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.

I'm still a bit confused by the wording. You say she "wanted you" to use the stop button but as she was a total stranger - how did she actually say it? Was it a suggestion such as "You should really stop it for safety" or was she telling you outright what to do? I just can't imagine standing there and not saying anything back! It's like someone tapping on the window while you're backing into a parking space to tell you you're doing it wrong.

Try doing some proper exercise and you might not get interrupted
Semi tongue in cheek.

@OnlyUsername once I finished stopping everything she showed me the stop-on-a-string because she thought I didn't know about it, and she thought I might fall over. First she showed me on the treadmill she was standing on and then reached over and picked up the one on my treadmill. I understand her concern came from a good place but her timing and the way she did it was far more likely to cause an accident.
I agree it is a lot like someone banging on your roof or window to 'help' you reverse when you don't even know they are there because you are busy doing something that takes concentration.

I'm with you on this OP. A staff member once stopped me on a treadmill to ask me some survey questions. I couldn't believe it, I tried to be polite but I was furious to be interrupted. Guessing people who don't think this is odd don't go to the gym.

How long have you been a member of this gym @TreadmillWoes ?

If you haven't seen somebody standing right beside you when you're reversing, you shouldn't be in a vehicle in the first place.

I did this while my friend was on the stepper to say goodbye to him once. I didn't want him to think I was rude if I just buggered off. He had his back to me and the stepper faces the wall so the only way I could get his attention. I don't think he minded, he just said goodbye to me and carried on.

Staff member - arguably unnecessary but fair enough

Non staff member- weird and officious, not her business