So for context I go to a really small but expensive gym, about 130$ a month. It’s a rural town and there aren’t many other options. The building has 5 single stall bathrooms with a shower in each. There are no options for a just toilet or just shower room which makes it difficult when you need to use the bathroom in a pinch. I recently lost access to water in my house and decided to use the shower at the gym after my workout. I took my time, I did an everything shower (for the girls that get it) and just enjoyed the luxury water pressure for maybe 20-25 mins. During that time the door was loudly and aggressively knocked on at least 5 different occasions. I didn’t say anything to the knocks but felt annoyed for feeling rushed when I pay so much money just to go to this gym. On my way out someone was standing by the door with there arms crossed and a sour look on their face. I didn’t say anything because I hate conflict but was I the asshole for taking my time with my shower??
Edit to add: this was in the middle of the day, it was not busy when I was working out or when I first went in the bathroom. There are no time limit rules in the gym for bathroom use.
A 25-minute “everything shower” at the gym is crazy work. Especially when there is limited space and people were knocking 5 different times. Gym showers are for getting the basics done, not spending almost 30 minutes deep conditioning your hair, exfoliating, and shaving every crevice of your body. YTA.
Agreed. I hate that every gym seems to be moving towards these fully private showers because it makes people feel entitled to spend forever hogging them up. It was never a problem before with the open showers. People got in and out real quick and you never had to wait for one.
I mean, there should be a happy middle for people who don’t want everyone seeing them naked but which makes it more obvious if someone’s hogging it. Maybe a bathroom stall type setup with curtains instead of an entire room?
100% this. Gym showers are meant for the minimum not the maximum precisely because other people need to get in there. Making them wait, and risking making them late, so you could luxuriate for a half hour is supremely inconsiderate.
YTA
Everyone else using the gym pays to use it too so your annoyance at “feeling rushed” when you “pay so much money just to go to this gym” is a moot point and does not override their annoyance at having to wait 25 minutes for a stall when they pay so much to use this gym. 25 minutes in the shower is too long when you’re not at home.
YTA here in my opinion. That was a very selfish, inconsiderate move on your behalf
I feel like the annoyance at ‘feeling rushed’ is really the key AH part here. The 25 min everything shower is one thing, I’m not gonna focus on whether that’s okay or not but have a little bit of social awareness guilt about it at least! It’s entitled to feel annoyed like they’re the ones bothering her rather than accepting that taking a long shower at the gym is not going to be like some peaceful spa time.
YTA. Hogging the shower for 25 minutes? Come on.
It does seem a little selfish to take that long when you know there are only 5 showers, especially if the gym was busy
She added that it was midday and not busy.
Edit: getting downvoted for providing facts? typical reddit.
YTA. Taking a long shower in the comfort of your own home is one thing, but if people are pounding on the door FIVE TIMES you are clearly disrupting things for others. They also pay for the facilities you know.
What you pay and how many stalls isn’t the problem here. Everyone is paying the same price, not just you. And 20 minutes is excessive in a public shower. Did you really need to do “everything” – I gather you were shaving legs, arm pits, bikini area – that you should have skipped. Quick hair wash and latherup. Ten minutes max.
You didn’t mention if the other 4 stalls were in use or not. And how long you’ve lost water in your own home. If the toilets are in the shower stalls, you really should have been more considerate.
For $130 a month I think that facility should add more showers/ toilets so you don’t feel inconvenienced, but also, if there’s FOUR other shower/toilets why couldn’t that person just wait and use the other rooms??? Why do you have to be an asshole when there’s 4 other people either doing the same thing or possibly will be out in the next 5-10 mins. Even if it wasnt the same person then they can wait for the next person to leave the other showers… If I’m paying $$$ triple digits for anything MONTHLY then I WILL be using the amenities to my advantage given that’s what they’re there for. Also for someone to actively hear someone showering what makes them think you would just run out and give up the room you were just in mid shower – soap in hair/body and with all your stuff.
NTA.
Yea I feel like people here are reacting to how she worded it rather than facts. The only way she’s the AH is if she’s somehow locking out everyone from using the bathroom during this time. But she says there’s 5 total shower/bathroom stalls.
I have gone to gyms in small towns/rural areas they never get that busy that 5 stalls would be filled non-stop leading to people being pissed at one person of 5??? make no sense.
I’m blown away by this too!
What is the whole story here?
There’s four other people also doing everything showers?
The other four stalls are known for being poorly lit or poorly maintained and everyone wants to use the A stall?
Why would someone just focus and wait on that one stall for 15 minutes instead of using one of the other ones?
Did they have an explosious deuce to drop and wanted an empty room for it?