I actually noticed this Friday but for the sake of making this seem like a more timely post I'll pretend that I noticed this for the first time today. The club I go to has now posted signs on all of the cardio equipment stating "30 minute limit".
There are four clubs I can choose to go to. I have gone to the oldest of the four because it's generally not as busy and up until today (Friday) it was the only one that did not have a desk where you have to sign in to use a machine.
They actually pay someone, probably 2-3 someones, at the other three gyms to sit and make sure that people are signed on to machines and only use them for 30 minutes. I do cardio for 60 minutes. I like for that to be 60 continuous minutes. Theoretically, I would have to sign out and if no one was waiting, sign back on to my same machine. Yes, they actually expect you to do it that way.
Maybe it's the same everywhere else. I actually own a $2400 industrial elliptical cycle that sits in my basement. But for me, actually going somewhere to workout is more enjoyable the watching the wall in my basement. I could join a club like 24 Hour Fitness, but the thought of signing some horrible 2 year contract makes me ill.
So for now I am ignoring the sticker, because unless someone has asked me when I will be getting off the machine or is giving me some sort of obvious sign that they would like a turn it makes no sense.
(I should also mention... there have only been a handful of times in nearly 3 years that I've ever seen anyone need to wait for a machine.)
