Commuting - Discouraged from commuting

I know it's been hashed out before. I really don't understand. I've been commuting now for 31 years. I've been commuting at this place for 12 years. Once again I had someone complain about my bike being at my cubicle.

For the longest time it was just me that commuted to my work. Now there are two of us. THAT was the stupid comment. "So what if everyone wanted to ride their bikes to work? It would look bad".

We are a company that promotes sustainability and lowering the carbon footprint. Go figure. WTF?

So, now I'm looking at some type of locker. I think there might be quite a few choices. I was actually looking at some of the small vertical sheds people use for rakes and stuff. Lowes and Home Depot have small Rubbermaid vertical sheds that are cheap and lockable. I think I can stand my bike on the back tire and hook my front wheel on a hook. It will also give me a place to put my bike clothes.

Just curious, anyone tried that? I did a search on the forums and found out most of us have to MAKE SOMETHING WORK as far as finding a safe place for our bikes.

And here I thought this issue would get better instead of worse (because of the economy). :(

One more obsicle. Good grief.

Jerry H.

If everyone rode their bikes to work it would look AWESOME! Especially at a place like you work, I'd think they would encourage conspicuous use of bicycles.

This is one reason I might like a bigger cubicle. Mine is 6x7 feet so with the L shaped desk I only have about 3 x 5 feet of room. It's fine for me to work in but no room for a bike.

At my place, if they gave me hassles about it, I'd park my bike in the middle of a parking space, and since I usually show up before anyone else, it'd be a very close parking space. If anyone touched my bike I'd either call security and cause trouble, or at least the next day there'd be a big heavy object in the space for me to lock to.

Wouldn't work for most people but A) I can just put my bike in a spot in the parking lot and be sure it wouldn't be stolen in this area, and B) I can afford to make a little noise around work and not worry about my job.

I know it's been hashed out before. I really don't understand. I've been commuting now for 31 years. I've been commuting at this place for 12 years. Once again I had someone complain about my bike being at my cubicle.

For the longest time it was just me that commuted to my work. Now there are two of us. THAT was the stupid comment. "So what if everyone wanted to ride their bikes to work? It would look bad".

We are a company that promotes sustainability and lowering the carbon footprint. Go figure. WTF?

So, now I'm looking at some type of locker. I think there might be quite a few choices. I was actually looking at some of the small vertical sheds people use for rakes and stuff. Lowes and Home Depot have small Rubbermaid vertical sheds that are cheap and lockable. I think I can stand my bike on the back tire and hook my front wheel on a hook. It will also give me a place to put my bike clothes.

Just curious, anyone tried that? I did a search on the forums and found out most of us have to MAKE SOMETHING WORK as far as finding a safe place for our bikes.

And here I thought this issue would get better instead of worse (because of the economy). :(

One more obsicle. Good grief.

Jerry H.

I recall a similar thread a few monts ago. The one suggestion that comes to mind and was seriously discussed is to buy a hunk-a-junk car or van, leave it parked, and lock your bike in it. :innocent:

I know it's been hashed out before. I really don't understand. I've been commuting now for 31 years. I've been commuting at this place for 12 years. Once again I had someone complain about my bike being at my cubicle.

For the longest time it was just me that commuted to my work. Now there are two of us. THAT was the stupid comment. "So what if everyone wanted to ride their bikes to work? It would look bad".

We are a company that promotes sustainability and lowering the carbon footprint. Go figure. WTF?

So, now I'm looking at some type of locker. I think there might be quite a few choices. I was actually looking at some of the small vertical sheds people use for rakes and stuff. Lowes and Home Depot have small Rubbermaid vertical sheds that are cheap and lockable. I think I can stand my bike on the back tire and hook my front wheel on a hook. It will also give me a place to put my bike clothes.

Just curious, anyone tried that? I did a search on the forums and found out most of us have to MAKE SOMETHING WORK as far as finding a safe place for our bikes.

And here I thought this issue would get better instead of worse (because of the economy). :(

One more obsicle. Good grief.

Jerry H.

I work at a "green" company too and when a lot of people started riding and sticking bikes in their cubes the reaction was to set aside some out of the way space in the office for bike parking.

Have you tried taking to management yet about alternatives for your bike?

The only person who's ever said anything to me about parking my bike in my cubicle is my coworker - and I kindly pointed out the weeks worth of dirty dishes he always leaves on his desk that attract insects and he promptly closed his mouth.

My boss doesn't care that I park my bike there, and on other floors and within other research groups here a lot of people do the same.

I know it's been hashed out before. I really don't understand. I've been commuting now for 31 years. I've been commuting at this place for 12 years. Once again I had someone complain about my bike being at my cubicle.

For the longest time it was just me that commuted to my work. Now there are two of us. THAT was the stupid comment. "So what if everyone wanted to ride their bikes to work? It would look bad".

We are a company that promotes sustainability and lowering the carbon footprint. Go figure. WTF?



Who was it that complained? Was it a supervisor or a manager? I would politely ask if there is someplace else to park your bike, pointing out that you are indeed reducing the carbon footprint. If it's a coworker, perhaps ask management for help resolving the "problem."

I asked my boss if I could park my bike in a utility closet, and he said sure. I warned him that certain coworkers would complain when they had to go in there (which is seldom), and he said they weren't happy unless they had something to complain about. When the inevitable whining started, he brushed it off.

Gary

Shouldn't your office have bike parking area with secure racks? it really depends on the office culture. Sure every organization these days want to "reduce carbon footprint" and Green everything. But in actuality, bringing in a greasy dirt crusted bike in a formal office is taboo. There is no real code against it unless it blocks fire exits etc... Again depends on office culture.
My office promotes bike parking. We have racks in our own underground car park. So there's no real reason to bring bikes into our cubicles when other riders park theirs at the designated racks. Also it is a formal office environment. Besides I often have small meetings in my cube that a bike in there would just decrease the limited real estate.

I know it's been hashed out before. I really don't understand. I've been commuting now for 31 years. I've been commuting at this place for 12 years. Once again I had someone complain about my bike being at my cubicle.

So, was this person someone whose opinion you really need to care about? Is this someone who has authority over the facility, complaining over some perceived problem? Is this someone with some other kind of authority complaining about something else like "unprofessional environment" or who knows what? Is this just someone with too much time on their hands and not enough real problems to bellyache about?

I wouldn't go solving the problem until I knew more about what problem I was trying to solve.

if he's a co-worker who's not your superviser, blow it off. it doesn't matter.

As to the question of the rubbermaid containers, you just need to pay attention to the dimension, especially the width. Most of those sheds top out at around 24" deep, which might be problematic with MTB bars.

However, a bigger consideration is price. The larger ones that would fit your bike are around $300-500. I think I would just forgo a storage shed and buy myself a nice folding bike to stash under my desk.

The other consideration is security. I have one of the smaller sheds, and I don't think I would want to rely on one to hold my bike (and whatnot) securely. Pretty easy to pop the joints off the base and the top and then the whole thing pretty much collapses.

"So what if everyone wanted to ride their bikes to work? It would look bad".


Well, if everyone rode a bike the company would provide adequate bike parking - so this wouldn't be an issue.


I'm sure they think they're making their point, but that's the easiest setup question there is - along the lines of "what if everyone drove a car to work"... where would we put them all?

If everyone rode their bikes to work it would look AWESOME! Especially at a place like you work, I'd think they would encourage conspicuous use of bicycles.

This is one reason I might like a bigger cubicle. Mine is 6x7 feet so with the L shaped desk I only have about 3 x 5 feet of room. It's fine for me to work in but no room for a bike.

At my place, if they gave me hassles about it, I'd park my bike in the middle of a parking space, and since I usually show up before anyone else, it'd be a very close parking space. If anyone touched my bike I'd either call security and cause trouble, or at least the next day there'd be a big heavy object in the space for me to lock to.

Wouldn't work for most people but A) I can just put my bike in a spot in the parking lot and be sure it wouldn't be stolen in this area, and B) I can afford to make a little noise around work and not worry about my job.


Yeah, but productivity would suffer. I'd be looking at all the nice rides.

I work at a "green" company too and when a lot of people started riding and sticking bikes in their cubes the reaction was to set aside some out of the way space in the office for bike parking.

Have you tried taking to management yet about alternatives for your bike?

I'm actually working on that today. I've been looking at some vertical sheds, horizontal storage units (like the ones people use for pool supplies) and just about any other storage unit that might work. Some of the 'bike lockers' are nice but get a little pricey.

If/when I do come up with a solution, I'll post it here with pics. Maybe I can help other companies make the transition a little easier.

Jerry H

Make your company pay for it. If they have a problem with it, they should offer you a solution.

Shouldn't your office have bike parking area with secure racks? it really depends on the office culture. Sure every organization these days want to "reduce carbon footprint" and Green everything. But in actuality, bringing in a greasy dirt crusted bike in a formal office is taboo. There is no real code against it unless it blocks fire exits etc... Again depends on office culture.
My office promotes bike parking. We have racks in our own underground car park. So there's no real reason to bring bikes into our cubicles when other riders park theirs at the designated racks. Also it is a formal office environment. Besides I often have small meetings in my cube that a bike in there would just decrease the limited real estate.

This IS the issue. Our company officers and directors teach and preach carbon footprint and sustainability and reducing landfill waste but it hasn't gotten to a CULTURE level yet. I'm a crusader. I also teach carbon footprint and sustainability. But like all of us in this forum, we don't just talk the talk. We ride the ride! :D

I'll come up with something that is acceptable here to 'most' and take some pics. I'm on a mission! And I certainly won't stop riding my bike!

Jerry H

BTW, it was a co-worker that complained. She just happens to be the daughter of the VP. :mad:

"So what if everyone wanted to ride their bikes to work? It would look bad".

If everyone rode their bike to work,there would be more bicycle parking infrastructure! :)

well since its the daughter of the VP, better to spend a few hundred dollars than get fired from a stable job, especially now!

Marry her. Problem solved.

This IS the issue. Our company officers and directors teach and preach carbon footprint and sustainability and reducing landfill waste but it hasn't gotten to a CULTURE level yet. I'm a crusader. I also teach carbon footprint and sustainability. But like all of us in this forum, we don't just talk the talk. We ride the ride! :D

I'll come up with something that is acceptable here to 'most' and take some pics. I'm on a mission! And I certainly won't stop riding my bike!

Jerry H

BTW, it was a co-worker that complained. She just happens to be the daughter of the VP. :mad:

consider bike lockers... that way the bikes are out of the way, the company maintains a green image and the co-worker is snubbed.

If it is declared that there is no "public space" for bike lockers, suggest that one parking space in the garage be dedicated to bike lockers.

Attack this from a green perspective and don't take no for an answer.

:rolleyes:

I vote: Ignore her.

Daughter of the VP? dang. Politics being what they are, I would take it seriously, then. Let us know what you figure out.

Or casually tell her Dad

Daughters can be annoying....I have one, I should know.
This, of course, doesn't mean that he'll defer to her.

Perhaps having the rubbermade storage unit right next to your cubicle...it sounds more like a cosmetic issue with her than space.

Marry her. Problem solved.

Good answer!

This IS the issue. Our company officers and directors teach and preach carbon footprint and sustainability and reducing landfill waste but it hasn't gotten to a CULTURE level yet. I'm a crusader. I also teach carbon footprint and sustainability. But like all of us in this forum, we don't just talk the talk. We ride the ride! :D

I'll come up with something that is acceptable here to 'most' and take some pics. I'm on a mission! And I certainly won't stop riding my bike!

Jerry H

BTW, it was a co-worker that complained. She just happens to be the daughter of the VP. :mad:

Is this one of the VP's preaching carbon footprint and sustainability and reducing landfill waste? I'd have a nice chat with the VP and see what can be worked out.

I work at a company that doesn't give a rat's ass about carbon footprint, etc. The former CTO/Founder used to commute to the office in Oakland from Lake Tahoe by Citation Jet! (Talk about carbon footprint! Thats more like carbon monster truck track.) The company still provides bike lockers and I can bring the bike in without hassles if I have too.

consider bike lockers... .

Just to note.....the bike lockers we have at work seem to be purpose designed for bikes......with outracks and baskets or panniers. My bike won't fit unless i fold the baskets. So be careful in selection, if you get a chance

Also we hav to use a security supplied lock.....very small master lock, as security has to have access to all parts of the facility(they have a master key) (I got the impression the concern was bombs in the bike lockers and it seemed to be a regulation not just my companies security), so the locking is a bit minimal.

Security also does not let you store anything in the locker....it is supposed to be, show up use any open locker for a day, using the official lock, and leave and empty unlocked locker at the end of the day. Security regularly inspects and removes "unofficial" locks or locks that are left in place.

So I just park in my cube until it becomes an issue.

Get a folder

Haven't read other's replies but have you tried encouraging the company to provide a space for safe bike storage....and while they're at it, promote commuting by means other than cars?

I work in a museum in a large park so we have ample bike parking outside for the public but a few years ago we took an old storage room and turned it into a bike room for staff and volunteers. It has hooks to accomodate apx 20 bikes and some days those are now full, in addition to other bikes stacked against the back wall. It's awesome to see the numbers grow!

I'm the head of HR and my staff promotes the bike room, shower room, discounted bus passes quite a lot to new hires.

Folding bicycles can be stowed in a bag under a cubicle desk. I've had a number of folks at the office tell me they never knew it was under there.

I agree with the posters that have said just ignore her. If I were in your shoes, I would be totally pissed if the VP's bisitch daughter complained to me about parking my bike in my cube. But, since she is the VP's daughter, confronting her is not smart. BTW, that is a joke, considering your company is supposed to be pushing green activities! :wtf:

Ignore her and keep parking your bike in your cube. If she keeps hassling you, just come back with something like, "I don't know where else to put it since we don't have racks outside. Do you have any ideas?" And who knows, maybe she'll go to her daddy and become a crusader for you. I definitely wouldn't spend my hard-earned money to get a shed. That's bullshiite, especially for a company that is supposedly "green." They should do that for you, and then brag about it in their marketing material. My 2 cents.

Where I work, we use the parkade under the adjoining hotel. There is a storage room set aside for bikes, which is occasionally hard to get into because people park cars too close to the door. There is also a chainlink enclosure around just one parking spot, with wall-mounted hooks that holds about 18 bikes. We get the special Medico key for both from the building maintenance manager, who just happens to be an avid cyclist. (Yes, I know, I'm very lucky.)
If you can work up any interest among more of your co-workers for biking to work, the company might be very impressed that a dozen or more of you can park in just one parking spot, and may even pick up the tab for a chainlink fence around it.

change thread title from discouraged to determined and creative. I would LOVE a private shed for my bike and other stuff!!!!!

I'll bet the VP has more to worry about in this ecomomy than what his daughter thinks about yer bike. Don't rush off and do anything yet. Just have a plan B ready to go if'n it becomes an issue.

I think I am in the minority here but I don't think you have a leg to stand on. I have been bike commuting for years and I never would park a bike in an office cubicle unless it was a folding bike in a case. I don't think it is appropriate at all and I think it gives bike commuters a bad rap. You need to find a better solution or look into getting a folding bike. Everyplace I ever bike commuted to the bike started out outside locked to pole, fence, or whatever. More often then not there was a closet, utility room, stair well, or someplace that the bike got eventually moved too. However, there have been times where the bike was locked outside the whole time I worked there.

well i always ask at a new job where I can park my bike.

I currently teach at two places. One has a bike rack out side, in the parking lot so I use that. the other just isntalled one but I keep to my original method of wheeling the bike down the university corridors to my office and stick it in there... leaves a nasty trail in winter when the roads are mucky. Been doing it for 6 years now. nobody has said a thing...

I have worked in places with no parking at all, not even car parking, so I just locked the bike up to sg on th street and took the lights with me in my bag, never, ever had a problem.


So, talk to your boss, find out if it is ok or not to store in the cubicle, if not, ask where to store it... then just lock it to sg. Buying a storage shed thingy is not environmentally sound, just more junk that will end up in a land fill someday.... your bike will be fine outside, really, it will.