Double standards at work.

I work at a big oil major with about 500 people on site, 99% of whom drive
to work. There is a big car park and CCTV plus patrols to keep an eye on
things. Despite 6 years of asking for proper cycling storage facilities,
we've got few wheel benders which I refuse to use, so I use the perimeter
fence. I got a load of notes stuck to my bike threatening to saw through my
lock if I didn't remove it.

I then threatened our management with a charge of bullying and harassment
unless they leave me alone which they have done, since they know I shopped
them for discrimination over my bike light ban and won and I would do it
again. Anyhow, last week a German colleague had his bike stolen from the
sheds and all that was done was an e-mail circular to remind people to
secure their belongings. Impossible with wheel benders, but there you go.

Last week a car had its tyres slashed, so what happens? Security are sifting
through hours of CCTV to see if the culprit can be found! The nicked bike is
ignored. Not only that we are having a HSSE week soon and I have been told
to attend Al Gore's film! I said they can shove it!

--
Simon Mason
http://www.simonmason.karoo.net

On Fri, 2 Mar 2007 10:54:46 -0000 someone who may be "Simon Mason"
wrote this:-

Anyhow, last week a German colleague had his bike stolen from the
sheds and all that was done was an e-mail circular to remind people to
secure their belongings. Impossible with wheel benders, but there you go.

Last week a car had its tyres slashed, so what happens? Security are sifting
through hours of CCTV to see if the culprit can be found! The nicked bike is
ignored.

Can you complain about the double standards? Or at least point them
out in some forum?



--
David Hansen, Edinburgh
I will *always* explain revoked encryption keys, unless RIP prevents me
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2000/00023--e.htm#54

"David Hansen" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 2 Mar 2007 10:54:46 -0000 someone who may be "Simon Mason"
wrote this:-

Anyhow, last week a German colleague had his bike stolen from the
sheds and all that was done was an e-mail circular to remind people to
secure their belongings. Impossible with wheel benders, but there you go.

Last week a car had its tyres slashed, so what happens? Security are
sifting
through hours of CCTV to see if the culprit can be found! The nicked bike
is
ignored.

Can you complain about the double standards? Or at least point them
out in some forum?

We have an employee forum. It took 5 years and an appeal to one of the very
top management in the USA to get the idea of secure facilities even onto the
agenda. This was because the same people I had shopped to an independent
ombudsman about cycle lamp discrimination were so peed off that they blocked
my attempts at every turn.

When I finally forced it onto the agenda, they sent out a survey sitewide to
see if there was sufficient demand, but with the caveat that these Sheffield
stands were so expensive that other projects would suffer from lack of cash!
35 quid each!

I made sure over 100 people voted for them and then the bloke concerned said
that there was "insufficient demand", which was a lie. I then gave up. When
you are up against lairs and cheats, then you've no chance. Watching them
puffing and wheezing from the car park is my revenge ;-)


--
Simon Mason
http://www.simonmason.karoo.net

Simon Mason said the following on 02/03/2007 12:33:

This was because the same people I had shopped to an independent
ombudsman about cycle lamp discrimination were so peed off that they blocked
my attempts at every turn.

I've got to ask as this is the second time you've mentioned it - how can
you discriminate against cycle lamps in the workplace?

--
Paul Boyd
http://www.paul-boyd.co.uk/

"Paul Boyd" usenet.dont.work@plusnet wrote in message
...
Simon Mason said the following on 02/03/2007 12:33:

This was because the same people I had shopped to an independent
ombudsman about cycle lamp discrimination were so peed off that they
blocked my attempts at every turn.

I've got to ask as this is the second time you've mentioned it - how can
you discriminate against cycle lamps in the workplace?


Chemical site, so there is a ban on "sources of ignition". This includes
matches and lighters obviously, but any battery operated equipment should be
handed in to the gatehouse. Fair enough, but car drivers can take in car
keys, car keys with led torches on, car key ring torches, mobile phones,
personal organisers, Blackberries, Palm Pilots, laptops with exploding Li
ion power packs, Sat Navs etc etc. In their hundreds.

--
Simon Mason
http://www.simonmason.karoo.net

Simon Mason wrote:

Chemical site, so there is a ban on "sources of ignition".

Simon, acetylene lights are SO passe these days.
While you're at it, I know fixed wheels are all the rage these days,
but the new safety bicycles are much easier to get on that your Ordinary :-)

Simon Mason wrote on 02/03/2007 10:54 +0100:

Last week a car had its tyres slashed, so what happens? Security are sifting
through hours of CCTV to see if the culprit can be found! The nicked bike is
ignored. Not only that we are having a HSSE week soon and I have been told
to attend Al Gore's film! I said they can shove it!


I would be inclined to attend the film and use it as a platform to ask
why the company encourages car use by its staff which adds to the
problem rather than alternatives. Surely any responsible company will
introduce schemes to try to encourage its staff to use fewer cars given
Al Gore's conclusions.


--
Tony

"...has many omissions and contains much that is apocryphal, or at least
wildly inaccurate..."
Douglas Adams; The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

On 02/03/2007 12:54, Simon Mason said,

Chemical site, so there is a ban on "sources of ignition". This includes
matches and lighters obviously, but any battery operated equipment should be
handed in to the gatehouse. Fair enough, but car drivers can take in car
keys, car keys with led torches on, car key ring torches, mobile phones,
personal organisers, Blackberries, Palm Pilots, laptops with exploding Li
ion power packs, Sat Navs etc etc. In their hundreds.

Ah - I see what you mean! Isn't a car itself rather a large source of
ignition? How many 10s of kilovolts courses through ignition leads
these days? Do the management insist that car electrical systems are
ATEX/BASEEFA approved? Do you get smokers huddling outside?

I can see why you were unhappy at having to hand in a bike light :-)

--
Paul Boyd
http://www.paul-boyd.co.uk/

"Paul Boyd" wrote in message
...

Ah - I see what you mean! Isn't a car itself rather a large source of
ignition? How many 10s of kilovolts courses through ignition leads these
days? Do the management insist that car electrical systems are
ATEX/BASEEFA approved?

Exactly! How on earth do you get an intrinsically safe car? They even
stopped my dad (fire chief) when the place was on fire and got him to hand
in his cigar lighter, for heaven's sake. Cameras were banned by security,
but because they are fitted to mobiles, they've even fiddled the rules to
let these in now.


I can see why you were unhappy at having to hand in a bike light :-)


I never did - I'd rather have had them nicked than be patronised like that.

--
Simon Mason
http://www.simonmason.karoo.net

"Tony Raven" wrote in message
...
Simon Mason wrote on 02/03/2007 10:54 +0100:

Last week a car had its tyres slashed, so what happens? Security are
sifting through hours of CCTV to see if the culprit can be found! The
nicked bike is ignored. Not only that we are having a HSSE week soon and
I have been told to attend Al Gore's film! I said they can shove it!


I would be inclined to attend the film and use it as a platform to ask why
the company encourages car use by its staff which adds to the problem
rather than alternatives. Surely any responsible company will introduce
schemes to try to encourage its staff to use fewer cars given Al Gore's
conclusions.

I'm really not bothered any more Tony. I've spent 6-7 years p***ing against
the wall and just got a reputation as an "obsessed" trouble causer. All I've
been saying to them is coming home to roost now as I knew it would and I can
sit back and smile.

--
Simon Mason
http://www.simonmason.karoo.net