Do you have a long commute?

[Steve in Phx]

I have a question for those that have --or have had-- a long commute.

I've always been blessed to have short commutes to work. Today my commute is 8 miles and takes only 20 minutes in my truck.

But I have been miserable at this job. My doctor said to me yesterday, "get the hell out of there!" Enough said.

So, I found another gig that would be a decent career move and a bit more money. However, it's 34 miles away, all freeway, literally on the complete opposite side of the metro phoenix area. Minimum 45 minutes each way. On the plus side, I could ride the FJR and use the HOV lane (it's legal here in Phoenix), but the summer heat would probably force me back into the truck for a few months.

So, for those of you that have long commutes, I ask you...

How bad would it be to commute this far every day? Is the right job worth it? Not a big deal? Or a show stopper? Easy peasy? Or am I nuts?

Constructive feedback welcome. Thanks.

 

[PhilJet09]

My commute is 26 miles, 30 minutes. I sometimes go in to work on days I'm not flying just to ride my bike and take the long way home. Having a job you like is the icing on the cake.

 

[Cav47]

My commute is 1.2 miles. I understand the value of a short commute better than most. I am actually at work right now at 11:45pm. "Working" on some lesson plans and other school stuff. I usually leave after school pretty quickly to go home and help with homework, run kids around, and sometimes make dinner.

Then after the kids are settling down for the night around 9 or so, I jump on the Scooter.....yeah, I have a 1985 Honda Spree 49CC for just this purpose.

I pull it right up to the doors and work in my room to whenever I want. It is very convenient to run back to the office and work.

On the other hand, I have had longer commutes before and actually enjoyed the opportunity to mentally plan my day when I rode in the car/truck. I have had commutes that ranged from 20 min to 55 min. The 55 min sucked. 2 hours on the road a day was awful. The 30 min ones are not that bad. It gives you time to decompress from the day. It seemed to take me about that long to "let go" of the stress and B.S. from the school day. (kids, colleagues, and schools in general can be stressful) I do not have a dog, but sometimes on some days, I am still "amped" up from the day and when one of my kids does something dumb at home, I am still aggravated from my day and snap at them. I hate that about the short commute. I feel like a bad dad when I do that.

SO maybe a little longer commute is what you need. Especially if that place you are at now is awful as your Doc has stated.

Good luck, and I hope it all works out for you.

 

[Craigar]

Having commuted in both Seattle and now Phoenix.

Forty-five minutes is doable for a commute each way.

Just my personal opinion.

But it sounds like you have been presented with a great opportunity for career advancement.

If the commute really became an issue for you.

Could you relocate at some point?

That could lessen a potential burden for you.

Are you giving up one headache for another?

Only you know the answer to that one.

We all make concessions and sacrifices in life.

But only you know your breaking point.

Good luck with your decision.

 

[Pterodactyl]

45 min, twice a day, for five days = 7.5 hours a week in a car in the midst of thousands of other frustrated commuters. That's nearly a sixth workday each week spent commuting.

 

[DeSudet]

I'm in Phoenix myself and have a 24 miles commute each way, all but a mile of it at 80 in the carpool lane. Luckily, I'm on second shift, noonish to 8ish, and don't have any worries about rush hour traffic. I also love the heat and ride year round. Leather jacket in the winter with goretex gloves, Mesh jacket and whatever my Joe Rocket gloves are made of (breathes really well, almost feels like foam). Perfect for my needs and desires. If the heat gets to you, see what you can find in the way of a cooling vest: fill it with water and keep cool for your ride in, top it off before you head home and you're golden. As for the job being worth it, only you can say. I've done the rush hour thing, and love that we can use the carpool lane, but if the job isn't something I enjoy, I wouldn't do it. YMMV

 

[SacramentoMike]

On a hot day, riding a motorcycle is HOT and we all know it. But to me, that ride is fun, whereas the drive is drudgery. And just the afternoons would be ugly, right? And a wet cooling vest works just long enough. Sounds like a great idea to me. Anyway, doctor's orders. Good luck with your decision.

 

[mcatrophy]

I've had longer commutes and shorter commutes (moving house more often than jobs!).

I've also talked to many people who have very long commutes, some over two hours each way.

What I find is that you get used to whatever commute you are doing. It may take a month or so, but once it becomes habitual, it's no longer an issue, always provided you don't find it stressful.

As a motorcyclist, you can probably control your anger and frustration better than the majority, this would stand you in good stead for the hold-ups and bad driving you will inevitably encounter. The only real issue might be if you are going to be late for work because of roadworks or an accident. Make sure you won't get a black mark for an occasional infraction.

Then use the time you are in the traffic to listen to music, plan future rides, think deep thoughts that will put the world to rights (but don't just run on autopilot if you are using the bike).

 

[Derekw]

When I was younger and in Florida, I drove 63 miles one way to work on a motorcycle everyday. The Florida heat would get to me sometimes. Now I commute 2 miles to work. I would rather be on a bike than in a car ( I guess that is why I don't own a car). I wear my gear year round and have never thought about having a car no matter the weather. Coming home, I may turn the 2 miles in to a 30 mile ride to clear my head. People often ask why I do it and I quote the T-shirt that says" Some twist a bottle, I twist a throttle." I have had less stress riding. Does not take long to forget work after a couple of miles.

 

[BkerChuck]

This is sort of a personal choice issue. My commute is 10 miles one way and takes between 18-25 minutes depending on idiots. The longest commute I ever had for a job was 23 miles give or take and took 40-45 minutes normally. As a kid growing up my dad worked construction and I remember him carpooling with 3 other guys to a job site that was 3 hours one way. He was making big money at the job but was absolutely miserable to be around. Once I started working I made up my mind I would never drive more than 30 minutes each way for work and the almost 2 years I had the 40+ minute drive drove me nuts. I told my wife that if I hadn't gotten laid off we would be selling our house and moving.

Everybody is different though and my decisions may not be right for the next person. Perhaps in some ways I'm a little selfish with my time. I've also made it a point of never living somewhere that takes more than one hour of yard work per week and if our HOA allowed it I'd have artificial turf and fake trees.

Good luck.

 

[LittleJon]

I'm one of THOSE people. My current commute is less than 7 miles. 1 turn. And that is my least favorite part of my job. I would prefer a longer commute. It would give me time to think in the morning, and decompress after work. My furthest commute was 34 miles in heavy stop and go traffic. Audio books can become your best friend.

But like Chuck said, it's a personal choice. 45 minutes in traffic might not matter so much if it allows you 8 hours at a rewarding job.

 

[gixxerjasen]

Your commute will totally suck balls. Until you get used to it.

I went from a 0.7 mile commute. Yea, that short. If I drove my car, it took 7 minutes for me to go from my desk to my car via two elevators. It then took 7 minutes to drive out of the parking garage, deal with several traffic lights and the apartment gate, before I pulled into the spot by my front door. Yes, the walk to my car was half my commute.

Then I moved.

45 freaking minutes in traffic away. I thought I was going to die. I considered killing myself several times. It was awful.

And now I'm doing a 100 mile round trip commute and it's bad, but not so bad. You'll get used to it. Get you some tunes and cruise those highways and it won't be so bad. You just have to remember that commute wise, you've been spoiled up to this point.

I only do the 100 mile commute twice a week and work from home three days a week. They are working on making us come in five days a week. When that happens, I'm looking for a new job. This job sucks, but the work from home thing makes it worth it, without that, it's a job I hate with a commute I hate.

 

[gray ray]

What is this "Work" thing you guys are talking about?

 

[Geezer]

When I moved into the place I have lived in for the past 30 years I accepted a 40 minute commute in order to live where I wanted to be. After about 10 years my location was closed and I had a choice to either move at the company's expense or increase my commute to a little over an hour. I stayed put and commuted. I found that if I adjusted my schedule to avoid school buses and the major traffic hour I didn't mind the commute and even enjoyed the ride home on a nice afternoon. Still, it took up over two hours of my day and that left little time for other things. Luckily for me, work at home became acceptable and the last four or five years I only went to my office about once a week. I have been retired now for four years, and that is even better.

If I had a choice, I would live within walking distance of my place of employment. Being in the office is more productive than working from home and it keeps you in the eyes and minds of the higher ups when a promotion opens up.

Bottom line, commuting is better than hating your job. Commuting in light traffic is much better than the same number of minutes in heavy traffic.

 

[Intech]

I am the closest to work that I have ever been. 14 miles. Over the last ten years the growth in the area has made the commute seem longer, but it still only takes me 20 minutes unless I get caught behind school buses. I have also had a 75 mile commute at two times in my life. One job working in Washington D.C. That commute sucked. The job sucked. Didn't take long to get out of there. Dropped to 20 mile commute with no highway. Then we moved to New York. 75 miles, but all back roads. Damn deer were the problem. Hit three of the damn things in three years. That commute was nice even if it was long. Never bad traffic and a couple different routes to choose from. One through a state park.

The DC commute was the only one I hated. That added 3 to 4 hours of stress to the workday. I am 1.5 years out from semi-retirement, so I am looking forward to not having much of any commute working towards none!

If your doctor is telling to leave a job that is something you should really consider. Stress related health issues can be invisible right up until they really cause bad stuff.

Good luck with your decision.

 

[Kelvininin]

I have accepted commuting as necessary evil to live where I want to live and work doing something I want to do. I have more or less had long commutes since I entered the professional work force.

I used to work for US Steel in Gary IN lived in Chesterton, 17 miles ~ 40 min one way, not rideable,

There was Boeing in Everett WA living in Lake Stevens WA, ~17 miles and 40 mins one way, 70 mins the other. Rideable, no car pool lanes.

Then there was Lake Stevens down to Bellevue WA 31 miles. 1.5 hours one way. That commute sucked. Riding helped shaved some time off, but not much.

Shoreline WA to Bellevue WA 20 miles (to avoid tolls) and about an hour one way. Rideable.

Now its Corcoran MN to Chanhassen 28 miles and about 40 min depending on traffic, one way, rideable.

I did a short stint where I rented an apartment near the office in Bellevue WA, because I couldn’t even come close to affording a house close to the office. The walkable commute didn’t make up for my extreme dislike for apartment life.

For me, enjoying what I do or work is paramount in whether or not I am a happy person, so I am willing to take on a commute. These days I work a few days a month from home when I can which is really nice to sit on my deck drinking coffee and working. Riding to work is much better than caging to work. When my kids get a little older I plan to go back into the field which will make the commute thing a non-issue.

I do try to make the best of my commuting time, books on tape, that kind of stuff.

 

[PJ4863]

55 miles one way. No traffic because I work nights. You do get used to it, but you still can't be one of those guys who road rage. I use the time to relax and have some piece and quiet to myself whether or not I'm on the bike vs the car.

 

[roger dodger]

First thing... I would listen to your Dr. and get busy looking for a new job. Being happy (or at least content) at work is second place to being happy at home.

Second... see if any other jobs present themselves as a better alternative to the one w/ the commute.

Third.... a long commute is not a crisis. I used to commute 45 miles/60 minutes each way often. It was relaxing if I was happy to be going to that job. It was a blast if I could ride vs drive. Make the best of the time, and ENJOY the peace of being alone (in the truck or) on the bike!

 

[TomInPA]

I have no idea how flexible you are on where you live. The ideal solution is if you can take the new job and tough out the commute until you can relocate. I would not want to stay at a job that even my doctor agreed sucks.

My wife commutes a long way every day, God bless her! I usually roll out of bed about the time she arrives at the office. Anyway, my last job was like the one you are leaving. Get out and enjoy.