Comments on: Q&A: How can I persuade my company to help?

By: Mark

Mark — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 12:20:58 +0000

Thanks to all the information and suggestions. Didn’t realize my initial would have been posted for the public.

DLuke: Great suggestion, I used it and phrased as you suggestion. I got no response. I take that as “we don’t care”, which is fine, at least I have a record of my attempt.

Travis: Based on your response you have no business chiming in here; please take a course in ethics, your contribution to this site (and perhaps society in general) is miniscule at best.

By: Brent

Brent — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 19:19:02 +0000

I worked for a large employer and I locked my bike in the bottom floor stairwell. It was out of the way, and nobody really even noticed it being there. We had security guards in our building, and some kind of looked at me strange when I came in with my bike and cycling clothes, but I just showed my badge and acted like I knew what I was doing. Just keep you bike in a place that is out of the way.

By: NoTrail

NoTrail — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 12:40:50 +0000

“Locking your bike to a (indoor) stairwell may violate your local fire code. Not a bad idea to check with the someone at your building *before* they show up with the bolt cutters.”

Already thought of that and asked. Where it’s located (top of the stairs and out of the traffic flow) it’s not an issue. In fact, the fire inspector saw it a couple of weeks ago and I heard him comment, “Cool, someone actually rides to work.”

By: DLuke

DLuke — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 00:04:39 +0000

Ah, the nice thing about running the department, and the fact that my office is remote from the main headquarters (i.e., security comes for a check-in about once a quarter), is that I can park my bike right outside my office door inside the building.

Actually, this works out quite well as I very often get questions along the line of, “Do you actually ride your bicycle to work?”, or “It is 98 degrees today, how are you going to get home?”. Good entrance into “yes”, and “on my bike”, which then leads into how I have not put any gas into my car for at least two months, but have had to spend all that saved money on new, smaller clothes.

But to stay on topic with the question, the easiest thing to do is just ask management where is the best place to place the bicycle inside the building. Don’t even assume that you should have to park outside if there are no facilities, just place the question in the framework of it needs to be safe, which part of the interior would be best for this use. It is amazing how placing the assumption within the question can make that assumption reality.

By: idbob

idbob — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 22:27:05 +0000

GET TO KNOW THE THE SECURITY GUYS A LITTLE. MAYBE ONE LIKES TO RIDE, HE’S THE ONE THAT COULD HELP. THEY HAVE POWER AS DOES THE MAINTENANCE CREW. GET IN WITH THESE GUYS AND MAYBE YOU WON’T HAVE TO DEAL WITH SECURITY.

By: tad

tad — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 22:01:33 +0000

You should start by asking. Send an email to your supervisor courteously stating your concerns about the security of the current rack. Suggest that it needs to be replaced with better one and that the new rack should be installed out front to encourage new riders!
My wife sent a similar email to her boss a couple of days ago. Within a day or two she had a response saying that a bike rack had been ordered and would be installed in a week.
Unfortunately, not every organization accommodates their employees so generously. You might want to ask your supervisor who you should talk to if she or he is not the best person to address your concerns.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 21:54:41 +0000

Locking your bike to a (indoor) stairwell may violate your local fire code. Not a bad idea to check with the someone at your building *before* they show up with the bolt cutters.

By: svenny

svenny — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 21:47:01 +0000

I had a bike trashed on the bike rack years ago. They never stole anything, they just made the wheels bent enough that I couldn’t ride it home….
so when I started commuting again last year, I just went with the old “it’s easier to seek forgiveness than ask permission”
The first day I rolled the bike right into the office over to the large company washroom–where they have a double shower that nobody ever uses–I park it in the shower all the time now…nobody questions it, and it’s a great place for the slush to drip off it in the winter.
I do however, always back track with paper towels and clean up any dirty tire marks on walls or the tile floor.
Why advertise right.

By: Dylan

Dylan — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 19:26:59 +0000

I’d maybe start by asking the security guards for their “professional opinion” about how to secure your commuting bike. Who knows, they may suggest you bring it inside. Or ask them if anyone else does it, or if they think the higher ups would allow it. Get them on your side. Let them exorcize their “power” to help keep you bike safe!

By: NoTrail

NoTrail — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 19:09:35 +0000

I have found that locking my bike on the stairwell landing works well. It’s completely out of the way, out of view from prying eyes, and the railing doubles as a bike rack.

I’d think your biggest obstacle would be the security guards. Since they usually enjoy their power, don’t test it (you’ll just get on their bad side). Instead, ask if that’s allowed first.