Bike parking at work is worse than useless...

[- Baz -]

I'm lucky to have secure underground parking at work. But not so lucky when it comes to the actual facilities - about ten butterfly brackets which are too close together and too wide for my tyres. If all brackets are in use, there's no room to get to the front wheel to secure it. I've already had the new bike break loose from its moorings and fall over scratching paintwork. Many of the brackets are clogged with old locks which renders them useless. I pointed all this out months ago, but needless to say, there's no 'budget' to improve the facilities. So - I found an alternative little nook out of the way, not causing an obstruction, just big enough for one bike, where I can prop it against a 6 inch diameter floor to ceiling steel pipe. Until today...

Jobsworth building manager has decreed that all bikes should use the provided brackets for bike parking. I refused, pointing out that my bike's already been damaged because aforementioned brackets are worse than useless. I wasn't believed, even after demonstrating. Apparently my bike could damage the steel pipe - and there could be Health & Safety 'issues'. It was even suggested that if there are more bikes than brackets, then a rota bike parking system would be introduced (which left me speechless). Mine is an international insurance company that prides itself on being green (but don't they all?)

Anyhoo, it'll be a sad day when I'm not able to use my bike to get to work because the company refuses to upgrade the facilities. I'll continue to stubbornly refuse to use these cr@ppy brackets and use my normal cubby hole in the hope that something will be done to improve things.

Anyone got any thoughts on how to win the battle?

 

[marinyork]

Anyone got any thoughts on how to win the battle?

Grind them down. Go on about it politely and every so often continually to this jobsworth. If the bike's falling over from the butterfly bars you've got a very good case, as as you've already seen, 'bike's falling over' is a favourite on H&S grounds. Use their own arguments against them.

Generally speaking with larger companies and organisations you're best off bypassing the local Hitler and applying pressure to HR as that's where the travel plan dosh is dealt with.

 

[biggs682]

we have an internal courtyard where the 4 or 5 cyclists just lean our bikes against the wall , we all padlock them to pipes that are on the walls , no proper brackets or such like

 

[lofty]

We`ve got a cracker at our place , So good that the smokers use it when it`s lashing down even their not supposed too

 

[marinyork]

By the way how many people work in the building? You want the figure for that and the figure for total capacity. Then get the modal share for commutes in Manchester, it may turn out much lower. You may even find that in your company's travel plan it has a view that a greater % should be cycling in than are currently catered for e.g. 10 stands and 800 people work there so 1.25% say and your travel plan is aiming to have 3% cycling in say.

 

[automatic_jon]

The bike parking at uni is top notch, indoor spaces with several Sheffield stands in. They have locking doors which can only be opened with your uni card if you've registered to use the facility.

The only drawback is that they don't tell anyone about how to register for it. I'm in my fourth year and I've only just found out about it.

 

[- Baz -]

The bike parking at uni is top notch, indoor spaces with several Sheffield stands in. They have locking doors which can only be opened with your uni card if you've registered to use the facility.

The only drawback is that they don't tell anyone about how to register for it. I'm in my fourth year and I've only just found out about it.

That's great! Got any ideas about solving my problem?

 

[Bman]

I mirror marinyork's comments.

Keep on at them, and use their weapons against them.

In my previous job (I left, after accepting a better position, nothing to do with pi55ing off the facilities management ) there were no decent bike facilities near my workplace. The only alternative was 3/4 of a mile away, near the main building (arguably a different site). These facilities were "ok". Covered, but leaky, old racks that dont fit MTB wheels.

I put my case professionally, and then moaned and chased until I had a solution. The solution involved taking my bike inside the secured compound (complete with electric fence) through pass enabled security gates, into the rear loading bays that were covered. I then had the choice of locking it to a steel bar or just leaving it there (I could see the bike on CCTV from my desk).

Another example of using H&S against them is when they removed the chairs from the smoking shelter. They also replaced the old bowl type ashtrays with new lock and key mounted ones. It was a 24hr site, and we used to empty the ashtrays ourselves. We couldn’t empty these new ones (besides, they were s**t). I drafted an email about fire risk (due to overflowing) and usability of the new ashtrays asking about risk assessments etc. I heard rumours that he joked for a while about "providing training", but in the end, he ordered two new bowl type ashtrays! We never did get the chairs back, I couldn’t think of a good enough argument. Edit: But we did get an alternative outdoor break area!

The point is; play 'em at their own game. Just do it professionally.

 

[ufkacbln]

There are also security issues about these types of cycle stands.

Advice from the Police is that you should lock the frame to an immovable with a quality "D lock", and to lock both wheels to the structure.

You are unable to do this.

Who does your security?

Its a bit of a risk, but if you asked the Local Police to assess the security and it was inadequate, then the company would possibly have some liability if they instructedyou to lock it in an unsafe manner?

 

[GrumpyGregry]

I support marinyork's approach. and if he mentions H&S ask to see the risk assessment, and at the same time, ask to see the risk assessment for the crap butterfly stands. Falling over someone else's bike in the cramped conditions should lubricate things when it goes in the accident book.

(btw I'm our work H&S officer - thankless bloody job - and in charge of premises amongst other things! Poacher turned gamekeeper)

 

[BSRU]

I have had the same problem, my bike leaning against a wall locked to a steel drainpipe, not causing an obstruction.
The building manager has demanded I use the provide bike shed. So far refusing as I believe the site manager has exceeded her authority.
I have escalated the demand from the site manager, who works for a another company contracted by the my company to manage the building, to my company's UK site manager who seems quite put out by her behaviour.
I pointed out that as it is private land and I am not causing an obstruction they is nothing legally she can do to stop me from locking my bike where I do.
My plan is just to keep doing what I am doing until a manager from my company tells me otherwise and even then I may just be bloody minded and continue as normal waiting to see what they actually do.

 

[- Baz -]

Many thanks for all the replies, chaps. Much appreciated. I'm going to draft a (polite but pointed) letter tomorrow and copy my manager in. See what happens...
Not gonna give up without a fight!

 

[buggi]

As said, how many people work in your building?? If you're having problems you can guarantee others feel the same.

This is what we do:

I think you need to set up a TWUG (Two Wheel User Group), which should meet quarterly and nominate yourself as Chair. Appoint a Committee which will consist of "TWUG representatives" (people who the cyclists can approach to raise issues... for us we have one rep at each site) and hold a meeting with the reps and get down their gripes and moans, and discuss how you can improve things.

Once you have done this and got the cost of your improvements, then it's time to sit down and write a very polite and formal email to the BIG BOSS. outline all health, safety and security issues, include reference to all company health, safety and green policies, and give hiim your ideas on improving matters. What they particularly love is if you have done all the research first and got discounts or, if possible, stuff for free. They don't like to think of answers themselves.

eg #1. for one thing i bet someone in your cycle group has got an old rack hanging around in their garage which can be put on the wall for people to store their locks overnight. That way, this will free up extra room in the current cycle rack if they haven't cycled in. You've got it for free, so i'm sure Work can supply the handyman to install it.

eg #2. Ring around everywhere you can think of and see if you can beg borrow or steal a "toast rack" style cycle rack (more suitable for road bikes). if you can't get it for free, try and negotiate a discount and then approach the company about the cost stating you have managed to get a discount.

Get yourself on the Building User Group forum and get along to the meetings as the TWUG representative, so that the TWUG have a voice.

If you work at a big place, beg for cash of each of the departments budget (this is what we do, we choose a different dept each time).

And don't forget, people who cycle are less stressed and more healthy and have less time off work. Doesn't hurt to point this out in your letter to the BIG BOSS... no one likes their workforce being off sick.

I work for a very large company and although the HQ have a TWUG, the other work sites don't. The reason the HQ had one is because they NEED people to cycle in (lack of parking) but the other sites have plenty of parking so they weren't bothered. I didn't realise this until i started to work at a different site and it was like hitting my head against a brick wall with the Facilities Dept there ("but if we give you a locker, everyone will want one" ) There was a complete contrast to how cyclists were viewed. When i talked to cyclists about my plans to get lockers they were like "yea... good luck with that! we've been trying for years!"

3 months later, still after no joy, i sat down with two other cyclists and wrote our "business case" to the Chief Exec. The result was that within a month i was the TWUG rep of the current site, we had cycle racks (that had been discarded from another site and sitting unused in the back carpark, so it was sent over) and 25 lockers (2nd hand/reconditioned but in good nick! some were converted by the onsite handyman!). and 2 months after that we had a TWUG rep at every site. In the last month we have just ran an initiative where we managed to get an £75 set of cycle lights knocked down to around £37 (which was by way of the shop discounted £20 and the company giving us £1000 towards the order) so 91 people are now riding around with a bling set of lights that they wouldn't have been able to afford. And getting the company donation wasn't easy but we basically refused to take no for answer. O yes, we also have an internal website full of discounts (from local shops) safety info, a blog, cycle routes, links to other sites etc etc.

None of this would have happened if (a) i hadn't sat down and wrote to the Chief Exec and (b) me and 8 others (the TWUG Committee) hadn't put in a lot of work and stuck to our guns, even when they said no, we just kept asking. I still have a copy of the email i wrote to the chief exec if you want to borrow it and use it as a template to give you some ideas. message me your email address if you need it.

don't forget, don't fight this on your own, get in touch with all the other cyclists etc, get your "committee" up and running. The more there are of you, the more they will listen. We also include motorcyclists in our group so they have a voice too, plus the advantage of bigger numbers in the TWUG.

 

[As Easy As Riding A Bike]

By the way how many people work in the building? You want the figure for that and the figure for total capacity. Then get the modal share for commutes in Manchester, it may turn out much lower. You may even find that in your company's travel plan it has a view that a greater % should be cycling in than are currently catered for e.g. 10 stands and 800 people work there so 1.25% say and your travel plan is aiming to have 3% cycling in say.

This approach could be especially useful if, as the OP suggests, the company does genuinely pride itself on being "green."

Frankly it could be a bit embarrassing for them if they've only got a capacity for bikes that is lower than current modal share where you live.

 

[summerdays]

There are also security issues about these types of cycle stands.

Advice from the Police is that you should lock the frame to an immovable with a quality "D lock", and to lock both wheels to the structure.

You are unable to do this.

Or you could get there early enough that the racks are empty ... and then lock up your bike SECURELY to the butterfly racks.

The only way to lock your bike securely to butterfly racks is turn it side on and block about 4 or 5 racks at the same time (still not convinced that the metal is actually thick enough though). Take a photo to show to them how to securely lock a bike to butterfly racks and ask them to quadruple the number of racks in the cycle shed. I have been known to do this when faced with butterfly racks ... but usually only for a quick 5 mins to pop in and collect a parcel from the sorting office.