Contemplating 160 mile daily commute - crazy? Advice needed.
Discussion
As of Monday I will be doing something very similar for similar reasons - but to drive I would have to take the M6 past Birmingham and through all the roadworks every day!
I have bought myself a folding (electric) bike and a train season ticket. I worked out that it would be the best part of 40k miles a year.
OK - so the fuel is cheaper than a train ticket but taking in to account wear & tear on the car and me I just thought sod it and am going by train.
I have bought myself a folding (electric) bike and a train season ticket. I worked out that it would be the best part of 40k miles a year.
OK - so the fuel is cheaper than a train ticket but taking in to account wear & tear on the car and me I just thought sod it and am going by train.
I agree with what Wobert said - see if you can work 2 or 3 days a week at home as it makes life a lot better. Also, as others say, try the journey at a weekend or one evening just to see what the potential choke points are.
When I do have to go into the office it's nearly 130 mile round trip; however, I'm going away from London (M4/A34/M3). It takes an hour or less each way, mostly on cruise listening to the radio/tunes, running the car PH loves to hate - BMW 320D
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It's certainly more relaxing from the much shorter distance but longer time wise journey when I used to work in Woking - that was miserable driving through Bracknell etc. in stop start traffic.
And don't even get me started on working in London and having to use the trains
When I do have to go into the office it's nearly 130 mile round trip; however, I'm going away from London (M4/A34/M3). It takes an hour or less each way, mostly on cruise listening to the radio/tunes, running the car PH loves to hate - BMW 320D
.It's certainly more relaxing from the much shorter distance but longer time wise journey when I used to work in Woking - that was miserable driving through Bracknell etc. in stop start traffic.
And don't even get me started on working in London and having to use the trains
My old man does a 170 mile a day commute. Company car, fuel card and so much travel paid. He has worked there for nearly 20 years now. Admittedly he has been mobile for a long while of that so traveled all over the country (including a 560 mile round trip to do a job more than once) but he has been doing derby to wetherby for about 5 years now 5 days a week.
He is happy enough doing it, leaves at 6.15 and is home for 18.15.
He is happy enough doing it, leaves at 6.15 and is home for 18.15.
JohnStitch said:
I did a 210 mile commute for a number of years (Northampton to Farnborough/Church Crookham) and it's surprising how quickly you get used to it.
Getting used to it probably isn't the correct term, more like you learn to tolerate it.I used to do Southampton to Stockley Park (Heathrow) return (1h30 - 3h each way depending on the traffic) then Southampton to Luton return (2 - 3h each way depending on the traffic) on a daily basis with a company car and expensed fuel.
After 18 months or so of getting up 0600 and getting home at 2000 every Monday to Friday, I moved to a job that was a lot closer to home (6 miles each way) that I realised just how tiring all the driving was and how you really have no time to do anything outside of work during the week as a result.
Having done that sort of commute before, I would never consider doing it again for a 'dream job' or otherwise.
Plus, I seriously doubt that your OH will be any keener on moving house in 18 months than she is at the moment so don't bank on that either.
An hour is my limit.
I was doing 60 a day for three years and the most annoying thing was the inconsistency of the journey. One day it could take an hour and half, the next could be 45-50 minutes. You could also end up being very tired at the end of the week.
Company car and fuel card would be the only way to go IMO and it would have to have heated leather and be an auto. Decent stereo would be a must too.
Not sure I agree with the people who say its fine leaving home at 6am. If its a job where you can't do any work outside normal hours, then being in the office at 7.30 is a bit pointless. I currently leave home at 7.15 to get my train, then, I cycle to the office from the station.
If you are someone who likes to go to the gym before you go to work, then working someone where with a 80 mile commute throws that out the window. When I was do 30 each way, I still had time to be in the gym at 6.45 and leave at 8 to be in the office at 9. Worked fine most days, but it did mean I crawled for some of the journey.
If the OP doesn't get a fuel card, then the diesel bill will be a lot and that's based on the current prices Worth getting a car with a decent sized tank too.
One last point is driving that many miles can actually put you off driving all together. The last thing I usually wanted to do at the weekends was drive 200 miles to go to the seaside or similar. usually made the other half drive instead. I also struggled scheduling maintenance on the car too. I was doing it in my own car and I just didn't spenmd enough on the car £3300 and it had a number of issues which were expensive to fix. If I ever have ti return to big car commutes again, I'd be temped to spend much more.
I was doing 60 a day for three years and the most annoying thing was the inconsistency of the journey. One day it could take an hour and half, the next could be 45-50 minutes. You could also end up being very tired at the end of the week.
Company car and fuel card would be the only way to go IMO and it would have to have heated leather and be an auto. Decent stereo would be a must too.
Not sure I agree with the people who say its fine leaving home at 6am. If its a job where you can't do any work outside normal hours, then being in the office at 7.30 is a bit pointless. I currently leave home at 7.15 to get my train, then, I cycle to the office from the station.
If you are someone who likes to go to the gym before you go to work, then working someone where with a 80 mile commute throws that out the window. When I was do 30 each way, I still had time to be in the gym at 6.45 and leave at 8 to be in the office at 9. Worked fine most days, but it did mean I crawled for some of the journey.
If the OP doesn't get a fuel card, then the diesel bill will be a lot and that's based on the current prices
Worth getting a car with a decent sized tank too.One last point is driving that many miles can actually put you off driving all together. The last thing I usually wanted to do at the weekends was drive 200 miles to go to the seaside or similar. usually made the other half drive instead. I also struggled scheduling maintenance on the car too. I was doing it in my own car and I just didn't spenmd enough on the car £3300 and it had a number of issues which were expensive to fix. If I ever have ti return to big car commutes again, I'd be temped to spend much more.
I used to do a 95 mile each way commute from Lancaster to North Wales, 5 days a week.
As mine was all motorway it took about 90 minutes each way typically.
I did that for 5 years.
Choose the right vehicle and its not a problem. I used to use the the time calling mates on the handsfree and chatting with them (prepares to be flamed however it was before handholding a mobile was banned and I only ever used voice activated handsfree).
You will get used to it after a few weeks. It will grate on you after a few years but all you need to remember is you're being paid well to do it.
At least you have the benefit of running their vehicle - I had to use my own and for 3 years that was an A8 4.2 Quattro Sport so not that cheap to run.
As mine was all motorway it took about 90 minutes each way typically.
I did that for 5 years.
Choose the right vehicle and its not a problem. I used to use the the time calling mates on the handsfree and chatting with them (prepares to be flamed however it was before handholding a mobile was banned and I only ever used voice activated handsfree).
You will get used to it after a few weeks. It will grate on you after a few years but all you need to remember is you're being paid well to do it.
At least you have the benefit of running their vehicle - I had to use my own and for 3 years that was an A8 4.2 Quattro Sport so not that cheap to run.
I used to commute from Royston to Southend/Ipswich. It was fine- I had a company car, and because it was client site my fuel was paid for.
I would recommend you look at whether your employer would let you work early/late to avoid traffic jams in rush hour. Do you get a laptop or can you log into work from home? Allows you a little flexibility and you can check email, etc when you get home to head off any pushback on missing short notice deadlines. Also- can you work from home 1 day per week? I wrote up my project reports on a Friday and didn't need to be in the office.
I liked my job and quite enjoyed having a car that munched miles (Saab 93) and became an avid Archer's fan! But it is tiring- there was many a post dinner digestif I slept through on a Friday night. It also kills work clothes- the seats of suit trousers and elbows of shirt sleeves wear out as you sit down so much and these cost money to replace.
As long as the job satisfaction outweighs the 3-3.5 hours in the car it's worth it. For me, I got fed up with it after 18 months and found another job where I could train commute.
I would recommend you look at whether your employer would let you work early/late to avoid traffic jams in rush hour. Do you get a laptop or can you log into work from home? Allows you a little flexibility and you can check email, etc when you get home to head off any pushback on missing short notice deadlines. Also- can you work from home 1 day per week? I wrote up my project reports on a Friday and didn't need to be in the office.
I liked my job and quite enjoyed having a car that munched miles (Saab 93) and became an avid Archer's fan! But it is tiring- there was many a post dinner digestif I slept through on a Friday night. It also kills work clothes- the seats of suit trousers and elbows of shirt sleeves wear out as you sit down so much and these cost money to replace.
As long as the job satisfaction outweighs the 3-3.5 hours in the car it's worth it. For me, I got fed up with it after 18 months and found another job where I could train commute.
I've been working in the midlands from home in Bekshire for the last year. I've been doing the weekly commute and staying over in hotels.
However, the trip up the M40 is superb. I've never been held up heading north in the morning, or for more than 5 mins )once) heading south.
Door to door is about 80miles, takes 1.15-1.30 depending on country roads across to Oxford M40.
I've started doing the occasional night back home during the week, driving back down and then back up in the morning is no big hassle... I've been used to doing the commute into London along the M4 for 10 years so the M40 is a breathe of fresh air by comparison.
If the pay covers the fuel and you happy to spend that, then go for it, it's not too bad on that route. You'll have the occasional hold up I guess, but rare as a rare thing compared to most other motorways.
However, the trip up the M40 is superb. I've never been held up heading north in the morning, or for more than 5 mins )once) heading south.
Door to door is about 80miles, takes 1.15-1.30 depending on country roads across to Oxford M40.
I've started doing the occasional night back home during the week, driving back down and then back up in the morning is no big hassle... I've been used to doing the commute into London along the M4 for 10 years so the M40 is a breathe of fresh air by comparison.
If the pay covers the fuel and you happy to spend that, then go for it, it's not too bad on that route. You'll have the occasional hold up I guess, but rare as a rare thing compared to most other motorways.
Done similar and further commutes, depends on a lot of factors as to whether it is worth it.
Is it likely to be a permanent position so just a temporary commute for a few months e.g. you try it for a few months pass till you pass the trial period in the new job and look to move somewhere closer or do you have other ties to where you are now that makes relocating later on impossible? Fine in the summer for a few days but five or six hours in the car a few days in a row if there is bad weather and accidents in winter might change your mind.
Are you being paid enough or compensated enough for the additional time, fuel, consumables to do the journey in a comfortable manner. Personally I needed an extra £10k to make it worth doing 130 miles a day extra in my own car. Several hours extra added onto my day, winter tyres to make sure I could get to work in bad weather, extra services and consumables for my car, fuel, extra depreciation etc.
Are they flexible with your working hours to take into account your journey? Could you get in early and leave early to avoid rush hour, could you work from home sometimes in bad weather, do three 12hr days instead of five days a week etc.
Is it likely to be a permanent position so just a temporary commute for a few months e.g. you try it for a few months pass till you pass the trial period in the new job and look to move somewhere closer or do you have other ties to where you are now that makes relocating later on impossible? Fine in the summer for a few days but five or six hours in the car a few days in a row if there is bad weather and accidents in winter might change your mind.
Are you being paid enough or compensated enough for the additional time, fuel, consumables to do the journey in a comfortable manner. Personally I needed an extra £10k to make it worth doing 130 miles a day extra in my own car. Several hours extra added onto my day, winter tyres to make sure I could get to work in bad weather, extra services and consumables for my car, fuel, extra depreciation etc.
Are they flexible with your working hours to take into account your journey? Could you get in early and leave early to avoid rush hour, could you work from home sometimes in bad weather, do three 12hr days instead of five days a week etc.
I used to commute 120 from near M25 J19 up to Oxford on the M40 and again home each day. This was about 5 years ago. Took me around an hour and 20 minutes each direction, missing most of the M25 traffic due to early starts/later finishes as a result of the M40 stretch beforehand!
I do a 70-mile commute now which takes about the same time due to slow moving traffic between Poole in Dorset and Southampton.
Honestly, it just becomes part of the day. I leave home at 7.15 and get home around 18.30 most days. Fuel costs are about £50/week give or take depending on how many miles I do in evenings/weekends. I actually appreciate living further from work because it means (1) I'm not first in the list for out-of-hours emergencies, (2) I never "bump into" colleagues on the weekend and (3) I never see my workplace when I'm not there.
I do a 70-mile commute now which takes about the same time due to slow moving traffic between Poole in Dorset and Southampton.
Honestly, it just becomes part of the day. I leave home at 7.15 and get home around 18.30 most days. Fuel costs are about £50/week give or take depending on how many miles I do in evenings/weekends. I actually appreciate living further from work because it means (1) I'm not first in the list for out-of-hours emergencies, (2) I never "bump into" colleagues on the weekend and (3) I never see my workplace when I'm not there.
Depends on the job and the employer. Will having to leave early, working from home etc. mean you miss important meetings? Can you honestly say that doing a full day and having a long drive won't affect your on job performance? What about social events etc after work? Working from home is fine but in my line of work, it does have a detrimental effect on progression, irrespective of what the firm may want to believe.
Depending on the industry and job you do you, being present and an active member of the team may be important if you want to get on.
Only you know if these are factors and what you want out of things but if there is a similar role in a similar firm closer to home, I would be looking at that.
Depending on the industry and job you do you, being present and an active member of the team may be important if you want to get on.
Only you know if these are factors and what you want out of things but if there is a similar role in a similar firm closer to home, I would be looking at that.
I think the attitudes you'll get on here will differ a lot pending where they are.
I can tell you that the amount of people doing 60-90 min commutes into London each day is vast, utterly huge number of people do this, I also think early starts and late finishes are pretty standard in the SE for many people, someone said on the first page that getting up at 6 was something odd, its pretty standard again for many in the SE, if I went down to Surbiton stations at around 6-6.30 it would be very busy. Its still very busy coming back on trains after 7pm, especially when you consider that the end of the line stations (basingstoke etc) won't be home till gone 8, this is again hugely common.
I would personally not consider a driving commute using a major road like that unless as said by a chap above I could use hours that were outside of the general rush hour, or as near to as possible. But I wouldn't let the time put you off hugely, its not that unusual, especially if its a good job or pays really well and you like it etc.
Is train an option btw?
I can tell you that the amount of people doing 60-90 min commutes into London each day is vast, utterly huge number of people do this, I also think early starts and late finishes are pretty standard in the SE for many people, someone said on the first page that getting up at 6 was something odd, its pretty standard again for many in the SE, if I went down to Surbiton stations at around 6-6.30 it would be very busy. Its still very busy coming back on trains after 7pm, especially when you consider that the end of the line stations (basingstoke etc) won't be home till gone 8, this is again hugely common.
I would personally not consider a driving commute using a major road like that unless as said by a chap above I could use hours that were outside of the general rush hour, or as near to as possible. But I wouldn't let the time put you off hugely, its not that unusual, especially if its a good job or pays really well and you like it etc.
Is train an option btw?
Our ex sales manager used to live in Banbury and commute to Birmingham every day. He lasted 2 years doing this and his main reason for leaving was how much the commute impacted the quality of his life. Mornings were generally OK for him, around a 75 minute journey, leaving the house around 7.00am. But he wasn't getting home till after 7pm most evenings and quite often with heavy traffic, until gone 8pm.
Even with the best will in the world, I think it's the sort of thing you can stick for a while, but once the novelty has worn off and you are dealing with dark, wet, winter days, ploughing through heavy traffic day in and out, it just becomes soul destroying.
Even with the best will in the world, I think it's the sort of thing you can stick for a while, but once the novelty has worn off and you are dealing with dark, wet, winter days, ploughing through heavy traffic day in and out, it just becomes soul destroying.
I currently do about 140. I've moved to doing 4 long days instead of 5, which improves things immensely. I'd say it depends on your situation really as you will have no time in the week outside work. That's not a problem for me at the moment. My OH is also working long hours, we've got no kids. I can see that changing though.
My current commute is down the stairs, but I've done 60 miles of M25-M3 each way in the past.
I wouldn't get hung up on the distance, focus on the time. If 60 of the miles takes 50 minutes of cruising, then you're laughing.
'course, on the inevitable day(s) when it all goes s
t-shaped...
I wouldn't get hung up on the distance, focus on the time. If 60 of the miles takes 50 minutes of cruising, then you're laughing.
'course, on the inevitable day(s) when it all goes s
t-shaped...TooMany2cvs said:
My current commute is down the stairs, but I've done 60 miles of M25-M3 each way in the past.
I wouldn't get hung up on the distance, focus on the time. If 60 of the miles takes 50 minutes of cruising, then you're laughing.
'course, on the inevitable day(s) when it all goes st-shaped...
This. I had an 11 mile commute which used to take 45 minutes due to the traffic. I'd arrive at work pretty frustrated. I once left the office during high winds at 6:30pm. It took an hour to get out of the car park onto the road and I got home around 9pm. There was an accident on the A1 and most of the bridges over the Tyne were shut. If I had a cat, it would have been kicked when I got home.I wouldn't get hung up on the distance, focus on the time. If 60 of the miles takes 50 minutes of cruising, then you're laughing.
'course, on the inevitable day(s) when it all goes s
t-shaped...I do a 175 round trip commute 3 days a week.
Not that bad - all DC and motorway and I have a comfy barge (A8). Fuel costs are high though.
I use the time to call colleagues/ customers/ friends and family and find that the 90 minute drive home gives me time to decompress from the days grief.
You need a very comfy, well equipped, automatic barge though - spent a couple of weeks doing it an a Subaru which wasn't fun.
Not that bad - all DC and motorway and I have a comfy barge (A8). Fuel costs are high though.
I use the time to call colleagues/ customers/ friends and family and find that the 90 minute drive home gives me time to decompress from the days grief.
You need a very comfy, well equipped, automatic barge though - spent a couple of weeks doing it an a Subaru which wasn't fun.
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