
She was sat on the rowing machine from before I arrived till after I left, though I didn't actually see her row.
Surely she could and should have waited till I'd finished if she really wanted to tell me how she'd prefer me to do things. In fairness she was smiley and friendly, but ruined my whole workout. There is more but this is long.

A gym user? A member of staff? Why did she need to tell you this? Elf ‘n’ safety?

Are you talking about a member of staff?

If she worked there, then YABU. She’s probably required to interrupt workouts if someone is doing something that is not considered safe (I assume safety was the issue?).

If she didn’t work there, then I think she would be unreasonable to mention it even after you’d stopped. What’s it to her?

How did it ruin your whole workout? A two minute conversation.

Member of staff? Totally fine if you’re not using the machines safely (according to their definition). Random gym member? I’d be annoyed but would have paused my workout rather than stopped so the stats weren’t lost.

I wouldn't be super worked up about losing stats, it really doesn't matter.

Get a grip. A two minute conversation ruined your whole workout?

which turned out that she wanted me to use the stop button on the string rather than the side platforms to turn around.

come again? Why are you “turning around”?

Is your way hazardous?

Would I ever interrupt someone walking on a treadmill?

Probably.

I can see why they would have a general rule to stop the treadmill instead of stepping onto the side rails - and it’s probably a condition of their insurance that they do this. In your case it sounded pretty safe but I think the person was just enforcing a blanket rule.

Why didn't you just remove your headphones and talked to her, rather than stopping the machine?

I’m going to guess it was a fellow gym goer because a member of staff wouldn’t do that

I see lots of people doing that lift maneuverer that you talk about, I don’t understand why anyone would say this to you!

Why are you turning around on the treadmill @TreadmillWoes ?

‘There are edges specifically for doing this’

no, that’s not what the edges are for. They are there as a safety precaution, you’re not supposed to deliberately use them.

A member of staff absolutely would as the op is using the treadmill edges incorrectly

I reckon this OP won’t be back

Indeed. I don’t think anyone has given them the echo chamber they sought.

I would interrupt a workout to say something important. It's not sacred.

And I have a sneaking suspicion probably something of an odd bod at this gym

What stats are you recording from a walk on the treadmill?

Why are you walking (backwards?) on a treadmill?

Why does it matter that someone wanted to talk to you?

Why did that mean you had to stop?

So you weren't using the equipment properly and a member of staff spoke to you about it?

I realise you are asking OP-apologies if she answers, but I haven't seen a reply yet so thought I'd give an answer based on something a trainer said. Please ignore if you only want the Op's response! People with a certain knee condition find it less painful/the only way they can manage to walk backwards-I'd wondered myself when I saw people doing it, but I suppose it's like everything, if you've not suffered something yourself/know someone who has, you can be blithely unaware.

You weren’t just walking on the treadmill. It seems like you are describing a misuse of equipment that requires intervention by staff.

Only excuse would be if she were a gym employee and had a safety concern. And if so, that would be a reasonable thing to do.