I had to call into work yesterday and today and use two PTO/sick days.
The roads were just too bad for my car. It's a 2004 bmw z4 and it doesn't have snow tires. I lived downtown st. louis about 3 blocks from work last year, so it didn't matter. I live about 30 miles outside of stl now. I drive about 4-5 miles to the MetroLink which takes me all the way to a few blocks from where I work downtown.
Here's a pic from outside my window this morning. It looked about the same yesterday.
Yesterday my street was snowed over and at 7am weather.com forecasted 2-3 inches by the end of the day. My manager (who is kind of a jerk), emailed me and is like "weather was fine around my house and I made it in". He's got a big caprice classic, front wheel drive with all weather tires.Yea, the snow ended up not passing until later that evening, but he lives about 25 miles the opposite direction outside of st. louis, about 50 miles from where I live. they didn't get as much snow. but if it had been as they forecasted that morning, I wouldn't have had a chance in the snow. Just like today. So even though I probably would have made it to metrolink in the snow yesterday, with all they were forecasting I saw getting home to be impossible. I don't have anybody in the area to come get me.
My car is a total failure in snow. I was all over the road this morning. It's light, and I my tires aren't made for snow. Plus it's rear wheel drive. Even if I turn my wheels, my car still goes forward. This happened to me this morning. I was turning left onto a main street and when I went to turn my car just kept going straight. I had to stop, and slowly spin my wheels to turn myself straight.
I got about a mile from home today before I turned around. If my car does get stuck, it's hard to get free because I don't have any traction. I called and talked to our Security Director about it. He knows what it's like to drive on these kind of tires and he was like yea, if you don't feel safe driving, don't come in.
It's a choice I made. My car's tires are expensive, and when I bought them, I was still living downtown so I didn't think it'd be an issue. So I spent the money on better tires but some that weren't designed for snow. Now, if I wanted to buy snow tires, it would cost about $1,800. I can't afford to spend that for tires that will be better in the snow, but be worse off the entire rest of the year.
I have pto time, I rarely call in sick, and I can stay on top of everything from here. I get an email when I get a voicemail, so i can still respond to calls asap. I just can't be there to answer incoming phone calls. (but if they leave a voicemail I will get it). I can answer emails and do quotes from home. I just checked the our webmail and responded to a customer question.
I'd rather eat a day of PTO than put my car and myself at risk. I was out of car for two months already from hitting a deer. It's basically stupid for me to drive that car out in the snow if I don't absolutely have to. Especially since I don't have anybody in the area that could come get me if I get stuck.
Was it irresponsible of me to call in? I don't think so but I always feel bad calling in.
Here is a pic of outside my house this morning. it's not terrible, but enough that I seriously saw myself getting stuck or sliding off the road.
http://i617.photobucket.com/albums/tt257/jasonallen19/IMG00421.jpg
The roads were just too bad for my car. It's a 2004 bmw z4 and it doesn't have snow tires. I lived downtown st. louis about 3 blocks from work last year, so it didn't matter. I live about 30 miles outside of stl now. I drive about 4-5 miles to the MetroLink which takes me all the way to a few blocks from where I work downtown.
Here's a pic from outside my window this morning. It looked about the same yesterday.
Yesterday my street was snowed over and at 7am weather.com forecasted 2-3 inches by the end of the day. My manager (who is kind of a jerk), emailed me and is like "weather was fine around my house and I made it in". He's got a big caprice classic, front wheel drive with all weather tires.Yea, the snow ended up not passing until later that evening, but he lives about 25 miles the opposite direction outside of st. louis, about 50 miles from where I live. they didn't get as much snow. but if it had been as they forecasted that morning, I wouldn't have had a chance in the snow. Just like today. So even though I probably would have made it to metrolink in the snow yesterday, with all they were forecasting I saw getting home to be impossible. I don't have anybody in the area to come get me.
My car is a total failure in snow. I was all over the road this morning. It's light, and I my tires aren't made for snow. Plus it's rear wheel drive. Even if I turn my wheels, my car still goes forward. This happened to me this morning. I was turning left onto a main street and when I went to turn my car just kept going straight. I had to stop, and slowly spin my wheels to turn myself straight.
I got about a mile from home today before I turned around. If my car does get stuck, it's hard to get free because I don't have any traction. I called and talked to our Security Director about it. He knows what it's like to drive on these kind of tires and he was like yea, if you don't feel safe driving, don't come in.
It's a choice I made. My car's tires are expensive, and when I bought them, I was still living downtown so I didn't think it'd be an issue. So I spent the money on better tires but some that weren't designed for snow. Now, if I wanted to buy snow tires, it would cost about $1,800. I can't afford to spend that for tires that will be better in the snow, but be worse off the entire rest of the year.
I have pto time, I rarely call in sick, and I can stay on top of everything from here. I get an email when I get a voicemail, so i can still respond to calls asap. I just can't be there to answer incoming phone calls. (but if they leave a voicemail I will get it). I can answer emails and do quotes from home. I just checked the our webmail and responded to a customer question.
I'd rather eat a day of PTO than put my car and myself at risk. I was out of car for two months already from hitting a deer. It's basically stupid for me to drive that car out in the snow if I don't absolutely have to. Especially since I don't have anybody in the area that could come get me if I get stuck.
Was it irresponsible of me to call in? I don't think so but I always feel bad calling in.
Here is a pic of outside my house this morning. it's not terrible, but enough that I seriously saw myself getting stuck or sliding off the road.
http://i617.photobucket.com/albums/tt257/jasonallen19/IMG00421.jpg
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