Long Commute is a source of unhapiness of work

[Spanky]

If long commute is a source of stress or unhappiness, what is considered as a long commute? It seems to me that it's not the amount of time (unless it's more than an hour) but the stop-and-go traffic and the treacherous driving conditions during snowstorms or thunderstorms. Any opinions?

 

[Gone4Good]

If long commute is a source of stress or unhappiness, what is considered as a long commute? It seems to me that it's not the amount of time (unless it's more than an hour) but the stop-and-go traffic and the treacherous driving conditions during snowstorms or thunderstorms. Any opinions?

I agree. Loss of control causes stress. Not knowing how long it will take you to get home or if you are going to miss an important meeting because of traffic congestion is misery.

 

[dumpster56]

If long commute is a source of stress or unhappiness, what is considered as a long commute? It seems to me that it's not the amount of time (unless it's more than an hour) but the stop-and-go traffic and the treacherous driving conditions during snowstorms or thunderstorms. Any opinions?

Ok here is my forte, I moved to an area that we could afford the new house many years ago. 57 miles each way down rt 78 in new jersey basically driving from the border of PA to Newark NJ at the other end of the state.

traffic was bad and is getting worse year after year with so many moving to PA to still make the commute. Snow Ice Heck even rain and the highway was a death trap!

I am ERing this Friday and not a day too soon.

The commute can kill ya! Blood pressure issues etc.

Lots of luck!

 

[Nords]

If long commute is a source of stress or unhappiness, what is considered as a long commute?

Around here it was anything over 25 minutes or the kind of rainsquall that makes people drive like idiots.

Even pedaling home uphill (a 450-foot altitude change) I could usually beat the rush-hour driving time.

Most of you would rightfully claim that's a laughable idea of a "bad" commute, and it takes me longer to get to White Plains Beach for surfing than it used to take me to get to work. But that's what I've become used to, and it's the major impediment to even considering the idea of ever commuting again. So it's your personal quality-of-life standards that count, not how many state lines you have to cross.

 

[Corporateburnout]

My current commute is 40 miles in 35 to 40 minutes (occasional traffic jams). Anything longer is too long for me.

 

[farmerEd]

Early in my career, my commute was 1 hour and 45 minutes *each way*...IF there was no traffic...left the house at 4AM to be at my desk my 7:15 or so (with time to walk to the building and grab a cup of coffee).

Usually left for home at 6PM, and got home by 8PM-8:30...that was back when we had no kids (thank god), and my wife worked evenings so she wasn't home waiting for me...luckily that was a 4 day work week and I had a 3 day weekend every week to recover....

That job (lasting about 2 years) did *A lot* for my ER aspirations......for obvious reasons.

 

[TromboneAl]

I agree that stop and go makes things worse, but the same drive or routine every day can really sap your energy. One summer I lived on Long Island and took the train/subway into Manhattan every day. 1.5 hours each way! That's no way to live.

 

[LOL!]

Anything over 10 minutes is a long commute for me. It would be a great source of unhappiness if I had to commute any more than that. Maybe that's why I have never accepted a job where I had to commute longer than about 5 minutes.

 

[rs0460a]

down rt 78

- 2 exits east on 78 to work (8 minutes)
- 2 exits west on 78 to home (8 minutes)

What's the problem : : : ?

- Ron

 

[Spanky]

My current commute is 40 miles in 35 to 40 minutes (occasional traffic jams). Anything longer is too long for me.

I am in the same boat. My commute is about 40 minutes on a normal day. The driving distance is 30 miles one way. On a snow day, it may take up to 2 hours.

 

[Spanky]

Early in my career, my commute was 1 hour and 45 minutes *each way*...IF there was no traffic...left the house at 4AM to be at my desk my 7:15 or so (with time to walk to the building and grab a cup of coffee).

Usually left for home at 6PM, and got home by 8PM-8:30...that was back when we had no kids (thank god), and my wife worked evenings so she wasn't home waiting for me...luckily that was a 4 day work week and I had a 3 day weekend every week to recover....

That job (lasting about 2 years) did *A lot* for my ER aspirations......for obvious reasons.

Wow, you definitely had a lot of patience. There are people living in Tracy, CA travel 60 to 80 miles (one way) to work in Silicon Valley - nuts.

 

[Spanky]

I agree that stop and go makes things worse, but the same drive or routine every day can really sap your energy. One summer I lived on Long Island and took the train/subway into Manhattan every day. 1.5 hours each way! That's no way to live.

Stop-and-go traffic really drives me nuts. I recall a few times that I had to sit on the highway 101 (Hollywood) for almost 2 hours just to travel less than 20 miles during commute hours. I can't image people actually do this 5 days a week!

 

[Spanky]

Anything over 10 minutes is a long commute for me. It would be a great source of unhappiness if I had to commute any more than that. Maybe that's why I have never accepted a job where I had to commute longer than about 5 minutes.

I hear you. I have a choice to work in a place that would take less than 10 minutes (3 miles away) or another place that would take 25 minutes to commute (18 miles). I have not decided which place to choose.

 

[HFWR]

About 12 miles / 20 minutes

 

[Goonie]

Anything over 10 minutes is a long commute for me. It would be a great source of unhappiness if I had to commute any more than that. Maybe that's why I have never accepted a job where I had to commute longer than about 5 minutes.

Same here! It's exactly 2 miles from my driveway to my parking space at w*rk. I leave home @ about 6:25am reach w*rk at 6:30am...if the traffic lights stay in sync and I don't get caught by a train.....neither of which happen very often! I leave w*rk @ 3:30pm, and have to fight through the high school traffic, and arrive home as late as 3:38pm....I hate those afternoon traffic jams!

I'll be soooo glad when I don't have those long commutes anymore!!! :

 

[Brat]

Where I live it takes about 30 minutes on the community bus to get to the ferry, ferry takes about 35 minutes. Roughly 1:15 door to door if you work in the core area. BUT, one of the sights is the ladies room in the morning - transformations you wouldn't believe. Some must wear PJs under their coats when they board.

May commuters buy breakfast, some are on their cell phones, others read, wi-fi and take care of their e-mails.

On the return trip there is a group who fast walk on the top deck (running is prohibited), many nap, some gossip.

A little like taking the train to NYC, but no stops. The commute is long but very nice.

 

[uncledrz]

So it's your personal quality-of-life standards that count, not how many state lines you have to cross.

Very early on in my career I was stuck in a winter snow storm, going home in rush hour traffic, a six mile trip took me two and a quarter hours. There and then made a decision to move (and did) to a much smaller city so that I wouldn't have to live my life communting.
Life: It's not a dress rehersal

 

[Spanky]

Where I live it takes about 30 minutes on the community bus to get to the ferry, ferry takes about 35 minutes.

The use of ferry was common in Hong Kong back in the 80s. Since then, more than 80% of the ferry riders have switched to underground transit system to cut down the commute time. I prefer the ferry over the crowded train. The ferry is a lot more relaxing.

 

[Outtahere]

My commute is about an hour each way without someone doing something stupid to backup up traffic. I leave at 5:45am and can leave work by 3:30pm so I miss the bulk of the Boston traffic but it's still not fun. I have 6 weeks vacation so I usually save a week for "snow" days, everyone here knows if I get up and it's snowing or the storm will start during the day and I have to drive home in it that I won't be in, that has taken a lot of stress off the table. I can do some work from home so it's not a problem and winters are our slow season.

If I could find a gig like this closer to home I'd do it in a heartbeat but that's not going to happen and this company is giving me the chance to retire earlier than I ever dreamed.

 

[Spanky]

Do you agree with the following order of importance of a job? Commute is almost at the bottom of list - surprisingly.

Salary
Good environment
Benefits
Good co-workers
Good technology
Enjoyable projects
Challenge
Good management
Stability
Freedom
Flex time
Education
Commute
Advancement potential
Independence/trust
Training

 

[Jay_Gatsby]

It's amazing that people (like me) will tolerate a crappy commute for money. Then again, money is the yardstick by which many people measure success. I use money as a means of measuring my ability to ER.

For the record my commute to work is about 1 hour, while my commute home is usually 1 hour and 15 minutes.

 

[BunsGettingFirm]

Re: Long Commute is a source of unhappiness of work

Yes, I agree. When I lived out West, I had a townhouse that's about 0.6 mile from work. If I go out to the street, I can see my office. I'd listen to music until about 8:50 AM, and then hop on my bicycle to go to work, or if it snowed, I would jog to work. Then I moved back East. When my real estate agent was blabbing on and on about how easy the 12-mile commute was for me from my potential new house, I almost strangled him. I didn't realize that he wasn't being sarcastic.

 

[Nords]

Do you agree with the following order of importance of a job? Commute is almost at the bottom of list - surprisingly.

Salary
Good environment
Benefits
Good co-workers
Good technology
Enjoyable projects
Challenge
Good management
Stability
Freedom
Flex time
Education
Commute
Advancement potential
Independence/trust
Training

I think this post could start a whole new thread...

 

[dumpster56]

Only until the commute starts to become a nightmare during daylight hours.

 

[Lusitan]

One summer I lived on Long Island and took the train/subway into Manhattan every day. 1.5 hours each way! That's no way to live.

Ugh. It's the way I'm living right now (more like 1.25 hours each way for me, but still ...)

The only benefit is that I do get at least a solid hour of reading time every day. And the New York Public Library rocks.

But this commute definitely has a shelf life - I'm giving it another 5 years tops.