New contract - 2hr commute

[AndStilliRise]

Thank God just got a new contract, however it is a 2hr 80mile commute by car or train on the dreaded M25 going through either Dartford tunnel or past Heathrow.

At the moment I can either use the E39 M5 or the Honda Jazz 1.6. There is an option of buying something else. As far as I can see I have the following options open to me:

1) Use the M5 (19mpg) and suffer the costs of fuel
2) Use the Jazz which is not particularly economical (35mpg)
3) Buy a cheap diesel
4) Wait for a better contract
5) Look into staying over (probably not as I hate being lonely)

Over to you boy's and girls for advice

[boyse7en]

Buy a Suzuki Bergman 650 and do the trip in an hour and a bit?

[bearman68]

I dunno about the car, but dear god, 4 hours a day in the M25 sounds life threatening to me. I can't imagine a job good enough to have to do that commute every day.

[Jasandjules]

If it is 4 hours with no traffic...... It is likely to be a LOT longer most days.......

I would find somewhere else.

And that is ignoring just how tiring two hours each way is, I used to be shattered doing that when the train driver did an hour of it for me......

[Countdown]

If staying over or WFH wasn't an option then at the very least I'd be investing in an automatic...

[AndStilliRise]

bearman68 said:

I dunno about the car, but dear god, 4 hours a day in the M25 sounds life threatening to me. I can't imagine a job good enough to have to do that commute every day.

Been on the bench for 8 weeks. TBH I enjoy work, find it a positivity, engaging use of my mind, what's left of it anyway!

[Chris Type R]

I'd be doing it by train if viable and a similar duration.

[mikees]

Where the job and where do you live? I do Aylesbury to Chelmsford 3 days a week

[ZX10R NIN]

Get a large scooter or a commuter bike you'll halve your commuting time (which in itself is priceless) as well as doing decent fuel.

[AndStilliRise]

ZX10R NIN said:

Get a large scooter or a commuter bike you'll halve your commuting time (which in itself is priceless) as well as doing decent fuel.

Never ridden a scooter and I hate the cold.

[ZX10R NIN]

So do I that's why you have a heated undersuit & waterproofs so cold won't be a problem nor the wet plus you'll be home earlier so in the unlikely hood you get a bit chilly you'll have an hour in which to warm up

[mondeoman]

Get a better contract... 4hrs a day commuting? That’ll killl you reeet kwik

[Digger]

Married, kids, single, mortgage??

[Sheepshanks]

AndStilliRise said:

.... or the Honda Jazz 1.6.
......
2) Use the Jazz which is not particularly economical (35mpg)

Jazz is 1.3 and should do an easy 50MPG. If it's traffic that's taking it down to 35MPG then that'll affect any car.

[Vaud]

If you must do it... then get something with great seats, big tyres, automatic and radar cruise control... and get lots of podcasts. XC60 D5, etc... or a motorbike. Or both (bike for the summer)...

There is no fun in driving that route, so remove all pain!

Or find a room in a house for 2/3 nights more locally, max your days at work and build up enough trust with the employer to do a short day on Fridays, etc.

[pherlopolus]

I am commuting 80 miles each way currently which is 1.5 to 2 hours.

I stay over 1 night and WFH on Fridays.

Superb estate 150 diesel with DSG and ACC with big comfy tyres, but still exhausted by Thursday, talking books are a god send, but am starting to choose by length rather than content

A bike might help, but just consider it a transient discomfort.

[MentalSarcasm]

A commute like that can get exhausting very quickly. I've been doing Colchester to Cambridge for a year now, 1 hour and 40 minutes there and closer to 2 hours back, and that's on a good day. Bad days it can be over 2 hours and on a few occasions over 3 hours just to get home. I have to work from home on Fridays because Friday afternoon traffic is an absolute nightmare and I can never do the journey in under 3 hours on the rare occasions I need to be in the office that day.

Do not underestimate just how tiring it is, just having to concentrate that much. A bad journey in really affects your productivity for the rest of the day, a bad journey home completely ruins your evening and makes you stressed and grouchy around your partner. We rarely go out at weekends as I just don't have the energy. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone.

[Digger]

20 hours a week...

[anonymous-user]

If that was me (and I used to commute from East London to Heathrow by motorbike on a regular basis), I'd probebly spend at least some nights in a hotel, probably

travel sunday night
stay monday night
travel home tuesday night
travel back wednesday morning
stay wednesday night
travel home thursday night
work from home friday

of course the last part is dependent on building trust with your new client.

I have in the past got to the point of being able to work from home mondays and fridays, then only had to be away tuesday, wednesday, thursday evening.

You say staying away isnt good, but it is infinitely better than commuting the m25 everyday, plus skype is great for keeping contact.

my wife works in essex three days per week and we keep in touch that way and it doesnt seem too bad at all

[Vaud]

OP, can you flex start/finish times? In the summer a 7am-3pm work day would mean a reduced commute but also doing it all in daylight? Depends on how keen the company is on you being "present" for 9-5..