Complaint About My Bike At Work.

All winter long I rode my bike to work and parked my bike outside my cubicle.  Nobody complained.  7 days ago the sales department relocated to my area of the building where I work. 4 days later the Safety Dept. Guy shows up and sheepishly tells me that there has been a complaint that my bike takes up to much space outside my cube.  I disagree, but have to find alternate parking for my ride.

Views: 469

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Doug Haynes on April 5, 2010 at 1:07pm
Yet more proof sales people are evil and hate fun.

You should ask everyone on your floor if they are the ones who complained and using their reactions to your question poop in the drawers of all who may be guilty.
Permalink Reply by heather s on April 5, 2010 at 1:32pm
what?! There is tons of space in that passageway for anyone to get through!

But... in the spirit of office friendliness, maybe your colleague is worried about getting dirty if he or she brushes against the bike. One of those covers that motorcyclists use might help the situation. I don't know how these things work, but is there a way to arrange a mediation btw you and the complainer through the HR department or something?

Or, can your bike be inside your cubicle? It's not clear from the photo how large each space is.
Permalink Reply by Craig S. on April 5, 2010 at 1:37pm
You could get a Bike Friday and fold it up and stick it in your cubicle.

Years ago I worked at a place in the West Loop and I was one of about one riding their bike to work. People saw it and realized they could do it. More and more of my co-workers began to rid and it took a couple of years but pretty soon the building folks put a hanging rack in the parking garage for bikes.

The rack was quickly outgrown the more people learned they could commute by bike. Perhaps folks you work with are more timid than you about bringing their bikes into the work place and if a better parking solution was found, more people would ride.

I do like the idea of calling out the fun-haters.
Permalink Reply by mike w. on April 5, 2010 at 2:21pm
i am SO glad i don't work in a cubefarm! Some people have nothing better to do than stew at their desks and make stuff up to kvetch about. What kind of a life is that? Crabs in a barrel, dogs in a manger.
Permalink Reply by Erin on April 5, 2010 at 2:34pm
In research I did for the State of Illinois on bicycle commuting, I found out that employers and building managers make more of an effort to accommodate bicycle commuters if they are asked to do so. So it's incumbent upon all of us who commute to work by bike--or want to--to ask for a secure place to store our bikes during the work day. Please tell your employer that biking to work is important to you and ask that they make safe space available for you to store your bike. You also should ask them to tell your building's management company that secure bike parking is needed.

Good luck!
Permalink Reply by Molly on April 5, 2010 at 3:10pm
I cannot bring my bike into work, so I am forced to leave it outside...all winter long too. Thankfully I have pin head locks. My bike doesn't seem to suffer too bad. I do wish I had a place indoors though.
Permalink Reply by Tank-Ridin' Ryan on April 5, 2010 at 3:35pm
It's a shame the safety dept. guy didn't tell him to piss off. I can't believe they complained; obviously there's enough room to get by. I guess there's a sales guy with no sense of depth perception. He must bump into cubicle walls all the time, as well as regular walls, doorways, other people, other stationary objects, etc.

I hope you can appeal this decision, so to speak. Or just tell them to give you your own office! :)

Best of luck.
Permalink Reply by rik on April 5, 2010 at 3:52pm
Ask them to take the lead in Chicago. Learn from NYC

On August 13, 2009, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg signed two laws to increase bicycle access and encourage cycling in New York City.
Bikes in Buildings
The Bikes in Buildings Law (local law 52 of 2009) encourages bicycle commuting by providing cyclists with secure parking during the workday. The law requires commercial office buildings to provide access to employees who request to bring their bikes into the building. The law becomes effective on December 11, 2009.

Bicycle Parking in Public Parking Garages
Local law 51 of 2009 requires public parking garages to provide at least one bicycle parking space for every ten car parking spaces. The new law became effective November 11, 2009 and is overseen by the Department of Consumer Affairs. Parking garage operators may apply for a waiver to the new requirement if compliance violates existing zoning regulations for their garage.
Permalink Reply by Vilda on April 5, 2010 at 4:12pm
I'm lucky at my FT job I can store it inside in one of 2 warehouses. At my PT it has to stay outside no matter the season. It all depends on your boss.
Permalink Reply by Matt AKA Jimbo/BMXican on April 5, 2010 at 5:59pm
Hey not all sales people are evil and hate fun. They are pretty happy people and easy going in general other wise they wouldn't be sales people for long. I'm a bit spoiled though I sell bicycles all day and put my bike any were I please. On top of that I get to ride indoors too. I like Rik's post too, If our mayor is so bike friendly why doesn't he pass a law like NYC.

notoriousDUG said:
Yet more proof sales people are evil and hate fun.

You should ask everyone on your floor if they are the ones who complained and using their reactions to your question poop in the drawers of all who may be guilty.
Permalink Reply by Glenn on April 5, 2010 at 6:08pm
look at how much space that thing takes up!!! HAVE SOME DECENCY!!!

no, that's just sad that people really bother to complain about that. It doesn't look too crowded in there...
Permalink Reply by Lorena Cupcake on April 6, 2010 at 1:11am
When I started commuting to work I asked the other bicyclists in my office where they parked their bikes. When it because clear they just had random little spots squirreled away I started exploring the parts of the building where no one ever goes. My bike is currently in a dusty disused stairwell crammed with boxes of files locked to a banister.

RSS

Groups

© 2008-2016   The Chainlink Community, L.L.C.   Powered by

Disclaimer  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service