paddlerspock

Hi everyone,

I have been lurking around here for a little while and figured it was time I posted.

I just moved to a new city and started my first REAL job (I'm in my early twenties, recently out of college).
I don't really have a set time to be at work, but my boss likes me to be there around 8:30 or 9:00 and it takes me an hour to ride my bike to work, shower at my gym, get dressed (I wear shorts and t-shirts, so that is not an issue) and arrive at work.

Lately I have been waking up really late, between 8 and 9, but I still ride my bike, so consequentially I am just that much later for work (I have a car, but work in a city and refuse to pay to park, nor would I really know where to park, so I always ride my bike, no matter what).

My Question is this:
What do you do if you wake up late for work? Do you still ride to work?
Do varying degrees of lateness influence how you get to work?


Thank you to everyone on the here, I have learned so much and really enjoy riding my bike.
All comments welcome.

poopisnotfood

Lucky you have a boss that is not jumping on your for being late. I would caution that depending on your work place, it could really start making you look bad though. Go to bed earlier and get to work on time.

Caspar_s

Get an alarm clock.

I am occasionally late - normally from forgetting to set the alarm or power failure or something. Apologise, work late and try not to do it again.

Annoying your boss by not showing up at a time he can count on is not a good idea.

Oh, yes I ride, but that is because that is my transport - waiting for a bus would take longer (and I beat the bus I would take to work anyway)

kgriffioen

I'm a business owner and have 50 employees. I'm the only one that rides a bike to work. I am never late and do not tolerate tardiness. Get yourself a good alarm clock and get your butt outta bed on time if you want to make any kind of good impression. Only you can shape your future. This is the real world that you didn't get taught about in College!!

dcrowell

I woke up late today, and drove because of it. For me, driving is faster. If I'm only a little late, I'll ride anyway.

It's probably a good thing I drove. I'm having issues with my achilles tendon this morning.

harleyfrog

+1 on the alarm clock and going to bed earlier. I get up at 4:00am, and get to bed no later than 10:00pm (earlier, if I can manage). It takes time for your body to adjust, but it's amazing what breakfast and a shower can do for you.

cg1985

Getting to work on time is important. Get there. period.

d2create

Ok, let me get this straight.

You spent money (or your poor parents did) on college.
This economy is in the crapper but you actually found a decent job.
Your boss is not a total a-hole and gives you SOME slack on when you can arrive.
You don't own an alarm clock or you do and don't know how to use it.
All this and you're too dumb to know that showing up to work late doesn't look good to your employer so you need to get on the internet and ask stranger's opinions, looking for validation for riding your bike to work when you could just suck it up and drive and pay to park for one day.

Does your school give refunds?

riddei

You would be late whether on your bike or in your car. This is your reality. No one can make you late but yourself. Your job must not be a priority or you would arrive to work on time. What's going on?

SouthFLpix

This is a pretty bad problem, you are making a terrible impression at work.

daven1986

+1, if your work is flexible then fine. but you said your boss likes you in between 8:30 and 9. you won't have a job much longer if you continue like this.

Brian T

+1 If your boss is that nice about the hours, the least you can do is get there on time. I know this sounds like a bi%ch session, but seriously!

paddlerspock

Thanks for the replies, but I have only been late a couple times (read 2) and I was just wondering what other people did in that situation, because I am sure some people have actually gotten up late and been in this situation at least once.


I am not a slacker and I do go to bed reasonably early, about 10:30 or 11:00.
I was on the rowing team in college and woke up a 4:00am 4 mornings a week to row, so it's not like I don't know how to use an alarm clock.

Also I paid for my college myself with scholarships, Thank you and I am not looking for validation for anything, I am curious what other people do in this situation.

ItsJustMe

I went to the expense to buy an alarm clock.
Also, if I need to wake up, I go to the trouble to go the hell to sleep at a time that allows me to get the sleep I need in order to EARN MY PAY when I get to work in the morning at the appropriate time. Having a job is a privilege, and for your pay you're expected to do your best job. Can't do that on too little sleep.

I'd love to stay up until midnight most nights screwing around on the internet, building stuff in the garage, watching TV, or whatever. But it's not an option when I've decided I need to get in at 5AM in order to get my 8 hours in while being productive and still get home in time to get a full evening's time in with my family.

ItsJustMe

If that's the case, then it's really up to you, you know the real situation at work better than anyone else. Personally, I still ride, but my boss really doesn't care when I'm there, as long as my work gets done. She doesn't even mind me waking up and sending her an email that says "I'm a little sick today, I'll work from home rather than infecting the office." So for me it may not be the same situation as for you. As I said, it's up to you.

d2create

Well then you have no excuse for being late and if you are then you should have the sense enough to get there as QUICKLY as possible, which ever way that may be, and even if it costs you a few bucks for parking. That's an extremely small price to pay to keep your job.

Big M

I wake up early enough to bike. If I was out late last night, wake up feeling like crap, or get sidetracked by a morning chore or two, I'll drive. I've been driving a LOT for the past month. Damn late night booty calls...

If you have no backup option in case you oversleep, you need man-up and make sure you don't oversleep.

modernjess

Is this a generational thing? I'm a business owner in my mid forties and it seems that most of the 20 somethings I come in contact with these days have the expectation that the world owes them something. Everything. Thankfully I don't have to hire them, But things like GETTING TO WORK ON TIME, to them are optional. And then they ask for a raise because they NEED more money. Even though they aren't worth more. The world owes them a slap in the face.

Get up and get to work. This isnt' a drill.

srmatte

Make it habit to be early, then when your late you'll be closer to on time. Also, being in early looks good, even if your just having your coffee and reading the news.

ClintP

I wake up at 6:20 and get on the road at 7:00 and arrive at 7:30 and I don't have to be here until 8:00. Quit being a slacker or you will risk making a name for yourself as someone who has no work ethics.

PaulH

It's not an issue for me, as I have to get up early to wake my daughter and walk her to the bus stop. Prior to having to do that, I still didn't have to make time-based travel mode decisions because cycling was the fastest way to get in.

However, as a boss, I can say that a phone call along the lines of, "I'm running a bit late this morning", is much appreciated. As long as I know when my people will be arriving, I can plan appropriately. Unless the person in question has time-critical work hours (like a receptionist), there's no problem, unless it happens a lot.

I'd be happier with a cycling employee, as opposed to one who drives or takes mass transit, because these others are subject to fairly frequent traffic delays here. One can count on a cyclist always making it.

If your are regularly oversleeping by an hour or more, get a new alarm clock.

Paul

riddei

If you woke-up at 4:00am for rowing in college, why can't that translate to your job. Is it because your coach would put his/her foot up your butt if you were late? Is it because the team was important to you? These are things you need to answer for yourself.

+1 on the generational thing. I run new employee orientation at work. We give people a 15 minute grace period then lock the door and put a sign stating "Closed: report to your supervisor". Every month people are reporting to their supervisor (with many excuses).

JMRobertson

Losing a job in this economy is going to be a terrible hardship. It probably wont be your fault, but if your boss is looking to fire someone, you shouldn't be trying to make the choice easy for him. Get to work early... leave a little late. The extra time you spend on the job is well worth the time you would lose looking for a new job.

hubcap

If I have a meeting or a conference call that I might not make by doing my typical bike-train-bike routine, then I will drive. Otherwise, I will bike and get in a little later than normal. I usually get to the office earlier than most everyone else anyway. I don't have to pay to park but it bugs me if I drive when I didn't *really* have to.

wmt3rd

I get to work on time, just so that I can come here and read about bikes and other stuff. :-)