Bicycle Commuting - 2005/07/27 01:27I am looking for a reality check.
I recently moved to a new building and was told to leave my bicycle chained to a post in the garage. In the old building I had been bringing my bicycle up the freight elevator and leaving it in my office. It is a road bike, and I stick to what passes for pavement and keep my tires clean. Aside from the weight of a lock, the security seems totally unsatisfactory. The building has retail traffic, and I carry lights, computer, pump, tool kit, etc all of which are removable without tools, and I am concerned about potential tampering with the various adjustments on the bicycle.
I would prefer to continue bringing it inside, but I proposed a "Bike Lid" as a reasonable compromise and never even received a response. Are my concerns valid? Are my accommodation requests reasonable? I don’t want to escalate if I am the one being outrageous.
I would like a general concensus of response (so far 1:0 in my favor) as backup for a personal visit to the building mgt and then perhaps creative but ethical ideas to further petition if required.
Thanks
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kf5nd
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Re:Bicycle Commuting - 2005/07/27 08:29Aha ! The question is, WHO told you to leave it in down in the garage?
If the building management did, then you have some leverage. Assuming you are a valued and trusted employee, I would ask the management of your company to formally send a request in writing to the building management company that you be able to bring your bicycle up to your office, due to the fact that doing so will best ensure your being able to arrive & leave the workplace on time, be more productive due to not having worries about the bike being vandalized, yadda yadda.
The management company will diss individuals. They will not diss a good paying commercial tenant.
If it's your employer who is telling you to leave it downstairs... well, you have to judge for yourself how much political capital you want to expend in starting a campaign to get the bike upstairs. I can't help you there.
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kf5nd
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Re:Bicycle Commuting - 2005/07/27 08:30Aha ! The question is, WHO told you to leave it in down in the garage?
If the building management did, then you have some leverage. Assuming you are a valued and trusted employee, I would ask the management of your company to formally send a request in writing to the building management company that you be able to bring your bicycle up to your office, due to the fact that doing so will best ensure your being able to arrive & leave the workplace on time, be more productive due to not having worries about the bike being vandalized, yadda yadda.
The management company will diss individuals. They will not diss a good paying commercial tenant.
If it's your employer who is telling you to leave it downstairs... well, you have to judge for yourself how much political capital you want to expend in starting a campaign to get the bike upstairs. I can't help you there.
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DK2718
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Re:Bicycle Commuting - 2005/07/28 01:53A few further details. I was hoping to keep the original post brief and didn't go into every detail.
I was stopped by the building security, and since I don't travel with a lock, he was nice enough to let me continue upstairs that day. I recognize that guards don't set policy - I came back down later to talk to him and make sure there were no hard feelings either way.
I then went thru our facilities management who have never directly responded to me. When I cornered them, I was told that the building management "never responded" but it seems clear it was not high priority. After several attempts to work thru our people I mentioned that I would consider direct contact. No response on that one either. Sounds like an OK to me.
I figure contacting the building manager myself is worth a try, as I am not confident that it was ever done. I am open to compromise - any secure area should be acceptable. I am trying to have some sort of statistical backup. The fact that it is common in Cali (so said security at our main building, who never gave me any trouble) may not be particularly relevant in Houston.
This building is adjacent to a bike lane and has retail traffic - perhaps it is elgible for a bike lid which appears to be a donated item.
It is a really nice building and I have so far declined to publicly identify it in the hope that they are reasonable. Are there any public forums where bad attitudes could be put in front of the community?
Thanks for your comments
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kf5nd
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Re:Bicycle Commuting - 2005/07/28 20:23I would still be going through your own company's facilities manager or local line management. It doesn't sound to me like you've chased those leads down to their conclusions.
Our own company facilities manager (let's call him Tom) here has as his sole job interfacing with the owners of the building on everything from parking problems (yours is essentially a parking problem), to power, AC, heat, plumbing, and intranet problems. Do you have someone who fills that role at your company here in Houston?
I am pretty confident that if I had your problem here in our building, I could go to Tom and say, "Look, I have these special needs, and I need you go to go to bat for me", and he'd do it.
Your company pays thousands of dollars per month in rent. You have lots and lots of leverage if you go through your management. Use it!
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DK2718
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Re:Bicycle Commuting - 2005/08/01 19:50I spoke with our facilities mgr [again] on Friday, and he blew me off with a "still no response" and kept walking. This is since April when I first raised the issue.
We are both 10+ year employees and our rather limited interractions have always been cordial. I just don't believe that this is much of a priority for him.
This tennant relationship is a small part of his responsibilities. We have our own building but are full and so a few select exiles (such as myself) are on rented floors spread over several other buildings. We are building an additional building so it is clear that this is a short term (perhaps 1½ years) relationship and I don't think that anyone involved (except me) has any incentive to do anything whatsoever.
Thus the plan as it stands: 1)A positive reality check (now 2:0 in my favor) 2)A personal appointment with the landlord, armed with the reality check and several alternate proposals. 3)Create some more incentives if necessary. I don't imagine that Houston has any "reasonable accomodation" type laws so right now I am down to publicity and/or celebrity intervention.
Thanks again for your comments and suggestions.
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