Commuting - You can't bring your bike in the office anymore

Warning: Rant ahead.

So, after commuting for the last 6-7 years to a job I have had for almost 15 years I am told that I can not bring my bike inside and keep it in an office that is unoccupied. There isn’t anyone else here, that I work with that cares, just the freakin’ idiot office manager, who unfortunately is my sister-in-law.

Some of what she said:

Her, “We might be hiring someone to work in that office.”
I say, “But we haven’t hired anyone yet?”
Her, “No, not yet.”
Might hire someone? I might punch you in your neck.

“There are scuff marks on the wall that I have to fix. It’s just not your bike but there marks from chairs too.”
True that there are tire marks, 5(?) and true that there are huge gashes from the chairs in her reception area So dumbass, you’re going to move the chairs outside too?

“Can you ‘tie’ it up in back of the building?”
Yeah, I’ll tie it up with your stringy blonde hair and it’ll be fine until the crack heads decide to steal it.

This sucks. I’m so pissed off. There are 3-4 covered parking decks for cars in the downtown area with attendants, but none of them have racks because there is “No Skateboards” and “No Bicycles” allowed. Why can’t there be a plague that just wipes out all the idiots that I know?

She's pissed because you aspire to better yourself and she can't manage enough willpower to wipe her bum real good.

RE: There are scuff marks on the wall that I have to fix.

Offer to fix them for her. That's what I do. I know I mark up the wall, and I also know that we have touch-up paint in one of the storage areas that matches the wall color. Every couple of months, I bring a small brush and cover my bike marks.

It sucks that you're related to this hag. I don't know what all your options are, but I suggest taking a bit of a stealth/guerilla tack, as long as it won't get you fired. In order to kind of conceal the fact that I bike to work and have a lot of extra stuff (clothes, washing supplies, deoderant, etc.), I grabbed an extra filing cabinet. Most of it is full of bike/clothing stuff, not paper. I also set up a "covert" laundry line under my desk (I have a cubicle with a counter-like desk). I hang my towel, sweaty jersey/socks, and washcloth from this, and turn on my little fan (also under my desk) to dry the stuff out before it gets a chance to stink.

Here's a guy who stores his bike under his desk (last picture):
http://www.bikecommuters.com/2007/06/22/fixed-gear-friday/

Let us know if you come up with other alternatives. It's fun beating the system. :D

Fight the power....

So just park it in your own office.

Aw man - I feel for you. :( Tell them to get some bike cages then as you don't feel safe about just locking it up outside :(

We're going thru a growth spurt here at college and every available spot has been eaten up (we even had a temporary asst manager in our department - who was ousted from her office - and "demoted" to the now old coat closet (IT people had a good snicker when they asked the room number to which she was moving - and I respond no number - it was the coat closet). Anyway - my and the Associate Dean's bike "garage" was taken away too, but luckily there is room in the storage closet for both our bikes - whew!!!

Bring it up at the next family get together

That sucks. And I guess kickstands do, too. :) j/k.

I don't think I could work with family or in-laws. Let us know how it turns out. Can you go above her?

Unfortunately there isn't any room in my office, which is really just a corner. It's a small company, 7 people in a small space. I'd love to hide it, but there is no where to hide it. Storage closets are super small and jammed with junk. Kickstand or no kickstand, I think she just doesn't want it in here at all. I’ve offered to touch up the areas where there are tire marks, but she wants none of that. In her eyes, it's a toy and has no place indoors, anywhere. In hindsight, I sort of saw this coming from the looks she's give me when I leave for the day and little comments here and there. She's the type of person that considers bicycles a nuisance on the roads too. Ugh.

Could you hang it with one of those vertical hangers? That way it only takes up vertical space.

Link to the hanger: http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_detail.jsp?FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302692829&PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524442507585&bmUID=1183135883406

Link to a pad for the bottom wheel to save the wall from getting dirty:

http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524442618794&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302692829&bmUID=1183135875373

Bring it up at the next family get together

Ha ha - and make the next family get-together a family bike ride.

In a small office, majority often rules, even if there is a manager. Can you bring it up with your co-workers, come up with a solution, present it to your sister in law?

Could you hang it with one of those vertical hangers? That way it only takes up vertical space.

Link to the hanger: http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_detail.jsp?FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302692829&PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524442507585&bmUID=1183135883406

Link to a pad for the bottom wheel to save the wall from getting dirty:

http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524442618794&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302692829&bmUID=1183135875373

That's great. I like it. I'll run it up the flag pole and see who salutes. :)

Time for a folding bike?

Or ask your brother to have a talk with her.

I think I had better wait until Monday to bring it up, there's a little tension right now. I sort of wear my emotions on my sleeve.
And there is a place right behind my head where that hook could go. Wish me luck.

Here's a guy who stores his bike under his desk (last picture):
http://www.bikecommuters.com/2007/06/22/fixed-gear-friday/

That's awesome. Bikensurf, you should give that a try... expecially if you have a quick release front wheel and seat. Even without one it would only take a minute or two do do that.

Is there a manager above your sister-in-law? And by sister-in-law is this your brothers wife or your spouce's sister? And yeah it makes a difference.

I went ahead and asked about the hooks...bwhahahaaa. She looked at the space behind my head and said that the wall wouldn't hold. Which, I think is true. The wall to the left of me is falling apart and the space (about 3' wide) is not strong at all. Then she said that I should "tie" it to the tree behind the office again. She said that there wasn't much traffic back there during the day. Ha, except for the homeless lot drinking. Back to the drawing board.

My brother's wife. But he has nothing to do with working here. I can try asking him to talk to her. Yes, there is someone over her. He doesn't care but for some reason, in this matter, she has the say. I don't get it. I could out right refuse to listen to her, but I don't think that will do any good.

My desk has two sets of drawers on either side where I put my legs, no room for a bike.

So just park it in your own office.

INCONCEIVABLE!

Tell your brother to mention it during sex.

Link to the hanger

Link to a pad for the bottom wheel to save the wall from getting dirty


Few are the problems gear from MEC cannot solve.

Is she your manager?

If not, take it up with that person. Maybe I'm just unlucky, but my experience has been that office manager is just code for *****. [edit] b i t c h

Dang man. I feel your rant... I really hate this situation.

I'd talk to the boss above her. Forget your bro for now... leave that as a last option.

But whom ever you talk to mention the bike is not cheap, you've biked to the office now for freakin years and been with the company 15 years, and mention where she wants you to put it would leave it open to a lot of homeless and thieves.


...

Do any of your co-workers drive big honkin suv's? Maybe you could store it in one of them during the day?

Do people use every inch of the hall? Is there a spot slightly out of the way for it?

Oh and hey they make racks that don't bolt to a wall. If you could get that approved then you'd be set.

...

Worst case sinario... what about finding a better job? One where your 15 years of experience would be appreciated by your manager no matter who your manager is?

Can you ask them to install a bike rack outside? Tell them you'll overlook the project or something like that. Also, how big is your bathroom there? Is there room to hide it there, I mean if you have 7 people and they don't mind then it shouldn't be a problem right? ALso she won't go look in the Mens bathroom... hopefully. Also you could buy one of those bike lockers like the Bike Pod:
http://huntco.com/bikepod/
Also, I don't know what kind of building you have but I worked at a small building like that and made friends with Janitor and he let me keep my bike in his cleaning closet. So just be on the lookout for nooks and crannies like that. Good Luck.

Does your company handle/assist/fund (even indirectly, through rent) car storage for employees? If so, you should ask for your personal car storage to become bike storage. Either that, or invite one of the bums that hangs around the back of the building to come sit in her chair so that you can have a safe place for your bike.

Definitely go up the chain of command and be prepared to bargain.

I brink my bike into the office. We also have a small office and have a training center in the back. I often just lean it against the wall in the front hallway. It is the hallway that goes straight back past the bathrooms, kitchen and then training center.

I have had the owner ask once that I move it out of the way. We had some big wigs from the software company that produces the software we sell. I asked "aren't they from Portland, isnt that a big cycling city?" They would get a kick out of it. Which they did.

Luckily our office manager says my a$$ looks good in spandex, so she doesn't seem to mind when I cycle into work.

-D

She's pissed because you aspire to better yourself and she can't manage enough willpower to wipe her bum real good.

No she's not and you know it. I hate this argument.

Tell your brother to mention it during sex.

This seems like a practical start....seriously. Ask your bro for help, man! Surely he has some idea at a resolution. If that doesn't work, then start making some managerial allies and get a mediator. Is your S-I-L in HR?

No she's not and you know it. I hate this argument.

I don't think it was an argument, the dude mentioned she has been giving him negative comments about bicycling for a while.

Usually with that comes resentment.

I had an office manager and a girl that was barely a secretary that treated me like a little kid despite my education and years of experience all because of the age difference.

You may have never experienced age discrimination in the work place, but it happens just like there are some people that get so mad at anyone trying to get or stay healthy... as well as those just pissed off because they feel bikes shouldn't be on the road.


Kickstand or no kickstand, I think she just doesn't want it in here at all. I’ve offered to touch up the areas where there are tire marks, but she wants none of that. In her eyes, it's a toy and has no place indoors, anywhere. In hindsight, I sort of saw this coming from the looks she's give me when I leave for the day and little comments here and there. She's the type of person that considers bicycles a nuisance on the roads too. Ugh.

This here is similar to problems I get into at work with co-workers, especially the slow ones that I don't really want to work with.

The problem is two fold for me--one, because they are foolish and enjoy control, and two because I don't take time to explain myself well, most because they are foolish.:)

Somehow you need to create a moment or two where you can talk about it more carefully. Don't ask me how, I'm not good at that. But she needs to know that the bike isn't a problem any moreso than the cars are in the parking lot. And that it's very important to you that your bike isn't left outside unattended and in the elements. That's goofy.

You are saving her a parking spot and doing a civic duty. You are one less car to get stuck behind. Also, you are the only one getting a corporate fitness program, what will she do to replace it if you can't cycle? She's messin' with a way of life and doesn't have a clue about that.

I don't think it was an argument, the dude mentioned she has been giving him negative comments about bicycling for a while.

Usually with that comes resentment.

I had an office manager and a girl that was barely a secretary that treated me like a little kid despite my education and years of experience all because of the age difference.

You may have never experienced age discrimination in the work place, but it happens just like there are some people that get so mad at anyone trying to get or stay healthy... as well as those just pissed off because they feel bikes shouldn't be on the road.
maybe bluff?
does your company pay for parking? tell her you'd be happy to take the reimbursement.

Does your firm provide parking for employees cars?

Does your firm provide parking for employees cars?

Sorry I abandoned this conversation in the middle of it, we finally have a little wave and I had to surf. :D Anyway, yes they provide parking at a public parking deck for us.

if they don't let you park it in the office, just quit that job!!!!!! your pride is priceless.

I went ahead and asked about the hooks...bwhahahaaa. She looked at the space behind my head and said that the wall wouldn't hold. Which, I think is true. The wall to the left of me is falling apart and the space (about 3' wide) is not strong at all.

I'm calling shenanigans. There's no studs in that wall over a 3' span? That sounds like a building code violation. Better let the city know! ;) I'm guessing she's not a structural engineer, but I am rather confident that a couple of hooks anchored to studs can hold a 20 pound bike (rolls eyes).

Seriously, I think it's time to have an adult discussion here. Actually, first decide for yourself whether this is worth quitting over.

Once you decide that for yourself, ask to schedule a meeting with her when you have time to calmly discuss this. Tell her that biking to work is something that's very important to you. Ask her what the real problem is - some people (often women, can you tell I'm married?) tend to have "proxy war" arguments, which is what this sounds like. You know, where one thing's bothering them, so they criticize you about a bunch of other things? Her frequent running commentary regarding your cycling, as you point out, tends to support that possibility. The problem is not 3 scuff marks, nor is it the structural integrity of the wall. Ask her - calmly - why she seems not to like the fact that you ride to work. No matter how much this upsets you, or how she acts, make sure you remain calm and professional. If this turns to shouting, you won't get your way.

Do you have a good relationship with your sister in law other than this, or is she just plain unpleasant? Is she using this as a way to hurt you because she doesn't like you? Is this business or personal? If she's just difficult, finding another job might not be a bad idea - I wouldn't want to work for a bad manager who's *not* family, let alone one who is. If this is personal life spilling over, you can always use your brother as a last resort, but I'd try dealing with her first. Just be ready to make a decision if she refuses to relent. If you do decide to get another job, I wouldn't tell her - I'd give her two weeks after you have another lined up.

I'd ask if I could put something like this in that office to keep the bike off the wall. If that's really the issue...problem solved.
http://www.deltacycle.com/product.php?g=50

If the bike has to be parked outside I would ask for a bike locker. All the cars get covered parking, you should get no less. If the bike locker is a no-go I would roger up to keep the bike outside and locked, but would want a letter holding the company responsible for damages.

I would also go through my boss about this. The sooner, the better. Just to keep him informed that she is creating friction in the office, and she is since you've been doing what you're doing for seven years.

Since she wants to play power trip I would make it a point to be pleasant to everyone in the office, but her. With her I would simply be no more, and no less, than professional, even outside the office. Even if, no, especially since she is family.
Cheery voice and smile everyday, "Mornin' Phil. Mornin' Bill. Mornin' Alice." Followed by morning chit-chat.
Straight face, flat voice. "Good morning Ms. Waters. How are you today? Have you been putting on weight?"

IF I decided to change jobs, and I probably wouldn't over just this, I wouldn't tell her diddly-squat. As just the office managager, she doesn't need to know. Let her find out from my boss, and I would make it known to him that she is why I was leaving.

After this is resolved, one way or the other, you could start throwing your sweaty bike shorts on her desk before she come in, in the mornings.:D

Sorry I abandoned this conversation in the middle of it, we finally have a little wave and I had to surf. :D Anyway, yes they provide parking at a public parking deck for us.

I never fault a man for taking a break to surf. :D
So if they pay to provide you with parking, it cost's them X dollars per year, so perhaps you can persuade them to at least spend that much to find a way to provide some accommodation IN the office, or other secure area, for your bike. There's always someplace ;)

Do your brother a favor.

Buy a horrible old van, park it in the parking lot, permanently, and lock your bike inside it :D

Richard

Buy a horrible old van, park it in the parking lot, permanently, and lock your bike inside it :D

Richard

That's awesome! Absolutely brilliant. Drive it once a month (if possible) to ensure that it leaks fluids often!

For bonus points, make sure the van has blacked-out windows and a bumper sticker that says "I love kids".

If a sufficiently crappy auto isn't available, get a ship's anchor, plop it in a parking space, and lock your bike to that with a 2" diameter chain and a 5-pound padlock. See the vagrants pop *that* with bolt cutters.

If you want to go with some personal security, bribe one of the bums with a 40 every couple of days to keep an eye on the bike. Let him know which car is your sister-in-law's for when he's needs to, ah, *recycle* the contents.

Maybe buy a rusted yellow short school bus instead of the van, way much more of an eye sore.

Ask her if the company's insurance will cover the bike if it's stolen when you "tie" it up outside AS INSTRUCTED BY THE OFFICE MANAGER.
Or maybe ask if the company will have some bike lockers installed in one parking spot.

Maybe buy a rusted yellow short school bus instead of the van, way much more of an eye sore.


I see this brought up more and more lately. While it's a novel idea, almost all buildings already have multiple rules in-effect regarding parking. Most would prohibit cars left overnight or on the weekends, and almost everything would prohibit a non-registered car. I would expect it to get towed very quickly, along with anything you'd left in it.

So just park it in your own office.

Aways great advice from this guy :rolleyes:

Do you have two bikes? Have a friend stop by and "mock-steal" your bike after you "tie" it to a tree. That guilt will set in fast and she'll let you bring your other bike to work.

Yeah it's a long shot. :)

In hindsight, I sort of saw this coming from the looks she's give me when I leave for the day and little comments here and there.
Upon further thought, this might fall under the hostile workplace regulations. Do some research to have your ducks in a row, then bring it up to your boss. The sooner, the better.

Rent a dumpster that fits in a parking space. Most have a swing open door on the end. You can put a bike rack in the dumpster and keep the bike in there. I'd like to see the city tow a dumpster!

I have a folder and shove it under my desk.. Hardly anyone even notices its there...

If you're employer pays for auto parking, they should be willing to pay for a secure bike locker. If not, they should stop offering the employee benefit of auto parking.

If the wall is not strong enough for a hook how about the ceiling? They do make ceiling hooks to hang bikes from.

Used to park my commuter in big empty closet at work. New boss told me I could no longer do that 'as someone can trip over it' . . . asked him if he'd tripped over my bike when he saw it . . . then asked him if anyone saw him 'coming out of the closet' . . . he didn't appreciate the humor. Was told to park bike outside . . . then was told it was 'unsafe' where I parked it in the parking lot! So he pointed out a corner way at the end of the parking lot and stated park 'over there.'
Being very short on parking spaces, I re-designed the parking lot so we gained 2 new spaces for cars + spot for motorcycles and bicycles (next to the building and under a nice overhang). My suggestion/design was accepted.
You get more with honey than with vinegar!

+1
Tell your brother to mention it during sex.

+1
She's pissed because you aspire to better yourself and she can't manage enough willpower to wipe her bum real good.