Some context about the YMCA I go to, they have a signup page when you walk into the cardio room. You sign up in 30 minute blocks for a machine. If it's 5 minutes past when you signed up, then you're considered a "No Show" and anyone can use the machine for the remaining time. I've been back home living with my parents for a few months and gone to the gym almost every day to lose weight and get in shape.  Sometimes people are signed up at 12:00, it's 12:10, I hope on the machine and no issues, sometimes people aren't signed up. I've had people signed up to machines next to me, never showed up, it happens all the time. 

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I get to the gym and changed, go into the cardio room and Eliptical #5, is taken and signed up for. Eliptical #6 is signed up for, but no one is on it. They signed up 1:30-2:00, it's 1:45. I sign up for 2, no big issue always done it this way. There are 3 people in the room, all on machines, it's not very busy. I go 45 minutes, so I'll be done by 2:30.

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As I'm putting stuff on the machine a guy walks up and says to me "I signed up for 1:30, this is my machine, I am taking it". I look at the clock and mention it's 1:45, it's my understanding if it's 1:35 and no one is on the machine anyone can hop on it. "No, I signed up for 1:30, this is my machine, I am taking it". I tell him "no". Which, he does not like. He calls me a "Fucking asshole" and it's his machine. I said he was the one being an asshole. He said he was "On the bike warming up" and I again tell him "Its 1:45". He eventually walks off basically pissed off I said no to his "I am taking this machine". 

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I start my workout and he comes back and says he checked by the sign in and says he doesn't see the "5 minute rule" posted anywhere. I told him that was my understanding and all I got was repeated "well where is it posted!" responses. The guy who was on #5 at one point mentions he can have his machine he is almost done. I stopped responding to the guy being a dick and he goes to another machine. After a minute I get off the machine, walk by him and mentioned something similar to "I'm going to the front to make sure, if I am wrong I'm sorry the machine is yours". He said to not worry about it, but I walk past him to the front. I explained the situation and they said there is a 5 minute rule, and they're calling "charlie" to go talk to him. The front desk apologizes and mentions it happens from time to time. The sign was taken down cause they're doing a new sign up thing soon I guess.

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I go back to the room and start my workout and hear staff talking to him. He's very short "I understand", "ok", "didn't know ok". He wasn't in a mood to talk to staff who was explaining the rule to him. He even told staff I was an "asshole" and they told him no need for that type of language. So he just confirmed what I told them anyways about what he said to me.

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I've told my parents, ex-gf, and a friend. My ex-gf said I was in the wrong and to give him the machine. My parents think I should "be the bigger man and apologize for the misunderstanding" and my friend said I was in the right. I do not see a reason I am in the wrong. If he would've literally said anything else to me, than the first sentence being a complete dick I would've let him have the machine for the last 15 minutes. He could've said "I am running late, was warming up on the bike, I only need the elliptical for 10 minutes" - fine, he can use it. 

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Before anyone even says "let him have it and use another machine", it's the principle and I have been pushed around my entire life letting people walk over me. #5 and #6 elliptical also have TVs, the rest do not. He straight out the gate was rude and a complete asshole, and I calmly explained the situation to him. Almost anything else in a nicer tone I would've been like "sure no problem I will hop on at 2 after you". I wasn't having the asshole attitude straight out the gate from him, on top of being called a fucking asshole for saying no. 

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I don't feel like I am the asshole, not sure if it's more of a Change My View post than if I am the asshole because the establishment agreed with me and the rules they set in place. I didn't make the rules, I explained them to him. I don't see a reason for me to ever apologize to him. I would've given him the machine if he was nicer even though I didn't have to.

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TLDR: Gym has a sign up, 5 minutes late anyone can take your machine. Guy signed up 1:30-2:00, didn't say anything till I was getting on the machine at 1:45. Was a dick out the gate saying it's his machine he's taking it, and I told him no. I was called a "fucking asshole" before going to the front to make sure I wasn't wrong about the rules. He called me an 'asshole' to staff when they explained it to him. ex-gf says I should've given the machine up, parents think I need to be the bigger man and "apologize for the misunderstanding, friend I told said I was fine the guy is an asshole and didn't like being not given his way.

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