Girls at the gym

[pseudoclever]

I've recently noticed a strange social phenomena, and I'm wondering if anyone else as seen this, too. There's a small gym at my apartment complex, and sometimes I go there, with my girlfriend, or by myself. And, being a public area, other people show up there as well.

Whenever this other person is a female, however, they always react in exactly the same way. They walk in, we make eye contact, and then they immediately look away, almost as if in fear. For the rest of the time they're in the gym, they stay as far away as possible, and never look in my direction.

Now I know what you're thinking - maybe you're just hideously ugly? Well, that might be true But still, I don't get that reaction from females in any other place.

Psychology is an interest of mine, and that is why I bring this up here. So let me ask: Guys, have you ever noticed this? And women - what's up with that?