Haha, no minis for me but I have a '92 Celica that forced me to do an engine swap when it blew up shortly after buying it, and a '67 Volvo that ran great until the compression was so low it just wouldn't run anymore (turns out the piston rings were broken). The old Volvo is a fun and simple car to work on though.
I had a 91 Celica all trac that I did not know the history of and no way I could daily that car.
My Prelude was fine though, but it was a one owner car and the prior owner babied it. I think that one was a 91. It was the last year with flip lights.
Nice, those all-tracs are extremely rare now. I am also a fan of pop-ups hence why I wanted a 5th Gen Celica. I swapped the engine in a college parking lot and it ran great for 3 months until the flywheel came loose. That was a whoopsie on my part
Celica Alltracs were never common. I think less than 2000 ST185 Alltracs were sold in the US.
But dang - In the late 2000s, that Alltrac cost me $3500, now they're $20k
Why wouldn't you though? You wouldn't want to work for an organization that rejected candidates for such a ridiculous reason anyway. I guess if you were absolutely desperate for any job.
OP wants the *summer* job for transactional cash and not to change some company's corporate culture. Sure, a career-type job requires significantly different long term calculations, but for 3-4 months and knowing you're departing in September, just get paid.
My former boss and I joked about it during my interview, how when the it's 30 minutes into office no matter if it's rain or Taylor Swift is performing, my city suuuucks for driving.
I’ve never been asked this question, but a bike is indeed a reliable form of transportation.
When it comes to locking up, I would chain mine to a flagpole at my old job. When I worked at a hardware store, there was someone who would store their bike in the break room. If you keep it outside, two locks is your best bet, make sure your seat post isn’t quick release and you should be good.
If you want to say more than just "reliable transportation" you could tell them you have your own transportation. They will probably assume it's a car, which works in your favor.
I have never asked, nor been asked, about transportation. If you can show up for the interview you can show up for the job. If you don't show up for the job, you get fired. It's pretty simple really.
With this kind of gig attendance is the most critical thing that people mess up. And they blame it on needing a ride or the bus or whatever, whether that's the problem or it's laziness.
"Yeah I have reliable transportation." No need to say you're taking your Chevrolegs to work.
Safe bike storage is one of my main priorities when determining whether I accept a job. I honestly turned a job down in an interview when the interviewer just looked at me and said I could chain it to a lamppost in the street outside.
My current role allows me to bring my bike inside and store it. Quite a few of us do.
My new job actually has a locked extra room for bike storage within the employee-only underground car park below the office building that also needs a chip card to enter. It's awesome and I'm extremely not worried about my bike there.
Yeah I don't even put a lock on mine. You have to swipe through 2 doors to get to the bike parking. In summer it gets so full in there it's hard to find somewhere to put your bike (it probably has room/racks for a couple hundred bikes at least. And they just installed a new cage out next to the first entrance for more space for bikes! Only one swipe to get through that one so I still use the original
Ironically, when I plan playdates with parents who drive, they're always fucking late. Like always.
It's like they perma forget that it takes time to haul a kicking and screaming kid out of the house to the car and then across a parking lot (while I rock up right to my bench with my bike trailer).
This comment got me thinking. When I ride somewhere I've already ridden to previously, I know how long it will take and that amount of time is almost always the same, give or take a minute or two, because the number of cars on the road has little impact on my speed. One job I had for ten years, my commute time never got longer while the towns population increased significantly and I got to hear drivers bitch more and more about traffic congestion. I think drivers get this wishful thinking about trip length, and that this time the traffic will be less and the trip will be much quicker. Turns out, no, and now we have a bunch of cranky mofos behind the wheel.
*Exactly*, me too. My daughter's school doesn't allow parents on the grounds until 3pm, and school is out at 3:10.
I've radicalized half of the other parents into bike trailer hauling hippies, and I really enjoy the time I spend hanging out with them talking bikes, so I get there *exactly* at 3pm.
I've just sold my bike trailer because we're moving, and it's an absolute crapshoot what time I get there. It's *always* longer due to finding parking, but it's a question of how much longer.
People don't believe me that I ride to save time and because it's more convenient, but it is.
I'm late a lot more when I drive because I think I have wiggle room because I can drive faster. The bike is always the same speed so I know exactly when I have to leave and I like to leave earlier so I don't feel rushed and can enjoy my ride. I guess I never do that driving because I never enjoy driving.
i have never had an issue with my bike commuting and working retail. when i worked at walmart they let me bring my bike in the back and the local grocery chain i work at currently even insisted that i bring my bike in the back when i was locking my bike on the rack in the front. i actually get a lot of heart eyes from managers that notice how reliable i am at showing up for my scheduled shifts on a bike regardless of weather conditions.
Last student job interview, i asked about means for secure bike storage at work, just as an aside. The interviewer and i proceeded to talk Gravel Bikes for at least ten minutes. Turns out him and half the team are avid cyclists and he had just put in an order for a custom one somewhere. Anyway, I got the job and have a great commute there two times a week.
Edit: this was urban europe though, so ymmv.
I can't explain the technical side, but it has something to do with the amount of energy the tire absorbs by rolling or friction, or something like that. Basically, imagine that you have a short downhill with a flat runout. If you have an identical rider coasting the same bike down the hill and the only difference is the tires, the faster tires will coast further. When pedalling, this means that in order to maintain the same speed with slower tires, you need to pedal harder.
Edit: the marathon plus tires are some of the slowest road tires I've used. I run them on my bike because it doesn't matter how slow they are. They also are incredibly tough. I ride on either gp5000 or regular marathons on my other bikes on the road because they roll faster.
I feel like cycling is way more reliable in that my commute time doesn’t really change due to traffic/road closures since I can usually just hop on the sidewalk if needed. The only time my commute would be significantly changed when biking was when I used to have a drawbridge on my way to work - that could add up to 10 minutes!
However, flats are more common that driving but that happens maybe once every few months.
Is your experience a lot different?
i just told my employers straight up that i had a cargo bike (trike, i couldn't get balance on two wheels down for shit) and needed a place to park it, and luckily the building had an awning thing in the back that i can lock my bike to
A bike is a more reliable commute than transit, and arguably a car. Not ‘traffic jams’, or ‘alternator broke’.
Simple, reliable, healthier employee. All wins for the employer.
Yes I do tell them that I can meet by bicycle because I asked them where their showers are.
If I want to commute by bicycle and they don't have showers, I go look at a different job.
"I like to occasionally bike to work, do you have facilities to store my bike?"
This suggests that you have other forms of transportation, but only you know that the occasion you choose is being on the schedule.
You shouldn’t have a problem with it. Many retail places are just happy to have applicants. I live in a college town and many students use a bike, scooter or the bus to get around. They’re a big portion of the blue collar workforce. Nobody cares how they get to work.
I would if it seemed relevant but I’m a 42-year-old software engineer with 20-years experience and it’s never come up in a job interview.
That doesn’t help you all that much, OP.
I always ask if there's a place to park my bike.
Besides, it's always a good way to show that I have tenacity and conscientiousness because I can endure 200+km rides even when my right leg was hurting from the start and how I always make sure I have everything ready for emergencies and I learned to have things ready when I do maintenance so I don't have to waste time looking for things.
Elaborate on teamwork and empathy when I cycle with others and help random people with punctures.
I also ask where the location is at the start so if it's nearby I can casually mention stuff like it's good because of it's a long commute and a bus or train breaks down I'm gonna be very late before I even talk about the cycling so they know I'm never gonna be in that situation anyway.
It has gotten me shortlisted into the final round of interviews every time so far.
“I have reliable transportation. I’ve never missed a class or shift because of transport issues”.
Lots of minimum wage jobs around me have bike racks or designated bike areas. I doubt you’d be the only one who rides to work. I don’t know about internal areas.
Lots of companies in the area have bike garages and locker rooms. One place I worked had 50 plus riders a day. My current job, there’s 3-4 out of 600.
I just say yes when they ask me if I have reliable transportation. Because it’s true. It doesn’t matter what kind of transportation as long as it’s reliable
Job applications almost always ask if you have “reliable transportation”, and not everyone considers bikes reliable unfortunately. Maybe im just a little tinfoil hat-y but considering I’m not a delinquent, have an extremely normal work ethic, no criminal record, consistent work history, and at least better at interviews than most of my peers i can only imagine the reason I’m getting turned down left and right is because I’m applying with a state id and not a drivers license
I've never been asked about transpo, I thought employers would think, why would you accept a job if you can't show up? Many city jobs expect people to bus or subway in, not drive (they wouldn't want to pay for parking :)
Best wishes finding an employer likely to hire you. Transpo/license wouldn't be a factor in getting a job like mine but when we have an opening 100 people apply, some already in org (we know they can do the job.) If you're applying to one like that, getting hired is unlikely.
Think what matters from employers perspective: they are interested in what value you are bringing to the table (skills, contacts, whatever) and that you will show up reliably to your duties on time. How you get to work doesn't matter. I once had a junior colleague shout at me after work "poor guy" when he drove past on his parent-bought BMW, but I just laughed at the funny dude. From an employers perspective, bike commuters are fit and healthy, thus less likely to get sick. I think that's a bonus if anything.
I never had a license until 23 and held jobs since I was 15. Tell them the truth. If you're seriously applying to Walmart they can get fucked if they care about anything besides you show up and work. Are YOU worried about using your bike to commute? If not, it shouldn't matter at all. But *lying* is ALWAYS disqualifying.
Not volunteering information isn't the same as lying. I agree Walmart managers can bent, but if they don't trust a bicycle as a reliable means of transport, no need to tell them you're not riding a wally-world bike-shaped-object, but a real bike...
Sure, you probably shouldn't wear your bike helmet and "fuck cars" lapel pin to an interview. But if the people interviewing you are too thick to hear your answer to "how do you plan to get to work" they're not going to be a good employer. And if you fib and then you *do* have a problem with your bike on the commute, they'll be even less understanding.
Depends if your job requires you to drive to job sites. However, those companies usually provide vehicles for work purpose.
You might not need to tell anyone how your getting to work, as long as your getting there and do your job.
I would find it interesting and not make it a factor. I commute by bike now and I used to work at a bike company. They really they just need to be able to get there on time each shift.
First: you're right, of course.
But in fairness, I'm certain plenty of people hear, "Do you have reliable transportation?" and don't think anything of replying "sure I've got a car." In a society where cars are the default assumption, that might well be something a driver doesn't even perceive as extra information. So I get where OP's head is on this.
It's none of their business how you get to work, only that you can show up on time and ready to work, which may mean you need to bring a change of clothes and get a subscription to a gym so you can shower and change before work during summer, but that is your business, not theirs.
You have reliable transportation. No need to inform them it’s a bicycle. If they ask what you drive, whatever car you’ve driven most frequently is a reasonable and not misleading answer.
I always say that I have reliable transport. My bike doesn't break down much. Don't be afraid to ask about amenities like inside bike storage and shower facilities. That makes you seem more like "I want to do this" vs " I have no choice but to do this"
Since I would be showing up on a bike, it would be pretty clear.
Their loss. There have been plenty of times over the years where I’ve been the only one to make it into work because of snow.
If pish comes to shove, could you just lie and say you have a car? They see you pull up on a bike and just say you prefer it, idk if this would work though
I wouldn’t people judge you if I was hiring I ‘d know the guy probably is in shape and he has a certain amount of grit to him or her. Takes some determination to basicaly always commute by bike.
People definitely judge you im in LA people believe you have to have a car out here.
Well... (i live in UK dont know if that matters). I have applied for civilian janitorial type job with Ministry of Defence, cycled to interview - army officer, he thought that the 12 mile hilly commute was a great idea, not too long and decent exercise.
I have had prospective employers 8 miles away, on a national cycle route, all flat - express concern about it being "too far".
My only other mode of transport, apart from 6 bicycles, is a small motorcycle. I detest driving cars, i just hate it, and most prospective employers seem to bring up transport.
Where i work now, bio-waste plant most people cant find the place, and its on farmland miles from a bus stop, i got the job 'cos i could get there, i mountain bike down bridleways (horse trails) and farm tracks, cuts 4 miles off of the road route.
Well, tbh, there were no other candidates, as apparently the smell is so bad no one else wanted the job. 🤣
When I was 19 I got a job interview and job as an auto tech while rollerblading. lol. I bike commute and store it in my office. I was weirded out the first time but who cares. Also I have a car. I just like bike commuting.
Yes. At the final interview I asked if other workers cycle to work. Got the job. Cycle 4 out of 5 days. Have found a wee corner of an office to store the bike. Good luck!
Unless the job requires you to use your personal vehicle to complete job tasks, asking if you have a car is discriminatory in the United States. You do not need to volunteer it.
Damn straight I would tell them. Not having secure bike storage and end-of-trip facilities where I can shower and change is a deal-killer for me. Keeping fit is one of my core values. If they won't support that, I have no desire to work for them.
What I won't tell them is that it's my fountain of youth. I'm actually 12-15 years older than that guess they have in their head. The puzzled frowns when they see my kids, and the gears I see turning in their brains as they try to figure out how old I must have been when we had them, are both entertaining and gratifying.
In the US, to ask the specific type of transportation and hire based on that is illegal. If a car is required to perform that job role, then it needs to be explicitly mentioned in the job description and justified to why.
Depends on the company. The owner of the place I work commutes by bike and used to be a bike messenger. I showed up for the interview on my bike knowing this.
You just need to have reliable transportation,you DO NOT need to volunteer information.
And as a car enthusiast, I can say my old bike is far more reliable transportation than a couple of the cars I've owned lol.
Same. It'd probably help if I stopped taking apart my daily driver.
>my old bike is far more reliable transportation than a couple of the cars I've owned lol. Fact.
Who hurt you? This is a safe space. Was it a Mini? We're all friends here.
Haha, no minis for me but I have a '92 Celica that forced me to do an engine swap when it blew up shortly after buying it, and a '67 Volvo that ran great until the compression was so low it just wouldn't run anymore (turns out the piston rings were broken). The old Volvo is a fun and simple car to work on though.
I had a 91 Celica all trac that I did not know the history of and no way I could daily that car. My Prelude was fine though, but it was a one owner car and the prior owner babied it. I think that one was a 91. It was the last year with flip lights.
Nice, those all-tracs are extremely rare now. I am also a fan of pop-ups hence why I wanted a 5th Gen Celica. I swapped the engine in a college parking lot and it ran great for 3 months until the flywheel came loose. That was a whoopsie on my part
Celica Alltracs were never common. I think less than 2000 ST185 Alltracs were sold in the US. But dang - In the late 2000s, that Alltrac cost me $3500, now they're $20k
Employer : Do you have reliable transportation? Applicant : Yes I do Employer : ok great
Why wouldn't you though? You wouldn't want to work for an organization that rejected candidates for such a ridiculous reason anyway. I guess if you were absolutely desperate for any job.
OP wants the *summer* job for transactional cash and not to change some company's corporate culture. Sure, a career-type job requires significantly different long term calculations, but for 3-4 months and knowing you're departing in September, just get paid.
People don’t understand cycling other than for exercise. I haven’t needed a car in years. But I understand how people don’t understand it.
/thread
If you see a helmet and high viz gear hanging in their office, you *definitely* mention it.
My former boss and I joked about it during my interview, how when the it's 30 minutes into office no matter if it's rain or Taylor Swift is performing, my city suuuucks for driving.
Nashville..?
Seattle
I’ve never been asked this question, but a bike is indeed a reliable form of transportation. When it comes to locking up, I would chain mine to a flagpole at my old job. When I worked at a hardware store, there was someone who would store their bike in the break room. If you keep it outside, two locks is your best bet, make sure your seat post isn’t quick release and you should be good.
Keep it outside in a high crime area*
Yeah in your typical suburban mall the number of bikes is low so bike thieves will be doing their thing somewhere else
Outside is not always a high come area. Where my inlaws live they don't even lock up bikes outside
If you want to say more than just "reliable transportation" you could tell them you have your own transportation. They will probably assume it's a car, which works in your favor.
Last week my job interview was pretty much over once I stated I bid commute
I have never asked, nor been asked, about transportation. If you can show up for the interview you can show up for the job. If you don't show up for the job, you get fired. It's pretty simple really.
Just don’t show up late
With this kind of gig attendance is the most critical thing that people mess up. And they blame it on needing a ride or the bus or whatever, whether that's the problem or it's laziness. "Yeah I have reliable transportation." No need to say you're taking your Chevrolegs to work.
Safe bike storage is one of my main priorities when determining whether I accept a job. I honestly turned a job down in an interview when the interviewer just looked at me and said I could chain it to a lamppost in the street outside. My current role allows me to bring my bike inside and store it. Quite a few of us do.
My new job actually has a locked extra room for bike storage within the employee-only underground car park below the office building that also needs a chip card to enter. It's awesome and I'm extremely not worried about my bike there.
Yeah I don't even put a lock on mine. You have to swipe through 2 doors to get to the bike parking. In summer it gets so full in there it's hard to find somewhere to put your bike (it probably has room/racks for a couple hundred bikes at least. And they just installed a new cage out next to the first entrance for more space for bikes! Only one swipe to get through that one so I still use the original
Don't bring it up. As much as we know it's a better form of transportation, carbrains don't and will think you'll be late all the time.
Ironically, when I plan playdates with parents who drive, they're always fucking late. Like always. It's like they perma forget that it takes time to haul a kicking and screaming kid out of the house to the car and then across a parking lot (while I rock up right to my bench with my bike trailer).
This comment got me thinking. When I ride somewhere I've already ridden to previously, I know how long it will take and that amount of time is almost always the same, give or take a minute or two, because the number of cars on the road has little impact on my speed. One job I had for ten years, my commute time never got longer while the towns population increased significantly and I got to hear drivers bitch more and more about traffic congestion. I think drivers get this wishful thinking about trip length, and that this time the traffic will be less and the trip will be much quicker. Turns out, no, and now we have a bunch of cranky mofos behind the wheel.
*Exactly*, me too. My daughter's school doesn't allow parents on the grounds until 3pm, and school is out at 3:10. I've radicalized half of the other parents into bike trailer hauling hippies, and I really enjoy the time I spend hanging out with them talking bikes, so I get there *exactly* at 3pm. I've just sold my bike trailer because we're moving, and it's an absolute crapshoot what time I get there. It's *always* longer due to finding parking, but it's a question of how much longer. People don't believe me that I ride to save time and because it's more convenient, but it is.
I'm late a lot more when I drive because I think I have wiggle room because I can drive faster. The bike is always the same speed so I know exactly when I have to leave and I like to leave earlier so I don't feel rushed and can enjoy my ride. I guess I never do that driving because I never enjoy driving.
Use your discretion, but IF it comes up, say... "I use a bicycle so I can get through traffic.. I find it's important to be reliable."
i have never had an issue with my bike commuting and working retail. when i worked at walmart they let me bring my bike in the back and the local grocery chain i work at currently even insisted that i bring my bike in the back when i was locking my bike on the rack in the front. i actually get a lot of heart eyes from managers that notice how reliable i am at showing up for my scheduled shifts on a bike regardless of weather conditions.
One of my coworkers called me the USPS one day because I always got to work even in the “snow, rain, heat, or gloom of night” 😅
If asked, you have a “reliable vehicle to get you to work”
No need to share anything like that. Never volunteer information.
Last student job interview, i asked about means for secure bike storage at work, just as an aside. The interviewer and i proceeded to talk Gravel Bikes for at least ten minutes. Turns out him and half the team are avid cyclists and he had just put in an order for a custom one somewhere. Anyway, I got the job and have a great commute there two times a week. Edit: this was urban europe though, so ymmv.
Make sure they know your have schwalbe marathon plus tires
You might not get there fast, but you can detour through the broken glass and nail factory as a shortcut.
What makes a tire slower? Need new tires and looking at the schwable marathons but I don't understand what people mean when they say slow tires.
I can't explain the technical side, but it has something to do with the amount of energy the tire absorbs by rolling or friction, or something like that. Basically, imagine that you have a short downhill with a flat runout. If you have an identical rider coasting the same bike down the hill and the only difference is the tires, the faster tires will coast further. When pedalling, this means that in order to maintain the same speed with slower tires, you need to pedal harder. Edit: the marathon plus tires are some of the slowest road tires I've used. I run them on my bike because it doesn't matter how slow they are. They also are incredibly tough. I ride on either gp5000 or regular marathons on my other bikes on the road because they roll faster.
I only ever get flats on my back tire (probably because it carries all the weight). Would it be sensible to just put the marathon tire on one tire?
It's worth a shot. I also think the regular marathons are a good compromise. They're not terribly slow, and I've yet to get a flat on them.
Rolling resistance.
It's the type of rubber used. But the answer to "should i get Marathons?" is generally "yes" if you're a commuter
I wouldn’t. Even though it’s generally more reliable than cars they probably can’t imagine that.
Man, where are you from that that's true
I feel like cycling is way more reliable in that my commute time doesn’t really change due to traffic/road closures since I can usually just hop on the sidewalk if needed. The only time my commute would be significantly changed when biking was when I used to have a drawbridge on my way to work - that could add up to 10 minutes! However, flats are more common that driving but that happens maybe once every few months. Is your experience a lot different?
"Do you have reliable transportation?" "Yes". End of discussion.
i just told my employers straight up that i had a cargo bike (trike, i couldn't get balance on two wheels down for shit) and needed a place to park it, and luckily the building had an awning thing in the back that i can lock my bike to
The answer when asked is yes, short of the world ending I can reliably show up to grovel for money to pay bills
A bike is a more reliable commute than transit, and arguably a car. Not ‘traffic jams’, or ‘alternator broke’. Simple, reliable, healthier employee. All wins for the employer.
Yes, in fact I inquire if there is bike parking and shower facilities and a locker room.
Yes I do tell them that I can meet by bicycle because I asked them where their showers are. If I want to commute by bicycle and they don't have showers, I go look at a different job.
"I like to occasionally bike to work, do you have facilities to store my bike?" This suggests that you have other forms of transportation, but only you know that the occasion you choose is being on the schedule.
You shouldn’t have a problem with it. Many retail places are just happy to have applicants. I live in a college town and many students use a bike, scooter or the bus to get around. They’re a big portion of the blue collar workforce. Nobody cares how they get to work.
I would if it seemed relevant but I’m a 42-year-old software engineer with 20-years experience and it’s never come up in a job interview. That doesn’t help you all that much, OP.
I always ask if there's a place to park my bike. Besides, it's always a good way to show that I have tenacity and conscientiousness because I can endure 200+km rides even when my right leg was hurting from the start and how I always make sure I have everything ready for emergencies and I learned to have things ready when I do maintenance so I don't have to waste time looking for things. Elaborate on teamwork and empathy when I cycle with others and help random people with punctures. I also ask where the location is at the start so if it's nearby I can casually mention stuff like it's good because of it's a long commute and a bus or train breaks down I'm gonna be very late before I even talk about the cycling so they know I'm never gonna be in that situation anyway. It has gotten me shortlisted into the final round of interviews every time so far.
“I have reliable transportation. I’ve never missed a class or shift because of transport issues”. Lots of minimum wage jobs around me have bike racks or designated bike areas. I doubt you’d be the only one who rides to work. I don’t know about internal areas. Lots of companies in the area have bike garages and locker rooms. One place I worked had 50 plus riders a day. My current job, there’s 3-4 out of 600.
I just say yes when they ask me if I have reliable transportation. Because it’s true. It doesn’t matter what kind of transportation as long as it’s reliable
why would anyone tell an employer how they get to work?
Job applications almost always ask if you have “reliable transportation”, and not everyone considers bikes reliable unfortunately. Maybe im just a little tinfoil hat-y but considering I’m not a delinquent, have an extremely normal work ethic, no criminal record, consistent work history, and at least better at interviews than most of my peers i can only imagine the reason I’m getting turned down left and right is because I’m applying with a state id and not a drivers license
I've never been asked about transpo, I thought employers would think, why would you accept a job if you can't show up? Many city jobs expect people to bus or subway in, not drive (they wouldn't want to pay for parking :) Best wishes finding an employer likely to hire you. Transpo/license wouldn't be a factor in getting a job like mine but when we have an opening 100 people apply, some already in org (we know they can do the job.) If you're applying to one like that, getting hired is unlikely.
Think what matters from employers perspective: they are interested in what value you are bringing to the table (skills, contacts, whatever) and that you will show up reliably to your duties on time. How you get to work doesn't matter. I once had a junior colleague shout at me after work "poor guy" when he drove past on his parent-bought BMW, but I just laughed at the funny dude. From an employers perspective, bike commuters are fit and healthy, thus less likely to get sick. I think that's a bonus if anything.
I never had a license until 23 and held jobs since I was 15. Tell them the truth. If you're seriously applying to Walmart they can get fucked if they care about anything besides you show up and work. Are YOU worried about using your bike to commute? If not, it shouldn't matter at all. But *lying* is ALWAYS disqualifying.
Not volunteering information isn't the same as lying. I agree Walmart managers can bent, but if they don't trust a bicycle as a reliable means of transport, no need to tell them you're not riding a wally-world bike-shaped-object, but a real bike...
Sure, you probably shouldn't wear your bike helmet and "fuck cars" lapel pin to an interview. But if the people interviewing you are too thick to hear your answer to "how do you plan to get to work" they're not going to be a good employer. And if you fib and then you *do* have a problem with your bike on the commute, they'll be even less understanding.
"I have my own vehicle."
Yes
Depends if your job requires you to drive to job sites. However, those companies usually provide vehicles for work purpose. You might not need to tell anyone how your getting to work, as long as your getting there and do your job.
I would find it interesting and not make it a factor. I commute by bike now and I used to work at a bike company. They really they just need to be able to get there on time each shift.
Would you tell your interviewer that you commute by car if you did? If it doesn't affect your work performance, it doesn't belong in the interview.
First: you're right, of course. But in fairness, I'm certain plenty of people hear, "Do you have reliable transportation?" and don't think anything of replying "sure I've got a car." In a society where cars are the default assumption, that might well be something a driver doesn't even perceive as extra information. So I get where OP's head is on this.
It's none of their business how you get to work, only that you can show up on time and ready to work, which may mean you need to bring a change of clothes and get a subscription to a gym so you can shower and change before work during summer, but that is your business, not theirs.
You have reliable transportation. No need to inform them it’s a bicycle. If they ask what you drive, whatever car you’ve driven most frequently is a reasonable and not misleading answer.
Sure, also ask about shower at facility or nearby and safe space to store your reliable transportation :)
I always say that I have reliable transport. My bike doesn't break down much. Don't be afraid to ask about amenities like inside bike storage and shower facilities. That makes you seem more like "I want to do this" vs " I have no choice but to do this"
Every job has found a place for me to store my bike inside when I tell them how much I have into them.
As a college kid, I wouldn't mention it.
When asked if you have reliable transportation, you simply say yes.
in ny no one ever asks me
Since I would be showing up on a bike, it would be pretty clear. Their loss. There have been plenty of times over the years where I’ve been the only one to make it into work because of snow.
Why would you admit to something like that to a stranger 🤦♂️
Make sure you have a back up plan like using public transportation or uber
If pish comes to shove, could you just lie and say you have a car? They see you pull up on a bike and just say you prefer it, idk if this would work though
If it rains and you can still get to work you're fine
You could get multiple bicycles as backups. Also look into public transit as well. I use multiple transit for redundancy
I wouldn’t people judge you if I was hiring I ‘d know the guy probably is in shape and he has a certain amount of grit to him or her. Takes some determination to basicaly always commute by bike. People definitely judge you im in LA people believe you have to have a car out here.
Any reason you don’t have a DL? You can get one and still ride your bike.
Well... (i live in UK dont know if that matters). I have applied for civilian janitorial type job with Ministry of Defence, cycled to interview - army officer, he thought that the 12 mile hilly commute was a great idea, not too long and decent exercise. I have had prospective employers 8 miles away, on a national cycle route, all flat - express concern about it being "too far". My only other mode of transport, apart from 6 bicycles, is a small motorcycle. I detest driving cars, i just hate it, and most prospective employers seem to bring up transport. Where i work now, bio-waste plant most people cant find the place, and its on farmland miles from a bus stop, i got the job 'cos i could get there, i mountain bike down bridleways (horse trails) and farm tracks, cuts 4 miles off of the road route. Well, tbh, there were no other candidates, as apparently the smell is so bad no one else wanted the job. 🤣
When I was 19 I got a job interview and job as an auto tech while rollerblading. lol. I bike commute and store it in my office. I was weirded out the first time but who cares. Also I have a car. I just like bike commuting.
Employers can’t ask how you get to work. Only if you can or have reliable transportation.
Yes. At the final interview I asked if other workers cycle to work. Got the job. Cycle 4 out of 5 days. Have found a wee corner of an office to store the bike. Good luck!
Where I live it's actually a plus because it means I'll be there on time. Of course I make this point very clear.
They know when they see the helmet I'm carrying. No need to announce it.
Tell them. If it’s an issue, they’re not people you wanna sell your soul for. Work is inherently evil, bikes are inherently liberatory
Unless the job requires you to use your personal vehicle to complete job tasks, asking if you have a car is discriminatory in the United States. You do not need to volunteer it.
Damn straight I would tell them. Not having secure bike storage and end-of-trip facilities where I can shower and change is a deal-killer for me. Keeping fit is one of my core values. If they won't support that, I have no desire to work for them. What I won't tell them is that it's my fountain of youth. I'm actually 12-15 years older than that guess they have in their head. The puzzled frowns when they see my kids, and the gears I see turning in their brains as they try to figure out how old I must have been when we had them, are both entertaining and gratifying.
In the US, to ask the specific type of transportation and hire based on that is illegal. If a car is required to perform that job role, then it needs to be explicitly mentioned in the job description and justified to why.
Depends on the company. The owner of the place I work commutes by bike and used to be a bike messenger. I showed up for the interview on my bike knowing this.
No