Treadmill Incident

[legion]

My current gym has 20 treadmills. 12 of them have televisions in front of them. Of the 12, 7 do not work at all. Of the remaining 5, 2 have no sound and 2 will not allow you to change the channel. That leaves one treadmill that has a working television where you can both change the channel and get sound. I've complained multiple times, and that generally leads to a few televisions getting fixed, only to break again over the next week or two.

People bird-dog the treadmill with the one working television. I tend to get to the gym before the evening rush and often (but not always) secure that treadmill. I spend about an hour on the treadmill. There are no posted time limits, and I have never seen more than half of the treadmills in use. Often I am the only person using a treadmill, or there is 1 or 2 other people.

Once or twice during my hour, I hop off the treadmill to refill my water bottle. Because of the low water pressure at the drinking foundation I can only get my water bottle 1/2 to 2/3 full. (I have to tip the bottle at a pretty severe angle to get water into it.) I usually keep the treadmill running so as not to lose my stats. My towel, headphones, and (sometimes) cell phone stay on the treadmill. The treadmill times out after 45 seconds without someone on it, and I get back to it with about 15 seconds to spare.

Yesterday, I hopped off the treadmill to refill my water. As I get to the end of the row (maybe 5 seconds, max), I hear a loud thump. I turn around and see a stunned lady sitting on the floor behind my treadmill, mumbling: "It shouldn't be on! It's the only one with a TV!"

Turns out, as soon as I hopped off the treadmill, she tried to poach it. She didn't seem to notice that it was running or that my stuff was still there. In her rush to claim the prized treadmill, she took a step on, and got thrown into the row of ellipticals behind it. She seemed dazed, and said that she hit her head and both of her legs. I got a hold of the gym staff and let them take care of her.

Later, I talked to the gym staff and told them what happened. They simply thanked me for getting them. The lady decided to drive herself to prompt care to get checked out.

[ckelly78z]

Obviously a pig headed woman who needed that treadmill for the TV, and will now be looking at a major lawsuit for her "injuries". This kind of crap happens all the time, and just shows how self absorbed and petty some people are.

[fintstone]

Not to be a naysayer...but in most any gym I have been to...you get off the treadmill, it is fair game. Most have time limits as well.

[scottmandue]

I don't do gym's but doesn't a running treadmill have lights blinking and the sound of a motor running? Lady sounds like she was not the brightest bulb on the tree.

[stomachmonkey]

The gym should simply remove all TV's.

They pretty much have already.

Problem solved.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

One more reason I like to run on the roads, not at the gym.

[recycled sixtie]

Originally Posted by fintstone

Not to be a naysayer...but in most any gym I have been to...you get off the treadmill, it is fair game. Most have time limits as well.

+1. You don't own it.

[stomachmonkey]

Originally Posted by Porsche-O-Phile

One more reason I like to run on the roads, not at the gym.

Must take forever waiting for a car with rear seat entertainment to drive by.

"I used to jog but the ice cubes kept falling out of my glass."

---David Lee Roth

[creaturecat]

leaving it turned on seems a bit negligent, no?
dunno, just asking.

[wayner]

Get two water bottles in order to prevent injuries to dim wits like her

[legion]

Originally Posted by wayner

Get two water bottles in order to prevent injuries to dim wits like her

This is what I think I will do.

I hate running with a burning passion, so the only way I can force myself to do it is to throw on the TV so I forget I'm doing something that I hate. Running is about the best exercise there is, and I used to not exercise as much as I needed to.

In the six months I've been at this gym, this is the first time I've had someone try to take a treadmill from me. Yes, I guess I've been claiming the "good" one. I'll bring two water bottles in the future. If the water pressure on the drinking fountain was better, I'd be able to get by with one full water bottle instead to two half-full one.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Originally Posted by stomachmonkey

must take forever waiting for a car with rear seat entertainment to drive by.

"i used to jog but the ice cubes kept falling out of my glass."

---david lee roth

lol!

[911SauCy]

If she were a mouse, she'd have gotten snapped in a mouse trap... With remaining consciousness thinking "But there was peanut butter on a brass platter"

MORON

[Ziggythecat]

Originally Posted by creaturecat

leaving it turned on seems a bit negligent, no?
dunno, just asking.

Completely negligent, and worthy of him being sued and responsible, had this woman suffered a serious injury.
A running treadmill looks just like one that is off.

And he wants his treadmill back, from her…..he's the victim, he thinks.

[legion]

Ziggy seems to have the ability to see things that I didn't write. And a running treadmill does look just like one that is off, except that the bottom part is moving and the top part has a display that is on.

[herr_oberst]

Originally Posted by legion

...snip...Running is about the best exercise there is, ...snip...

My knees and hips will disagree with that statement. I used to run every day and participate in a 10k at least every other summer weekend. These days I can't even jog.

[Baz]

What kind of an idiot tries to step onto a moving treadmill?

Maybe she was checking her email!

[Ziggythecat]

Originally Posted by legion

Ziggy seems to have the ability to see things that I didn't write. And a running treadmill does look just like one that is off, except that the bottom part is moving and the top part has a display that is on.

Sorry pal, but a black belt moving looks just like a black belt stopped, unless you are looking closely for movement.
The expectation for anyone is that the last person turned it off.

It was a bozo move. Ask your gym manager.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Years ago someone fell onto a moving treadmill, conked her out. Her hand hit the belt and slid down and then her head hit the belt and then she was whisked off of it, hit her head on the opposite side treadmills, rushed to the hospital. Big signs all around "Turn off treadmills when not in use" after that.

[Ziggythecat]

Google results from a legal forum.
Lot's more just like it>

You have a case against both the negligent person who left the treadmill running (probably covered by homeowner's or renter's insurance) and would have a case against the gym, but only if the gym knew or should have known the treadmill was left running. The gym likely has a legal duty to inspect for dangerous circumstances occurring within the gym and the longer the treadmill had been running, the better your case. If it was a short time frame, the gym may not be legally liable, but the gym might have insurance that could pay some of your medical bills. You should consult with a local lawyer.

here's another:

Apparently the individual who was using the treadmill had stepped off for some strange reason without turning the treadmill off. She did not notice the machine running. The treadmills are very quite and also with all the other treadmills all in line of more than 20 or so, and other people using them, it is very easy not to notice a running treadmill. Not to mention, who in his right mind leaves a "run a away treadmill"? Needless to say she fell and injured herself. According to some of the patrons, who witnessed the fall, we have a pretty good idea who the careless individual was.