# Would you get rid of your car to make your workplace peaceful? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 3, 2012, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-get-rid-of-your-car-to-make-your-workplace-peaceful/608288 "2012-01-03T20:28:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2012, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-get-rid-of-your-car-to-make-your-workplace-peaceful/608288/21 "2012-01-03T21:34:48Z")
> [@lurkedtolong](#): > > I work about 12 dense city miles from one side of Fort Lauderdale to the other side. 15 minutes by car, several hour walk, or about a hour by bus provided that i don’t wait for the bus very long. but still bus is out of the question since its a half hour wait both ways. I have a family i need to be able to get to in case a emergency. I also asked if i could park it down the street. The answer is either “please just do this thing for me” or “why not drive the durango” My reply is that the durango has horrible gas mileage (around 11 on a good day) and I know that MY durango wants to flip some day soon. I am very uncomfortable in it and although it has never broken down it requires attention often even for minor things. What happens when you tell her these things about the Durango? Myself, I’d probably have a sudden and catastrophic failure of the Durango, one day when I was coming in to work, call in late, get there several hours late (or take the day off), and then never drive the Durango again. It is a very weird request. I looked up your car, and while a nice-looking, classy car, it really doesn’t smack of money _that_ much. It’s not even that sexy (sorry). 🙂 Seriously. If someone suddenly gave me a murcielago, for example, paid off, do you think I would not drive it to work? Even if I couldn’t normally afford it? But saying no will most likely have consequences. I’d ask again about the feasibility of parking some distance away where green-eyed coworkers can’t see it. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2012, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-get-rid-of-your-car-to-make-your-workplace-peaceful/608288/22 "2012-01-03T21:35:44Z")
> [@lurkedtolong](#): > > No, i totally believe her since she did buy me a house about 10 years ago and the company did pay a 60k surgery bill, actually they were the ones who pursued me getting my shoulder fixed. She has also bought and paid off a 270k townhouse for a former employee who ended up breaking into their office and stealing a $30k customer database to start their own business with. I doubt the other employees will ruin their plan but boss x is so close to retirement she wants to minimize stress. Greatest boss ever, weirdest request ever as well. This does change things for me - my first response was like everyone else’s, that it’s none of my boss’ business how I get to work, and her job should be telling the busybodies to mind their own business, but she is obviously willing to go above and beyond for her employees. I think sitting down with her and asking her if a cheaper car (like others have said, a one year lease on a Toyota or something) would solve the problem, since not driving to work would be quite a hardship on you and your family. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2012, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-get-rid-of-your-car-to-make-your-workplace-peaceful/608288/23 "2012-01-03T21:48:49Z")
I was in the WTF? camp, until I found out your boss bought you a house. If my boss bought me a house I would capitulate to just about any reasonable request: hell a few unreasonable ones too. ---
**Author:** ![lurkedtolong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/edb3f5/32.png) [@lurkedtolong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lurkedtolong)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2012, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-get-rid-of-your-car-to-make-your-workplace-peaceful/608288/24 "2012-01-03T21:50:09Z")
Thanks for so much time invested into these replys. I feel i should disclose before the thread starts going into alternative transit is that i do have another car i can drive which is a older benz R500 from 2007. (Sorry i left out one important detail to late to edit also) It just has not been mentioned since it is my wife’s car and she will not be happy with driving the durango which means she will be using the s550. I don’t mind this, but it kinda defeats the purpose on which i bought a car, was so that I could drive it. Plus my car will be dirtied and littered with empty water bottles and junk mail. Yes i have debadged a few of my cars but I don’t wanna do anything like that to this one. I probably will end up just driving the beater until one day i don’t want to anymore and then i will park my car several aisle and rows adjacent to the business. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2012, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-get-rid-of-your-car-to-make-your-workplace-peaceful/608288/25 "2012-01-03T21:53:11Z")
I guess I live in a different world - I rarely had any idea what my coworkers drove, and I can’t imagine caring one way or another. We all spend our money on things that are important to us for whatever reason. We have pretty much always had a sailboat, and I expect there are those who must think we’re rich because of that. Um, no. We have a sailboat instead of expensive resort vacations or a fancy house or high-end cars. Choice, you know? I have no advice - I’m just trying to wrap my mind around the concept of such a thing mattering to anyone. I suppose if you worked for a Ford dealership, they might prefer that you not drive a Honda, but otherwise? I don’t get it. ---
**Author:** ![rogerbox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/76d3ee/32.png) [@rogerbox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rogerbox)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2012, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-get-rid-of-your-car-to-make-your-workplace-peaceful/608288/26 "2012-01-03T21:56:24Z")
Why don’t you lease a civic or something? ---
**Author:** ![Furious\_Marmot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dfb087/32.png) [@Furious\_Marmot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Furious_Marmot)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2012, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-get-rid-of-your-car-to-make-your-workplace-peaceful/608288/27 "2012-01-03T21:58:57Z")
> [@lurkedtolong](#): > > No, i totally believe her since she did buy me a house about 10 years ago and the company did pay a 60k surgery bill, actually they were the ones who pursued me getting my shoulder fixed. She has also bought and paid off a 270k townhouse for a former employee who ended up breaking into their office and stealing a $30k customer database to start their own business with. I doubt the other employees will ruin their plan but boss x is so close to retirement she wants to minimize stress. Greatest boss ever, weirdest request ever as well. In that case, I retract my comments. Your workplace is so different than any I have ever been in that I cannot offer meaningful advice. My gut feeling is that you should do whatever makes this boss happy. Good luck with whatever you decide. ---
**Author:** ![lurkedtolong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/edb3f5/32.png) [@lurkedtolong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lurkedtolong)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2012, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-get-rid-of-your-car-to-make-your-workplace-peaceful/608288/28 "2012-01-03T21:59:59Z")
I would like to make this situation work for everyone without getting a 4th car even on a lease. I have had a CRX and man i got 50 mpg on a bad day. I will probably use the durango for a week and ween to the older benz and just keep it parked. The way the office is situated is that everyone has a window view to the parking lot. That is why coworkers can and will see what you drive there in. Because my boss has done so much for everyone I am going to honor her for as long as possible. When we move we won’t have to deal with those employee’s since they will be staying at job x when I start job z. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Lovely\_Margo\_Lane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/34f0e0/32.png) [@The\_Lovely\_Margo\_Lane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Lovely_Margo_Lane)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2012, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-get-rid-of-your-car-to-make-your-workplace-peaceful/608288/29 "2012-01-03T22:04:59Z")
What about asking your boss to help you out with a lease on a nice but not too nice car? And as **billfis678** suggests get rid of the Durango you obviously dislike at the same time, which would mean you’d have the same number of vehicles in the family. You’d keep your nice car “yours” and your boss could pick out what you show up to work in. I do think it’s a nutso request and waay invasive, but I think buying houses for employees is nutso too, though nice, so nutso by my standards is kind of the environment you’re in already. \*oh- took too long to post, I see you’ve made a decision. Makes sense to me. ---
**Author:** ![lurkedtolong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/edb3f5/32.png) [@lurkedtolong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lurkedtolong)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2012, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-get-rid-of-your-car-to-make-your-workplace-peaceful/608288/30 "2012-01-03T22:08:10Z")
> [@The\_Lovely\_Margo\_Lane](#): > > What about asking your boss to help you out with a lease on a nice but not too nice car? And as **billfis678** suggests get rid of the Durango you obviously dislike at the same time, which would mean you’d have the same number of vehicles in the family. You’d keep your nice car “yours” and your boss could pick out what you show up to work in. > > I do think it’s a nutso request and waay invasive, but I think buying houses for employees is nutso too, though nice, so nutso by my standards is kind of the environment you’re in already. > > \*oh- took too long to post, I see you’ve made a decision. Makes sense to me. Well she decided to hire someone from NJ who was upon rough times. When she takes someone on to help, she does so fully. She moved him and his wife gave them both jobs and got them a 4k used car. Within a month i heard constantly that they were complaining that the townhouse was in the ghetto, But they picked it! I also heard that the said the car was a POS but shit in the words of my boss and i quote "I just saved you from drowning and now you want me to go get your luggage? ---
**Author:** ![Al\_Bundy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@Al\_Bundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Al_Bundy)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2012, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-get-rid-of-your-car-to-make-your-workplace-peaceful/608288/31 "2012-01-03T22:22:40Z")
This is totally wacko no matter how you spell it. You are working for and probably with nut-jobs. I say almost anything for a price though. You are not talking about a long time. If you feel that the results will materialize as planned, take the chance. I don’t think you can say that though with this type of thinking in the culture. Employees will know that you have other vehicles. I could easily find out with just your name. They could just as easily feel “played” by this scam. You want employees to look up to you and aspire to be like you. Deception is not what you want to foster. What is your plan down the road when Mr. Big retires and you are the next Mr. Big2? Does the deception continue? Of course not. It won’t work in the first place. You and your boss are pushing a string. ---
**Author:** ![lurkedtolong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/edb3f5/32.png) [@lurkedtolong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lurkedtolong)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2012, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-get-rid-of-your-car-to-make-your-workplace-peaceful/608288/32 "2012-01-03T22:30:57Z")
> [@Al\_Bundy](#): > > This is totally wacko no matter how you spell it. You are working for and probably with nut-jobs. I say almost anything for a price though. You are not talking about a long time. If you feel that the results will materialize as planned, take the chance. I don’t think you can say that though with this type of thinking in the culture. > > Employees will know that you have other vehicles. I could easily find out with just your name. They could just as easily feel “played” by this scam. You want employees to look up to you and aspire to be like you. Deception is not what you want to foster. > > What is your plan down the road when Mr. Big retires and you are the next Mr. Big2? Does the deception continue? Of course not. It won’t work in the first place. You and your boss are pushing a string. The plan is that I will pick a new factory/warehouse/office within 3 - 12 months. I will then hire and train people for a skill that only a few can do. I will not need to hide anything since it will be my show from that moment on. I will be humoring Miss Big on this one. Also the employees here are not googling or using recordsarea to find out about me and i doubt that they care enough to find out and it is probably me that they ask when they need finding out on someone. I am nice to all of them, and even attend weddings and stuff. We generally all get along so I was like WTF. ---
**Author:** ![UFC\_Is\_Sux](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/46a35a/32.png) [@UFC\_Is\_Sux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UFC_Is_Sux)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2012, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-get-rid-of-your-car-to-make-your-workplace-peaceful/608288/33 "2012-01-03T22:38:53Z")
Sure, I’d give up driving my Bugatti Veyron to work for the sake of workplace peace. But I would want a quid pro quo of some sort (a little something extra in the old pay packet to cover leasing whatever econobox the boss found suitable.) (Full disclosure: I don’t actually have a Bugatti Veyron. I just like typing the name.) ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2012, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-get-rid-of-your-car-to-make-your-workplace-peaceful/608288/34 "2012-01-03T23:02:57Z")
Sounds like you won’t be able to ask the boss to lease a cheapie car for you in the interim - as that’ll have to go through the books, which I assume means someone else in the company will know about it, which probably means lots of other people in the company will get to know about it. And it sounds like she wants to make this eventual handover look like it hasn’t been in process all the time. I’ve no idea how I would respond to this. It sounds like it’s a critical factor, and it sounds like the end result is desirable (although how realistic is it?). Maybe I’d go back and ask if she has anything specific in mind in terms of alternative transport. ---
**Author:** ![Necros](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/necros/32/11086_2.png) [@Necros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Necros)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-get-rid-of-your-car-to-make-your-workplace-peaceful/608288/35 "2012-01-04T00:09:22Z")
No worries. An S550 is not an AMG, and a non-AMG is just a normal Merc. No need for jealousy. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![lurkedtolong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/edb3f5/32.png) [@lurkedtolong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lurkedtolong)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-get-rid-of-your-car-to-make-your-workplace-peaceful/608288/36 "2012-01-04T01:35:10Z")
> [@Necros](#): > > No worries. An S550 is not an AMG, and a non-AMG is just a normal Merc. No need for jealousy. 🙂 I described my car as AMG s550 because it has the AMG sport package body kit, exposed exhaust and the car itself is badged AMG as is all the rims and badging. Most people don’t know that about amg not modding the s550 or i would have expressed it as a RENNTECH benz. When I get the s65 that will not be an issue though.🙂 something about the biturbo v12 makes me happy. ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-get-rid-of-your-car-to-make-your-workplace-peaceful/608288/37 "2012-01-04T02:19:47Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > But saying no will most likely have consequences. I’d ask again about the feasibility of parking some distance away where green-eyed coworkers can’t see it. I had a brief problem with this scenario myself on a a slightly smaller scale, and my boss was a little ticked at the time. Unbeknownst to him I was starting my own business in a few months, and bought my [Honda](http://automobiles.honda.com/ridgeline/) Ridgeline before forging out on my own to make sure I qualified more cleanly for financing. I made ok money for my lifestyle but not $600 truck payments without sacrifices good money. Of course the first day I show up with it there are many oohs and ahhhs from the $10/hr warehouse types. That day when it was lunch time a couple of the ladies in the warehouse and I had all pondered aloud going to taco bell so of course it became “you should take us in your pretty new truck” \ Shortly thereafter a few sourgrapes types in the warehouse started wondering aloud how I could afford a $35K truck unless I made alot more money than they did and they felt that was unfair. I think they were actually more pissed that I drew away some of the female attention they wanted. I made about $35K with OT to the average warehouse folk making more like $22K. The assumptions/rumors became more like I was making $50K and some attitudes flared. Considering none of them had the math or computer skills to even fantasize about doing my job, what I made was pretty much irrelevant as far as I was concerned. When raise reviews came around right before I left, it apparently came up twice that “if you can afford to pay Drachillix enough for that truck then you can afford to pay me more”. My boss tried to explain it away as my then wifes income (like $65K) is what made it possible, but they didn’t believe him. I left about a month later and people chilled out. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-get-rid-of-your-car-to-make-your-workplace-peaceful/608288/38 "2012-01-04T02:21:56Z")
> [@UFC\_Is\_Sux](#): > > Sure, I’d give up driving my Bugatti Veyron to work for the sake of workplace peace. But I would want a quid pro quo of some sort (a little something extra in the old pay packet to cover leasing whatever econobox the boss found suitable.) > > (Full disclosure: I don’t actually have a Bugatti Veyron. I just like typing the name.) If you actually had a Veyron, you’d also have a new best friend. Me. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-get-rid-of-your-car-to-make-your-workplace-peaceful/608288/39 "2012-01-04T02:33:23Z")
> [@FairyChatMom](#): > > I guess I live in a different world - I rarely had any idea what my coworkers drove, and I can’t imagine caring one way or another. We all spend our money on things that are important to us for whatever reason. We have pretty much always had a sailboat, and I expect there are those who must think we’re rich because of that. Um, no. We have a sailboat instead of expensive resort vacations or a fancy house or high-end cars. Choice, you know? > > I have no advice - I’m just trying to wrap my mind around the concept of such a thing mattering to anyone. I suppose if you worked for a Ford dealership, they might prefer that you not drive a Honda, but otherwise? I don’t get it. I usually work temp/part time, and I’ve lost count of the times I’ve heard, as I’m leaving for the day at 2 pm or working 3 days per week, “Oh, must be nice to only work part-time!” Two responses come into my head - “Yeah, it really, really is,” and, “Do you think you’d enjoy my part-time salary?” Like you say, it’s all about choices (we choose to make less money, and have me looking after the house and household), but people tend to forget that. All they see is the nice car, or the sailboat, or the part-time job. ---
**Author:** ![lurkedtolong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/edb3f5/32.png) [@lurkedtolong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lurkedtolong)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-get-rid-of-your-car-to-make-your-workplace-peaceful/608288/40 "2012-01-04T02:39:15Z")
> [@drachillix](#): > > I had a brief problem with this scenario myself on a a slightly smaller scale, and my boss was a little ticked at the time. Unbeknownst to him I was starting my own business in a few months, and bought my [Honda](http://automobiles.honda.com/ridgeline/) Ridgeline before forging out on my own to make sure I qualified more cleanly for financing. > > I made ok money for my lifestyle but not $600 truck payments without sacrifices good money. Of course the first day I show up with it there are many oohs and ahhhs from the $10/hr warehouse types. That day when it was lunch time a couple of the ladies in the warehouse and I had all pondered aloud going to taco bell so of course it became “you should take us in your pretty new truck” \ > > Shortly thereafter a few sourgrapes types in the warehouse started wondering aloud how I could afford a $35K truck unless I made alot more money than they did and they felt that was unfair. I think they were actually more pissed that I drew away some of the female attention they wanted. > > I made about $35K with OT to the average warehouse folk making more like $22K. The assumptions/rumors became more like I was making $50K and some attitudes flared. Considering none of them had the math or computer skills to even fantasize about doing my job, what I made was pretty much irrelevant as far as I was concerned. > > When raise reviews came around right before I left, it apparently came up twice that “if you can afford to pay Drachillix enough for that truck then you can afford to pay me more”. My boss tried to explain it away as my then wifes income (like $65K) is what made it possible, but they didn’t believe him. I left about a month later and people chilled out. Sorry for reposting this whole post but its like your in my brain. This is exactly it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-get-rid-of-your-car-to-make-your-workplace-peaceful/608288.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-get-rid-of-your-car-to-make-your-workplace-peaceful/608288.md?page=3)