Locks....gone.

essex-commuter
essex-commuter Posts: 2,188
edited August 2017 in Commuting chat
3 weeks ago an email was put out at work, all bike locks not in use on Friday 23rd will be removed from the bike shed. Good idea I thought, there must be at least 30 rusty redundant locks taking up space.

On Thursday an email reminder was sent out, and notes were put up in the bike shed.

On Friday I looked out of the window and saw them removing the locks with croppers but they were having trouble with the D locks. My bike was one of only 3 in the shed that day. I wandered down and had a chat with the guys doing it, all seemed good.

Cycled in this morning to see my chain/padlock and Kryptonite D lock have gone. The company arranged for someone to come in on the Saturday and use an angle grinder to remove what they couldn’t do the day before…the all-important message about which ones NOT to touch had obviously been forgotten.

Fuming to say the least. Wrote a stinking email to Facilities Management demanding a replacement immediately and said I would hold them responsible if my bike was stolen today as it is only secured with a thin cable lock that I had in my office drawer.

I’ve had an apology and they have asked me to forward a link to the locks I had so they can replace. Will all be OK in the end but jeez, there are some pretty useless people about.

Comments

  • timothyw
    timothyw Posts: 2,482
    Eeek. Did you have any idea that grinder man would be coming in? Might have been a weekend to transfer the locks to your desk!
  • essex-commuter
    essex-commuter Posts: 2,188
    I had no idea. In hindsight, yes you are right I should have brought them inside. I'm on the 5th floor, they are heavy locks...guess I could be deemed as being lazy! I work for a very large company, I wrongly had faith in them to carry out a very simple task!
  • fenix
    fenix Posts: 5,437
    How did they know which ones to remove ? Were the ones in use labelled up ? Glad they're coughing up anyway.
  • apreading
    apreading Posts: 4,535
    I feel your pain - glad that the company are being good about making amends, but its still a pain.

    I must admit that I would have taken special steps to make sure this didnt happen. Bearing in mind that people always get stuff like this wrong, I would either have removed my locks and put them in my desk till the work was finished or I would have put a note on them saying that they were still in use and not to be removed, obvious enough that the luddites would definately see it before cutting them.

    I know hindsight is a wonderful thing but I would have had the foresight to ensure this didnt happen in this case because its not a great surprise in the modern age.

    Not that I am blaming you. Just glad you are hopefully getting it sorted. Are they going to supply you with the locks and you have to wait for this or can you go out and buy them and get the money reimbursed?
  • gabriel959
    gabriel959 Posts: 4,227
    essex-commuter wrote:
    I had no idea. In hindsight, yes you are right I should have brought them inside. I'm on the 5th floor, they are heavy locks...guess I could be deemed as being lazy! I work for a very large company, I wrongly had faith in them to carry out a very simple task!

    Large companies and communication don't go hand in hand, in my experience.
    x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x
    Commuting / Winter rides - Jamis Renegade Expert
    Pootling / Offroad - All-City Macho Man Disc
    Fast rides Cannondale SuperSix Ultegra
  • timothyw
    timothyw Posts: 2,482
    It might cheer you up to imagine that this is the person that took your locks:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eqn_0DQDuqI
  • essex-commuter
    essex-commuter Posts: 2,188
    apreading wrote:
    I feel your pain - glad that the company are being good about making amends, but its still a pain.

    I must admit that I would have taken special steps to make sure this didnt happen. Bearing in mind that people always get stuff like this wrong, I would either have removed my locks and put them in my desk till the work was finished or I would have put a note on them saying that they were still in use and not to be removed, obvious enough that the luddites would definitely see it before cutting them.

    I know hindsight is a wonderful thing but I would have had the foresight to ensure this didnt happen in this case because its not a great surprise in the modern age.

    Not that I am blaming you. Just glad you are hopefully getting it sorted. Are they going to supply you with the locks and you have to wait for this or can you go out and buy them and get the money reimbursed?

    Yep I should have put more effort in I know. When I looked out of the window and saw 4 Managers watching and 1 maintenance guy cutting I should have guessed it was going to go wrong!

    They are purchasing the locks, ASAP so I'm told. I'll bring in my other locks tomorrow to use until then. Just a PITA!
  • sloppyschleckonds
    sloppyschleckonds Posts: 8,019
    Thought i'd logged into mumsnet or DM website for a minute....
    I'm sorry you don't believe in miracles
  • On_What
    On_What Posts: 516
    you're lucky - anything like where I work and you be replacing them yourself
  • inbike
    inbike Posts: 264
    People have to write "not this leg" on themselves when going in for an amputation.

    Probably a bit optimistic to assume a man with an angle grinder will be more diligent than a surgical team.
  • essex-commuter
    essex-commuter Posts: 2,188
    inbike wrote:
    People have to write "not this leg" on themselves when going in for an amputation.

    Probably a bit optimistic to assume a man with an angle grinder will be more diligent than a surgical team.
    :lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:
  • elbowloh
    elbowloh Posts: 7,078
    inbike wrote:
    People have to write "not this leg" on themselves when going in for an amputation.

    Probably a bit optimistic to assume a man with an angle grinder will be more diligent than a surgical team.
    I have a similar story.

    Broke my right arm when I was about 14 and they had to put 2 pins and wire in. When I went in for an op to remove all this scaffolding, they gave me the anaesthetic and as they we wheeling me in my drowsy state towards theatre, one of the docs asked me to confirm that it was my left arm!

    All the paperwork said left arm. He took out a marker pen and wrote "THIS ONE" on my right arm. Should have been obvious from the 25cm long scar I have on my elbow though, I would have thought.
    Felt F1 2014
    Felt Z6 2012
    Red Arthur Caygill steel frame
    Tall....
    www.seewildlife.co.uk
  • rolf_f
    rolf_f Posts: 16,015
    essex-commuter wrote:
    They are purchasing the locks, ASAP so I'm told. I'll bring in my other locks tomorrow to use until then. Just a PITA!

    I'd just take my bike up in the lift and park it by my desk.
    Faster than a tent.......
  • fenix
    fenix Posts: 5,437
    Brompton. Under the desk. ;-)
  • slowbike
    slowbike Posts: 8,498
    My bike always parks next to my desk - if the front door is open I can ride to my office !
    Helps I've got an office on the ground floor - and an office of my own :)
  • The Rookie
    The Rookie Posts: 27,812
    Just imagine planning to ride in on the Friday and going sick.......

    They should have just attached a label to each lock and those who use one remove it, those with a label still on go....simples - or far to simply for a facilities manager!
    Currently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.
  • essex-commuter
    essex-commuter Posts: 2,188
    The Rookie wrote:
    Just imagine planning to ride in on the Friday and going sick.......

    They should have just attached a label to each lock and those who use one remove it, those with a label still on go....simples - or far to simply for a facilities manager!

    That would need a large number of Managers to co-ordinate that here.
  • wolfsbane2k
    wolfsbane2k Posts: 3,056
    The Rookie wrote:
    Just imagine planning to ride in on the Friday and going sick.......

    They should have just attached a label to each lock and those who use one remove it, those with a label still on go....simples - or far to simply for a facilities manager!


    our work uses a "Allocated Lock" number in heat shrink wire numbering thing on it. Each lock on site has a "approved" # on it, so that if there are issues ( access etc) they know who has the key on a lookup in the security gate.

    Every 3 months they audit locks in use & remove untagged locks. It takes very little to maintain it so works really well.
    Intent on Cycling Commuting on a budget, but keep on breaking/crashing/finding nice stuff to buy.
    Bike 1 (Broken) - Bike 2(Borked) - Bike 3(broken spokes) - Bike 4( Needs Work) - Bike 5 (in bits) - Bike 6* ...
  • essex-commuter
    essex-commuter Posts: 2,188
    3 weeks to the day, no replacement lock. Emailed facilities this morning to ask and they've forwarded my email on to purchasing asking if a purchase order has been raised yet. Oh the joy of bureaucracy!
  • Wrath Rob
    Wrath Rob Posts: 2,918
    essex-commuter wrote:
    3 weeks to the day, no replacement lock. Emailed facilities this morning to ask and they've forwarded my email on to purchasing asking if a purchase order has been raised yet. Oh the joy of bureaucracy!
    Get them to agree in an email they'll cover the cost then simply buy it and expense the locks. If its anything like my place you'll be waiting for an age to get a PO raised, then the wrong locks will be bought, shipped the wrong person who'll then sit on them for an age before asking who they were for...
    FCN3: Titanium Qoroz.
  • essex-commuter
    essex-commuter Posts: 2,188
    Wrath Rob wrote:
    essex-commuter wrote:
    3 weeks to the day, no replacement lock. Emailed facilities this morning to ask and they've forwarded my email on to purchasing asking if a purchase order has been raised yet. Oh the joy of bureaucracy!
    Get them to agree in an email they'll cover the cost then simply buy it and expense the locks. If its anything like my place you'll be waiting for an age to get a PO raised, then the wrong locks will be bought, shipped the wrong person who'll then sit on them for an age before asking who they were for...

    My email was forwarded (I was cc'd) last week to someone, questioning whether my PO had been raised. I didn't see a reply. Emailed again this morning, got a reply saying 'let me chase this up right now'. Still awaiting a reply!
  • sloppyschleckonds
    sloppyschleckonds Posts: 8,019
    Is this shite still going!?
    I'm sorry you don't believe in miracles
  • essex-commuter
    essex-commuter Posts: 2,188
    SloppySchleckonds wrote:
    Is this shite still going!?

    Yep, celebrate with me when it arrives.
  • essex-commuter
    essex-commuter Posts: 2,188
    hallelujah
  • slowbike
    slowbike Posts: 8,498
    PO raised?
  • essex-commuter
    essex-commuter Posts: 2,188
    Slowbike wrote:
    PO raised?

    :lol:

    Lock has landed. 'Apparently' it was ordered 11 days ago from Chain Reaction (I sent them the link to what I wanted). When I order from CR it takes 2 days normally! Probably sat in receiving for 3 days, finance for 3 days, facilities for 3 days....
  • slowbike
    slowbike Posts: 8,498
    great - you've got the lock - but when do you get the key? ;)
  • essex-commuter
    essex-commuter Posts: 2,188
    Slowbike wrote:
    great - you've got the lock - but when do you get the key? ;)

    PO raised
  • cyclingprop
    cyclingprop Posts: 2,426
    essex-commuter wrote:
    Slowbike wrote:
    great - you've got the lock - but when do you get the key? ;)

    PO raised

    And once you've got the key, you can get the secret....

    I'll get my coat
    What do you mean you think 64cm is a big frame?
  • redvee
    redvee Posts: 11,922
    cyclingprop wrote:

    And once you've got the key, you can get the secret....

    I'll get my coat

    Is there a secret urban cookie collective in the office near the biscuit tin?
    I've added a signature to prove it is still possible.

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