# Is this guy creepy or am I just overly suspicious? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 8, 2004, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-guy-creepy-or-am-i-just-overly-suspicious/254189 "2004-07-08T23:55:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2004, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-guy-creepy-or-am-i-just-overly-suspicious/254189/1 "2004-07-08T23:55:27Z")
I belong to a corporate gym near my office. One member does nothing but use the sauna and hang out in the men’s room, and he’ll do this for as much as 90 minutes. I know this because I see him starting his bathroom-sauna routine when I start my workout, and he’s often still at it when I’m done, 90 minutes later. Occasionally, if I use the bathroom in mid-workout, I’ll see him strolling back and forth from one end of the bathroom to the other, presumably between sauna sessions. You never, ever see him using the excercise equipment, and he doesn’ look like he gets any exercise elsewhere. So for some reason I’m vaguely creeped out by him. Should I be? What say ye? ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2004, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-guy-creepy-or-am-i-just-overly-suspicious/254189/2 "2004-07-09T00:08:00Z")
Sounds odd to me, but I wouldn’t be creeped out as long as that’s all he was doing. ---
**Author:** ![bughunter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/aeb1de/32.png) [@bughunter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bughunter)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2004, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-guy-creepy-or-am-i-just-overly-suspicious/254189/3 "2004-07-09T00:30:28Z")
He could be Italian or Greek or Turkish or Armenian or Lebanese or from any number of foreign countries. It’s a very Old World thing to do, relax at the public baths. His just happens to also have a gym attached. Your gym. Now, that said, at My Gym, the LA Fitness in Pasadena, there are two guys who do nothing but hang out in the locker/changing area all day. I know for a fact that they’re gay, because one of them propositioned me (elsewhere – not at the gym). They hang out in their tighty whities and watch the snowy rabbit-eared TV and scope out the other guys. It’s still harmless, as long as all they’re doing is looking and talking to each other about it. In fact, it makes me a tad bit jealous. If the locker room at that gym were co-ed, I’d be hanging out there scoping flesh, too. ---
**Author:** ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2004, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-guy-creepy-or-am-i-just-overly-suspicious/254189/4 "2004-07-09T00:32:27Z")
I would be somewhat creeped if he spent most of the time in the changing room, but if he is mostly in the sauna then he probably just likes to sauna. I love to sauna and I still need to leave for a breath of fresh air every 20 mins or so (depending on how hot the sauna is). Is the sauna dry? (ie no water getting put on the heater) if so he may simply be getting a drink every 10 mins or so, which would be a sensible health concious thing to do. ---
**Author:** ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2004, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-guy-creepy-or-am-i-just-overly-suspicious/254189/5 "2004-07-09T00:35:28Z")
as an asside, I find people who just do exercise, and don’t make use of the sauna a little creepy. They like to do the stuff that hurts, but not the nice hot relaxing stuff, how strange. ---
**Author:** ![Burrido](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@Burrido](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Burrido)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2004, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-guy-creepy-or-am-i-just-overly-suspicious/254189/6 "2004-07-09T00:44:06Z")
Sounds creepy to me. But then again, I’m pretty paranoid. I would inform the desk. At least they will just ask him what he’s doing. And if he says he’s just enjoying the sauna, well, at least you will know. Of course, I highly doubt he would say that he was secretly videotapping people or something to that regards. At my Tae Kwon Do class, there used to be this older gentlemen that would always wait for class to start in the locker room. He would sit with his back against the wall and face the lockers. Nevermind that we had a waiting room right next to the floor. I told one of the instructors that it was really creeping me out. After confirming he was in there, my instructor informed him to wait for class out in the waiting room. Easy as that. ---
**Author:** ![SolGrundy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbce88/32.png) [@SolGrundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SolGrundy)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2004, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-guy-creepy-or-am-i-just-overly-suspicious/254189/7 "2004-07-09T00:55:00Z")
> [@bughunter](#): > > Now, that said, at My Gym, the LA Fitness in Pasadena, there are two guys who do nothing but hang out in the locker/changing area all day. I know for a fact that they’re gay, because one of them propositioned me (elsewhere – not at the gym). They hang out in their tighty whities and watch the snowy rabbit-eared TV and scope out the other guys. It’s still harmless, as long as all they’re doing is looking and talking to each other about it. See, now it’s cool you can handle that, but I just think that’s _creepy_. Eh, different strokes, I guess. So to speak. As for the OP; I’d assume that the guy just likes using the sauna, as other people have said. Unless, of course, he stops at corners and leers at all the guys as they walk in, occasionally rubbing his hands and licking his lips. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Griffin-Kentzel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_griffin-kentzel/32/14787_2.png) [@Larry\_Griffin-Kentzel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Griffin-Kentzel)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2004, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-guy-creepy-or-am-i-just-overly-suspicious/254189/8 "2004-07-09T01:30:06Z")
This thread is better suited for **IMHO**. I’ll move it for you. **Cajun Man** for the SDMB ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2004, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-guy-creepy-or-am-i-just-overly-suspicious/254189/9 "2004-07-09T01:46:34Z")
Oh God, I loooooved the sauna at the Y(WCA). If I didn’t love the pool just as much, I’d have spent all day in there. But I’m a girl. What do I know. ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2004, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-guy-creepy-or-am-i-just-overly-suspicious/254189/10 "2004-07-09T02:40:28Z")
He enjoys the sauna, but he has to get out and cool down occasionally. I think you are overly suspicious. I bet you wouldn’t think it as strange if it was a hot tub instead. ---
**Author:** ![citrus\_x\_paradisi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6f9a4e/32.png) [@citrus\_x\_paradisi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/citrus_x_paradisi)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2004, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-guy-creepy-or-am-i-just-overly-suspicious/254189/11 "2004-07-09T02:54:22Z")
Aside: _It’s still harmless, as long as all they’re doing is looking and talking to each other about it._ Uh, no it’s not. I’m no homophobe, but heterosexual men would get in (probably legal!) trouble for leering in at women while they change. Why is this tolerated? 😕 Sorry if I sound… I don’t know, bitter, but I don’t do double-standards. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![nycticebus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90ced4/32.png) [@nycticebus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nycticebus)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2004, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-guy-creepy-or-am-i-just-overly-suspicious/254189/12 "2004-07-09T03:07:09Z")
Many jockeys basically live in saunas to sweat out moisture and thereby stay light enough to “make weight” on the scales. How tall is this guy? ---
**Author:** ![kniz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@kniz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kniz)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2004, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-guy-creepy-or-am-i-just-overly-suspicious/254189/13 "2004-07-09T03:16:44Z")
> [@Bippy the Beardless](#): > > as an asside 😕 [sup] **Is that another way to say “backside”?** [/sup] ---
**Author:** ![Tess\_of\_the\_Derbyville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Tess\_of\_the\_Derbyville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tess_of_the_Derbyville)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2004, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-guy-creepy-or-am-i-just-overly-suspicious/254189/14 "2004-07-09T04:19:10Z")
At my gym there was a woman who spent hours and hours in the sauna. I would go 5 to 6 times a week at varying times and she was _always there._ I don’t think she worked out because I never saw her anywhere else in the building. She was tall, thin and very tan and never spoke to anyone. Yeah, we thought it was weird, but basically harmless. None of us ever learned her story. ---
**Author:** ![InternetLegend](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/internetlegend/32/13154_2.png) [@InternetLegend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InternetLegend)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2004, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-guy-creepy-or-am-i-just-overly-suspicious/254189/15 "2004-07-09T04:28:15Z")
I wish my gym had a sauna! We have a Creepy Old Guy who comes in, sits on the machines, watches the rest of us work out, and chats to the staff for an hour or so every day. He used to stand outside the aerobics room and watch classes in session, but the fitness instructors put a stop to that. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2004, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-guy-creepy-or-am-i-just-overly-suspicious/254189/16 "2004-07-09T04:39:31Z")
> [@citrus x paradisi](#): > > I’m no homophobe, but… Now _this_ is always a promising start to a sentence. > [@citrus x paradisi](#): > > …heterosexual men would get in (probably legal!) trouble for leering in at women while they change. Why is this tolerated? 😕 If you really can’t see the difference here, well…i don’t know…maybe just try thinking a little harder or something. > [@citrus x paradisi](#): > > Sorry if I sound… I don’t know, bitter, but I don’t do double-standards. Yeah, because that’s exactly what this is. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![citrus\_x\_paradisi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6f9a4e/32.png) [@citrus\_x\_paradisi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/citrus_x_paradisi)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2004, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-guy-creepy-or-am-i-just-overly-suspicious/254189/17 "2004-07-09T05:08:02Z")
It is a double standard. Men standing outside a womens’ locker room commenting on their appearance would get smacked with a harassment suit. Why is this case any different? ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2004, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-guy-creepy-or-am-i-just-overly-suspicious/254189/18 "2004-07-09T05:21:25Z")
> [@citrus x paradisi](#): > > It is a double standard. Men standing outside a womens’ locker room commenting on their appearance would get smacked with a harassment suit. Why is this case any different? They don’t make comments on the guys’ appearance. Did you read what he wrote? He said “scope out the other guys.” Quite different. Nor did **bughunter** use the term “leering,” which you used in your post. Furthermore, these guys are, by **bughunter** ’s account, actually _in_ the locker room. You try going into a women’s locker room and see how long you last at the gym. Are you seriously suggesting that, because gay men can check out guys in the guys’ locker room, straight men should be allowed to check out women in the women’s locker room? If so, you might wanna lay off whatever you’re currently smoking. ---
**Author:** ![citrus\_x\_paradisi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6f9a4e/32.png) [@citrus\_x\_paradisi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/citrus_x_paradisi)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2004, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-guy-creepy-or-am-i-just-overly-suspicious/254189/19 "2004-07-09T05:47:50Z")
**Mhendo** : _there are two guys who do nothing but hang out in the locker/changing area all day._ I think that the gym may see that as a misuse of their facilities. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2004, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-guy-creepy-or-am-i-just-overly-suspicious/254189/20 "2004-07-09T06:14:40Z")
> [@citrus x paradisi](#): > > **Mhendo** : _there are two guys who do nothing but hang out in the locker/changing area all day._ > > I think that the gym may see that as a misuse of their facilities. Maybe, but that’s a completely different issue than the one you started out with. Try to keep up. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-guy-creepy-or-am-i-just-overly-suspicious/254189.md?page=2)