Contemplating 160 mile daily commute - crazy? Advice needed.
Discussion
I don't think I could be in a car that long without losing the will to live. I am on the verge of taking a job which is home based, but for the first 4 weeks, I'll be doing a 200 mile round trip Mon-Thurs as part of the training (all paid for fuel-wise, thankfully) and the thought of that much driving fills me with dread.
Hats off to you if you can do it!
Hats off to you if you can do it!
If going to the office that's a 110 mile round trip for me, but takes less than an hour each way due to decent roads. I could have bought a house closer, but due to crappier roads, spent longer behind the wheel.
On a bad/good (delete as appropriate) day I chalk off 500 miles.
I enjoy driving so it's never a chore. Do you live to drive, even if it's a motorway/DC plod? If so, go for it. I stick the radio, an audio book/podcast or some music on and get on with it. If you're asking the question then you might not get the same joy out of it as I do.
On a bad/good (delete as appropriate) day I chalk off 500 miles.
I enjoy driving so it's never a chore. Do you live to drive, even if it's a motorway/DC plod? If so, go for it. I stick the radio, an audio book/podcast or some music on and get on with it. If you're asking the question then you might not get the same joy out of it as I do.
It personally took me 7 years to realise that either massive commutes to work or massive driving distances as part of the job wasn't for me and I will never do it again.
30-40k miles a year of driving just wrecked me, missed dates, missed nights out my mates, just generally missed youth.
As part of those jobs employment responsibilities, I have been on a few advanced driving courses but they just made me more intolerant to other road users when they're nowhere near my level of driving standards. I've covered at least 250,000 miles on our roads as a driver and I'm not even 30, yet.
I know just from reading what I've written that I'm sounding smug and like I believe I'm a driving God, I'm not, I know I'm not, I just generally hate driving nowadays which is a huge shame as I love cars.
I now travel 3 miles each way a day, 9-5:30 Monday to Friday office job. Hell to a lot of people, not to me, I can either drive there or cycle. I get to see my kids wake up and go to school in the morning and still get home to have family dinner times with them, everyday.
Can't put a price on your own time, I could get £20k a year more salary if I wanted to contract and commute... But I don't so I'll live within my means and enjoy MY time.
Good luck if you choose to take the commuting route, it may work out well for you.
30-40k miles a year of driving just wrecked me, missed dates, missed nights out my mates, just generally missed youth.
As part of those jobs employment responsibilities, I have been on a few advanced driving courses but they just made me more intolerant to other road users when they're nowhere near my level of driving standards. I've covered at least 250,000 miles on our roads as a driver and I'm not even 30, yet.
I know just from reading what I've written that I'm sounding smug and like I believe I'm a driving God, I'm not, I know I'm not, I just generally hate driving nowadays which is a huge shame as I love cars.
I now travel 3 miles each way a day, 9-5:30 Monday to Friday office job. Hell to a lot of people, not to me, I can either drive there or cycle. I get to see my kids wake up and go to school in the morning and still get home to have family dinner times with them, everyday.
Can't put a price on your own time, I could get £20k a year more salary if I wanted to contract and commute... But I don't so I'll live within my means and enjoy MY time.
Good luck if you choose to take the commuting route, it may work out well for you.
Granfondo said:
vtecyo said:
My commute is 2.5 miles. This idea blows my mind.
Mine is 1 mile with own parking space and get annoyed if there is a red light! 
I've done east side of Edinburgh to Cumbernauld for a couple of months and pretty much as above, it wasn't the driving itself that got on my tits but the time it sucks from your day. I would leave at 7am for a 8:30 start and finish at 5, hit the rush hour and not be home until after 7pm. No fuel card or car, all my own money and even in a 1.6 petrol Multipla we had at the time it was easily two tanks of fuel a week.
If you're going to do it make sure it's temporary, try and push for an enhanced rate, even if it's just until you move (if you're going to), get an auto, heated leather and as big a fuel tank as you can find. Nothing grates worse than filling up three times a week.
Unless your earning big bucks, don't do it. And even if you're earning big bucks, for f
ks sake, don't do it permanently unless you want to be poor, miserable and seriously unhealthy.
I have to commute to two locations that are nowhere near the distance you may attempt: one is 30 miles and the other is 50 miles.I then do additional mileage on top of that throughout my day/week. Not so bad, you might think, but it's the accumulation of little things that I find really grinds you down
There'll be congestion. There'll be roadworks.You'll experience some absolutely comedy level st driving from the great British public on a daily basis. Virtually every week, or day if you're really unlucky, there'll be some major accident which completely fks up your day. Any pleasure you previously gained from driving will vanish. You'll trash several cars/or spend a fortune keeping one going, which you will have to replace at some point anyway.
All of the above is why I'm moving closer to work and changing to a role which involves as little time in the car as possible.
ks sake, don't do it permanently unless you want to be poor, miserable and seriously unhealthy. I have to commute to two locations that are nowhere near the distance you may attempt: one is 30 miles and the other is 50 miles.I then do additional mileage on top of that throughout my day/week. Not so bad, you might think, but it's the accumulation of little things that I find really grinds you down
There'll be congestion. There'll be roadworks.You'll experience some absolutely comedy level s
t driving from the great British public on a daily basis. Virtually every week, or day if you're really unlucky, there'll be some major accident which completely fks up your day. Any pleasure you previously gained from driving will vanish. You'll trash several cars/or spend a fortune keeping one going, which you will have to replace at some point anyway.All of the above is why I'm moving closer to work and changing to a role which involves as little time in the car as possible.
ColonelKurtz said:
I'll be starting the new job around the end of November. I'll give it a month and then let you know how I'm getting on with the commute. Start making the predictions now :-)
What company car did you choose?I commute about 10 miles each way at the moment (shortly be 7 miles when I move in a few months) that takes me about 35 minutes though as it isn't motorway etc
My father commutes about 45 miles each way with an occasional trip to Stonehouse,Gloucester (from Swansea) but he only has to work 3 days so I think I'd only be happy with that commute if I was getting a 4 day weekend too
OP, if you can stay over once or twice a week.
It will make a huge difference to how you feel at the end of the week.
I have 120 mile round trip and I try to stay over once a week.
I work in Sheffield so can go into the Peaks when the weather is decent.
Nice B&B, bike ride in the evening followed by a few pints is an excellent way to de-stress.
It will make a huge difference to how you feel at the end of the week.
I have 120 mile round trip and I try to stay over once a week.
I work in Sheffield so can go into the Peaks when the weather is decent.
Nice B&B, bike ride in the evening followed by a few pints is an excellent way to de-stress.
ColonelKurtz said:
I'll be starting the new job around the end of November. I'll give it a month and then let you know how I'm getting on with the commute. Start making the predictions now :-)
I used to do a long commute, including the M40 as part of it, but I was able to use the train some days / weeks if it all got too much, which it did sometimes. The Chiltern Line was a godsend, luckily I worked 15 minutes walk from the station, but I had to drive (/ park at station) at the home end.Having tried several vehicles and styles of journey I know what works for me - petrol automatic, and cruise along at around 56 - 60 mph in lane 1.
It really doesn't take much longer than trying to make 70 (ish) in lanes 2 / 3, and the lane 1 style is MUCH less stressful - less stress is what you need as part of a long day.
ZOLLAR said:
What company car did you choose?
I chose an auto Range Rover Evoque (HSE Dynamic Lux) with the higher output diesel engine. I've never had an SUV/4x4 before and thought it would be a good time to try it. From what I am told they are comfy, filled with gadgets, decent mpg with the Ingenium engine and make good motorway cruisers.An alternative is a Jag XE which is also tempting...Right choice? What do you think?
ColonelKurtz said:
ZOLLAR said:
What company car did you choose?
I chose an auto Range Rover Evoque (HSE Dynamic Lux) with the higher output diesel engine. I've never had an SUV/4x4 before and thought it would be a good time to try it. From what I am told they are comfy, filled with gadgets, decent mpg with the Ingenium engine and make good motorway cruisers.An alternative is a Jag XE which is also tempting...Right choice? What do you think?
Partners step mum has the same model (red with black roof) looks cracking and she says its good for long drives.In completely the other direction is me, i "commute" roughly 3.5/4hrs a day to customers sites, different each day with. Works van and fuel card. Today i spent 5.5hrs in the van alone.
An agency recently offered me an interview for an office job 3 miles from my house on the same salary. For a day or 2 i was 50/50 but im now slowly veering towards staying put. Like some have written you do get used to the long hours and even after roughly 250,000 miles myself since 18 im still not bored of driving for work.
If you truly love driving then its a piece of cake IMO
An agency recently offered me an interview for an office job 3 miles from my house on the same salary. For a day or 2 i was 50/50 but im now slowly veering towards staying put. Like some have written you do get used to the long hours and even after roughly 250,000 miles myself since 18 im still not bored of driving for work.
If you truly love driving then its a piece of cake IMO
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