Thinking of quitting...

[JiF]KellysHero · Post by **[JiF]KellysHero** » Sat May 05, 2007 12:14 am

my gym. It's a regional gym, they have plenty of locations, remodeled and expanded, even added new equipment and I have a great rate. But they are changing the way you enter the gym. Currently you have a card that you scan in, no biggie. Now they are planning on using a finger print scanner and apparently you can't opt out of it. I'm surprised they haven't asked for a DNA sample yet. I can understand the ease of it, no carrying a card, can't let anyone use your card (not that I do), etc... Then again, they already have my name and address on file, can't remember if they wanted my SS# when I signed up way back when, and a credit card # they use for the monthly fees. Wasn't it just last week that Nieman Marcus lost a laptop with 175,000 customers information on it? What's a finger print scan right?

The funniest part of it all, the notice had a stick figure type hand as the logo and all the digits and the palm were brown in color, except for the finger they were using for the scan was green, which happened to be the middle finger!

Well I'm off, time to see Spidey!

[JiF]Stepovich · Post by **[JiF]Stepovich** » Sat May 05, 2007 1:03 am

That would really bother me too...
What the hell does a gym need that much information/security for?!?

[JiF]LtWaterboy · Post by **[JiF]LtWaterboy** » Sat May 05, 2007 2:19 am

The easiest answer -

Money/Cost savings. It is a one time capital cost to do this way. It keeps OTHERS who might use your card out (ie buddies ,thieves, etc) out.
This way, it HAS to be the one who is paying for the services.

Back to the capital piece - keeps you from having to have a physical body/person to do checks and thus an on-going price.

Remember guys - EVERYTHING in a capitalistic, business culture revolves around money (and making all that they can) - pure & simple, with no spin.
Even those with the "bestest" of intention are never the "purest". Most people are just too cowardly to say it. As you can see, I'm not one of them...

LT

ps. did I forget to mention that I am still in pain "in bad locations" as I write this??

[JiF]bigjohnson · Post by **[JiF]bigjohnson** » Sat May 05, 2007 10:37 pm

They will ban you if don't conform... do not disturb the universe (The Chocolate War). Oh and I think the "gym" is actually a front for a top secret government agency... now someone will have to cut off your thumb to infiltrate your exercising to the oldies class

[JiF]DispDave · Post by **[JiF]DispDave** » Sun May 06, 2007 1:21 am

And BigJ is expert on being banned.

(the above was payback for the throw-rug comment in the other thread).

pissboy[LPANE] · Post by **pissboy[LPANE]** » Sun May 06, 2007 3:38 pm

what happens if say, you burn off the fingerprint on that one digit? (accidently, not intentionally)

[JiF]KellysHero · Post by **[JiF]KellysHero** » Mon May 07, 2007 1:51 am

The biggest cost savings would probably be in not having to issue cards. If you lose yours, they typically charge you $10, and I'm sure they are making some sort of profit on them. They will still have to man the front to greet members looking to join not to mention maybe adding turnstiles too. If they don't let you opt out, I'll probably be the 0.1% of the people that balk at the idea. It'll definitely cost more to join elsewhere, I'm paying only $22/month and that's month to month too. Gold's looks to be a good option though, nationwide, they have one that's only 2 miles from my house vs. 6 for the other place, and they are building one that has an indoor pool just a few blocks from my current gym. Will be paying more, anywhere from 10 to 20 more per month.

As for burned fingers..., maybe just a little Vasaline each time I go through instead.

[JiF]DispDave · Post by **[JiF]DispDave** » Mon May 07, 2007 11:58 am

Kelly - how often do you go?

a 4 mile difference every time over the course of a month could be cheaper with the gas savings.

[JiF]KellysHero · Post by **[JiF]KellysHero** » Mon May 07, 2007 1:49 pm

[JiF]DispDave wrote:Kelly - how often do you go?

a 4 mile difference every time over the course of a month could be cheaper with the gas savings.

Good point...on the conservative side,

Say 20x per month, an 6 mile savings each way, divided by 20 miles/gallon times $3/gallon...is $18/month, it would pay out! And if I really wanted the extra exercise, I could bike or ride to the gym as well.