to wonder why some people are so pathetic when it comes to their cars and the snow

[Ormirian]

I live 2 miles from work. So I walked. The office is half empty. I can understand that for some of the staff because they live in the back of beyond or miles away and the snow was really bad this morning. But the majority of people working here are locals who drove in against all advice on the radio and in the face of common sense, and then panicked and drove back home again in case they got stranded .

Why can they not get out of their bloody cars and walk! It's perfectly safe underfoot - I walked in OK with a good pair of boots and well-wrapped up.

The factory staff have to work their normal shifts but the office staff have all buggered off when most of them could have found a way of getting in to work safely. I feel ashamed TBH - it's feels as if there's one rule for us and another rule for them.

it was my boss said that about the wimp! he was talking about an ex colleague who wouldnt drive in even the merest hint of snow though.

MsSparkle
I work in an office and didn't mean the term in a derogatory way. I meant that a lot of people rush urgently into work in treachorous conditions even though the nature of their work makes that unnecessary and then strut around trying to make equally hard working but more measured colleagues feel guilty.

Apologies if that didn't come across.

Haven't read the whole thread yet, sorry if someone already pointed this out.

I can drive in the snow, quite confident, but, also have the greatest respect for the road conditions. Have never taken time off due to the weather and leave that bit earlier than normal.

It's safer for me to take the car than walk, I leave when it's dark, come home when it's dark and there has been too many attacks on women in recent wks, it's not safe out there.

MsSparkle there are plenty of jobs that people can leave stuff for a couple of days. Nothing to do with whether or not they are useful in a general sense - not EVERYTHING is drop dead urgent, and most things could be left for a couple of days. A couple of weeks could cause problems, but a couple of days shouldn't be an issue.

The jobs I had in the UK - one was office based but I could do much of it from home, and very little of it was SO urgent that it had to be done that day; the other was manual work but required my clients to turn up as well - if they couldn't make it then there wasn't much point in me doing so!

Which brings me to my original confusion. I genuinly don't get how someone can go to work and it not be nessesary for them to be there? I thought that was the whole point in work, you go because you are payed to do a job.

For those saying they are on top of their work so can take a snow day. Can I ask what would you do then if you did go to work had there been no snow?

True MsS...it should always be vital that you are there. I don't feel secure knowing i'm kind of 'pressurised' into being there on bad weather days..but would feel very INsecure if i was NOT missed..
hmm tricky one, no win i guess

I'm intrigued by these people who take the bus instead of using the car........you do realise that buses can crash just like cars don't you???

There was 2 (I think?) buses that crashed in London during the snow the other week - thankfully night buses so pretty empty and no-one seriously hurt - but really a packed commuted bus crashing 'aint a pretty thought.

And really when you're talking about well below zero temperatures, I'm not really sure what's so clever about spending hours walking in the cold. Yes you may have a decent jacket and good boots. I have great boots, they're fab - but after 1hr walking in the snow in Edinburgh the other week my feet were cold as was my body - despite my many layers and fairly decent jacket (thoght not as decent at the DS's new jackets which cost me an arm and a leg .......I lost them to frost bite [fwnk]).

Yes there are those that struggle in to work, well done to them, but I'm sure that many of those factory workers etc that have been mentioned wouldn't have trekked for hours in the snow to get their if they weren't going to lose money for not going in.

MsSparkle

I have a certain amount of work I have to get through in a 2 month period. If I am in work I do some work, if I can't get in I work extra hard the next day. I would also be able to rely on colleagues to give me a dig out if I couldn't make it in and something needed to be completed that day, and they know they could rely on me as well.

Imo, if you want to use holiday up, fine. But no one should be payed for not being there. No one.

I wonder how many would be making it in if they wouldn't be paid otherwise?

People no longer use their bodies for what they're made for anymore.

DH walks over 3 miles each way to get in when the roads are too icy.

In the dark most often.

Others have walked in from up to 5 miles away.

They wrap up, use ice grips if they feel the need (or old football boots) and wrap up.

No one's not shown up because of the snow.

They're 'ard out here (and also he works with quite a few E. Europeans who don't think anything of very sub-zero temps and lots of snow).

I walk the kids, pulling DD2 in a sledge and with DS on y back and it's steep ass. I'm fat and overweight, too. But needs must.

If i was an employer i certainly wouldnt want to pay anyone for work they hadn't done..why would you..but would want to at least give them the chance to take it as hol or make it up another time if they can't come in. I think that's fair for any employer and employee.

Ms Sparkle

I did take holidays as it happens. But I would hope, if this weather lasts and I show willing to work extra hard the days I'm in, meet all my deadlines etc that my boss wouldn't take such a rigid attitude as you. A bit of flexibility works both ways, you know? What if my boss needs me to give him a dig out some time eg cancel evening plans to stay on out of hours to get an unexpected job done?

I mean it would sort out the ones who genuinly cannot get to work to those who genuinly cannot be arsed to get to work because they are paid anyway.

On the night before dh and my wedding 2 weeks ago, one of his employees rang dh up at 4am, cause that is when the employee starts. He rang up to say his car wouldn't start so dh went and got him and took him to work. If staff ever couldn't get in, dh is always willing to pick them up if they are stuck.

Obviously he can do this because the staff only live 6-10 miles away.

Am I a snow martyr to walk five miles in the snow to get food for my children then?

We are genuinely cut off when it snows, sometimes without power. We have some food in but we've been in the house for five days, and things are running out.

I don't blame anyone. It's up to everyone to make plans and do what they can and help where they can, be that by going to work if they can, to helping others who are in desperate need.

And to be clear on this, the lorry drivers, the staff working in food shops, emergency and healthcare workers ARE all necessary to the rest of us and I appreciate their efforts even if some of you miserable buggers don't.

I couldnt get into work for two days because my childcare (who is 75) couldn't get to my house through the snow, I live within walking distance and it wouldn't have been a problem, someone else lives within walking distance but fell and broke her ankle, everyone's circumstances are different.

I agree Fanjo. Also, the distance from work isn't the only factor. Some areas and estates get it worse than other areas. For instance, the buses often don't run up anywhere near our road in bad snow because it's quite hilly so it can be really difficult to get out, even if you only work 3-4 miles away.

Pretty much no one is paid to stay at home in the snow. You take it as annual leave (or unpaid leave if you've run out of A/L). I don't know why people then consider it slacking - this is leave you are entitled to and would be taking at somepoint anyway. No one is asking for a extra paid day off.

With sick pay, if employers didn't pay out for the first 3 days then payed ssp or the equivalant of, you would be amazed at how 'sick' people really are.

Now you see, I've never got that argument. I'm a drag-yourself-in-anyway kind of girl. But I've never taken more than 3 days off sick. But I have taken 3 for both tonsilitis and for violent food poisoning - both of which I'd argue no-one could / should work through

In many ways I would prefer it if you didn't get paid for the first days of s/l or if you were off because of snow.

I am a real push myself in by whatever means necessary because I do not want anyone under any circumstance to consider that I am a slacker or am trying to take advantage of the company. If however I was not paid, then it would be easier to make that call (disclaimer mine is the second income so we could afford it).

Amazingly though DH has said that all the contractors ( don't get paid if they don't turn up) have been working min 7 hour days whereas permanent staff either haven't turned up or have left very early. Personally I think there should be some give and take, at our place as long as you got in it didn't matter what time in the morning and we were asked to leave by 4pm so we weren't travelling in the worst conditions.