Anchorage gym etiquette: Miss Manners advises on machine hoggers

Miss Manners recently answered a question from an Anchorage gym member about how to handle people who occupy workout machines for extended periods without exercising. The reader, who attends their local gym several times a week for cardio and strength training, noted that many members use their phones while sitting on equipment. Often, these individuals finish a short set and then remain on the machine or bench for ten minutes or more, texting, checking email, or watching non-fitness videos.

The reader explained that because their gym is small with a limited number of machines, keeping a steady pace is important for their routine. They currently handle the situation by politely asking if the person is finished. Most members take the hint and move on, though some respond with a scowl or a nasty look before leaving.

The reader wanted to know if there was a more appropriate way to move people along, citing standard gym etiquette that suggests not monopolizing equipment when the facility is busy. Miss Manners advised the reader to continue doing exactly what they were already doing. She added that if a member responds with a scowl, the best reply is a simple, sincere, "Thank you."

Miss Manners explained that saying thank you without sarcasm can be more satisfying than a rude retort. In modern social interactions, refusing to sulk or escalate a minor conflict is noticeable in itself. The columnist suggested that the reader could congratulate themselves for having handled the situation correctly.

In a separate query addressed in the same column, another reader asked how to handle small talk with new acquaintances who make assumptions about their educational background. This reader attended a well-known college for a few years but finished their degree at a different school across the country. When acquaintances ask about their origin, the reader mentions the famous college, leading to praise for the institution and the reader, which feels misleading. The reader then has to clarify they did not graduate from that school, leading to deeper, uncomfortable explanations about personal reasons for the move.

Miss Manners responded that unless the reader considers omitting a detailed medical history to a new acquaintance a lie, there is no problem. She argued that the conversation only goes astray because the reader admits to having started at the famous college, which is true. Nobody is asking to see the diploma, so a sin of omission is not necessary to maintain comfort in the conversation.