Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Too fat to tan?


I don't know if you guys heard about this story or not but I guess there was a woman in Akron, Ohio who was told after she paid for a tanning package that she was "too fat to tan."  You can see the whole story here.  Then they wouldn't refund her money when they denied her even though she said she was paying for a service she wasn't getting.  Um, hell to the no.  You'd better be refunding my money or better yet don't be selling me a package in the first place if you have a weight policy in effect.  They don't deserve the right to use the name ALOHA tanning...that attitude is the farthest from aloha there is.

I looked up tanning bed weight limits and the cheapies tend to have about a 250 lb limit and then 350 lbs for those big ol' massive ones.  As I was looking for that, I ran across this thread for tanning salon owners discussing how to broach the subject of weight if they are afraid someone may break the acrylic because the lady didn't have a stand up bed yet.  I was appalled at how quickly the name calling began though I guess I shouldn't be.  From "heffer" (it's actually spelled heifer you uneducated twit but good for you for throwing the first name out so that the words like "fattie", "two ton Tessie" etc could be hurled like ninja stars.)  Oh how I wish those jerks had the names of their salons next to them so you could  make sure potential customers knew of the mass discrimination going on.

Anyhoo, back to the original topic, I used to tan back in the day and I was always terrified about cracking the acrylic.  No salon I ever visited before I wised up and started using self tanners told me a weight limit on a bed and therefore I never worried about it.  I went in beds that I now realize I exceeded the weight limit by well over 40 lbs and not a single gum smackin', heavy eyelined teenager told me I would have to either use a stand up bed or the uber, mega Tan-a-Tron 3000 to not risk frying to a crisp when I broke through.  The last time I tanned I was at my highest weight and I used stand ups even though the girl said I could be fine in any of the beds.  I assure you, I now know I wouldn't have been.  The year before that when I was in the bed I was sweating not because I was hot from the bulbs but because I was one spider crack from death.

I would much rather have had a sign up walking into a salon saying something like "due to manufacturer weight limits and for your safety, we reserve the right to have you weigh in prior to tanning."  If someone questionable still came in after that, I would again expect them to explain policy and tell them they require everyone to weigh in prior to selling them a package.  I would rather risk a little embarrassment up front than crash through and have to pay for damages or get seriously injured due to my own ego.

If you were a tanner, would you be against a weigh in policy at a tanning salon for your safety?

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24 comments:

  1. Wow. Makes me think about all the times we went tanning back when we were stupid enough to do that. I was way over the weight limit and, while nobody gave me a hard time, they probably should have stopped me from going because that really was a safety issue. I remember you found out what the weight limits for those beds were after we had gone the last time and we realized just how far over we were and how bad things could have been for us if we'd crashed through.

    As for this girl, she should get her money back. There is no valid reason for her to be prevented from getting that back. It's fine if they don't want her to use their beds but give her the money back. She should dispute the payment on her credit card if she used one. Man that irks me!

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    1. Yeah, I felt kind of sick after seeing that pop up on Yahoo. I think of the last few years we did that and we were WAY over the limit of those beds. I feel like the salon has an obligation to all users that prior to selling a package that they should list the weight limits for all of the beds and you have to sign off releasing them of liability if you knowingly tan while over the weight limit. I think most people lie about their weights even to themselves in that situation and think "oh the weight limit is a mere suggestion." We've all done it in some scenario or another.

      Absolutely this woman should get her money back! If I read it correctly, she's UNDER the weight limit so I don't know what the deal is there to begin with. You're right, dispute it on the credit card!

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  2. I don't tan because I am a fair skinned redhead, but I wholeheartedly agree. She needs her money back because the salon is breaching their contract. People suck and the online mob mentality is 100 times worse because of the anonymity provided them to sling whatever hate they feel like.

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    1. Yes she does and yes they are! I don't know how they can even refuse her to begin with. Total agreement on the online mob mentality as well especially with overweight/obese issue because as we all know {sarcasm} it's okay to degrade fat people, they don't count. It amazes me that people talk about other human beings that way. *shaking head*

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  3. I don't see anything wrong with posting the weight limit of each style of bed that a salon uses. Put the posting in a nice visible place and put a check box in the disclaimer form (I have read the weight limits poster and understand that if I under-represent my weight ... could happen). That way people can self-police and there is no need for a weigh in policy. I agree that the thread was appalling, I certainly would not want to patronize any of those businesses.

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    1. I whole heartedly agree. As long as they signed a waiver releasing liability if they lie about their weight because as we all know, most people aren't exactly forthcoming about their true weights. Though these days I'm much more likely to yell out 270 with pride and say "hey, it's better than when I was 494!" HA!

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  4. I dont tan as I am brown-skinned...hehehe and definitely dont need a tan!! My grandma would have a heart attack if I told her people on purpose darken their skin tone!! lol...

    But on the woman..she def deserves the refund...when you have weight limits, its for your safety so not one of those scenarios where you keeping mum about it, as you can kill someone with that...and as far a speople and their snide comments..they suck big time!!

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    1. Lucky duck! You have beautiful skin! Don't tell Grandma about us pale people trying to keep up! ;)

      Definitely on both the refund and people sucking. LOL

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  5. I read this yesterday and it really ticked me off. I understand weight limits, but make sure it's stated somewhere and if it's not, do not hestitate to refund the lady's money when you're refusing a service she already paid for. What a moronic thing to even think about.

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    1. Hey you! Exactly and I have no idea why they would think they could take her money for a service and not provide a refund when they deny her that service.

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  6. Isn't it interesting how quickly people feel free to name call and degrade fat people like it is perfectly acceptable. Maybe they should start airing their person problems to people so they can be judged so harshly as well. Well maybe they are perfect and we should all worship them and their lack of flaws. Sheesh

    End rant.

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    1. You are preachin' to the choir man. It amazes me how quickly people are to throw stones when you know the glass houses they live in are thin paned.

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  7. Story made it to California on last night's broadcast local news. Maybe because it's California and we seem obsessed with tan skin? I too was ticked that they thought they didn't have to refund her money. I have a feeling that today that will change. I mean, really, you don't make the news nationwide without a certain amount of backlash. That being said, I've never used a tanning bed and am grateful to know there is an additional danger involved until I lose more weight. One more reason not to go.

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    1. Yes there is a little tan obsession going on out there! ;) I was part of it in my teen years. I remember laying out in my Dad's backyard in Riverside spraying myself with the hose when the baby oil dried up. Oy. I'm hoping that the backlash to that company is swift and they refund her money.

      No need for tanning beds, that Jergens tanning lotion rocks. I used it just before Easter and everyone in the family asked when I started tanning. That tells me it looked natural so I'm going to start again tomorrow.

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  8. I hadn't heard about that so thank you for posting. I agree with your simply worded notice that should be in salons. I'm not a tanner because I live in California and suck u my skin cancers naturally! Lol

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    1. LOL, I know! We usually tanned before a trip to Hawaii because we bought into the whole "you should have a base tan" thing they promoted back in the day. Now I subscribe to the Jergens tanning method. Moisturize and dye!

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  9. I have an issue with the whole tanning thing anyway because of the skin cancer danger, but if they think they can get away without refunding her money, I'd say they have another think coming. As for the name-calling, you can't fix stupid and trying to fix ignorant is a lesson in futility. Leave them to karma.

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    1. Amen. I'm trying to 'gently remind' my mom and aunt that they need to stop worshipping the sun gods around her pool. They're going to look like saddles well before their time. Oh I'm sure those people have karma big time. The thread started 5-6 years ago and I'm hoping they've all gained the weight the Mr and I have lost so they can walk a mile in the "fattie's" shoes.

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  10. There are some real weight limits we as larger people have to worry about such as tanning beds, apparently. I bought some silly workout equipment from TV when I was over 250 and found out later I wasn't supposed to be using it. Oh, well, I am alive but the information would have been useful. That being said, how on earth did the salon justify not giving the woman her money back?

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    1. Weight limits are the first thing I check before making any purchases anymore. Even our outdoor couch said on the cushions "weight limit 225lbs." Well hell, I haven't been that since high school so we bought the set and reinforced with wood slats. I'm super paranoid about weight limits since I got to my highest weight and even as I lose I still am very aware of them now. There's no way they can justify not giving her money back. I hope she's disputed her credit card by now if that's how she paid.

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  11. Whether they have a weigh-in policy or not, they should most definitely have a sign saying they may refuse sales/service if you are over the weight limit. Sheesh people - that's just a CYA so you don't get sued for discrimination!

    The real burner (haha - pun intended) is that they refused to refund her money! WTF!?!?

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    1. Definitely!! We've become such a callous yet over-sensitive society that we don't know whether to scratch our watch or wind out butts. (I know you'll get the reference)

      I hope they've refunded her moolah by now!

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  12. Interesting. I didn't see this but I've heard similar stories about pedi chairs and such. I also read they the airlines are thinking of charging people by their weight (you+your luggage). I get it, I don't want to break your property but don't be a meanie. (Not the word I'd normally use).

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