To not want to do all this in one day?

[QuestionableMouse]

Been booked on a course for work. It's being held 90+ miles away and I have to be there for 9am. Course runs until 6 at which point I'd have to leave and drive home. Its being held in a hotel and I'm thinking about asking my manager if he can book me a room. I have really bad sciatica and I'm worried that it'll be agony from the combined driving and sitting all day. Aibu?

God no I would fully expect accommodation for that distance! We are offered accommodation for far away stuff like that and I only work for the council!

I would be inclined to ask for the night before the conference to ensure you are there on time. You will probably be desperate to get home afterwards.

As a long term back/ sciatica sufferer I’d also mention this and ask for adjustments at the venue such as a more comfortable chair, time to walk and stretch. And a good supply of drugs.

Definitely ask for the night before. That is a perfectly reasonable request.

The fact they haven't offered by default is shocking.

Definitely request it.

Do you have to drive? Could you not use the train?

To me, I'd much rather sleep in my own bed than stay in a hotel and have an extra day impinged on by the trip. 90 miles really isn't that far

Absolutely ask for accommodation for the night before.

The train doesn't arrive until 9:10 and its a 15 min trip from the station to the venue.

My commute is 80 miles each way, I think YABU but if you worried I'd ask for a hotel.

*you're

How long does that commute take you?! Are you at least looking to move closer to work? Every day what a nightmare.

A hotel is reasonable expectation.

They won't start dead on 9 am, though. There'll be coffee etc. See if you can get the train and arrive at 9.30.

@Viviene

My commute is 80 miles each way, I think YABU but if you worried I'd ask for a hotel.

Do you also have really bad sciatica like OP?

How long does it take to get there?

My last employer would only pay for accommodation over a 1 1/2 hour journey time. However I would only stay over night if the commute was over 2 1/2 hours each way. Much prefer my own bed as much as possible! But I guess for those of us who cover U.K wide, a 90 mile drive is a short journey, however I appreciate for others it may seem long.

Definitely ask. Often delegates get a better room rate if staying at a hotel you are also attending a conference at.

Also, do you have an itenerary for the course? Often the first half hour is just registration, coffee etc.

Six o'clock seems quite a late finish too.

I'd hate to have to stay but it depends on your sciatica. Does it usually flare with this activity?
It's not unreasonable to ask.

Are you driving or car pooling? Can you go earlier and break up the journey? How long will it take you? Is it sitting all day, or are you walking around displays or in small groups etc? Are you normally seated all day?

Driving and sitting in crap hotel chairs are the two worst things you can do with sciatica (outside of weight lifting)

I've done one of these courses before (this is the updated version) and it was all sitting going over material. Break for lunch then back to sitting.

It states clearly in the info that you're expected to be there for 8:50 and anyone showing up late won't be admitted so arriving late isn't an option.

Viviene you chose to do that commute. The OP has been booked on a course and has no option.

I would ask for a room the night before.

@ShumpaLumpa I've had sciatica in the past, yes. It went away with exercise.

I think that 90+ miles distance is perfectly drive-able in one day there and back, especially if it is a one - off.

While the employer may choose to provide a hotel room (many do so) it is a nice privilege to have and not the right.

With my previous employer that was the distance between the two offices and no one ever stayed overnight so I find it bizarre that someone would want to do that.

Of course OP may ask for a hotel - you don't ask you don't get. But i personally find it unreasonable.

I would ask for a hotel the night before - presumably they're aware of your condition? Just explain that last time, all the driving/sitting meant you really struggled afterwards. I'm sure they'd be happy to pay for one night if meant you were healthy and good to work afterwards!

This sort of thing is 50/50 whether staying the night before is reasonable.

I regularly travel a couple of hours for a 9 am meeting/conference etc that might go on until 5 or 6 and if I stayed overnight every time, I'd barely be at home. 7 til 7 or 8 isn't really a long day, compared with a lot of my work days.

However, due to your health issues, and the 'if you get there late, we won't let you in' rule, an overnight stay isn't an unreasonable request.

If you don't think your manager will be sympathetic re your sciatica, do you think asking for a room on the basis of the risk of being late if there's an accident will help?

@9amTrain I am not looking to move, no. Many people commute that distance to London. I have the job I love and I live in a very nice part of the world - they just so happen not to be in the same place.
It takes me 2hrs - 2 1/2 hrs depending on the day but I use public transport. With no traffic and car it would be 1 1/2h but 'no traffic' never happens.