Thursday, March 17, 2016

A new job, in a new place

So I got a new job. Instead of Tukwila, I will now be working very near downtown Bellevue, and I still need to puzzle out a safe route through the immediate vicinity of my new office, since I expect that downtown Bellevue, like my previous experience at SouthCenter Mall, is not exactly bike-friendly, though getting to the downtown Bellevue Transit Center (on a bus) might be fairly easy. It's the last mile between that transit center and my new office that looks troublesome (How does one safely cross the freeway on a bike?). I will almost certainly have to scout the area more carefully, from my car, and to ask my new officemates, several of whom are reputed to bike to work, before making a try myself.

My last 3 years or so with my old employer I've slacked off on my bike-bus commuting considerably. Partly this is their fault. First they didn't charge me to use their showers, then they did, then they didn't, then they did again, and finally about two years ago they came to their senses and allowed free shower-only memberships to their onsite health club for registered bike commuters. 'Bout time, I say. They say they want to encourage non-SOV commuting and were happily reimbursing transit users and carpoolers but not bicyclists, actually charging bicyclists extra (to shower). They also went back and forth about allowing telecommutes. And of course part of it is my own schedule, with 2-3 days a week when I need to drive my kids to their school atop one of the highest hills in Seattle, making it difficult to ride back when I'm not in shape. Which at present I am definitely not. And part of it is simple inertia, which is my own fault for not overcoming earlier.

But, fresh start, and what should be a more level commute, if not exactly a safer one (though maybe there's a back way that I don't know yet). We'll see how it goes. Wish me luck!