I don’t, but I used to. When I was in the Navy (and we weren’t at sea), the drive wasn’t very long – just 15-25 minutes, but I still dreaded it… I dreaded the line at security to get on base, I dreaded the rush to find a parking space, and I dreaded the whole thing when the weather wasn’t good.
Now I take public transportation, and it’s almost completely stress free. Even when there are train delays, I just sit and read my Kindle, without really worrying about anything.
It seems to me like one’s commute to work has a disproportionate impact on one’s quality of life.
I love my commute. Twelve minutes in good weather, a little longer with snow. Through beautiful country with deer, turkeys, etc. Three dogs and an African Grey parrot ride along.
Mine is 19 miles but they get really congested if I commute during ‘normal’ hours and what good is a sports car if you’re in heavy traffic? So fortunately I can come and go early to miss the lion’s share, 35 minutes and I arrive a little after 6:00 am and then I leave a little before 3:00 and am home before the kid gets off her bus. Works pretty good really, as the few days I had to come in late it took around 1.5 hours. Plus, fewer tailgaters and assholes early in the am.
A bit over a mile or 10 minutes by bike… do I dread it? Not so much, maybe a bit when it’s raining really really hard. Taking the car would take longer than my bike ride btw.
Mine is 62 miles each way. I only have to do it three days a week, working from home on Tuesdays and Fridays. When the weather is bad in winter, I work from home those days, too. Two thirds of it is on rural roads, and a third on interstate highway. I work similar hours to lieu, so I don’t encounter much traffic.
I don’t dread it. I listen to podcasts, music and comedy. Sometimes I think. I like where I live and I like where I work, and they are far apart, and that’s OK with me.
I used to have the perfect 30 minute commute; straight shot on a highway and never any traffic. I switched jobs a few months ago and my commute is still 30 minutes, but there is always heavy traffic to consider, always construction somewhere to be avoided. I wouldn’t say I dread my commute, but it’s not ideal.
Yes, absolutely. I’m amazed that people often choose to live in a place that makes their commute painfully long. Your commute is something that you drive five days a week, so to my way of thinking, it seems rational to make it as short and stress-free as possible.
I live in Ann Arbor and I work in Ann Arbor. My commute is entirely on surface streets and can be as short as five minutes, but normally I take the long way and make it 15 minutes, as it gives me a chance to warm the engine up and also to listen to a couple of songs along the way.
Years ago I went to a training class in Troy, on the opposite side of Detroit. It was 50 miles each way, five days straight. Stop-and-go traffic on the highway was a routine occurrence. For just five days, it was tolerable as a novelty - but I can’t imagine how soul-crushing it would be to do a commute like that on a perpetual basis.
A coworker lives outside of Ann Arbor, near Pinckney. Our houses are similar, but he pays considerably less in property taxes. OTOH, he pays considerably more than me in operating costs for his car (fuel, insurance, depreciation, maintenance, etc.). So financially our situations are about the same - but his commute takes 30 minutes each way, assuming traffic cooperates (which it often doesn’t).
Imagine getting out of work a half-hour early every day. Or getting out of work 2.5 hours early every Friday. 130 hours of extra time every year. That’s effectively what I’ve got compared to him.
I 'm not sure what the plan is. I’ve been separated for almost two years, but the kids spend weekends with me. I have to sell the house I’m in and do something; I’m just not sure what.
I’m not working right now, I’m back in school but I’ve always loved my commutes to work, but of course mine were usually only 30 minutes or so but I think it gives you time to mentally prepare yourself before getting to work and somewhat unwind before getting home especially if you have young children waiting at home. But like the OP that was in the Navy there was a huge stressor on the way to PT in the morning when I was in the Army if I was running late. And more than once I got in trouble for being late after getting stuck behind a train. I understood their rationale that I needed to leave extra early in order to account for that but on more than one occasion I literally had to wait over 30 minutes for the train to pass and I still got in trouble even when I would document on my phone with video that I really was stuck that long.
Depends on what Google Maps says. My commute home can range from 25 minutes Jan. 2 (16 miles) to well over an hour when all the approach roads the the freeway get clogged up. The improving Bay Area economy has seriously screwed up commute times. And I’m talking about normal traffic - no bad weather, no accidents.
A relaxing drive over a beautiful mountain pass. Then through a small ski resort community. In winter, the Christmas lights are lovely (it’s dark in the morning when I come in.
For the first 10 miles, I sometimes don’t see another car.
I really like it. It’s my guaranteed alone time every day.
11 miles, 2 stop signs to get out of the driveway and on the main road, 1 blinking caution light at a crossroad, about 15 minutes on a 2 lane road, maybe less.
Not much traffic except for land barge season (summer motor homes). I know I am fortunate and have sympathy for those who spend a lot of time just getting to work and back. I hope that shit is reflected in your pay.
2 stop signs, 7 traffic lights, 2 traffic circles and there’s nobody on the roads at that hour. Takes me all of 10 minutes to get to work.
Of course, coming home is a different story because I have to contend with all the students on the road as well. So my alternate route home takes 5 minutes longer and has 3 more stop lights.
Mine is very similar – less than 2 miles on low-traffic surface streets. Even if I pick up or drop off my son from day care, that adds maybe a mile total.
I used to have some long commutes and while I certainly don’t miss losing an hour or two of my day every single day, sometimes I wish I had more time to drive (since I enjoy driving) and/or listen to music, and have a little time to wake up on the way in and unwind on the way home. Not that I’m complaining…
I like where I live and I like where I work, and they are far apart, and that’s OK with me.