The Chainlink

Friend Needs Your Help

I have a friend (no, really, it's not me) who works downtown and has taken to biking to work. Lately he has been told that his bike is not allowed in the building. He is averse to parking it outside, where it might be vandalized or stolen. He would like to park it in a storage room that up until recently has been made available to cyclists.
My friend has been told to put together some convincing arguments for allowing this to present to management. I turn to you, my fellow cyclists and activists for help. Please help my friend continue to bike to work by submitting some compelling arguments for allowing bikes in his building. What follows is his original appeal to me. Thanks.
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Since the weather has cooled off lately from the sweltering summer
heat, I have been riding my bike to and from work for about the last
two weeks. There were two other people who bike regularly to the
office and store their bikes upstairs in our storage room and had
passes for building access to get in the back service entrance and
service elevator, so I inquired about it at the front desk downstairs
a few months ago in the spring about getting access.

The people at the front desk said I just need to have my manager
request building access, which sounded easy. Wrong. I asked my
manager, and she said she'd get back to me. Meanwhile, I biked in a
few times in late spring before it got too hot, thinking eventually
I'd get the building access. After a few weeks I inquired again with
my manager on the status, and she said the building was saying they
would have to hire a new security guard to guard the doors at night
and Parsons would have to pony up some cash to pay for it. Never mind
that there are another half-dozen people in this building who already
have building access and bring bikes in and out through there.

Currently, I have to keep asking either the security guard or the
maintenance people to push the button on the service elevator so I can
go upstairs, and when I leave I go out the front instead of the
service exit (which the building frowns upon). About a month ago,
another coworker in my group got a new bike and she started riding to
work also.

Fast forward to last week. I asked my manager again if there was any
update on the situation, and told that even though the two people here
got building access previously, that our facilities person's official
position is the company doesn't allow bikes in the building. My
manager said maybe if we can gather evidence and build a case for why
we need it, we can make some progress.

So now we (I and my coworker, the two new bikers in the office) are
wondering how to build a case for getting the access and storage in
the building. Any thoughts or supporting info would be appreciated.

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Adam Sterling on October 4, 2011 at 11:38am

Become friends w the building maintenance people or security people. This worked wonders for me.

 

You could also try the angle of your bike is worth money and you don't want to expose it to the elements, let alone theft or damage. Leaving a bike outside in MW weather can wreak havoc on components, chains, etc. This assumes, of course, that your bike is actually worth money, and when I say that, I'm taking it's less than ten years old and you paid $750+ for it. You'll have a hard time convincing anyone that your 1985 Schwinn is 'valuable' to anyone but you.

 

As long as you lock your bike up when it's stored, their 'we need more security' argument is a sham.

 

Ultimately, though, it's their building, not yours, and if their 'official position' (whatever that means) is that they don't allow bikes, well, they don't allow bikes. Obviously, there are exceptions to this rule, but if that's their position, I refer back to my original statement. Get to know the people who have the gatekeeping power...as long as the cop who pulls you over is your friend, you'll probably be OK.

Permalink Reply by Melanie K on October 4, 2011 at 11:42am

I thought this was in interesting topic that New York has addressed with a law called Bikes in Buildings-Maybe something in this article can help your position or give you some support (there is even a powerpoint presentation):

 

http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/bicyclists/bikesinbuildings.shtml

 

http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/faqs/faqs_bib.shtml

Permalink Reply by Dave Jacque on October 4, 2011 at 2:49pm
Do they have a reason for this "official position" other than "because"? Maybe you can figure out what their objection is and address it.  (Tire tracks on fancy marble floors --> promise to wipe down tires before rolling it into the building).
Permalink Reply by Jeff Markus on October 4, 2011 at 9:19pm

In any bike/work discussion the side issues are worth dregging up. Health insurance and workmans compensation coverage both usually are in favor of exercise and would back up requests for storage of exercise equipment.

As far as arguements for management pressure the need for calm is paramount. Since others are using the area you wish to get access to perhaps arranging to buddy up and avoid needing a seperate key/pass.

Another option might be to inquire directly to building services to see if they might offer an end around to your company's blockade.

Jeff

The Chicagoan

 

Permalink Reply by Kristin Komorowski on October 7, 2011 at 10:38am

 

A few thoughts:

* Have all those who want to participate sign a no liability waiver making the building not responsible for loss or damage. This avoids the extra security & everyone's willing to play along when they know your not going to come after them for damages. you gotta find/print this form yourself & get a few versions &give them hard copy & digital to edit and have their legal team review.

*Beside the previous comments about health benefits - you can print a few studies that show working out before work makes staff more productive, more pleasant to be around, etc - always relate it back to their improved bottomline & lack of effort...

*It will show the firm's dedication & efforts to aiding in staff health & meeting needs of employees which they can report on employee benefits & when describing the culture of the firm

* print up some stuff or have private/orgs & the mayors office bike people write something up about businesses supporting the mayors plan for making biking in chi an internationally recognized feature of chi culture - now that i think of it if the mayors office does not already have a list of companies who support this effort -find the person who can get this list on the chi site & also ask the private/orgs to create or add your firm to these lists -which again brings it all back to the firm's bottom line - makes them look good, which they can then again add to their firm profile, it offers the firm more marketing/exposure - make sure you list the places where you can add their names & ask around for a few website hit counts to just to add some metrix to the whole thing to beef up all the new exposure this policy will provide for the firm/building.

*Does chainlink/yelp have a list of the bike/enviro friendly buildings around the city & the worst - if buildings who are looking for tenants get an email notifying them that their anti-bike parking policies are getting them bad press on popular/checked sites, that may help - this point you may want to wait for the 2nd round if they are leaning no- no need to piss them off first ;P

* check around the city for things like green office challenge & other environmental initiatives - office carbon footprints - these things again, put the company out there in the public eye under the good light of supporting improving the environment & can win the office/building prizes or get them tax breaks if they go after them.

*I tried to say that i would be late to work more because biking got me there w/o effects or accidents & other road issues - this may be weak but worth adding to a list

* I've had lots of luck with petitions. you need 2 - get one for people who will ride the bikes or all the bikers & have a separate one for all staff who dont ride but are in the building/firm & support this so you can say everyone is for this - for this you really gotta go door to door or just corner people in the elevator -

*lastly, write out the rules you & other bikers will follow to ensure the unnoticeable effects these bikes will have - like you all should use the correct elevators & doors only - you'll have to compromise to make this happen - also pre-set a limit for total number of bikes so they see you as proactive and again, taking the effort off them. this also will help prevent overcrowding & getting the whole thing taken away. have a policy written out so they know that bike rule breakers can be banned from the privilege, again self policing & showing that you respect the privilege. 

 

good luck!!!!!!

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on October 7, 2011 at 12:15pm

Buildings with indoor bike parking - just a few I know of:

55 W. Monroe

221 N. LaSalle

Wrigley Building

All are indoor, locked rooms, created at the request of tenants.  Who can add to the list?

Permalink Reply by Adam Sterling on October 7, 2011 at 12:33pm
It sounds like the ultimate problem is just dealing w management, per the whole "if we get more bikes in here we need to hire more security." While this is a totally ridiculous argument in pretty much any regard, it is nevertheless the argument by management, who, sadly, have the power.

 

Again, not to sound like a total jag (I realize I am), but why would management care about you being healthier, more productive, more environmentally conscious, being late to work, etc? They care about getting rent paid to them, and not having the building hallways and storage rooms filled with bikes, or at least this is my experience w other places I've encountered this problem. Getting everyone to sign a liability waiver sounds nice, but to management it's a bureaucratic nightmare, and what about the person who rides in once, has their bike stolen, but didn't sign the waiver b/c they didn't know there was one? I doubt few if any potential tenants are going to pass on an attractive business site b/c the building isn't as bike friendly as other buildings are per yelp reviews, unless you're talking active trans, etc. An EG: the Sierra club is in my building. We have room for four bikes in a bike room, after that, you're on your own. It does not and has never generated complaints. If it did, I'd know, b/c I've complained to management a few times myself. I am able to bring my bike up to my office (a big no no w management at first), b/c I got to know the building super, and promised him I'd keep it in my tiny office, aka away from anywhere that could possibly be in the way in case of fire.

 

I say all this not to be a total dickhead, but because I've encountered this problem before, and I've found the best strategy is to make best friends w building management/get a manager that will support you, but even then, if the management does not like it, that's that. We are, sadly, not yet a very bike friendly society. I think that will change in coming years, but we're not there yet, and it seems like many of the suggestions above assume management is bike friendly, when in my experience most of those types are not.

 

There are also bike lockers at some Metra stations. I coworker of mine used to park his bike at Millennium Park, I think. But I know those also cost $$ to rent. They have a number provided if you want to open a cycle center. While you may not, these guys might have a suggestion about how to solve this problem. 312-BIKE-WAY.

 

Sorry to be such a Debbie Downer. Best of luck.

Permalink Reply by dan brown on October 7, 2011 at 1:33pm

550 W. Washington

20 S. Wacker

500 W. Madison

Anne Alt said:

Buildings with indoor bike parking - just a few I know of:

55 W. Monroe

221 N. LaSalle

Wrigley Building

All are indoor, locked rooms, created at the request of tenants.  Who can add to the list?

Permalink Reply by Tony Adams on October 7, 2011 at 1:35pm
444 N. Michigan 

dan brown said:

550 W. Washington

20 S. Wacker

500 W. Madison

Anne Alt said:

Buildings with indoor bike parking - just a few I know of:

55 W. Monroe

221 N. LaSalle

Wrigley Building

All are indoor, locked rooms, created at the request of tenants.  Who can add to the list?

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