If you're sponsored by Affliction, its fine. Same for anything else that is overtly whack.

I don't think we have this "Affliction" in AU... sounds pretty cool though... I might order some of their kit to make me look cool at the gym.

edit:
Ummm... ok... I just looked that affliction **** is pretty gay...

I worked at 3 different LA Fitness locations here in Dallas, and 2 of them had horrendous car break-in problems, neither in what most people would consider a bad area. We once had 6 cars broken into at once in the middle of the day. I never got hit (cause I was the one doing it ldo?), but my ex got hit the first time she ever came up to work out with me.

There isn't a security camera to be found, outside or in. Sometimes, the police will set up one of those observation tower things in the parking lot, and they'll make extra swings through the lot in the evening, but it's only enough to stop them for a week or so.

Tips: Be picky with parking - always park right in front, or directly under lights. Hide your **** - if a glance through your window makes it look like you might have valuables (cds, briefcase, etc.), you're asking for it. Generally, women's cars seem to be the targets, as they often leave purses.

Obv no way to safeguard 100%, but I hope that helps.

This. I used to work the night shift in a somewhat bad area of Dallas and the cars parked under the lights rarely got hit. Despite a few hundred cars being parked there every night, the auto theft thankfully wasn't that bad because there were multiple lights in the parking lot. That said Gina should probably just work out in the suburbs if she really doesn't feel comfortable.

Sober, where were these gyms at?

Here, here, and here. Frisco is by far the nicest neighborhood (despite being home to Michael Irvin), and never had any theft problems while I was there.

He was probably trying to entice you to make fun of him so he could practice his omoplata on you.

I don't know that area of Plano that well, but I'm not surprised about the Richardson location. I used to live off of Spring Valley and 75 and there are some kinda crappy apartments near that gym location.

Anyone ever approached a girl at the gym, while working out?

Been eyeing back and forth with one hotty at my gym, but for the life of me I can't seem to think of anything to say to start up a convo. For some reason it just seems particularly awkward to me to approach a girl at the gym, but it's the only place I see this chick. Any good lines or ice-breakers?

Serious answers appreciated - flaming expected.

If youre within her vicintity (within10 ft) when you make eye contact, hold it, walk to her and say " Im cosine". That I have found works well for the eye contact relationships of the gym. Just be careful, if too much time goes by w/o words being exchanged she will move on, then if you continue to make eye contact, you will be known as "that creepy guy".

Wow, I usually don't go in the morning/early afternoon, but I hadn't slept and figured what the hell. 3 different things:

• Old skinny guy, completely naked obv, with one foot up on the counter not blowdrying his balls (you thought you'd heard this one, didn't you?), but washing his ****ing feet, one at a time. This is in the toilet area, where one would have to shimmy past this guy's naked, hunched body to get to the urinals.
  
  
• Middle-aged guy with freakishly small, narrow feet, in the sauna. Puts on the ipod ultra loud, and what's first on his playlist? WIND BENEATH MY ****ING WINGS. He (and I - srsly this **** was loud) listened to the whole goddamned song, but then he did the 'skip to next track after 5 seconds' thing for a full 5 minutes until I left.
  
  
• I go to the pool. Aqua-aerobics is MWF mornings, but there are a few dedicated aqualetes putting in those extra training days that put them ahead of their octogenarian peers. Four lanes, one happens to be open (the ****ty outside lane that's shallower and slightly narrower than the others). Anyway, I get set up in this lane. My nifty little mesh goggle bag is at the end of the lane, as is my giant water bottle. It's clearly my lane. I swim 3/4 of the way across, and some 14 year-old Mexican girl who's probably pregnant (racist ban imo) gets out of the hot tub and into my ****ing lane. I don't notice her until I'm right on top of her, and I seriously say "WTF?" under water.
  
  I get out immediately and go back to the sauna. 5 minutes later I return, and see she's back in the hot tub. I get back in my lane and swim a full 2 laps before she's in my **** again. At this point I just get out of the pool, shower off and go home.
  
  Am I a huge pussy for not saying anything? It seems there's a fine douche/wuss line to walk here, and I usually err on the side of caution. How would you approach this?

Moral: Not going to the gym while the babysitter service hours anymore.

You can share a lane.

Sounds like she was looking for a babydaddy. You missed your chance to score.

Sober, swimming lanes are like cats, you can't own them.

lol such dedication to training. Running away when someone gets in your lane in a tiny pool??

Swimming Pool Etiquette - 101