Reality Check: Am I out of line?

[yellow]

I'm angry, and I don't get angry that often. I need to figure out if I'm just overreacting or if I need to make some big decisions.

My office is about 7.5 miles from my house. I don't like to drive anywhere, let alone to work since it's so close.

The company I work for does not have "fleet cars" and expects me to use my personal vehicle for transportation to meetings, etc. I have to go to a lot of meetings. Yes, I get reimbursed for my mileage, but I'm finding that these days I often have entire weeks where I can't ride even a single day because I have a meeting at the client's office every day. This is making me very resentful.

What fries me is (1) my company is currently waving the "sustainability" banner and waxes poetic about how we're making a difference; (2) if I get in an accident while driving my car for work, the company does not cover me--my personal insurance only does if I say I use my car for business and pay a higher rate (effectively almost doubling of my insurance); the amount I am reimbursed per mile is supposed to account for this (it doesn't, especially with the cost of fuel now); and (3) I simply don't like driving, at all. Apparently I am the only person in the office who has an issue with this and don't garner any support for my cause. When I took the job, I asked about the company's attitude about bike commuting and they were very supportive. They have talked for over a year about getting at least one fleet vehicle but since I'm the only one who keeps raising the issue, I don't see it happening any time soon. I have other issues with the job, but the fact of the matter is that it pays pretty well and I am able to work 32 hours a week (something I negotiated); I would be hard pressed to find a similar situation somewhere else. I do drive more in the winter since public transportation to the office requires 2 bus changes and is very expensive (it would be more affordable if I didn't have to keep and insure a vehicle).

So do I buck up and have a shot of tequila and get over it? Or do I start thinking hard about my values and about finding a new job, which would require a major lifestyle change and no doubt some major stress with my spouse (who likes to spend lots of money)? Note that I don't use the company's health insurance (better coverage thru hubby) and since I only work "part time", I don't accrue and take as much vacation as "full time" employees.

I plan to keep after them about the fleet and have threatened to start renting a car (which they freaked out about because that is more expensive than me driving my car). I do not want them to throw more money at me; I just want them to support my choice to use a bicycle as transportation.

What would you do?

[SadieKate]

Um, what if you didn't own a car? Was a condition of employment that you provide personal motorized vehicular transportation to customer sites?

Have the shot of tequila no matter what.

[yellow]

Um, what if you didn't own a car? Was a condition of employment that you provide personal motorized vehicular transportation to customer sites?

I've said that many times, though mostly rhetorically. I will check my paperwork, but I don't recall signing anything that said I had to have a motorized vehicle in order to be hired. Honestly, this is the first time I've ever had to use my own vehicle for work, so the concept is still foreign to me (although I understand it is common for many folks).

[mimitabby]

yes, it's a total rip off. Raleighdon had a similar situation at his last job, although part of his salary was a travel "allowance" of about 3000 a year. It still rankled him the same way that he could never ride his bike.

He changed jobs.
hasn't regretted it a day; despite the loss of friendships, the lower caliber of the company he works for (in his opinion)
but so far this year he's driven to work maybe 5 times, and i think they were all days he needed the car for something personal afterward.

good luck

[Veronica]

Make them put their money where their mouth is.

Sell your car.

Refuse to drive your car unless they pay the difference in insurance.

Take public transportation to your clients - maybe a taxi.

As Thom says, "Work is overrated." You should not go to your job every day loathing it.

Go for a run instead of having the tequila.

V.

[snapdragen]

Go for a run, then have the tequila.

Announce your car is in need of extensive repairs, so you will not have an automobile for quite a while. "Gee, too bad you didn't get that company car....."

[KnottedYet]

Can you ride your bike to client offices?

[yellow]

Can you ride your bike to client offices?

66 mi RT on crappy roads. In theory, I could. But I'd spend more time riding than working. Prolly wouldn't work.

V, we've actually seriously been considering getting rid of the 'Ru when we have to replace our other utility vehicle. I told DH that I'd be willing even to make some major changes in my winter activities (**gasp!!**) as long as I get a powder day every once in a while. He's not there yet, but I remain hopeful. But I digress...

What kind of irks me is that many of my coworkers see me as a whiney crybaby that already gets "special" treatment (because I was smart enough to negotiate an alternate schedule and they weren't, and I still get as much done--or more--than they do). So what if I have to drive? But then these are folks who wouldn't dream of using a bike for transportation. The company probably would pay the difference in insurance if I were to get tough about it, but that's not what I want.

I've had the Big conversation with my boss a zillion times in my head. I'm just extra crispy fried this week because I cannot ride a single day and it doesn't matter to anyone but me. If I don't have a car, it falls on me, not the company. If I don't show up to the client meeting tomorrow, I get slapped double for putting the project at risk (how can I manage it if I don't attend every freakin' meeting?) and the company at risk of losing favor with the client. I feel trapped because I want to do a good job, but resent having to do something that chaps my hide.

(Note: I did go for a ride and thought I was climbing the canyon at a blistering pace but it turns out it was one of my slower climbs. I think I'll go have that shot now.)

Thanks for entertaining my whining. I appreciate it.

[han-grrl]

OMG - i so understand

I am so jealous of bike commuters, even BUS commuters. I get so tired of driving.

Part of my getting this job, was, the fact i had a car. i didn't realize i needed it this much. even my hubby is baffled. i am re-imbursed but, some of my job sites are two hours away. last week in two days, i drove over 650 km. in TWO DAYS. uck.

I am going to experiment with leaving my car at work - one or two days a week. Drive the bikes in on one day, bike them home, bike them back, then drive home. then do it again but this time leave the car at hubby's work. thats the idea anyway.

I've also decided i need to find a job that relies less on the vehicle. This will take time. we will see how this job pans out over time.

I understand how you are feeling. i'm not sure what to do about it either.

[tulip]

My last job had a similar policy--no company car, and personal insurance for meetings in your own car was the norm. But it was in DC and there are actually people who do not own or do not use their cars to get to work. I was a bike commuter.

I either took a taxi, public transportation, a Zipcar/Flexcar, or rented a car from Avis (company had an account with Avis). I realize in Utah near Nevada there may not be efficient transit or a car sharing program, but I bet there are taxis and Avis. And Enterprise will pick you up (so they say, and i hear they have bike racks, too)

We had a deal with Yellow Taxi (we just gave them a voucher and they billed the company), and with Avis I had an Avis account card, but with Zipcar and transit I had to get reimbursed on my expense report.

Even when I could use my own car, I preferred to do Zip or Avis (or taxi--no parking woes!) For longer trips I always rented a car. It turned out to be cheaper than reimbursement anyways, and the insurance thing was better.

So I say don't just suck it up. Find a way to do it better. Let us know how it turns out.

[Blueberry]

Others have had good suggestions, and I completely support what they've suggested. Your employer is wrong, and you're right to be upset over it. Definitely have the tequila. However, short term - could you leave your car at work? That way, you can drive to client meetings, and still bike to work?

CA

[Wahine]

I like Snap's suggestion of telling them your car will not be available for an extended period and then using a rental or taxi. It's not right that you should be required to drive.

[LBTC]

Yellow, that does suck. Perhaps do a cost analysis? the cost of your additional insurance plus your driving allowance; vs - a fleet car; vs - taxi/rental car/ public tranist. And perhaps even throw in that if you miss enough rides to work that you will become unwell and begin taking sick days. That's going to cost them too.

I'll send some happy wonderful butterflies to help you come up with a great creative solution. And if your boss doesn't buy into a solution, and logic that lets you ride to work at least 2/3 of the time....well, maybe that's a sign that there's something better out there.

Hugs and butterflies,
~T~

[tulip]

Once upon a time I had two job offers in the same week. Pretty much the same salary, too, but one was a tad bit higher. When I went in for discussions about it, I asked outright how they feel about employees commuting by bike.

The first one (the wee-higher salary) looked at me funny and said, "well, I guess you can use the gym's shower. I'm not sure about that." They had a gym to promote fitness, yet didn't have a clue about bike commuting.

The second one had a bike rack (with bikes in it) inside the lobby and a commuter shower. When I asked about commuting by bike, they smiled and said, of course!

You can guess which one I took. I was there for four years. When I had to go to a meeting, I took a cab, rented a car, or took Metro (see above).

So, if it becomes an issue for you (sounds like it already is), you might want to look around at alternative places to work if you and your employer can't find a workable solution.

[Velobambina]

Drive your car in on Monday. Bring your bike, clothes for the week, etc. Ride your bike home and then to/from work til Friday. The car stays at work during the week. That would be one way to make it work and to commute by bike 8 times a week.

Keep pushing for a company car.

My commute recently went from about 7 miles to almost 25 miles each way. The building where I now reluctantly work is quite a distance from our headquarters, and we have a lot of meetings there & in DC. If we are lucky, we can use a GOV. Most times it's not available (it's shared w/other offices) or just not practical. So I drive my own car and charge back my mileage to the poor taxpayer. Forget about commuting by bike, as the new building is located in the worst of suburban sprawl (major, unsafe highways) or even commuting by public transportation. Luckily, this situation is not forever---I'm free to find another assignment next September. I love my job & my boss, but the commute is stealing between 45-60 additional minutes of my life every day.