Changing Office bike policy restriction
 

My company doesn't allow bikes in the office. Of the ~3000 employees at work, I'm 1 out of 10 people who regularly ride their bikes to work. The ongoing workforce reductions leaves a lot of offices and work areas vacant.

I want to better understand the rational for the restriction and build my case to try and convince them otherwise.

What ideas or resources do you have that I could use to help me convince my employer allow bikes in the office? Why would my company have such a restriction on bicycle commuters?

What other vehicles do they allow inside the building?

I don't think you're going to understand the rationale for the restriction by asking about it here. You'd have to ask the people who created it why they did so.

At least 3000 pairs of shoes, in fact, I bet they even require them.

The thing I don't get is why the public generally is against bringing bicycles inside while simultaneously regarding them as sidewalk vehicles like shoes.

I don't think "the public" is generally anything on the subject. You've got to get specific if you want to address restrictions like this one.

What's your work environment like, what facilities are provided to you otherwise, etc. etc.

I can understand employers not wanting bicycles being physically brought inside into offices, but if you're not being otherwise accomodated then that's a different issue.

My entire office building/campus is owned by my company. While it's a major site, it's not the corporate office where the exects are running around with a white glove. My office is on the second floor and I spend most of my day in my cubicle on the internet (kidding). The office enviroment is really laid back. Most people are technicains/engineers and the dress code is very relaxed (most people wear jeans, shorts, sandles, etc).

The company does provide a bike rack down on the second floor. We have lockers and shower facilities so they do support those who wish to workout during the day.

Outside of the common areas, front/back doors, cafeteria, etc, the floors have the high-foot traffic carpet.

That sounds similar to my situation, though with more people.

The few bike commuters here have a covered rack outside the main employee entrance and shower facilities. I don't know whether bikes are allowed inside, but it's never been an issue really - we're isolated enough that a few people just leave their bikes unlocked in the rack, and I use only a cheap cable combo lock. I guess indoor storage would be nice, but there's little need for it here.

I understand why an employer would not want bicycles brought inside. It probably wouldn't be an issue with most riders, but as usual these sorts of privileges are quickly ruined by people who just don't have any sense. I guess you could argue for indoor parking, but so far you haven't really said why you want that.

What's wrong with the bike rack on the second floor? It sounds like it's indoors.

If that rack is indoors, on private property, and they provide showers ... I don't know if
I'd (personally) have any complaints at all. This is what my company provides as well,
except the racks are outside. I was able to get the OK from building maintenance to
park my bike in a HVAC/air-handler room within our lab. Without their OK, I'd have to
lock up outside.

This may only apply to government buildings but maybe they are just following suit?
Dallas legal stuff online
"SEC. 9-2. BICYCLES PROHIBITED IN PUBLIC BUILDINGS.
No person shall carry, push, propel or ride an assembled or operable bicycle in any public building in the city. (Ord. 13686)
"

So what's the problem again?

You're wanting to bring it closer to you, but you don't have any personal space to put it in? From a company perspective, vacant space is not "free space". I can see where a site that size couldn't allow people to stick a bike wherever they wanted to. They were proactive and provided a space, and it seems reasonable that they now expect you to use it.

I can sympathize. My bike is sitting in my office with me today. It's MY office though, not an empty one. There's only 200 or so of us here though, so things work differently. Our landlord refused to install a bike rack when another employee (without an office) wanted one. Said it hurt the aesthetics of the building. :rolleyes:

Do (folded) folding bikes get around this rule? Or how about a normal bike with the front wheel QR'd off? In both cases they're neither assembled nor operable in that state.

Do you work for EDS (HP) or Cisco? lol

So, you cannot take your bike into City Hall, the Library, the Courthouse....

Any building that is privately owned, though it may have public access, is not a public building.

solution = folding bike.

Forget the folding bike I wanna ride my trike in there.. Bicycle?! I got three wheels officer :p

I hope they'd allow a folder, though maybe not walking a strida with the wheels on the ground, but the "assembled or operable bicycle" kinda throws me. I can only guess they want you not to be able to do is easily hop on and ride when/where no one is looking. If I pull the front wheel off it is not assembled or operable right?


If the 2nd floor rack is somewhat secured I think the OP has a really good deal. I gotta rol over 4 usually wet speed bumps, 2 wheel catcher grates and around a parking garage with a few blind turns that people speed through to lock up to a railing and I have gotten yelled at and lectured about that.

I really appreciate that my company allows us to bring out bikes into the office but I consider it a privilege and would understand if they were to one day decide to change their mind.

It may mean that I'd keep my "nice bike" at home more often than not.

That doesn't mean you have to give up hope. Find out who made the decision and request 15 minutes of their time. See if you can find out ahead of the meeting what their objections are and come up with solutions. Be prepared for the objections not being entirely rational. Above all be courteous and no matter what the ultimate answer his, thank them for their consideration.

As a manager I find that there are things I have a gut negative reaction to and given time to mull it over I can change my mind. That's most likely to happen when I'm presented with a well thought out argument in a level headed manor. I have more than once said no then a few days or weeks later reconsidered. It doesn't happen often but it does happen.

Skip any BS about it beneficial to the company unless the benefits are pretty concrete and demonstrable.

It's a security thing. After all the forum talk about stolen bikes, busting locks and videos of how easy it is to take my bike, I thought I would lobby somebody at my office to give us an area to secure our bikes.

I just bought my new bike and the last thing I want is for somebody to do is take it from me.

Its a covered parking area but it's not enclosed. A pedestrian now and then can walk through to get to the other side of the building. On the backside, the parking lot opens up to a sidewalk which runs parallel to the commuter train so, if someone was interested they could walk up, do the deal, and ride off with my bike.

I agree, I'm not suggesting I should be allowed to take up their free space. If they let me bring it in, I have plenty of room in my cube. Part of my plan was asking them to consider letting use some available space if they won't let me bring my bike to my cube.

Great feedback! I totally agree. I'm still trying to find that person who can answer my questions. I will want to sit with them to see how they came to these decisions and see if they're willing to consider giving us cyclist an indoor area. I'm not wanting them to put out any expenses towards our effort. I just want to better understand the policies in place and see if there's an opportunity to re-evaluate the restrictions on cycles in the building. Maybe the rational was appropraite at the time but there may be a chance the policy can be changed. All I can do is ask.

My two daughters. The job place is just where I go to talk to "goofballs" when they're at school. :)

You mentioned in your first post that there are lots of empty offices/areas due to layoffs. Having been in a position where I have been asked to reduce headcount several times I'd like to suggest that perhaps you live with the accomodations you presently have rather than raising your profile in a way that can be viewed as bothersome at best or negative at worst. It sounds like you get far more accomodations (locker/showers/bike rack) than many on this forum.

when I get my company running, employees are going to be required to ride a bike to work, and they will have to have it in their workstation