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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to be annoyed at being the only person who made it to work?

45 replies

PurpleLeaves2 · 01/02/2019 19:49

As most of us know, it snowed last night. Not very deep (where I am), and it was all gone by about 9am due to the rain.

I drove the 25 mile trip to work as normal, I was expecting ice and bad conditions but it was fine. But I was the only one who came in, yet I live furthest away. Even colleagues who live a couple of miles away didn't come in.

AIBU to be annoyed about this? Our boss has said he wants people to always try and get in if they can, even if they have to arrive slightly later. I got up earlier, de-iced my car, and made it in to sit in an empty office but no one else could be bothered. If I'd known, I would have had a lie in for an hour and worked at home too.

OP posts:
Tumbleweed101 · 01/02/2019 20:38

Aside from the people who are in walking distance, sadly I now have the easiest journey to work in snow despite the fact I hate driving in it (gritted main road route). I don’t think I could easily get away without making it in unless really, really bad 😬.

OnBail · 01/02/2019 20:42

It is the other way where I work. Everyone in my office who has to commute is allowed to leave early if it snows and work from home and then work from home the next day. Us “locals” are expected to make it in and work as normal because we don’t have to defrost the car, drive on icy un gritted roads etc, oh no we just fucking teleport.

It is a 15 minute journey for me and around 30 minutes for the others on main roads.

They all trotted off at lunch time last week as it started to snow, it didn’t even stick and by 5 there was no snow. But stayed off the next day “just in case”

stinkypoo · 01/02/2019 20:45

It does depend on the side roads though, I live up a hill which is a nightmare but the main road is clear.
I can work from home though, so I do but then feel guilty about my team who can't.
The first year I experienced bad snow making it difficult to get in (the office was at the back end of a town high in the hills at that point so limited public transport and the main road up to the town was notoriously bad in the snow. I instigated and implemented an adverse weather policy to make it fair cross all staff, if you can't get in, you make the time up, take leave or have it unpaid - to appreciate the people who do make the effort.

I

combatbarbie · 01/02/2019 21:31

We had this last year. I am one of the furthest away and got in but have a SUV. only 1 or 2 locals made it in.... we were told to go home an hour later.... everyone else that lived within 3 miles (majority) had a days leave taken. A civil servant is expected to walk if they cannot drive 3 miles..... the roads were fine BTW, it was just getting out the streets.

arethereanyleftatall · 01/02/2019 22:03

Distance is irrelevant. 30 miles down the M1 on the flat. No problem. 50metres on a steep ungritted road, followed by 3 miles on the M1, problem.

Polarbearflavour · 01/02/2019 22:12

Maybe you should care less about work?

Tunnocks34 · 01/02/2019 22:16

I got to work, set up my classroom for form to have the care takers come and tell me the school wasn’t opening as we had parents complaining about the snow and refusing to send their children in, staff unable to get in and the site staff couldn’t clear the snow and ice to a safe level for pupils according to some regulations or whatever. I drive down the motorway so the snow is gritted and cleared but many staff and pupils like in hilly, and country areas and are travelling down roads which will be in salted and dangerous to travel on.

I went home and watched series one of the good doctor with a cup of tea.

MeredithGrey1 · 01/02/2019 22:20

What do you do? Does it matter if people aren’t there? I work in IT and everyone in the team works pretty much on their own projects so I took annual leave today knowing that the only consequence is me having to work more next week. I chose that over driving in the ice. If people not being in leaves you more to do, I understand your annoyance, but otherwise, who cares.

Polarbearflavour · 01/02/2019 22:32

If you are a brain surgeon or a job of that ilk sure. If you have a normal office job does it really matter? Is anybody going to die?

Next time don’t be a martyr and stay at home.

thecatsthecats · 01/02/2019 23:22

I closed our office twice last year during the snows. I shut it at lunchtime today due to a powercut (still ongoing).

We all merrily buggered off to enjoy our afternoons. Because life's too short.

Gomyownway · 01/02/2019 23:32

I only live about 5 miles away from work, but on Wednesday when it snowed here, it took my 45 minutes to even travel a mile down the road. Called my manager who said it was more efficient for me to turn back (other way was clear) and work from home, instead of potentially sitting in traffic for another three hours.

Sometimes it’s not always about the distance away or how bad the snow is. People seem to act nuts over a couple of inches.

Hotterthanahotthing · 01/02/2019 23:35

I've had the not being believed that snow can be bad where I am.Smart phones have solved that as I can now send a picture.We have to take unpaid leave.

Grace212 · 01/02/2019 23:36

you say if you'd known no one else was going in, you wouldn't have gone in either

you also say the boss expects everyone to make an effort

so will you be happy if they are all told off? I just can't see what difference it makes unless you got stuck with a huge bunch of extra work.

it sounds like you chose to go in, knowing that working at home was an option?

holasoydora · 01/02/2019 23:46

I went in today too, to a very quiet office... I was glad I didn’t have to take any of the zero leave I have left. The snow near me wasn’t too bad but 20 miles up the motorway everywhere was gridlocked.

Seren85 · 02/02/2019 00:00

We can WFH as needed so no real skiving (have to be logged on and status shows if away so hard to piss off sledding) but my personal favourite was back in the snow of 2010 when missed one day due to the roads being so fucked up, different job so no WFH then, and a colleague who lived near me took a week off due to the "snow".

BlackPrism · 02/02/2019 14:28

So if you'd known, you'd also have stayed in bed? You're the one being keen instead of enjoying a snow day 😂🤷🏼‍♀️

BlackPrism · 02/02/2019 14:35

@shewholikeslipstick nobody at my work would ever have to take a snow day as annual leave... it's a very large, we'll known company.

mardm · 02/02/2019 20:17

@BlackPrism
You're very lucky in that case.
That would just not happen if you were clinical staff in the NHS. You would definitely have to take a days leave or take it as unpaid leave
NHS non clinical could possibly WFHConfused

buckleten · 02/02/2019 20:30

I didn't make it in to work yesterday, as it is a long drive and I have young children whose school was closed. I have never had a day's leave or pay docked for a snow day though!

Howhot · 02/02/2019 20:40

Unless you work for a vital service I'm not sure why you are so annoyed.

It's crap sitting at home looking out the window thinking should I or shouldn't I? I made it to my office last year in very bad weather but it was an awful drive and I regretted it. Someone else in my team crashed their car. It's just not worth it IMO. My boss shut the office down for 2 days so no one would put themselves in that position again and I highly respected them for that.

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