I've traveled quite a bit for work. In some instances, for months on end although I would go home to get mail and see what my house looks like every 2-3 weekends. I've never been asked to share a room.
One stint about 10 years ago, we would go out to dinner every night and with Portsmouth, NH being a vacation town, the restaurants are mostly top-notch, although not cheap. Once I got that out of my system, I would usually only go out maybe once a week. Otherwise, I'd get food from a local supermarket and bank the food per diem. Since the end of my last long-term stint, my company has changed the expense policy to make it more cumbersome. I don't know if I'll be doing another long-term trip, but if so it may be more annoying to deal with having to keep track of more receipts.
About 8 years ago, I worked with another engineer who could easily put away a bottle-plus of wine at the bar. We'd go out a few times a week. How he functioned the next day I'll never understand. Nor how he managed to drive back to his apartment...
I used to travel for work a lot. It wasn't unusual to travel with another technician. We NEVER were asked to share a room. If they did I would have told them in no uncertain terms that isn't happening, ever.
I can't imagine a company would expect that.
I've always been on the road for work.
- Only shared rooms on drill weekends when I belonged to the New York Air National Guard. The sad part was - you couldn't even request to stay with one of your bros in the same room, it was luck of the draw. Somehow I always got paired with people who went to bed at 8:30 and snored like a bear, meanwhile my job would have us in the field til whenever and then I would get into arguments with the roommate. It was great....
- For my civilian job I've never had to share rooms. Sharing rental cars is just as much torture to me though, especially if it's not in my name. I travel to a lot of cool places and I love embracing the local scenery from hiking, to museums, and local food options. Being caged like a tiger because the guy who has the rental car has control issues (won't give up keys even though they are just going to sit in the hotel room after dinner) but won't venture outside of going to Chili's for dinner is pure hell.
- One of my last times in Vegas, the guy with the rental car somehow got a BMW 550, his driving style with the brake and gas pedal was very binary. He used them like on/off switches going 100% on either pedal whenever gas or brake was needed. I confiscated the keys and his driving privileges are revoked for any future work trips.
- This same individual on that same trip got extremely drunk at a casino buffet, started getting rowdy with the staff, dropped some borderline racial slurs, and was a complete liability. When I addressed that with my leadership, I was told that they are hamstrung by manning and unfortunately he's my travel partner for the rest of the year...
- I've been renting cars out of my own pocket recently with my travels just so I can go to the gym, get food, and explore on my own after work hours. The cost is usually offset by per diem if I play my cards right and my mental health is rewarded too.
In my past life, having needed to travel for work a bit, I agree with others here- For me to do my job functionally, I am not sharing a room with someone I don't know implicitly. Hard Stop. And it's for the exact reasons all of you have listed- people turn into feral berking animals on business trips, I seriously don't get it. I've seen it all- adultery, ring removal, jail, vomit... I 100% get going out and having a good time, but the whole 'when the wife/boss is away, the dog will play' mentality that just causes people to completely lose their E36 M3.
Go out, get drinks, have fun, but don't ruin your life or be so messed up that you cannot function for the work you've been sent to do. Is that too much to ask?
This depends so much on the people you work with. If you work with a bunch of morons then it will not be a good experience. If you work with people you like, it can be anywhere from tolerable to fun.
I am on the road approximately 33-35 weeks of the roughly 40 weeks between mid-February and mid-December. I like most of the people I work with. I'm not really a roommate kind of person, as I like my privacy no matter how nice the roommate is. Luckily for me, one of my coworkers is my wife. That makes things easy. I had a trip the other week where she didn't go and I had a true roommate. I like him personally and he was as nice of a roomie as he could be. I would call the experience tolerable, simply because as I said before I like my privacy.
Used to travel for work a lot, now less but still semi-regularly. Never been asked to share a room even in expensive metros. Also, too old for that E36 M3.
Can't imagine sharing a room with a co-worker, that would be a non-starter for me. Thankfully when I do travel for work, I'm around people who have fun, but act like adults.
If I was forced to share a room, i would be calling HR every night, or getting a room for myself and writing it off on my taxes.
brandonsmash said:
The last thing you want is some other guy talking/farting/snoring/whatever while you're trying to read a book or call your wife.
It's that 'whatever' I'd be most worried about...
The one time I was stuck with a business trip roommate, it was with a guy who took off his wedding ring and went out cruising for action.
preach said:
I spent 8+ months a year on the road for 12 years with co-workers of the blue collar variety. That is easy to type and easy to think about, but it sucks.
50% easy of those days involved 12+hr days, 6-7 days a week. My best/worst was 22hrs on the job and I showed up on time the next day after eating, a shower, and whatever sleep I found. I did the same thing the next day. I have been near 8000 miles from home.
I missed most of my anniversaries, my wife's birthdays, my birthdays, most holidays, and a lot of stuff I could have been doing to my home/cars. I was living a different life.
I did it for me, and most of you.
I have been on the road with that guy and have been that guy.
I will leave tomorrow.
Been my life , for almost 30 years! (Well, 90% of it - tried a few full times. Never fit). Spring and fall, if I have work, it's normally 6/12's.
over 110 separate contracts, for almost 2 dozen different companies. Most I've hauled a camper to... had a few roommates (Hotel or camper - my choice) that worked out.
My 2nd road job, took a forced shared room. For one night. He was a decent guy, so we found a cottage to rent (less than the hotel) and worked. Great tool partner (co worker to y'all citizens), but I'd have had to shoot him, stuck in a hotel.
Turned down MANY companies, that tried!
I used to travel to US Army and Marine bases investigating issues and failures; 99% of the time it's because maintenance isn't done. The senior NCO would tell the young Gun Bunnies after a day of firing, to strip and clean the weapon. (it's a 28 ft. long cannon). Then he would go to lunch... Gun Bunnies: "How's it look?" OK "So we stand out here in the desert of Yuma stripping, cleaning and greasing this monster, how's it look when we're done?" Same. "Cool, don't run in the back of his car at the gate".
I wore Khaki Dockers, a button down shirt and shiny Army boots, and I was asking questions. I get "Sir, yes sir, in accordance with ASTM-E-562 all components....." Right.
My boss is 35 years old, 5' 10" blond with a Masters in Aeronautics and one in Metallography. When I go out with Jeanne, it's soldiers dropping out of the rafters, glad hand all around and "Hey, yeah, I remember your last visit..."
I will say ir got much better since places like Hilton's Home Suites came along. It's nice having a studio like apartment to stay in, not having to get dressed, to out for every meal or snack and to have a small fridge in the room.
I try very hard to avoid Chicago, delays from winter storms or summer winds, then you miss your connection.
Dan
Y'all must work with some really interesting people.
Everyone I've worked with or had to share a room with has been very adult about it.
Both are my bosses, but I can only share a room with one of them. =~ (
Interesting, this must have been zombie bumped recently. I'm traveling for work right now. I don't do much... probably just over 2 weeks a year. Never shared a room since entering the corporate world.
I've witnessed people who get a little crazy and party too much, but I'm happy to have a few beers and get to bed at a reasonable hour. One of the trips I do is often very long days so no real desire to go out afterward anyway.
