[Closed] Anyone else work with wimps? (Winter weather content)

Do they know how much you like them at work?

I wouldn't worry, you seem to relish taking on the role of martyr

Which ever one you buy, ring in sick on the first warm sunny day in spring and go ride guilt free.

I think they have a fair idea of how people perceive them by now!

They're reapplying for their jobs next year and at this rate a few of them are going to get austerity measured right up. 😈

i'll be leaving at 6am to give myself 3 hours to drive into work (16 miles, big hills, -9, freezing fog) tomorrow morning.

no 4wd, no winter tyres... just gotta be at work.

luckly the support workers who should be on shift all live within 5 miles of work and normally walk anyway.

if i worked in data entry or something other than nursing then i'd consider taking unpaid leave as there's a very high chance i wont make it up half the hills on the way to work

it took me 2 hours yesterday to go 7 miles, and i had to abandon my car at my parents and get home by public transport. 7 miles may not sopund much but by the time you've realized there's the only way home is up some hills, which cars cannot get up ( not even very steep ones) getting stuck in traffic, driving in second gear and avoiding stuck cars, believe me it can get nasty.

I left my car at work on Friday to go out for Xmas drinks. My car is still at work. Work is 20 miles away. If I bike in (and make it) I'll be playing the martyr all the way until Xmas 2011.

I was really cross with colleagues a few weeks ago when we had 5-6inches and most Of the others had 1-2inches and clear main roads but didn't want to risk it. There is something in employment law about inclement weather and getting to work safely etc but it also says you can forfeit your pay for not be able to turn up too. the news reports don't help when they say don't make unnecessary journeys but I'm pretty sure working is a necessity.

Buy that bike and take a summers day off

our work, a very large employer in Cumbria took the decision to close the doors to non essential staff to avoid traffic chaos when the muppets crash trying to get to work. So far I have been away on most of the snow closure days

I noticed at my work,The people that live the closest seem to go home before the first flake has landed.
I live at the highest point locally and always seem to be the last to leave.

earlier in the year when it snowed i got up an hour earlier and cycled in(7.5 miles),people who lived less than 2 miles away phoned in to say they couldnt get in.
Its always the same people and i will agree they are usually the most unreliable and full of excuses.

I used to be a hero and battle in though any conditions. Then I realised the management couldn't give a fig, so don't.

Dock her pay or take a days holiday. Stick to your 37.5 hour week and claim over time for the rest. Simple really.

I used to be a hero and battle in though any conditions. Then I realised the management couldn't give a fig, so don't.

+1

Well nearly, I still haven't fully learnt my lessons and always endeavour to get in. One day in Jan this year I ended up walking over 9 miles in wellies to get to work and back through deep snow. Any management thanks ? Na - corking blister though.

The day when only about 10% of the workforce turned up we all got a free chocolate bar as a thank you - I got a snickers - woo hoo!

The truly annoying thing is the lack of a consistent winter weather policy. A week or so before they said that if people didn't make it in because of bad weather then they would have to use annual leave/flexi time or take unpaid leave. When it came round to it they said because they'd put a message on the website advising car drivers not to come in people who [strike]took the day off[/strike] couldn't make it in got paid as normal. The thing is the trains and buses were still running, my colleague made it in on public transport, I biked 6 miles in, and they made no allowance for the fact that a lot of those who are normally car drivers drive less than 2 miles

ended up walking over 9 miles in wellies to get to work and back through deep snow

There comes a point where it is more dangerous to try and get in, the problem is when the lightweights start calling in because it's frosty it makes the more resilient of try harder.

Still deciding on the full suss, have just bought a G-9 Slim Fit Baracuta though.

Orange 5

Given the economy it is appalling to see so much waste in the private sector. If we're going to close the deficit people really should be working harder.

I'm in work today, due to not being able to get in since Thursday (loads of trucks stuck) Car is sat outside in 8"/10" inch of snow with a big shovel in the boot 😀

I set off half an hour earler this morning at 6:15 for a 9 mile commute. rear hub froze so i walked home and dug the car out. Still got in on time. I suppose I should have mtfu'd and pee'd on it. i would probably walk it if it got too bad to drive but wouldn't start out before 6 so the 7:30 start would get missed. Where's the bulldog spirit ? During the war .......

last year was well handled (IMHO) where I work. About 60% made it in, after the kerfuffle, official communications and thanks/senior management walkround saying they all appreciated the effort in difficult conditions. Cue lots of gloating spongers who thought they got away with it, until they read the last sentence in the formal email, something like 'And to avoid further inconveniece to those who couldn't make it in we've automatically allocated the time off against holiday allowance'

ok Grim, you out did me with that one 😀

I guess a lot of people are listening to the media that is constantly telling us don't travel unless absolutely necessary

A couple of weeks back we had one guy ring in to say he couldn't work due to the weather - He works from home

He said that he needed to dig his drive & paths out & that would likely take him all day
When I told him that it wasn't really an acceptable reason not to work & that he wouldn't be paid & it would also be referred to HR as a possible disciplinary issue, he couldn't believe I was serious.

people are listening to the media

... who are advised by the emergency services?

Last Feb when we had a pasting up here in the NE I commuted 35 miles into work using public transport each way. Got there after about 2 hrs each way. A guy I work with 20 stone 6' 6" and 28 yr old rang in an said he wouldn't be in and was working from home.

He lived along the quayside in Newcastle and walks to work - about 1/2 mile walk each way.

He is a contractor but becasue permies work from home he made his own rules up - due to his words - "slippy pavements"

Being self employed, its not an option to stay off work, however I now work from home.
In the past I've cycled and walked in deep snow (so has hubby in really cold temperatures) to get to work.

Another thing we've noticed, is that the young drivers aren't coping too well. They should be taught in driving school to cope with this conditions. We helped a teenager yesterday, he was just wheel spinning every where, not realising how to use his gears, he was a lovely lad though and very grateful for the advice and the big push we gave to get him on his way.
Another 17 year old driver crashed into my friend's mother's car yesterday, while going too fast in snow.

Enjoy your new bike bravohotel9er

Hard times bring out the truth in people I guess...

Working at the Edinburgh Hospitals they did have some guidance on the Intranet. Staff were requested to try to get in in if they could safely, those who make an effort but can't make it will bwe paid but you were expected to walk up to 3 miles.

Most staff made it in OK

Me .- Drive 32 miles to work, get there for 7am , took nearly twice as long . Worked till 3.30 , drove home and got there about 4.30.
Lazy staff in the office 2 out of 3 no shows , and the lad who lives 500 meters away 'stuggled in ' for 0930 , organised a massive piss up at the local, and left at 11.50 to go to the pub .
Its the total lack of thanks from sales guy plus management that grates. £4k of stock available / sold because we risked a prang by driving to work . Now they are sorting out a rota so they dont all work over chrimbo and i bet it doesnt use thier holiday allowance up

Well I won't be in the office tomorrow as I've got another night in Kiev thanks to the weather.

I agree that in general people should be much more resilient and less wimpy when it comes to getting to work.

I don't think the 24hr rolling news coverage thing (and the newspapers as well) helps though- if you took what you hear through the media at face value the whole time you'd think that it's too dangerous to leave your house at times.

Everyone I work with in the slack over-pensioned pubic sector has made it to work last year and this, we're all in it together, remember.

I did feel particularly sorry for the family stranded at Heathrow as they were attempting to get on their family holiday to Bali. 😈 sense the irony.

FFS there are children in poverty in this country - homeless folk freezing to death but dont worry I'm sure you will get on your family xmas holiday. Morons.

so they are going to loose their jobs soon and you wonder why they are not overly comitted to the organisation.

Junkyard - Member

so they are going to loose their jobs soon and you wonder why they are not overly comitted to the organisation.

That's an interesting deliberate misreading of my post.

They're having to reapply/reinterview for their jobs (as I and others have this year and last), those who have proven to be lazy and unreliable are more likely to get P45s than their harder working counterparts.

Reasonable, no?

Last year a guy I worked with (a know shyster) claimed he couldn't get in because the trains from his stop weren't running
Unaware another guy who got the same train was working happily at his desk...

Most people in my office make it in. I thought I was doing well and got the usual comments about the 6 or 7 miles I ride in. That is until the fell runner in our office turned up. Apparently public transport had been cancelled from his village so he had run the 10 miles in. Fair play, he ran 10 miles home too.

I might be stuck at Heathrow tonight carbon337. Should be flying to Sydney and I'm a bit upset. Still it is my honeymoon as well as my first chance at a family Christmas for 10 years, so I feel sad. Nevermind, Xmas on the beach will be AWESOME, even if I'm a bit late 🙂

I might be stuck at Heathrow tonight carbon337. Should be flying to Sydney and I'm a bit upset. Still it is my honeymoon as well as my first chance at a family Christmas for 10 years, so I feel sad. Nevermind, Xmas on the beach will be AWESOME, even if I'm a bit late

Well, if it's any help, we're sat here fingers crossed that we can come the other way...

Everyone I work with in the slack over-pensioned pubic sector has made it to work

Do you work in Wayne Rooney's favourite brothel?

Depends on the situation really. I wouldn't slate someone for not wanting to drive in bad conditions, or get stranded at work. In fact I'd like ot see more people stay off the roads when it's bad, or at least clean the effing snow off their lights and windows before they set of sliding down the roads... 😡

BUT not being able to drive != not being able to get to work. Last winter my housmate didn't go into work because he couldn't get out of the street in his car. 15 minutes walk from our house takes you to the canal path and another nice 30 minute stroll would have got him to work. I was less than impressed.

Edit:BUT not being able to drive != not being able to get to work for a lot of people- obviously for some people it does.

agree with the above. depends really.

If I can't get in I can work from home - no pay docked for not working.

when we first had this winter's winter weather (now there was a surprise), day 1 I made it to work no problem, day 2 I got no further than Leeds Bradford airport. I need to get past Leeds or Bradford, but every time I turned onto a road heading for Leeds, it wasn't moving, so I turned round, went home & plugged my laptop in, took 90 minutes to go 3 miles from Otley to Guiseley, then 5 more minutes to go the remaining 2 miles. Day 3 I made it all the way to work, just as the heavens opened & they sent us home again - got home just as the snow caught up with me. Day 4 I had an extra hour in bed & just plugged my laptop in. Day 5, and every working day since, I was back in the office

24 miles by the shortest possible route - which involves one or two hills - is not something I'd contemplate walking.
Public transport, if it's running, involves a 2 hour+ train journey [i]at the best of times[/i], including 20 minutes waiting for a connection at Guiseley and another 40 minutes at Leeds. So yes, it can be done, but it's not exactly quick

I think people should make a reasonable effort. If I were an employer I wouldn't expect anyone to walk for 24 miles, but I'd expect people who lived, say, 5 urban miles away to be able to get in under their own steam.

I think people should make a reasonable effort. If I were an employer I wouldn't expect anyone to walk for 24 miles, but I'd expect people who lived, say, 5 urban miles away to be able to get in under their own steam.

I think I agree - but.....

Should an employer subsidise you for making a daft lifestyle choice and living miles and miles from your place of work (or to look at it another way around, taking a job miles and miles from your home)? Can't come to work I think should probably mean forefeiting a day of holiday or making time up - no exceptions,irrespective of how bad it is or where you live, then everyone knows where they stand when they make that choice.

My wife was proper upset last week after the official decree came down about the last snow a week or two ago. She normally drives (or cycles in the summer) but couldn't so walked the 4 miles in. She walked past a colleague's house (cira 2 mile from work) and knocked her up to ask if she fancied walking in with her. Answered the door still in pyjamas with doleful face saying she didn't think she could make it (she is a large lady @ 16-17 stone ish but can speed waddle into town to stock up on chocolate of a lunch break without too much hassle). Her day was proper busy as she had to cover said colleague's workload too. The offical decree was to declare it an exceptional weather day and all who could not make it did not have to make the time up or take day a day's holiday for it. Not even a thank you on the email to those that did.

Should an employer subsidise you for making a daft lifestyle choice and living miles and miles from your place of work (or to look at it another way around, taking a job miles and miles from your home)?

moving nearer to the office isn't an option, as mrs_drummer would then have the same 24 mile commute, but in reverse - we moved here so she could be within walking distance of work. My job is such a niche that I'm as central as I can get to most of the places that still use the language I program in - there are a couple or 3 places in Sheffield, one in Barnsley where I am now, one in Ripon, and a handful in Manchester. I guess that comes down to a coincidence of (a) daft choice of language to specialise in, and (b) starting my IT career at a company that used it. (b) came before (a) by the way.

Anyway, like I said, I can work from home if I can't get to the office, although it is a last resort.

But for those that live within walking distance - 2-3 miles - there's certainly no excuse for not making it in because of a bit of snow

the news reports don't help when they say don't make unnecessary journeys but I'm pretty sure working is a necessity.

Depends on your job. For doctors, nurses, firemen etc then yeah. But for me (software engineer) "do not travel on the roads unless absolutely essential" definitely includes work.

During the recent cold snap I spent two weeks working from home. There was little point risking a car insurance claim (or worse) to struggle into the office.

I'm paid to be in work. If I can make it without a super human effort I will be there. What others do is largely irrelevant as they have their own contract.

My work does not rely on others (generally) and my workload would not increase if others don't turn in.

carbon337 - Member
I did feel particularly sorry for the family stranded at Heathrow as they were attempting to get on their family holiday to Bali. sense the irony.

FFS there are children in poverty in this country - homeless folk freezing to death but dont worry I'm sure you will get on your family xmas holiday. Morons.

FFS, so because there are people worse off than you, you're not allowed to be pissed off about your holiday that cost thousands being cancelled.

The sanctamony of this place is beginning to make me want to stop coming here - or argue more, not sure which.

Back on topic - last year I lived 70 miles away from work (just for the benefit of whoever posted further up - my office was relocated from 4 to 70 miles away and no-way was I moving from the Derbyshire Dales to Wolverhampton).

Anyhow - on one of the bad days, I managed to get through Matlock to the A38, through Derby & Burton as far as the M6 Toll driving sensibly. Once I got to the bridge above the Toll Rd, the 245 tyres on my Passat were handling that badly in the snow that I had to make the decision to turn around. I was closer to work than home, but it was just too dangerous.

I might not make it to work tomrrow. I don't expect to be paid mind 🙂

The offical decree was to declare it an exceptional weather day and all who could not make it did not have to make the time up or take day a day's holiday for it.

This is the problem, if employees are shown no goodwill, why will they bother the next time. I biked in to work, others in my office took public transport, but we all had journeys that took double the amount of time than normal so not only did we not get a free days holiday we also spent our own time getting to work.

A colleague phoned to say he couldn't make it, about 4 miles, as he couldn't drive in the snow.
I cycled passed your house twenty minutes ago!

After this weekend I have come to the conclusion that Britain is populated by utter wimps who are completely hung up on the media interpretation of events. I've driven 400 miles in the last 2 days in a normal front wheel drive car with normal tyres. I packed a spade and a sleeping bag and food, took a big, healthy shot of MTFU and got on with it.

Funnily enough, the roads have been mostly clear. There was 1 stretch of motorway where it was down to one lane but funnily enough I slowed down, took it steady, allowed myself some extra time and funnily enough arrived in one piece. A miracle? Foolish? No. If there is snow measured in feet not inches then there is a valid excuse for not going out and getting on with life as normal, but a few inches of snow is called "winter" and it happens every year. If the country stops because of it every year then what's the point of going to work at all?

Just because BBC NEws24 says that polar bears are walking up and down the M6 doesn't mean it's neccesarily the case.

Last year, my place adopted a 'make the time up policy'. We already run a flexi-time system, so this tagged onto it quite neatly - the only addition was that you didn't have to use a 'flexi day' entitlement to cover snow absence, just track the hours and make them up.

As dept manager, I got to brief the dept on the policy.

Universally well received.

I packed a spade and a sleeping bag and food, took a big, healthy shot of MTFU and got on with it.

Excellent. 😀 If our plane lands back in the UK in a couple of days, this is what I'll be doing, only it won't even by my car to worry about!

spade, water, snowboarding clothes, lunch, reflective jackets, apparently -12... off to work.

i'f i'm not back then i'd like a park bench made in my memory please 😆

We've had 1 bloke ring in from Blackpool saying he can't make it in due to the weather this morning. 3 Other lads from Blackpool and a lass from the top of Longridge Fell have made it in no problem. As usual he's one of the first to jump at time off especially as it's a busy period.

For me it's not an option, no workee no dollar. Stangely everyone seems to expect the shops to be stocked daily, I guess they think we teleport the stock to site.
My missus is a nurse and gets no slack for bad weather either.
I drove to my race yesterday, AA Autoroute said 1H 45Mins and it took less than that in this weather.

To be fair most people manage to get in at our place, and most people commute at least 7 miles. Other thing that bugs me is the people who have a couple of days off for a cold. Ok you don't feel great, but it's only a cold, take some paracetemol and aspirin and get on with it, I guarantee you'll feel better than moping about!

Dock her pay or take a days holiday.

We had a memo come round saying exactly that.

If I don't come in, I don't get paid.

I'd be willing to bet most of those staying at home are salaried, not hourly paid....

well the roads into reading are good 🙂 no drama, you can see the ice reflecting off the surface but other than that they're in great condition!

This whole snow thing is a bit ridiculous. My daily commute is 50 miles each way from Bradford to Sheffield.

In all the recent snow there wasnt one day I hve made it in where as people who live locally had probably missed 3-4 days. One even admited to me that it is making it difficult for them 'to get away with it' if I can do a 50 mile journey it makes them look a bit stupid they can not do 3 miles.

The bit that really annoys me is that some people 'work from home', yeah right, they send one email at 4:55pm to show how hard they have been working all day. My boss reckons I do not have work I can do from home (which is odd as he does ??!?) Where as I have risked a higher percentage of getting crashed in to or personal injury by coming in to work.

I rang him on one of the snowy days a couple of weeks to ask how bad it was in Sheffield, and his wife answered he would have to ring back because he was outside playing with the kids in the snow!

What I don't think is right is that my wife is a hospital doctor. She too has not missed one day of work in the snow. She doesnt like driving in it at all but has driven every day. Surely people who work in emergency services should get an allowance for winter tyres etc. The other daft thing is that the way hospitals are staffed with doctors, many live miles away from the hospital they work at, therefore when the weather is bad they are always going to be short staffed.

@ OP, you did watch that video yesterday of all the brave people making a complete dog's dinner in their 4X4s etc on a little teeny weeny hill, didn't you?

Discretion being the better part of valour, and all that.

Nice topical troll though.

The bit that really annoys me is that some people 'work from home', yeah right, they send one email at 4:55pm to show how hard they have been working all day.

Meh.. I work from a serviced office, on my own, remote from the rest of my team and my clients.
The only differences when I work from home are a smaller desk, less hardware, better coffee, better screen and a comfier chair.

Our company, which employs 10000 Heating Engineers in the field, has told all office staff not to make non essential journeys including cancelling of all face to face non customer or supplier meetings. personally I think its a bit OTT, but happy to spend another day 'working from home'

I sat off this morning for my 25 mile commute at 6am on my MTB, had to turn back after 15 mins as my IBS started off.
I'm currently sat here looking at the traffic cams/reports saying that the whole of Bromsgrove and Redditch is snarled up with the traffic.
Now seeing as i can't go 20 mins without needing the toilet (too much info for some but meh) the last thing i want to do is be sat in my car in a queue of stationary traffic. Looks like i'm going to have to go off sick or wait till who knows when for the traffic to move 🙁

Ive got a 40 mile each way commute. I work on the basis that I try my best to get in no matter what, then if Im absolutely unable to my boss knows fine ive done my best and I get paid anyway.
Missed one day last year when my diesel froze, and three hours late once when the road was closed when blocked by lorries and snow.

You can call me sanctimonious too if you want, but I find it bloody depressing when the news gives more importance to people missing holidays, than to those sleeping in the street.

Nice topical troll though.

Guessing you're one of the 'wimps' then?

I might be stuck at Heathrow tonight carbon337. Should be flying to Sydney and I'm a bit upset. Still it is my honeymoon as well as my first chance at a family Christmas for 10 years, so I feel sad. Nevermind, Xmas on the beach will be AWESOME, even if I'm a bit late

Maybe I'll learn to keep my gob shut! Had to cancel flights with Thai Airways after they expected us to wait 10 days for another flight 😯 Now going on the 30th with a decent airline, fingers crossed 🙂

I've only ever missed one day of work due to snow, and thats because the office was shut last year after a foot of snow overnight, including riding in 12 miles in the snow...

formative years in Cheshire & deepest, darkest Northumberland, then 12 years living in Yorkshire, down South for last two years

All I'd ever ask is that my boss is flexible enough for me to come in a bit early, and leave early, to avoid the worst of the traffic, and I'm a happy boy. Anyone who cannot make it in five miles due to snow deserves the sack!

But its all just willy waving, "I managed to get in through 4 foot of snow and a polar bear was eating my left testical...grrrrr".

Our work consider driving one of the most hazardous things to do, we had about 5 inches in the forest and they shut the office. Anyone that did turn up fanced a verbal warning. I've driven in worse and had no doubt about my abilities to drive in them, but many other drivers seemed to stuggled with the concept of driving in the snow (although in fairness snow is a very rare occurence in these parts).

I had a snow day, brilliant it was too. Toasty toes by the log burner after building snow men and snow ball fights.

The bit that really annoys me is that some people 'work from home', yeah right, they send one email at 4:55pm to show how hard they have been working all day.

Meh.. I work from a serviced office, on my own, remote from the rest of my team and my clients.
The only differences when I work from home are a smaller desk, less hardware, better coffee, better screen and a comfier chair.

personally I think its a bit OTT, but happy to spend another day 'working from home'

😆

So far throughout all this snow and ice, I'm one of the few in work who has managed to get in on time.

Everyone's got themselves in eventually, but some have been up to 3hrs late due to the conditions.

I always cycle into work as I don't have a car and I've found the bike to be by far the best way to get in.

Over the 10 mile each way trip, the weather has made very little difference to my time spent commuting.

At most it's only taken me 5 mins longer to get in and that is me probably being a bit over cautious on the roads. I've been a bit paranoid about coming off on the ice and scraping myself down the tarmac.

The folks using cars have had their commuting time at least doubled.