NORMAL LIFE: Wouldn't You Want To Know?

I recently wrote about how Finns are ignorant (read here). I got a reminder proving my point yesterday, but this time, the person to prove me right was my one and only Bree.

It happened in the gym. We both headed to the running machines; there were three available for use. We opted for the two adjacent running machines, but after five minutes of trying, the one I was attempting to start up just refused to work. Bree had started his run and, admitting defeat, I chose to use the other still-free running machine at the end of the row of machines.

On several occasions, others tried to start up the same running machine which was clearly not working. Over the course of my thirty minute run, I estimate that at least fifteen people had tried to use the defective running machine. One guy must have spent more than five minutes punching the buttons, well and truly pissed off, unaware that the reason why the only machine that wasn't in use wasn't being used was because it just didn't happen to work.

Throughout my run, I was constantly amazed that neither of the patron, to the left (Bree) nor to the right (some meat-head who kept admiring himself in the mirror) had been courteous enough to tell patrons that the machine didn't work. Instead, they just let people bang away at the keys.

I can't remember the number of times when I have told people that the cash machine I just attempted to withdraw cash from didn't work. It doesn't take much to do the courteous thing so why don't these people say something? I mean, wouldn't you want to know?