Did I deserve to nearly get into a fight with someone over something so petty?

Hey guys idk if I'm the wrong or not but here we go...Today I was in the gym and went to get something from the water dispenser (I pay extra a month to get flavoured ones). However I noticed it wasn't working since like last week.So I look around for an employee and then I see someone and walk to him and explain the situation politely and respwctivley. I told him it was kind of unacceptable and was kinda disappointed for not receiving anything when u pay for it. He was really rude, condescending to me and said I was "moaning" about first world problems. After a few backs and forths he kept disrespecting me and had enough and left and muttered under my breath "shut the **** up".When I'm walking off he goes in front of me and gets loud and seems like he wants to fight me. He starts asking why I said that and told him he was being rude for no reason and I'm sorry if that offended you and told him to leave me alone. He kept going and saying if it wasn't for him being in the gym he would "know my glasses out of my face" etc.I'm 17 and this guy is like 32 and I think this was super unprofessional and stupid of him. Even his friends started to argue with me and saying I was wrong.I'm super sad right now because all my gym friends and school friends saw and asked me what happened. They told me to just firm it and ignore the guy but can't help to think why it happened. I genuinely didn't think that was gonna happen.

Hey so I don’t completely think you’re in the wrong at all as it seemed that you genuinely respectively asked about the dispenser. Plus, it’s basically your right as you paid for this and you weren’t getting what you needed. Like you I’d also question a member of staff upon why their water dispenser isn’t working as what’s the point of me paying for something I’m not getting?? It seems that he was trying to turn it towards you when he was being the rude one. He should really have acted professionally and it’s totally unacceptable for him to curse at a member of the gym he’s working at!! Take my advice and don’t take it to heart he was probably just having a rough day but regardless there was no need for him to treat a customer in that way. Maybe speak to a manager if you really want to settle things as I wouldn’t be please if a staff member swore towards me. So yeah not your fault that you asked for something that you paid!!

He took it personally. He shouldn't have. The product you're paying for is not being delivered.
He needs to deliver better customer service by taking ownership of the fault and getting it fixed.
1st world problems? Sure. But it's 1st world to pay to use a gym to keep fit and therefore 1st world for him to have a job working there.

If he can't hack it then it's his issue.
A written note to the company that owns the place formally requesting that they either fix the problem or give you a partial refund would be justified.

"shut the **** up"

He should really have acted professionally and it’s totally unacceptable for him to curse at a member of the gym he’s working at!!

report to thegym online customer service by phone call for being threatened as a minor. cry a bit on the phone and tell what centre it was at and the persons name

Short answer yes. He was possibly being rude in the first place* but that's fighting talk, especially when done in a sort of snide walking away manner, and as you found, he called you out immediately.

What did you expect to happen after saying such a thing in reply? It's obviously going to escalate matters, so yes, you have to take some responsibility for the beating you almost got.

* Without knowing exactly how you approached this it's hard to know if he had a reason to get annoyed with you, is the water dispenser his responsibility/control or it is contracted elsewhere? Given how you spoke to him later I can't really give you benefit of the doubt for asking politely in the first place.

OP was actually the one who swore at them, does that change things?

He was rude and disrespecting me first, what did HE expect?? I'm not gonna take disrespect even if I cannot take a fight, at least I tried and stuck to myself to the very end.

I'll have to disagree with you here, I don't think I am at full fault mainly for him bein an employee. he shouldn't get angry, threaten and try to fight a customer let alone someone who is shorter and way younger.

Yes, I may have said something I shouldn't have said but honestly I thought he didn't hear as I kind of muttered it saying it to myself out of anger.

I was polite and respectful until this point, he's always condescending for no reason.

Should I have said that? No. But the fact someone let alone an employee threating to beat the **** out of me is beyond unacceptable especially how this gym is chain owned.

Fault is shared, your words escalated things and I never said you were at full fault. You can say he's an employee, you're a kid etc. but what you did was foolish and dangerous. You thought he didn't hear you, well he did, be a bit more careful in future mouthing off even if you feel you've been slighted as you might not always be able to hide behind your age or being a customer.

I didn't deny he was rude, but you asked if you deserved to almost get in a fight over this - and the answer is kinda yes, you should have realistically known what you said was going to inflame the situation, regardless of how you got to that point.

You ended saying 'I genuinely didn't think that was gonna happen' Well tell me, what did you think was going to happen when you chose to say that? Don't just say you don't know or start talking about what the other guy should have expected etc

Fault is shared, your words escalated things and I never said you were at full fault. You can say he's an employee, you're a kid etc. but what you did was foolish and dangerous. You thought he didn't hear you, well he did, be a bit more careful in future mouthing off even if you feel you've been slighted as you might not always be able to hide behind your age or being a customer.

Yeah your right, this is a learning lesson, glad I learnt it in the gym and not in the streets lol

Definitely - I can def tell you that a lot of these little quiet walking away 'yeah well **** you' etc moments are the ones that really provoke an instant attack, even worse than had you just said it right to their face, it's the combined insult and dismissal, when you turn/walk away you're pretty much saying 'you won't dare make something over what I said' but if they are already keyed up there's a good chance they might dare out of anger, even if they lose their job or get in trouble etc. happens 1000s of times a day.

Long long ago I have done things just as stupid, as a young teen getting a bus home from the next town over, there was a little bit of tension with some of the locals as I waited for my bus, other kids from same school but diff group, nothing beyond a few catcalls and I've got on my bus, but then just before the bus pulls away I decide to start giving it all the V signs and faces from the bus back window thinking I'm the king of bus escapes so my blood pretty much turns to ice as about 8-10 of them rush the bus absolutely furious, some a few years older than me too, I was soooooo lucky the driver saw it and didn't let them on, otherwise I would have prob taken the worst beating of my life simply because I didn't know when to keep my mouth shut - for a bit of context a few of those kids went on to be part of a group that did proper beat a guy to death in my local park, lots of prison time.

Thank you! Exactly what I was thinking why the **** would I pay for something and not get it on top of that get someone trying to threaten and be rude to me.

Funny thing he said I could have got banned for saying that when he was being rude to me first and then escalated it by trying to fight a ******* 17 year old. He's like twice my height too, what a douche bag.

I was genuinely trying to know why as I was curious and also wanted to strike a conversation with him since most PTs are so friendly at this gym.

I'm so gutted because I feel like he ruined the atmosphere, it used to be so hype in the gym I used to be so happy and not he just ruined my mood. I don't want to move gyms since this local to me but I'll try and firm it.

Wow, yeah you can't risk it unless you are ready to take on a fight. Thanks for this!