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?

But you are not the OP, Viviene . She has sciatica right now and it's really bad. Your situation is not the same so it's not fair to compare them.

My normal commute is under ten minutes so it's a big difference. Just found it that there are roadworks too which are buggering the traffic up.

And I walk 5miles plus each day. GP thinks its a disk problem and I'm waiting for a scan. Sitting all day is the worst thing I can do.

Two nights I'd say. Given the distance and sciatica.

They should pay for your gas and meals too.

My previous employer would put you up if it was a 2 day meeting and the distance was an hour or 60 miles. We would get a room for the overnight stop, but not for one day trips.

You can definitely ask. Failing that look for local hotels and book one yourself if you prefer for the morning.

Google says two hours (and that's with the current light traffic.)

I need to ask, just feel a bit nervous about it.

There's a huge difference between driving 90 miles and an 80 mile public transport commute! The former you have to be switched on and focused, public transport you can (if you get a seat) nap, read, snooze etc- !

Definitely ask OP or if work won't find see if you can get a discounted rate from venue anyway?

I'm going to ask tomorrow as I didn't get chance today.

I can't believe people spend 4-5 hours of their day simply getting to and from work each day.

My current is 30 mins each way, I wouldn't do more than 60mins each, waste of too many precious hours!!

God I know. I try to keep mine under ten minutes. I just can't imagine having to travel that far every day.

For perspective I've just been put on a course which offers accommodation if it's over 50 miles away (it isn't for me) The course lasts 8 weeks! And this is NHS.

Ooh thanks. I don't think I'm physically up to doing all of it in one day at the moment. Planning to ask tomorrow. Big boss left before I could ask today.

Driving 90 miles once in a blue moon is not commuting...

But then again, if you're not up for it you're not up for it and you have every right to ask for a hotel.
You don't have anything to lose.

@userofthiswebsite

"I can't believe people spend 4-5 hours a day simply getting to and from work".

Believe it. This is the world we live in.
My commute is 2 - 2.5 hrs each way, because despite being fortunate enough to have comfortable incomes, my husband and I cannot afford to purchase a house in London!

PS @QuestionableMouse, you are well within your rights to request accommodation, please don't be afraid to do so. I also suffer from sciatica, and Reformer Pilates really helps. Good luck!

Well I asked and got told flatly no. Wasn't even willing to listen to why I was asking so no I'm looking at either leaving my house in the middle of the night or pulling out the money (£90!!) for a room. I've just checked on Google Maps and there are bad roadworks on the A1 that are adding at least an hour onto the trip.

There's a Travelodge fairly close bit it's showing up as fully booked on the night I need.

Oh and it's actually 110 miles, not 90. I had the wrong postcode earlier.

That's obviously disappointing and a little mean OP. So to get there on time, it sounds like you will be doing a 14? hour day with maybe about 5 hours driving? Have you set the 'arrive by' time on google maps to see what time it recommends setting off to more or less guarantee getting there by 8.50 on a Tuesday?

Are you doing the journey by yourself? No-one to car share with?
Have you voiced your concerns with Occupational Health or the Health and Safety Team? Does your employer have a driving at work policy?

That journey would be not allowed according to our driving at work policy, which is generally ignored because it would be impossible to do a lot of our work, but what it does do, is that it gives people 'permission' to stay overnight, either before or after a long day, if they feel they need to.

That’s really crap, op. As a fellow back pain sufferer I would be seriously hacked off. I’d be in agony by the end of that. I’m not sure what you can do though - did you ask the most senior member of staff? Do you have an HR department?

A lot of places are difficult to get to for a 9am start. It would be reasonable to stay the night before.

Definitely don't go on the course if they don't offer accommodation.

Sometimes it's not the number of miles that make a journey onerous but the route you have to travel or the time of day you have to travel.
Can you book(and pay for, since your employers are being tight) a Premier Inn a bit nearer to your venue so your morning commute is just a quick trip rather than a huge slog?
Any HR/Occupational Health dept. at your workplace OP?

You tell them your sorry but you'll not be able to go on the course now

Not unreasonable to ask for a hotel, especially as your train time doesnt get you there until after. I would also make sure you get up and walk around every hour too. Not just for your back but also for circulation and less risk of blood clots.