A gym replaced the staff with ‘robot doors’ that immediately trapped a woman inside, then she noticed the terrible smell

A woman went viral recently after she was nearly trapped inside one of PureGym’s new self-check-in access pods. This is a controversial system designed to replace human staff, and the TikTok video shows how awful it has been.

This whole setup is part of a major rebrand, since Blink Fitness gyms are transitioning into PureGym locations across the country. The core idea behind the new entry pods is to give members 24-hour access, especially during overnight and early morning hours when no one is working the front desk. It sounds great on paper for security, allowing staff-free entry around the clock, but the execution seems to be a huge mess.

If you want to get into the gym, you’re supposed to pull up your QR code on the PureGym or Blink app and scan it at the reader. That unlocks the first door, then you step into a small chamber. That door shuts behind you, and then the second door opens to let you into the main gym, according to DailyDot.

If you’re going to replace a person, make sure it works and there’s an emergency button

Gabby Kalomiris, a singer and actress based in New York, found herself locked inside the tiny chamber when the system completely failed her. She was either coming or going around 10:00 PM when the doors closed around her and refused to budge. Gyms have done terrible things, but this takes the cake.

Gabby filmed the terrifying ordeal, saying, “I knew I was going to get stuck in this thing.” Since it was late, the gym was nearly empty, and she noted that the “front desk” was completely “EMPTY because they decided to replace employees with f—ing ROBOT DOORS.”

She was trapped for about two minutes, and she was already “SWEATING,” but the worst part was the air quality inside the pod. Talk about adding insult to injury when you’re already panicking. She noted that she was “pretty sure the person in this death trap before me f—ed.” She was understandably furious, calling the entire situation an “f—ing joke.”

Luckily, a fellow member happened to walk by, and Gabby managed to flag him down and get him to scan her out. She confirmed that there wasn’t a single staff member around at the front desk when the incident occurred. After making it out, she added, “I hate this gym so much. I just got f—ing stuck in that thing.”

It seems Gabby’s experience isn’t unique, either. She has been back to the gym since the incident and has already witnessed “dozens of people struggling and complaining about the doors.” The public reaction online has been intense, and honestly, I get it. Commenters immediately pointed out that the setup looked like a “huge fire hazard,” which is a serious concern.

For Gabby, the incident cemented her decision to switch gyms. She pointed out that people go to the gym to relieve anxiety and stress, not to add to it by worrying about whether they’ll get trapped inside a foul-smelling access pod. She noted, “It’s truly not worth the anxiety of entering and exiting the gym.” If you’re paying a membership fee, the least you can expect is a smooth entry and exit and not an embarassing situation.