Discussion
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12093638
This is a tad on the ridiculous side, considering the reliabilty of the trains service and public transport in General in the UK. It costs 3000 Euro for a Bahn card 100 in Germany, that means travelling anywhere in Germany and it includes city transport in some instances. Germany is bigger the trains are better, faster, a much more reliable service. I mean how on earth can the charge this amount when other countries provide a better service for less which are almost twice the size.
This is a tad on the ridiculous side, considering the reliabilty of the trains service and public transport in General in the UK. It costs 3000 Euro for a Bahn card 100 in Germany, that means travelling anywhere in Germany and it includes city transport in some instances. Germany is bigger the trains are better, faster, a much more reliable service. I mean how on earth can the charge this amount when other countries provide a better service for less which are almost twice the size.
HOGEPH said:
Anyone here work from home?
What are the positive and negative aspects of it for you?
I do whenever a client allows for it, which isn't very often. Most of my clients would rather fly me somewhere and put me up in a hotel every week than have me work from home with an occasional visit.What are the positive and negative aspects of it for you?
Positives:
- Shorter day, no commute means you can get up later and still be 'in' before everyone else.
- Often more productive, less office based distractions allow you to concentrate on a specific task(s) and plough through them.
- Controllable environment, as a software bod, I get to use a nice and fast computer with 50Mb internet access setup exactly how I like it.
- Less communication, you can't just turn to the person next to you and ask an opinion or pop over to the other side of the office, each interaction requires an overhead of email, skype, phone etc which means you end up only having scheduled online meetings.
- Online meetings, WebEx, Powwownow etc are sometimes great, sometimes awful. Most offices have very slow internet connections due to DSL rates making video conferencing and desktop sharing a very slow business. Even when people phone into the services sometimes the sound gets very choppy as it is distributed across all the people connected - especially if its an international meeting.
- Home based distractions, I always get asked to deal with little things around the house, "Why don't you do this and that during the day instead of the evening?" etc, most people (including most businesses over here) think that if your at home, even if your logged on and doing stuff, your basically on holiday. I don't have kids, but if I did then I imagine it would be difficult to stop them from constantly interfering with your work day when they are on holiday from school.
I tend to do 2 days a week from home, saves me just over 4hrs worth of commuting time (each day) and a shed load of cash - and means I can see my family, some daylight, get more done, generally avoid distraction and not have to set the alarm for 0430.
As above though, does mean you can't just pop over to someone's desk and ask their opinion. I do tend to spend the day either in isolated concentration, or listening to lots of people talk on a telecon though - so I can do that from pretty much anywhere really.
ETA: I drive in (Eastbourne -> Canary Wharf) rather than take the costly cattle truck experience when in the office too.
As above though, does mean you can't just pop over to someone's desk and ask their opinion. I do tend to spend the day either in isolated concentration, or listening to lots of people talk on a telecon though - so I can do that from pretty much anywhere really.
ETA: I drive in (Eastbourne -> Canary Wharf) rather than take the costly cattle truck experience when in the office too.
Edited by SWH on Friday 31st December 09:28
I've never worked in London, and never plan to. I'm fairly lucky that my career is centered around the Thames Valley, and not London. If I do travel to London it is on expenses.
If I'm ever offered a job in London, the first thing I'll do is ask for my train fare to be paid - preferably in first class.
If I'm ever offered a job in London, the first thing I'll do is ask for my train fare to be paid - preferably in first class.
vz-r_dave said:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12093638
This is a tad on the ridiculous side, considering the reliabilty of the trains service and public transport in General in the UK. It costs 3000 Euro for a Bahn card 100 in Germany, that means travelling anywhere in Germany and it includes city transport in some instances. Germany is bigger the trains are better, faster, a much more reliable service. I mean how on earth can the charge this amount when other countries provide a better service for less which are almost twice the size.
It's only half the picture though. How much central government investment do other European railways get in comparison to the UK railways?This is a tad on the ridiculous side, considering the reliabilty of the trains service and public transport in General in the UK. It costs 3000 Euro for a Bahn card 100 in Germany, that means travelling anywhere in Germany and it includes city transport in some instances. Germany is bigger the trains are better, faster, a much more reliable service. I mean how on earth can the charge this amount when other countries provide a better service for less which are almost twice the size.
To get an even comparison, you'd need to know how much your ticket would be in each country plus how much your contribution via tax would be.
I have no idea how much state funding goes to railways in each European country, so I don't know if we get a bad deal here or not.
It's not just London.
The missus and I are contemplating moving from Birmingham to Cheltenham Spa next year.
A season ticket for this 40 min ride is £3.5K. i.e. not significantly cheaper than driving and only 20 mins quicker each way.
Due to my business hours, I would have liked an off peak ticket....they don't seem to exist. This is silly as empty trains will be pounding up and down that line in the daytime; 2-2.5K would seal the deal and I'd buy the pass (even though I'd prob still need the car a couple of times per week).
Rather frustrating.
The missus and I are contemplating moving from Birmingham to Cheltenham Spa next year.
A season ticket for this 40 min ride is £3.5K. i.e. not significantly cheaper than driving and only 20 mins quicker each way.
Due to my business hours, I would have liked an off peak ticket....they don't seem to exist. This is silly as empty trains will be pounding up and down that line in the daytime; 2-2.5K would seal the deal and I'd buy the pass (even though I'd prob still need the car a couple of times per week).
Rather frustrating.
My season ticket is £5,036 and soon to go up after 2nd January. 
http://www.nationalexpresseastanglia.com/tickets_f...
To commute first class from Norwich and actually get a seat you are looking at almost £11,000 per year.
http://www.nationalexpresseastanglia.com/tickets_f...
To commute first class from Norwich and actually get a seat you are looking at almost £11,000 per year.
Kermit power said:
vz-r_dave said:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12093638
This is a tad on the ridiculous side, considering the reliabilty of the trains service and public transport in General in the UK. It costs 3000 Euro for a Bahn card 100 in Germany, that means travelling anywhere in Germany and it includes city transport in some instances. Germany is bigger the trains are better, faster, a much more reliable service. I mean how on earth can the charge this amount when other countries provide a better service for less which are almost twice the size.
It's only half the picture though. How much central government investment do other European railways get in comparison to the UK railways?This is a tad on the ridiculous side, considering the reliabilty of the trains service and public transport in General in the UK. It costs 3000 Euro for a Bahn card 100 in Germany, that means travelling anywhere in Germany and it includes city transport in some instances. Germany is bigger the trains are better, faster, a much more reliable service. I mean how on earth can the charge this amount when other countries provide a better service for less which are almost twice the size.
To get an even comparison, you'd need to know how much your ticket would be in each country plus how much your contribution via tax would be.
I have no idea how much state funding goes to railways in each European country, so I don't know if we get a bad deal here or not.
And there was me moaning about my petrol bill (commuting) for last year being £1800! I'll keep quiet now. Mine is £4,600.00 now, going up to £4,916.00.
For this outrageous sum they supply trains that are always overcrowded, boiling hot in the summer (so much so that I need to carry my suit or it will be ruined by the time I get there), freezing cold in the winter, and crammed into a seat designed for a midget... IF I get a seat.
First class will be £8,216.00
Unfortunately I have no other choice as driving to London would take hours in the rush hour
For this outrageous sum they supply trains that are always overcrowded, boiling hot in the summer (so much so that I need to carry my suit or it will be ruined by the time I get there), freezing cold in the winter, and crammed into a seat designed for a midget... IF I get a seat.
First class will be £8,216.00
Unfortunately I have no other choice as driving to London would take hours in the rush hour
Dixie68 said:
Mine is £4,600.00 now, going up to £4,916.00.
For this outrageous sum they supply trains that are always overcrowded, boiling hot in the summer (so much so that I need to carry my suit or it will be ruined by the time I get there), freezing cold in the winter, and crammed into a seat designed for a midget... IF I get a seat.
First class will be £8,216.00
Unfortunately I have no other choice as driving to London would take hours in the rush hour
Get a disability and go on the dole?For this outrageous sum they supply trains that are always overcrowded, boiling hot in the summer (so much so that I need to carry my suit or it will be ruined by the time I get there), freezing cold in the winter, and crammed into a seat designed for a midget... IF I get a seat.
First class will be £8,216.00
Unfortunately I have no other choice as driving to London would take hours in the rush hour
Do the maths it might work out more profitable
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