Welcome to Gymtime Stories: Part II of a CCXIII part series.
Part II: Bad Signage
When I go to the gym, I don’t expect too much in the terms of intellectual growth. I don’t want to sound like too much of a snob, but let’s face it; the regular patrons at a downtown gym are not discussing the philosophical differences between Goethe and Nietchzche in their spare time. In fact if I wasn’t wearing headphones, I bet the majority of discussions between the he-men include a lot about protein in-take, HDH aquisitions, and a fair share of grunting in between sentences.
To be fair, not all the people there sprouted from a different evolutionary branch, but again, I don’t feel I am at a MENSA meeting at any time.
With that said, I expect more from the gym itself.
At the gym I go to, there is a nasty habit of the lifters to not re-rack the weights. For anyone who frequents the weight room area, you know that is a big no-no. But it happens, and quite often at the 24-Hr Fitness on Yale Ave.
So what has been the solution by the good folk at 24-Hr? A sign.
Ok, that in itself is not a bad idea. But this is what this sign says:
‘Please do not drop weights and put them back on the rack’
No wonder no one is re-racking the weights! Read the sign again:
‘Please do not drop weights and put them back on the rack’
The gym is literally saying to NOT re-rack the weights.
C’mon 24 Hr, really? I mean I know your customers are not the most erudite folk who don’t make it a habit of reading signs, of reading of any sort. But let’s get this right. We all know you guys mean to not drop weights and to please re-rack. It is sort of like the store signs that broadcast the classic ‘.99 cents’ sale. That’s less than a penny my friend. Here is a dollar, I want 100 of them, and you can keep the change.
These are not casual slip-ups or cavalier errors. Signs are thoughtout before printed. Signs go through multiple re-reads. Signs are not meant to be casual of ambiguous. Get it right 24 Hr! Or else I will just speckle all my weights around the gym like an Easter Egg hunt. But don’t worry, I won’t drop them.