How to embarrass yourself at work

[rdp_au]

First commute of the week after all the rain. Still managed to get rained on at the start, and again quite heavily just as I arrived at work, so I was nice and wet. Opened locker to retrieve work shoes, yes, shoes here.. now pants…pants? what, no pants…… Arrgghh, somehow I had managed to come to work with no work pants to wear… The only garb I had for my lower regions were the wet knicks and leg warmers I was standing in. Hardly suitable office attire. With a scheduled morning meeting, there was no time to ride back home, and to train/bus it would take just as long. Rang my dear wife who very kindly offered to do the hour’s drive across Sydney to rescue my modesty and the sanity of my work colleagues. In the interim, a fellow riding workmate lent me a pair of black rain pants to wear so I could at least get to the meeting. To their credit, no one commented on my strange choice of attire.

I think I just might add a pair of trousers to the spare socks and underpants I keep in the locker… and maybe a shirt as well.

[hannos]

hah!

I've had to run down to target to buy a work shirt before.

These days all I carry to work are socks / undies. Everything else lives at work. I drive in shirts when required and teh dry cleaners is just around the corner

[goneriding]

It seems to happen fairly regularly where I work. The "Oh Bugger" statement is heard at least twice a week.

I've managed to leave my glasses at home before and being blind as a bat spent the whole day stumbling around bumping into things. I think people thought I was drunk!

[m@]

I've managed to leave my glasses at home before and being blind as a bat spent the whole day stumbling around bumping into things. I think people thought I was drunk!

Must've been an interesting ride in that day!

My hot tip is to leave your 'emergency' clothes at your desk, not in your locker - otherwise you're stuffed if you forget the locker key.

[CommuRider]

I think I just might add a pair of trousers to the spare socks and underpants I keep in the locker… and maybe a shirt as well.

Yes. Make that two of each. Lucky you got a riding workmate who had the same waist size and leg length...and didn't mind you wearing his rain pants. Big odour factor there!

[jet-ski]

I would go shopping.... except that any pants I'm likely to buy will be too long :O

[DaveOZ]

I would go shopping.... except that any pants I'm likely to buy will be too long :O

Stapler.

[Sydguy]

Hit the showers, turned taps off and bam thought where's the towel... The trick with paper towel is not to let it get too wet or it breaks up and sticks to you.
Some people thought I had major dandruff but I politely told them it was paper towel. Got funny looks!

[Marto]

[jules21]

lol.

i keep spare everything in my locker at work! if you don't, you will forget to bring stuff.

[jet-ski]

lol DaveOz, a friend of mine showed me that trick a long time ago, thanks for the reminder

[rdp_au]

Very pleasant trip in this morning, cool and clear - and no problems with recalcitrant trousers either...

[Rhubarb]

Great thread. Most commuters have been here in some capacity. I forgot socks a copy of times so wore my white sport socks under grey or black pants with black shoes - very Michael Jackson esque. I forgot jocks one day so had to free wheel it at work - very wrong. Never forgotten the pants as yet though. Spare socks and jocks live in the locker now too.

[Kenzo]

Left my zipper down for most of a day before....

When I finally got over it, I did it again.

[westab]

Have been here - Have not left pants at home (keep 2-3 weeks worth at work) but have forgotten to get changed a couple of times

Came in got into work as the phone rang, got a question, or other..... and then just kept going in socks and riding gear. not a big issue usually but the only days it has happened are the days we have had large important customers visit or VIP's from head office (not where I work) or international. I usually get expelled to the change room till I "meet" the dress code.

[rdp_au]

I’m sure you will all be pleased to know that I now have a newly dry-cleaned pair of trousers, safely encased in its protective plastic cover sitting proudly in my locker.

This leads me to wonder what systems do people use to ensure a supply of clothes and all the other paraphernalia we need for regular commuting? When I started in the mid 1980’s, there was no infrastructure like lockers or bike racks. I used to chain my bike to a large electrical conduit in the carpark at work, my rationale being that if anyone cut the conduit to steal the bike, hopefully they would get electrocuted in the process.. I was fortunate that the building did have a single shower. Interestingly, of the many thousands of people who occupied the building, I was the only one who ever used the shower – which was just as well, as there were no lockers and I used to leave my riding gear in there during the day. Out of necessity, I had to bring everything I needed each day.

We are now in a much more enlightened age and where I work now is very well served with a secure bike cage, lockers and showers. I had continued with my system of carrying everything, but found that the combined weight of a laptop and a full set of clothes in the panniers was really making it heavy going on the hills. So I started experimenting with leaving stuff at work and just carrying the necessities – which lead to the missing trousers incident. On the days I'm not on the bike, I travel by public transport, so bringing in a bulk load of clothes isn't really an option.

[Kenzo]

I used to chain my bike to a large electrical conduit in the carpark at work, my rationale being that if anyone cut the conduit to steal the bike, hopefully they would get electrocuted in the process.

Love it!

Plenty of lockers and shower facilities for me now. Lucky I was involved in the fitout of my building ...
Then the building code / laws were put in, now under the building there are lockers galore and more showers...

[jet-ski]

I actually stash my stuff in a store room on our floor. The lockers are very inconveniently located and require you to pay a key deposit.

[HappyHumber]

+1 to spare socks & jocks

My general personal rule is to not take stuff home - particularly pants & towel, unless I have bought fresh ones in to replace them - so theoretically I always have each at work (however manky and overdue for a stint in the ol' top loader they maybe )

[Gunlock]

I've been caught without shoes once in the past. Was made all the worse by the fact that it was a 9 hour shift at a retail store.
Let me tell you, walking around a retail store in cleats is not a pleasant experience.

After 5 minutes i begged out and took a trip to KMart around the corner to pick up some actual shoes.

[Cruiserman]

Thankfully we have a washing machine and dryer so clothes stay at work. Worst one for me was riding in in the rain and getting changed only to find that I used the same socks as my riding socks during the day. They were soaked and I had to rinse the grit out of them and chuck them in the dryer. Wandered around in bare feet for 45mins till the socks were clean, dry and toasty warm to put back on. Seeing as all my socks are black I guess Ill never by euro pro though - must look a disgrace flying along on the Sworks with black socks.

[Rhubarb]

.... Spare socks and jocks live in the locker now too.

And just as well or I would have had another freewheelin Friday !!!! Spare pair restocked today

[Fletcher]

Ha ha. Yes, I've run down to Big W to buy shirts twice before, and forgot undies a few times. Forgetting your pants though, hmm that's a little more tricky. I leave pants and work shoes in the locker room. Would only be a problem if somebody stole them as I don't have a locker.

[Stoo]

ive forgot pants before too......since im the only one who cycles. iv rang the boss to tell him i was sick and that i will not be able to come in.

Then i road home.

[Lizzy]

So, I normally dry off with a combo of swimming chamois followed by microfibre towel. The swimming chamois recently got put out to pasture owing to age and disintegration, and I figured "why pay $20 for a speedo logo when they have the same thing for cars for $5 in Bunnings?".

The old speedo one used to go quite happily for several weeks with just a rinse & squeeze out. Apparently not the same thing as the cheapy; after a week of use the car chamois smells just like stilton. I realise this too late, thinking at first it was just ambient shower block funk, so ergo, so do I Let fly with the emergency Impulse canister in my desk but am still faintly aware of it. Paris Chic with a hint of Stilton! Yay Thank zarks I have my own office.