OT: work...

[Galadriel]

Hey there,

This is gonna be O.T., and it may sound silly, but it bothers me.



Ok at where I work sometimes my shift is on register, and I almost
always am working closing shift. So, after the store closes to the
public, we have to do jobs to get the store in shape for the next day.
Well, if on register one of the jobs is to go out in the parking lot
and get the shopping carts. These shopping carts are in a dark empty
parking lot. I don't feel comfortable about this, and told the store
manager so. I said it would be better to have 2 people go out because
if anything happened, well heck no one would know.



Part of me though feels kind of silly about it, I mean other gals who
work there go get the carts by themselves. Part of me feels like I am
making a big deal about it, and I talked to my husband about it and he
said no way are you to go out in that parking lot alone.



I just feel silly sometimes like I'm being an inconvinience asking
another person to go out there with me, and when we are busy well
everyone has lots of stuff to get done. I wish it was like a store rule
or something to have 2 people go out there.



Does what I am saying sound sane and reasonable? The one manager (she's
underneath the store manager) seemed kind of like I was making a deal
out of it, but I mean most of the people who work there are
women/girls. I guess on the one hand part of me just feels silly about
it and I get kind of anxious everytime I have to work register because
I'm always thinking "I gotta ask somebody to go out there with me and
what if they act like I'm stupid?" I know this is silly cause who wants
to get kidnapped and raped/mugged?



Basically, do I sound reasonable or silly?

</font></span>

[crimgoddess]

If you are not comfortable with this part of your job, then by all means make someone go out with you.You shouldn't be forced to do something that you feel is a safety hazard. I'm sure that some other people at your work may feel the same way, but may be too scared to speak up to management.


However, if it makes you feel any better- statistically males age 18-25 are the predominant victims of violent crime (they are, interestingly enough, also the likely culprits). When it comes to something like sexual assault- although the victims are more likely to be female (although there is some evidence that part of the reason this is so is because males are less likely to characterize their experience as being victimized, or when they do are unlikely to report it due to the stigma attached)- the perpetrators are overwhelmingly family members, friends, and acquaintances. Although you hear some horrible stories in the media about women being kidnapped, raped and murdered by randoms- these are the extreme and unlikely cases. You have almost the same odds of winning the lottery as you do being a victim of this sort.


It's all about perception- although the odds are slim- the fear is very real.


*amber*

[Galadriel]

Hey Amber!



Thanks! I just feel more comfortable not being out there alone.
Actually, if say someone wanted to kidnap, they would know that
everyday about such and such a time a girl comes out to grab the carts.




I guess I just don't want to become that one statistic, slim though it
may be. I just would rather not take the chance. What I don't get is
why some of the other women who work there don't feel the same or
similar.

</font></span>

[crimgoddess]

To each her own Galadriel I'm one of those women who wouldn't feel uncomfortable. I used to work for a cleaning service, and one of our clients was a Bingo hall that is in the same mini-mall as a bar. After the last bingo (1am), we would go in, clean up the place- and drag about 30 bags of garbage outside to the dumpster. I have done this a few times on my own while the other worker was cleaning something else, or otherwise indesposed.


It didnt make me nervous- and the same deal, anyone in the area would know that a woman (either me or my aunt)would be dragging the garbage outside, likely alone, at 1:30-2am. It really depends on the person- so if you're the only one who feels this way, just make sure that when you go out you have someone with you. All you can do is make sure that you feel comfortable in your working environment


*amber*

[californiagirl]

Your hubby is right, and about becoming a statistic---just remember this----one time is all it takes, and you can never reverse what may happen. Your manager(s) should respect this.

[Galadriel]

Thank you for the replies.



I also agree Californiagirl, once is all it takes and I don't want to take that chance.

</font></span>

[stella9]

There is no job worth risking your life - period. Jobs are a dime a dozen, YOU are not.


Stella

[Galadriel]

I agree stella! This is what my husband says, that your life is not worth 6.25 an hour.



I just well, worry what I would say if say one of the managers was like
"oh just go do it" or whatever. See I am not a very forceful assertive
person. I guess I would have to think of something, cause yeah the time
they make me go out there alone is the time its over with for the job.

</font></span>

[2jo2]

Galadriel, I don't want to scare you or anything but there are stories all the time of things happening to girls who are alone, busy with something so that their not paying full attention to their surroundings and are vulnerable. If you feel uncomfortable about it, your manager should appease you. That late at night, dark parking lot.... can't someone even stand at the door and watch for the other person that is getting the carts? There are so many solutions to this! I would hope the manager wouldn't be insensitive. I know of lots of places that make their employees walk out together to leave, or have someone watch and make sure you get to your car. My college job was like that. The world isn't like it was 100 years ago, things happen to people all the time. Please express your feelings to your manager. Suggest that the buddy system become new store policy.


I wouldn't be one that is afraid either, but sometimes I think I'm a bit too trusting when it comes to thinking nothing like that could ever happen to me.

[tcsarah]

I totally agree with you that it's taking a risk going out there in the dark and collecting trolleys alone. It should be a two person job for safety reasons. You hear about so many awful things happening in the news, some that you would really not expect to be able to happen, but these things do. Last year in our town, there was a spate of muggings in the busy town centre in broad daylight -you think howthe hell does this happen with all those people around and during daylight hours, but it does.


It's always better to be safe than sorry, so really try and push for two of you to go out when it's dark. You could also carry a personal alarm for extra protection, which would make you feel more secure if you were forced out there on your own.

[Galadriel]

I agree there are
plenty of stories, and I'm not about to become one of them. I did talk
to several of the managers, and thankfully the store manager (the head
manager) understood and said that was fine to have 2 people go out, but
she isn't always closing. I think it would be better to have it be like
a store rule or something, but I guess people around here don't think
anything would happen to them. </span>Even
if they try and argue or whatever I would somehow have to stand my
ground, actually they couldn't even really have an argument!



Maybe I should work for a college where they care about this sort of thing and employee safety.....[img]smileys/smilies_05.gif[/img]

</font></span>

[SimplyMe]

You would think they wouldn't want the possible lawsuit ... no matter how slim the chance. Plus you say you feel bad because there's lots of other things that need to be done but 2 people get the carts done quicker so it's 2 people back in sooner to help out on the inside stuff. When I worked at a fabric shop we got held up @ gunpoint one night ( abunch of women at closing time) fortunately no one was hurt and the dudes didn't even get any money but it's scary and if you can prevent then by all means do it ... w/o guilt!

[Galadriel]

Yikes Simply Me
that is frightening! Its odd tho that someone would pick a fabric
store. Glad you were all okay, whew, did you keep working there after
that?



Yeah Ive come to the conclusion that I shouldn't feel guilty about it,
I mean its just plain smart. I too have wondered wouldn't they just
want to prevent such an event from happening?

</font></span>