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At my first real career-type job out of college, I learned that apparently there are states where it's legal for a business to dock a worker's pay by the amount of tips they receive, so long as it doesn't put them, in total, under minimum wage. The operations controller wanted to do that for the restaurant that was part of the resort property, but apparently Washington is not one of the states where it's legal.
That's when I learned she was a pretty awful person because that's a terribly shitty thing to want to do.
Actually only seven states don't have different minimum wages for tipped employees.
Also, if you're hourly, you're less likely to be a person who gets a company credit card for travel expenses when you go on business trips and such.
In semi-related news, I am thinking about getting a bike to ride to work for warmer days.
I called a local bike shop and they said their basic road/commuter type bikes start at 400 bucks. That seems ridiculous to me, but these are not things I know about. Is a low-end "bike shop" bike really any better than like going to Target and getting something for $100?
Also old people-y 'cruiser' bikes. I got a hybrid commuter bike a few years ago and it's pretty nice. Other bonus was the shop offered lifetime basic maintenance/adjustments.
I don't know from bikes, so what's the deal about fancy expensive bikes?
At my first real career-type job out of college, I learned that apparently there are states where it's legal for a business to dock a worker's pay by the amount of tips they receive, so long as it doesn't put them, in total, under minimum wage. The operations controller wanted to do that for the restaurant that was part of the resort property, but apparently Washington is not one of the states where it's legal.
That's when I learned she was a pretty awful person because that's a terribly shitty thing to want to do.
Actually only seven states don't have different minimum wages for tipped employees.
Also, if you're hourly, you're less likely to be a person who gets a company credit card for travel expenses when you go on business trips and such.
In semi-related news, I am thinking about getting a bike to ride to work for warmer days.
I called a local bike shop and they said their basic road/commuter type bikes start at 400 bucks. That seems ridiculous to me, but these are not things I know about. Is a low-end "bike shop" bike really any better than like going to Target and getting something for $100?
Depends how far you are riding and how you want to carry your work attire.
Getting a good commuter-oriented bike (and the associated bike fitting that they usually include in the cost) with the right rack hook ups, etc makes your life a lot easier than grabbing a big box store bike that likely won't have the right fit, and will leave you toting a backpack.
Also, if you're hourly, you're less likely to be a person who gets a company credit card for travel expenses when you go on business trips and such.
In semi-related news, I am thinking about getting a bike to ride to work for warmer days.
I called a local bike shop and they said their basic road/commuter type bikes start at 400 bucks. That seems ridiculous to me, but these are not things I know about. Is a low-end "bike shop" bike really any better than like going to Target and getting something for $100?
Depends how far you are riding and how you want to carry your work attire.
Getting a good commuter-oriented bike (and the associated bike fitting that they usually include in the cost) with the right rack hook ups, etc makes your life a lot easier than grabbing a big box store bike that likely won't have the right fit, and will leave you toting a backpack.
It's only about 6.6 miles. Am I expected to wear something different when I ride a bike for some reason? What are "rack hook ups"? What does a bike fitting do? What's wrong with backpacks?
At my first real career-type job out of college, I learned that apparently there are states where it's legal for a business to dock a worker's pay by the amount of tips they receive, so long as it doesn't put them, in total, under minimum wage. The operations controller wanted to do that for the restaurant that was part of the resort property, but apparently Washington is not one of the states where it's legal.
That's when I learned she was a pretty awful person because that's a terribly shitty thing to want to do.
Actually only seven states don't have different minimum wages for tipped employees.
Also, if you're hourly, you're less likely to be a person who gets a company credit card for travel expenses when you go on business trips and such.
In semi-related news, I am thinking about getting a bike to ride to work for warmer days.
I called a local bike shop and they said their basic road/commuter type bikes start at 400 bucks. That seems ridiculous to me, but these are not things I know about. Is a low-end "bike shop" bike really any better than like going to Target and getting something for $100?
Depends how far you are riding and how you want to carry your work attire.
Getting a good commuter-oriented bike (and the associated bike fitting that they usually include in the cost) with the right rack hook ups, etc makes your life a lot easier than grabbing a big box store bike that likely won't have the right fit, and will leave you toting a backpack.
Also frequently lighter weight, different wheels, sometimes different gear ratios, uh, some other stuff.
0
Ubikoh pete, that's later. maybe we'll be dead by thenRegistered Userregular
edited May 2012
if tipping isn't optional then it's not tipping anymore
Also, if you're hourly, you're less likely to be a person who gets a company credit card for travel expenses when you go on business trips and such.
In semi-related news, I am thinking about getting a bike to ride to work for warmer days.
I called a local bike shop and they said their basic road/commuter type bikes start at 400 bucks. That seems ridiculous to me, but these are not things I know about. Is a low-end "bike shop" bike really any better than like going to Target and getting something for $100?
Depends how far you are riding and how you want to carry your work attire.
Getting a good commuter-oriented bike (and the associated bike fitting that they usually include in the cost) with the right rack hook ups, etc makes your life a lot easier than grabbing a big box store bike that likely won't have the right fit, and will leave you toting a backpack.
It's only about 6.6 miles. Am I expected to wear something different when I ride a bike for some reason? What are "rack hook ups"? What does a bike fitting do? What's wrong with backpacks?
6.6mi is going to be a lot, starting out, if you aren't used to a bike. Especially if you are going anywhere near the foothills.
Depending on how sweaty you get, you might want to wear something other than your work clothes when you ride to work, then change clothes at work.
A lot of commuter/townie/urban bikes have mount points for a rear rack, so you can hook bags to the back of your bike for carrying lunch, clothes, etc. This might be preferable to carrying a backpack depending on how your back feels. I used to carry a laptop in a bag on my back to work, but found my lower back got more stiff than when i switched to rear panniers (bags).
Bike fit is probably the most important thing about a bike. Yaddayadda mechanical efficiency, yadda yadda. The bottom line is that riding a bike that doesn't really "fit" will lead to joint and taint pain. Nobody likes a chafed and sore taint.
Also, if you're hourly, you're less likely to be a person who gets a company credit card for travel expenses when you go on business trips and such.
In semi-related news, I am thinking about getting a bike to ride to work for warmer days.
I called a local bike shop and they said their basic road/commuter type bikes start at 400 bucks. That seems ridiculous to me, but these are not things I know about. Is a low-end "bike shop" bike really any better than like going to Target and getting something for $100?
Depends how far you are riding and how you want to carry your work attire.
Getting a good commuter-oriented bike (and the associated bike fitting that they usually include in the cost) with the right rack hook ups, etc makes your life a lot easier than grabbing a big box store bike that likely won't have the right fit, and will leave you toting a backpack.
It's only about 6.6 miles. Am I expected to wear something different when I ride a bike for some reason? What are "rack hook ups"? What does a bike fitting do? What's wrong with backpacks?
Some people get sweaty riding to work and might want to change when they get there. A backpack can be a big cause for back sweat, too. 6 miles ain't much though. The fit of a bike controls how far your legs extend from the seat to the ground and from the seat to the pedals, whether you get a good range of motion when pedaling, what the angle and reach to the handle bars is, etc.
0
The GeekOh-Two Crew, OmeganautRegistered User, ClubPAregular
My job pays well and used to have amazing benefits but recently my company's contract was up for bid and when they got it back they had cut a lot from the insurance and they've been cutting sick time and other things too. I think if they could they'd remove our insurance entirely and pay us minimum wage. I heard a rumor that we get paid less than any other nuclear security company in the United States and I know for sure that they aren't looking to bring us up to par.
Despite all that, this is still the best job I've ever had and am likely to ever have.
0
The GeekOh-Two Crew, OmeganautRegistered User, ClubPAregular
Mostly I'm concerned with just needing a simple bike but ending up paying a lot more than really should have to.
I would NEVER be a salaried employee unless I was making 6 figures or more. Companies use "Oh, you're salaried" to work you to death just so they don't have to pay more. You have my sympathies, Joe
before law school I worked 40-45 hours/week tops and was salaried at only ~42k/year
also this coming from the guy that does three 24-hour shifts per week is pretty hilarious
It's odd that they do that to you (and to doctors), though, I would think that a hospital would understand how badly your performance degrades over that amount of time (not to mention how bad it is for you) and you're in such a safety-critical position. Like, I wonder how many lives are lost because of this culture of working people to the point of exhaustion in the healthcare industry?
It's not that hilarious; I get paid (extremely well) for overtime hours. My yearly salary *base* is $56,000. That factors in some overtime, but not all. I will likely clear $70,000 and that's only buy working an extra two shifts a month. Keep in mind when you're on a 24 hour truck you only work 9 - 10 days out of 30.
Also, we are actively encouraged to rest during down time (provided your truck is checked off and chores are done). Those 24(+) hours I spend at work are not all spent awake. I get an average sleep time of 1 hour during the day and around 4 at night. If I am extremely busy that may cut cut down to 0, but I also get an entire day off of work and then I get 4 in a row. I can actually function at full effectiveness on as little as 3 hours of sleep in a 48 hour period. Part of EMS (or physician) education is spent learning how to train your body and make effective decisions on little sleep. At my university we had a 480 hour internship (2 months of 24 hour shifts) to prepare our bodies and minds - and to see if we were ready for this kind of work. I add 'physician' because we as Paramedics have more in common with a physician than we do a nurse. We perform surgical procedures and give very advanced medications as a physician would. You also have a partner to back you up. If worst comes to worse I, as the in-charge paramedic, have the capability of placing my truck out of service for crew rest. We are also not permitted to work more than 48 hours in a row without at least 8 hours off-duty time.
In busier 911 systems - such as NY and larger cities, they usually will do 8 hour shifts or have specific times for mandatory rest periods. My 911 system has several shift variations; 12, 14, 24, and 32 hour shifts are all common here. I prefer the 24 hour shift because it provides more time off, more overtime dollars in terms of availability and base overtime rates.
Also, I'm terrible at explaining the reasons behind getting a proper bike fit. There's a lot of fiddling and finding what's comfortable. I've always viewed it as sort of alchemenical or black magic.
Its nothing you can't do yourself with the right tools and the desire to fiddle with your bike.
But in the end, it all comes down to keeping yourself pain free, and making sure you are efficiently using your power to move the bike.
0
Ubikoh pete, that's later. maybe we'll be dead by thenRegistered Userregular
alchemechanical
0
Indie Winterdie KräheRudi Hurzlmeier (German, b. 1952)Registered Userregular
with a good road bike you'll literally go twice as fast for half the effort as you would on a cheap 100$ big box store bike. A good bike will be absurdly more enjoyable to use, less frustration and a smoother ride.
I'd still consider 400$ low end.
Talk to the bike shop, say you want something on the cheap end but fits your needs, and they'll sort you out with something that's a good fit for you. Having good relations with a bike shop is super useful, they tend to be good folk
Mostly I'm concerned with just needing a simple bike but ending up paying a lot more than really should have to.
well sure you can just walk out of here with the bike, but you want to be safe, don't you? gonna be riding home from work at dusk, huh? you're gonna need this safety vest, and a blinky light. 2 blinky lights, front and back actually.
Way back in 2004, when I worked at the Verizon wireless call center, they did this thing with our pay where you're hourly rate was x-dollars, but as long as you did your full 40 for the week, your hours were paid at a higher rate, of a couple dollars more per hour.
But say something happened where you missed 15-30 minutes, all of your hours were docked down to the lower rate.
That's kinda interesting. I assume they had an electronic punch clock or something?
Hours were clocked by signing in and out of your phone.
0
The GeekOh-Two Crew, OmeganautRegistered User, ClubPAregular
with a good road bike you'll literally go twice as fast for half the effort as you would on a cheap 100$ big box store bike. A good bike will be absurdly more enjoyable to use, less frustration and a smoother ride.
I'd still consider 400$ low end.
It's good to hear this from someone here rather than someone trying to sell me said bike.
Mostly I'm concerned with just needing a simple bike but ending up paying a lot more than really should have to.
well sure you can just walk out of here with the bike, but you want to be safe, don't you? gonna be riding home from work at dusk, huh? you're gonna need this safety vest, and a blinky light. 2 blinky lights, front and back actually.
The GeekOh-Two Crew, OmeganautRegistered User, ClubPAregular
Actually, I think that gets at the real heart of my concern. I don't wanna go to a bike shop and have some hippie upsell me on something I sure as hell don' t need, but wouldn't know any better.
yeah tipping in the US is 20%? that is crazy. tipping most everywhere I've been to is just 10%.
Tipping in the US is still optional and 15% is the norm no matter what Creative Writing and Communication majors try to say. The bullshit line of things cost more so tips need to go up is nonsense. The meal costs more too, so 15% of a higher cost covers that inflation as well.
I have no real experience in basically anything worthwhile
also no degree and I only start going to uni in six months
and every other job out there that I can get pays the same but they probably will not have the benefit of allowing me to do finish all the real work in an hour and then go on the internet and dick around
Posts
Federal minimum wage is $7.25/hr. Waiters are only different in the sense that part of their 7.25 comes from the customer instead of the employer
I don't know from bikes, so what's the deal about fancy expensive bikes?
no, langly is just living in the past
federal (non-tipped) is 7.25
huh
i thought ny was still ahead of the federal minimum
Depends how far you are riding and how you want to carry your work attire.
Getting a good commuter-oriented bike (and the associated bike fitting that they usually include in the cost) with the right rack hook ups, etc makes your life a lot easier than grabbing a big box store bike that likely won't have the right fit, and will leave you toting a backpack.
yeah, but europe also has a really different tip culture. it isn't as feasible to do that in europe
If you're the biggest douche in the world, sure
It's only about 6.6 miles. Am I expected to wear something different when I ride a bike for some reason? What are "rack hook ups"? What does a bike fitting do? What's wrong with backpacks?
Where was this when I was at barnes and noble damn it
Also frequently lighter weight, different wheels, sometimes different gear ratios, uh, some other stuff.
it's just a surcharge
Woo, Georgia.
6.6mi is going to be a lot, starting out, if you aren't used to a bike. Especially if you are going anywhere near the foothills.
Depending on how sweaty you get, you might want to wear something other than your work clothes when you ride to work, then change clothes at work.
A lot of commuter/townie/urban bikes have mount points for a rear rack, so you can hook bags to the back of your bike for carrying lunch, clothes, etc. This might be preferable to carrying a backpack depending on how your back feels. I used to carry a laptop in a bag on my back to work, but found my lower back got more stiff than when i switched to rear panniers (bags).
Bike fit is probably the most important thing about a bike. Yaddayadda mechanical efficiency, yadda yadda. The bottom line is that riding a bike that doesn't really "fit" will lead to joint and taint pain. Nobody likes a chafed and sore taint.
Some people get sweaty riding to work and might want to change when they get there. A backpack can be a big cause for back sweat, too. 6 miles ain't much though. The fit of a bike controls how far your legs extend from the seat to the ground and from the seat to the pedals, whether you get a good range of motion when pedaling, what the angle and reach to the handle bars is, etc.
Despite all that, this is still the best job I've ever had and am likely to ever have.
It's not that hilarious; I get paid (extremely well) for overtime hours. My yearly salary *base* is $56,000. That factors in some overtime, but not all. I will likely clear $70,000 and that's only buy working an extra two shifts a month. Keep in mind when you're on a 24 hour truck you only work 9 - 10 days out of 30.
Also, we are actively encouraged to rest during down time (provided your truck is checked off and chores are done). Those 24(+) hours I spend at work are not all spent awake. I get an average sleep time of 1 hour during the day and around 4 at night. If I am extremely busy that may cut cut down to 0, but I also get an entire day off of work and then I get 4 in a row. I can actually function at full effectiveness on as little as 3 hours of sleep in a 48 hour period. Part of EMS (or physician) education is spent learning how to train your body and make effective decisions on little sleep. At my university we had a 480 hour internship (2 months of 24 hour shifts) to prepare our bodies and minds - and to see if we were ready for this kind of work. I add 'physician' because we as Paramedics have more in common with a physician than we do a nurse. We perform surgical procedures and give very advanced medications as a physician would. You also have a partner to back you up. If worst comes to worse I, as the in-charge paramedic, have the capability of placing my truck out of service for crew rest. We are also not permitted to work more than 48 hours in a row without at least 8 hours off-duty time.
In busier 911 systems - such as NY and larger cities, they usually will do 8 hour shifts or have specific times for mandatory rest periods. My 911 system has several shift variations; 12, 14, 24, and 32 hour shifts are all common here. I prefer the 24 hour shift because it provides more time off, more overtime dollars in terms of availability and base overtime rates.
The Apocalypse Has Never Been More Fun
Secret Satan Wishlist!! Thinkgeek Wish List
Its nothing you can't do yourself with the right tools and the desire to fiddle with your bike.
But in the end, it all comes down to keeping yourself pain free, and making sure you are efficiently using your power to move the bike.
so much money
why aren't I making it
$400 isn't much in the scheme of biking. But it depends on what they are offering you for that price.
Geese! Gosslings! They juggle them!
The Apocalypse Has Never Been More Fun
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I'd still consider 400$ low end.
Talk to the bike shop, say you want something on the cheap end but fits your needs, and they'll sort you out with something that's a good fit for you. Having good relations with a bike shop is super useful, they tend to be good folk
PSN: Robo_Wizard1
well sure you can just walk out of here with the bike, but you want to be safe, don't you? gonna be riding home from work at dusk, huh? you're gonna need this safety vest, and a blinky light. 2 blinky lights, front and back actually.
chain guard
pant-leg roll-up strap
helmet
wrist guards
tassles
flag
undercoating
rust proofing
finder's fee
Hours were clocked by signing in and out of your phone.
It's good to hear this from someone here rather than someone trying to sell me said bike.
Little silver dingy bell thing.
Turn signals
saddle bags
speedometer
brake light
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Because you're a shifty lay-about!
The Apocalypse Has Never Been More Fun
Secret Satan Wishlist!! Thinkgeek Wish List
Tipping in the US is still optional and 15% is the norm no matter what Creative Writing and Communication majors try to say. The bullshit line of things cost more so tips need to go up is nonsense. The meal costs more too, so 15% of a higher cost covers that inflation as well.
Secret Satan 2013 Wishlist
more like
I have no real experience in basically anything worthwhile
also no degree and I only start going to uni in six months
and every other job out there that I can get pays the same but they probably will not have the benefit of allowing me to do finish all the real work in an hour and then go on the internet and dick around