CCrew

Two years I've been commuting to work. Two years I've been parking my bike in my office.

TODAY I get one of the rent-a-cops getting a hard-on about my bike being inside the building. Told him to show me the policy where it couldn't be, and I get "because I say so".

Told him that that didn't work for my parents when I was a kid so it certainly isn't going to work for me. But no, he has to try to run it up the flagpole to make a point.

Let's see where this one ends up.... Grrrrr

wunderkind

Power trip. Is he a young 'un?

icebiker76

I'd have rolled my eyes and kept on walking. Make an example of this clown!

itsthewoo

Wait... I'm confused. You said he's getting a hard-on about your bike being in the office, yet he's trying to make it difficult for you to do so? Is he playing hard to get off?

khanom

Might be good to remind him of his rent-a-cop status. I like to whip out my cell phone and have, or pretend to have a conversation with the head of security, CEO, or some higher up.

"Hi there Bob, I hate to bother you for something so trivial, but you know how I've been parking my bike in the building for ever, well I'm wondering if you could check with your people about the policy and let them know you don't have a problem with that...."

It's too bad, but usually they don't have the discretion to think for themselves, so bouncing it to a higher up gets them off the hook, and sometimes pretending is enough to give them an out and save face.

colleen c

Ask him to quote you the Penal Code violation of which you are being accused. If he cannot come up with one, tell him to go back to school.

benda18

+1 for ignoring him until something more serious transpires.

sggoodri

Here's how I would have dealt with it:

"I'm glad to see you're concerned about protecting our facility. Is your concern that the bike might damage the building, or that I might leave it in a location that creates a danger? I'd be happy for us to walk together to show you where I park it."

During the walk, I would say: "One of the benefits of working here is that it's a friendly location for bike commuting. Our company values the health of its employees and also encourages alternative transportation."

And to finish: "Here's where I keep it parked safely so as to not be in anyone's way or damage the walls. We're glad that the building management knows that we take pride in this facility and are willing to work with us. I guess with today's high commercial vacancy rates, they'll do whatever it takes to keep tenants like us...."

esmith2039

Eh probably new to the job or something happened that he had to start cracking down. Or a idiot I work with more than a few Just contact your supervisor give him the low-down. If there's a policy or not as it maybe it should be taken care of.

Itsjustb

OT: I had a manager scream, "BECAUSE I SAID SO" at me and a coworker during a teleconference years ago and used that same line on him--"that didn't work when my parents tried it and I was 8. I'm 38 and you're not my mother. It's not going to work now either."

I left that job not long after. </OT>

I hope this works out for you. In my experience, unfortunately, management feels they have to back their employee's play regardless of how wrong it is. See the US vs Slovenia FIFA World Cup game and the perfect-game-that-wasn't in major league baseball for two recent shining examples.

chipcom 

It depends upon which employee holds the most value to management. Sports are not a good analogy.

Itsjustb

True that. In sports the player is usually seen as the bigger "draw", and thus, asset. In the corporate world (IMO) higher-level managers have to back the managers below them, because if the employees start questioning management.....my God, where would that lead????

Or maybe I'm just still mad at my previous employer.

wunderkind

And in response.... "Use the bike racks below the building".
Shut down. Good try though.

bax

Go over his head. Talk to whoever runs the building.

2su

Good luck! I bruised the ego of a security guard at my building 3 years ago... he is still pissed at me. Hopefully it works out.

jhhall

Dang - sorry to hear that CCrew. So where is the bike now, in your office or somewhere else? Sounds like a little power trip that will most likely blow over.

I had a similar situation happen to me in my building a few months back. I tried riding into the garage of my building and had a guard stop me and said I couldn't ride into the garage and that I had to use the bike rack outside of the building. I asked him why the building installed bike racks in the garage. He gave me a weird look and said "okay, go ahead just this once". He never stopped me again.

slcbob

Are we sure there's only one ego in play here?

CCrew

Nope. Ran it to the head of security and the head of HR. I won. Head of security came to my office this afternoon and said he'd let all security know that it wasn't an issue.

Not nice to be mean to your IT folks... you find yourself with minimal access and payroll records saying you make $1 a week

Actually the real issue was a outside security company making decisions before talking to corporate security. Once that was cleared up it was pretty much a non-issue. Thank god that's over.

CCrew

I was in at 5:30am, they stopped me at the door.. They let me go in, but two of them showed up at my office door 30 minutes later.

They attempted the power trip and said I had to get it out *now* and I refused. I told them we'd deal with it at 9'ish when the bigwigs get in. If it had to leave I had no lock, and if it had to leave I was leaving with it and I'd call my boss to tell him why I wouldn't be in. When they found out what level my boss is in the food chain they walked off. They tried to escalate it up their food chain and I chased it from mine. Mine obviously trumped theirs

So I got a nice polite visit from the head of security, and an email followup saying all was good

SocialCow

Just curious, how did you do that?

lawrencehare

Good grief, you too! Are these security and maintenance fatheads up to some collaborative thing? See https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...nt-me-to-drive!.

I have been keeping my bike in my office for a year and a half and suddenly they are enforcing "Rule 24. No animals, vehicles or bicycles shall be allowed in the building."

I am simply ignoring it. I am in daily email contact with the building management where I am proposing solution after solution - all responded with a "sorry, but the rules were made for everyone..." Which means - um - exactly WHAT? So far we are staying polite'ish - but I am getting pretty fed up.

I hope I send up as you have...

gitarzan

There are two types of security guards. You got your Barneys, and you got your Andy's.

I'm glad it worked out for you.

Kojak

I'm not a big proponent of generalizing/categorizing people since I don't appreciate being generalized as a "cyclist". But, sounds to me that this guy is also the guy that's going to yell at you to "get off the road", and apply his interpretation of traffic laws.

Haters gonna hate.

CCrew

Well, just when I thought it was over..

Got an email from Building operations that said no way, no how. Forwarded from the security guard that started it all. Yet the security director for corporate said it was ok. So I referred them to him and I'll ignore it in the meantime. Nothing wrong with taking the answer I prefer, right? LOL. They can have their pissing contest then come back to me...

Oh, we own the building, so we are the building management.

bhop

Maybe you can arrange for that security guy to have to find a new job..