IBeBishin

Alright. Thank you. I'll try to find a job in Winston Salem and deal with the longer commute for a month while I'm in Lexington until I can move.

This might belong more in the general discussion forum, but I thought since I will be working as a CNA (specifically) that this might be more appropriate. Feel free to move it, however, if I'm wrong. A little background: I live in North Carolina, and I plan on working as a CNA as soon as I get my certification. I will be moving to Winston-Salem soon, however I've been on SSI for the last two years so being able to find an apartment will be difficult without paycheck stubs. If I found a job where I live now, the commute between Lexington and Winston Salem would be a bit much for me, given that I commute entirely by bike. I can do the thirty mile commute, but after a twelve hour shift and by the time I got home it would be time to sleep, giving me no time at all for anything else. My question is: if I picked up a job in Lexington as a CNA (in a nursing home) - how early could I leave the job without it reflecting poorly? I also don't want to place an inconvenience on my employer. Thanks,

Well, it also saves me a great deal of money. I only spend $100/yr on my bike(s) including maintenance, parts, and gear as I can repair most mechanical problems myself. Given my income, I couldn't afford a car either way.

You're very welcome. There are a few DIY panniers on instructables.com if you don't already have one.

I'd suggest just getting a small pannier to stick your Danskos in, and use your old shoes for biking. I bike 15 miles to my college on every weekday and carry a change of clothes and a pair of walking shoes in my panniers (I use cycling shoes, because my walking shoes are wider than I'd like).

Yes, my instructor corrected me about having shoes with canvas material -- must be solid, no holes, no canvas material, and cannot be slip-ons. I'll see what my shoe store has in stock sometime next week, and report back.

Interesting. I'll consider it. I'm also considering Crocs -- if not that, then a pair of their canvas shoes should work.

I'm currently in nursing school, and I unfortunately need leather nursing shoes for my clinicals. I need something that would work as an imitation, and my instructor let me know that this would be fine after I let her know that I was vegan. Any recommendations? I'm male, and the shoes must also be white. Anything from $50 to $100 would be fine. Thanks,

As long as the bathroom is spacy enough, that sounds fine. I doubt there will be many male employees so I shouldn't have any problem with privacy. How long are your commutes, generally? There's usually twenty nursing homes every 15 miles here, and I'd be willing to commute 25 miles to work.

Alright, thank you. Sounds good. I'll need to get to work earlier anyway to cool-down. It usually depends on the terrain, but on flat-ground with my mountain bike with slick tires -- it takes me only an hour. Expect longer if you live in a ridiculously hilly area. An hour and a half if you're not an experienced bike commuter. It's the same around here with the crazy drivers, especially in rush hour. I'm probably honked at at least once a day, and even when I use my hand signals I have cars trying to pass me while I'm trying to make a turn. I'd recommend caution, but keep in mind that less than 1% of cycling accidents are struck-from-behind collisions. I've been biking as a part of commuting for the last three years, and have never been in any kind of collision. And, of course, wear a helmet. It's actually required by law to wear one in my state (North Carolina). I'm curious. Would nursing homes also allow you to bring your bike inside? There's a severe lack of any sort of biking facilities in my area, and I've never even seen a bike rack (apart from the one on my bus). I usually lock my bike onto poles, pipes, or large trees. Thanks,

Yes, it's out of choice. I don't have an automobile that I use for transportation, and I wouldn't want one. I sometimes take the bus to my community college, which is ten miles out. Sometimes, though, I decide to keep biking as the bus sometimes runs late -- at times half an hour late. Usually, I can bike faster than most motorists while in the city. Yes, it's good exercise. I'm a biking enthusiast, so my commute is especially enjoyable to me.

Hello, I'm currently undergoing my training as a CNA, and I was curious about what facilities are typically in nursing homes as I intend to begin working in one in a month or so. I'm currently biking to my community college on a 30-35 mile round-trip every weekday, and I'm a little concerned about all of the sweat I'm producing on the commute. I've never received any comment on how I smell, but I still remain self-conscious. Are there usually showers for employee use in nursing homes, or at the very least -- a locker room/changing room? I really don't intend to bike in my scrubs! I'm also male, if it matters. Thanks,