There has been a Bike To Work Week event organized for my office. We have over 300 people that work here so I hope we have a good participation. As this was my idea I sent the info. to the operations dept. & they sent out the office wide email yesterday. The event is May 12 - 18, 2007. The info. on the web site explains for those that participate get a free breakfast for riding at least one day. The info. also states even though it is free they would like people to register.
The email that was sent out yesterday states everyone will get a free breakfast & they do not have to register if they do not want to.
This was after I explained to the operations dept. people should register & the free breakfast is only for those that participate.
Now people will something for nothing. Knowing a lot of the people I work with here, they will think well hell if I can get a free breakfast anyway why ride to work on my bike, despite the benefits.
So far there are only 3 out of over 300 that are goint to participate at least one day. Myself, another guy on my team, he's a cyclist as well, & one of the operations mgrs. The ops. mgr is doing it to show support for it, which is fine. I just hope others participate as well.
If there is not a good turnout because people will get the breakfast even if they do not ride I will not organize it next year. I think it is B.S. that this happens.
Wino Ryder
05-01-07, 03:03 PM
Yepper, there's got to be some stipulations there, otherwise 300 people will show up with only 3 that ride.
noisebeam
05-01-07, 03:06 PM
Who cares if folks who don't ride get to enjoy a free breakfast?
Doesn't that still support getting the idea going, getting folks to think about alternatives, rubbing shoulders with folks who do ride, building community of potentially interested folks?
Al
N_C
05-01-07, 03:08 PM
It's funny my work enviroment is heavily driven by incentives when it comes to our jobs & I mean more then just be here for work or you'll get fired. I work in a sales & service center. Performance is everything to get good sales & hit the monthly metrics.
But now when it comes to something fun they throw the incentive part of it out the door. Riding bike for a free breakfast is the easiest thing a person can do. How hard is it? I think what they are doing is being in part PC about this & not wanting to leave anyone out on the freebies associated with the ike To Work Week.
As far as I'm concerned if you don't ride to work you should not be entitled to the free breakfast.
noisebeam
05-01-07, 03:13 PM
As far as I'm concerned if you don't ride to work you should not be entitled to the free breakfast.
I disagree. You are in the position of building support, not creating an exclusive club.
Al
zeytoun
05-01-07, 03:17 PM
Are you afraid that someone is going to hog all the jellies before you get your chance?
What, are they supposed to put on a buffet and have the rest of the company just watch while those that bicycled in stuff their faces and bask in the glow of self-assumed superiority?
Do you have any employees with a physical condition that precludes cycling? Would they be allowed breakfast? Before or after you stamp their hardship request slip allowing them a free pass?
Dude, loosen up. Let everyone have a bagel and some OJ. Let peer pressure work its magic. The rest of the group will be envying the ones who cycled in anyways, and will probably be pushing them to eat the last/extra donut, and will feel too guilty to pig out themselves.
zeytoun
05-01-07, 03:21 PM
I disagree. You are in the position of building support, not creating an exclusive club.
Al
+1
I can see it now: N_C makes a stink, so no one rides in but him. There's a whole buffet spread, and the company insists that N_C sit and eat by himself. So everyone watches him shove bagels into his sweaty face. A proud day for advocacy...
o-dog
05-01-07, 04:10 PM
I can tell you right now, no one in my office is participating except me. everyone else in my office lives 15-30 miles away (one way) and no one else is particularly inclined to try riding in.
caloso
05-01-07, 04:13 PM
I allowed my name to be put on a poster for Bike to Work Month. Of 300 coworkers, I've only received one serious inquiry. We'll see if I can close the sale.
N_C
05-01-07, 07:15 PM
First it will be pancakes. Second the managers serve us at our desks while we are working. If you read the info. on the web site it does state those that ride get the free breakfast. Not that it is a rule or anything I just like the idea of the incentive is all.
EnigManiac
05-01-07, 07:27 PM
You know what, N_C, maybe you're missing an opportunity here. I mean, you're going to have the attention of 300 people who mostly drive to work enjoying a free breakfast, right? How about exploiting that opportunity to educate and demonstrate the benefits of both bike commuting and biking for recreation? Have the pancakes that'll be served connected with bacon (or a reasonable substitute) in the form of a bike. Include brief info cards that dispell common misconceptions about the cyclists place on the road. Maybe have a cycling trivia contest where the folks who know the most about how to drive with cyclists on the road with them win a prize. Maybe you could even set up an obstacle course and have three or four bikes on hand for motorists who rarely ride to try to navigate.
Keep it fun. Keep it light. Don't be preachy or arrogant or exasperated. Be accomodating, understanding and informative in an off-hand way. You might make a big difference with a lot of your co-workers. Even if the message only gets through to one or two, that's a start.
slowandsteady
05-02-07, 06:51 AM
You know what, N_C, maybe you're missing an opportunity here. I mean, you're going to have the attention of 300 people who mostly drive to work enjoying a free breakfast, right? How about exploiting that opportunity to educate and demonstrate the benefits of both bike commuting and biking for recreation? Have the pancakes that'll be served connected with bacon (or a reasonable substitute) in the form of a bike. Include brief info cards that dispell common misconceptions about the cyclists place on the road. Maybe have a cycling trivia contest where the folks who know the most about how to drive with cyclists on the road with them win a prize. Maybe you could even set up an obstacle course and have three or four bikes on hand for motorists who rarely ride to try to navigate.
Keep it fun. Keep it light. Don't be preachy or arrogant or exasperated. Be accomodating, understanding and informative in an off-hand way. You might make a big difference with a lot of your co-workers. Even if the message only gets through to one or two, that's a start.
This is exactly the point.
supcom
05-02-07, 07:06 AM
First it will be pancakes. Second the managers serve us at our desks while we are working. If you read the info. on the web site it does state those that ride get the free breakfast. Not that it is a rule or anything I just like the idea of the incentive is all.
You're getting bent out of shape over a couple pancakes? Surely you are not serious.
I think you've completely lost focus. Bike to Work Week is about encouraging cycling as a realistic alternative to other forms of transportation. It's not about getting a prize for doing so.
thimblescratch
05-04-07, 06:58 PM
Pancakes and smiles this year, maybe they'll be biking to work next year?
john bono
05-04-07, 07:44 PM
It's funny my work enviroment is heavily driven by incentives when it comes to our jobs & I mean more then just be here for work or you'll get fired. I work in a sales & service center. Performance is everything to get good sales & hit the monthly metrics.
But now when it comes to something fun they throw the incentive part of it out the door. Riding bike for a free breakfast is the easiest thing a person can do. How hard is it? I think what they are doing is being in part PC about this & not wanting to leave anyone out on the freebies associated with the ike To Work Week.
As far as I'm concerned if you don't ride to work you should not be entitled to the free breakfast.
I'm not so sure about it being "easy".
To do a half commute(drive half way, ride the rest), I ride 16 miles (each way) on nothing but hills--carrying a pannier full of clothes, and having to wear extra layers because while it is 68 at 5pm going home, it is 40 at 7 am going to work. If someone said Ride this (http://www.routeslip.com/routes/37132) or you don't get a free donut, I think a lot of beginners would say "Keep your effing donut."