For those of us who commute on the LIRR (or Metro North), we know all about the “quiet car” where heightened requirements of respecting your neighbors are expected and enforced.     But how about the quiet gym?  Is there etiquette around gym conversation?

Sunday morning I was working my favorite elliptical machine, happily humming to whatever tune was on my ipod.  I glanced over to two women riding bicycles nearby and noticed they were in a heated and very animated discussion.  One woman apparently had carefully set her position on the bicycle and then even more carefully positioned the earbud to her phone – and then proceeded to make a call.  Her gym neighbor was disturbed by the conversation, told her so in no uncertain terms and nearly pulled the earbud from her ear.

So, here is my question.  What is the etiquette around being in the gym?  I see people socialize all the time, both while on the machines and off.  Is a telephone call any different?

[And by the way, their argument most definitely drowned out what I fear was more than humming on my part, unintentional of course!  Perhaps my gym neighbor might accuse me of violating some etiquette rules!]