Commute Time

[susans]

I know there was a post on the past on how you commuute to work, this one is based on a News Alert on the UK page
http://www.deskdemon.com/pages/uk/newsalert/details?id=244

How many days does your commnute add up to?    Is it to many?  Do you think long commutes are helpful or hinder life?  I know when I worked at a company that took about 45 minutes for each way I actually enjoyed the "me" time I had.  No one at work asking me questions, no kids wanting dinner, just "me" time.  What about you?

Lets see for a 20 minute commute one way..

40 minutes a day, 5 days a week  200 minutes a week, (lets see 3 weeks a year vacation) so times by 49 weeks equals 9800 minutes commute, divided by 60 to get the hour which equals to 163.33 hours  .. to 6.79 DAYS a year.  That adds up!  I think I have my math right.  

 Let us know about your commute and  your thoughts of if it is good for family or life.

[Cathy S]

Hi

The time to commute was something that worried me when I bought my house last autumn (I used to loathe commuting when I had to do it 7 years ago) BUT the house was everything I wanted, country setting with loads of dog walking space and an old property needing some TLC to make it really lovely again and I actually don't mind the commuting at all ... The bus moves from quiet roads to main roads and dual carriageway before grinding to a crawl at the edge of the city.  It is 45-60 minutes of me time, I have my MP3 player and usually a book, magazine or newspaper but spend most of the time watching the lovely scenery go by and the herds of red deer grazing in the fields we pass - I am so lucky.

Cathy

[raindance]

I probably spend the equivalent of 15 days a year travelling to and from work.  It's scary, but it's just part of my life now.  The downside of travelling is that commuting is tiring and trains are very crowded, but the upside is that I spend a lot of time reading.  

I used to work very close to where I live.  That was good because I didn't have to spend money on travel, could walk to and from work, and sometimes went home at lunchtime.  The disadvantage was that I never felt that I could get away from work - on days off, I couldn't go shopping or even for a walk without meeting someone from work.

[ecogirl]

I've just moved house and will now spend 30 days a year commuting.  I'm renting a lovely little cottage on a working farm and when I compare this to the cold, dirty and expensive flats to rent in the city centre - I can put up with it.  I'm looking forward to catching up on my reading too.

caroleanne

[bgibson]

You all are making me feel guilty. LOL  My commute is about 5 minutes, max.  I live in apartment about 4 blocks from work.  I do drive when I have something going at lunch time or after work or when it's bitterly cold as it often is in the winters of Minnesota.  In the nicer weather, I walk and it takes me 8 minutes.  I love it!

Live Well, Love Much, Laugh Often

[tiffanyctd]

I commute about 8 days, but since I carpool (and DH drives), I can get up 15 minutes later and do my makeup in the car .

[officeguru]

Okay... here's my calculations:

After deducting holidays, personal days, and vacation I figure I work about 261 days a year.  Commute round trip is about 50 mins... so I figure it averages out to about 8 days a year.  I actually thought it would be a lot more.  

I like the 'me' time... but unfortunately, thanks to cell phones- most of my commute (mostly in the evenings) is spent with someone wanting to discuss something.  It gets aggravating at times because I do need the chance to prepare myself and go from 'work mode' to 'mom/gf mode'.

Edited by officeguru on 26/03/07 04:10 PM.

[itsme_calista]

I must have the best commute time LOL ... it adds up to 2.5 days.  Most of the time I walk and it's about 8 minutes.  The children's school is at the end of the road and my office is about 250 further along.

When I changed my job last year I specifically looked for a job that was close to home as I'd had enough of driving across rush hour traffic and being late to pick the children up after school.  

I do take the car some days as i have to collect the children and then go ferrying them to various places, it does make me feel guilty  but i do try to walk as much as possible (weather allowing).

C

[ozbound]

There was a big article in my local newspaper about a month or so ago about commute times and its effect on people's lives in our area. I must say, I'm pretty fortunate compared to a lot of folks, who commute up to 2 hours each way (including expensive ferry rides for some!) My commute averages between 30-45 minutes each way. (On a really bad day, it might take an hour to get home.)
So let's say the average is 80 minutes a day, that's 400 minutes a week, times 50 weeks = 20,000 min./year, div. by 60 is 333 hours, is about 13.8 days - let's just say I spend 2 weeks a year commuting! Wow, that really does add up.

I don't mind the commute too much on good days, but I'd say I get a 30-35 minute trip home once a week; most days it's more like 40-45 or more. That cuts into my after-work activity time for sure. Often, I decide to skip out on an early-evening class or meeting I might like to attend because the time would be too "scrunched". Of course, I've developed the habit of leaving early in the morning to make time for traffic. Normally, the morning commute isn't quite so bad, but you never know, and my boss *does* notice if I come in even a minute late! So I'd rather just get here early; that gives me time to get settled, anyway.

I often think it would be nice if I could take the bus or train - not only saving on emissions and gas but giving myself time to read or listen to music. However, there are no bus/train stops close enough to my work. Although bus schedules can be time-consuming too. I had a temp job in Seattle, about 45 mins. - an hour away, for which I took the bus but that took an extra 15 mins. or so, so it was a chunk out of my day. By the time I got home, there wasn't much time left to do anything, although at least I did get some reading done on the bus!

I have to admit that if I decided to change jobs, one of the main reasons would be to find something closer to home. I've been a bit spoiled, having spent most of my "career" life working in my home town, with a 15-20-min. commute each way, tops, and easy bus access if I didn't want to drive or the car broke down!

[potofgold]

I spent 2 years in my last job doing the "hour plus each way down the motorway without holdups" after a merger with my company relocated my job to another city, so when I took this I was specifically looking for an easier journey to work.

I walk to my local railstation (5 mins - main reason for buying my house where I did), train into town (20 mins) and then another 15 mins walk to the office.  The journey only varies in time if bad weather causes rail delays, or occasionally the trains are cancelled (for no apparent reason).  So, 40 mins each way - not counting the waiting time at the stations.

I manage to avoid peak travelling times by working 8am-4pm so don't have to suffer the "sardine" problem many rail commuters face.

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[dettu]

I commute 15 minutes each way, adding up to what, five days per year or so? But in the evening during the school year, add another 30 minutes to that--15 extra minutes to my son's school and back. If I didn't have him, I would probably carpool or even ride my bike in decent weather.

For about six months I did carpool with a friend in the neighborhood--however, he had to go with me all the way to school after work and it got to be too much of a hassle trying to coordinate our after-work schedules as he has a side business and often we were rushing to get him home on time for an appointment. Too bad, I enjoyed the company and we both felt better about using 50% less fuel.

[Cozwaz]

I am so luck as it only takes me five minutes to drive to and from work.  I go home at lunchtimes to let my dog out so in all its about 20 mins/day which equates to 3.26 days travel per year

[diamondlady]

I used to have a 4 mile commute before I moved 2 years ago.  Now it's a 15-20 minute commute from the Southerntier!  I would not change it for anything.  I absoutley love our new house and where we are located.  Tons of wildlife and privacy.  It's really a homecoming for me cuz it's closer to my hometowns.  I couldn't be happier living there.

A little off topic, but we finally put a bird feeder up out back so hubbys mother could watch birds during the day, and our first taker this morning was an Eastern Male Blue Bird. Just wished I had time to grab the camera and take a shot of it, but I was pushing the time limit this morning at 7:45, to be to work by 8am.  I made it, barely.

In Wintertime, it's a bit more of a challenge, and this Winter I really did miss my 4 mile commute, but, all things considered, it's a worthy trade off.

Diamondlady
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