anyone drive 60miles to and from work?
Discussion
Hi all,
One day the missus and I would like to relocate to Pembrokeshire (where she's from), however for me it's likely I'd probably have to find a job in Swansea (currently a management accountant) as I've never seen anything advertised in in Pembs.
That would be about a 60 mile commute each way, some through country lanes, A roads and a little on the M4. It usually takes about an hour to get from the village my other half is from to Swansea, but that's always non-rush hour.
I've never done this sort of commute 5 days a week (I do like driving) but am used to commuting 1 hr to work on the train, anyone do it? how do you find it - tiring/a pain/better than the train into London(!)?
Cheers
Matt
Edited: i meant around 60miles + not bang on 60!
One day the missus and I would like to relocate to Pembrokeshire (where she's from), however for me it's likely I'd probably have to find a job in Swansea (currently a management accountant) as I've never seen anything advertised in in Pembs.
That would be about a 60 mile commute each way, some through country lanes, A roads and a little on the M4. It usually takes about an hour to get from the village my other half is from to Swansea, but that's always non-rush hour.
I've never done this sort of commute 5 days a week (I do like driving) but am used to commuting 1 hr to work on the train, anyone do it? how do you find it - tiring/a pain/better than the train into London(!)?
Cheers
Matt
Edited: i meant around 60miles + not bang on 60!
Edited by Webbit on Friday 20th May 19:40
Used to do 120 round trip each day was tiring at first but soon got used to it. Tinkered with times i set off and found setting of 20 mins earlier than i usually would meant i got there 45 mins earlier during rush hour if that makes sense just meant i was ahead of the rush hour traffic leaving little sooner just had a brew and chilled before work
The roads aren't too bad, depending on where in Pembrokeshire you are.
It's pretty free flowing on the A48 and M4. Until you hit Swansea, then you're buggered if you're heading in during the rush hour.
I have a supplier based in Swansea - always try to get there by 8am or 9.30am, because any time inbetween is hell.
Also, not entirely sure there are going to be lots of jobs for management accountants in the City that brought us Twin Town... which is more documentary than fiction
It's pretty free flowing on the A48 and M4. Until you hit Swansea, then you're buggered if you're heading in during the rush hour.
I have a supplier based in Swansea - always try to get there by 8am or 9.30am, because any time inbetween is hell.
Also, not entirely sure there are going to be lots of jobs for management accountants in the City that brought us Twin Town... which is more documentary than fiction
Thanks all, cost was something also playing on my mind and i would no doubt be paying for my own fuel. Have it easy at the mo - walk to the station so only the cost of the trains and no reliance on the car.
Might get lucky and find a job more local, closer to the time (probably not!. PITA cause I don't want to be stuck working in London for the rest of my life and we want the support of a family when we have our own!
M
Might get lucky and find a job more local, closer to the time (probably not!. PITA cause I don't want to be stuck working in London for the rest of my life and we want the support of a family when we have our own!
M
I didnt have a commute of 60, more like 35-40 but I never got used to it, nor did my wallet.
It took on average an hour. Sometimes when people were playing silly buggers on the M1 it took even longer. I do like driving but there is a difference between driving and going in a straight line on a motorway in start stop traffic. It's frustrating.
But as others have said if you experiment with leaving times you'll find a point where you begin to miss the bulk of the traffic. Unfortunately for me even if I left at 7 the result was the same as leaving at half past. I did leave at half 6 once and then ended up at work far too early lol!!!
The worst part was entering the town where the office was. They were building a ring road to solve the problem but at the time the small dual carriage way (slimming down to a simple 1 lane each way road further down ) was the main road for everyone... Workers, school run, trucks, hgv's etc. It was awful and took almost as long to get through as it did to get down the M1 sometimes.
It took on average an hour. Sometimes when people were playing silly buggers on the M1 it took even longer. I do like driving but there is a difference between driving and going in a straight line on a motorway in start stop traffic. It's frustrating.
But as others have said if you experiment with leaving times you'll find a point where you begin to miss the bulk of the traffic. Unfortunately for me even if I left at 7 the result was the same as leaving at half past. I did leave at half 6 once and then ended up at work far too early lol!!!
The worst part was entering the town where the office was. They were building a ring road to solve the problem but at the time the small dual carriage way (slimming down to a simple 1 lane each way road further down ) was the main road for everyone... Workers, school run, trucks, hgv's etc. It was awful and took almost as long to get through as it did to get down the M1 sometimes.
My commute is 56 miles each way, across the north York moors, to be honest winter was a nightmare even with winter tyres fitted, I enjoy the drive though gives me time to get my mind ready for the day at work, and at the end of day gives me time to chill out before I get home.
My car does 45-50 mpg which helps a lot as do 20,000 service intervals, it's also still under manufacturers warranty.
We are looking to move though in the next year, to at least halve the commute.
My car does 45-50 mpg which helps a lot as do 20,000 service intervals, it's also still under manufacturers warranty.
We are looking to move though in the next year, to at least halve the commute.
I do 105 miles a day round trip. Takes an hour each way and it is mostly motorway with maybe 10 miles of urban and semi-rural driving at one end and maybe a couple of mines of the same at the other.
To say it is boring is an understatement. With a train commute you can read, or doze, or play games, or watch movies or whatever. With a car you can listen to music or an audio book and that's it.
I find the commute soul-crushingly dull, but I put up with it it because I don't want to move house and I don't want to change clients.
To say it is boring is an understatement. With a train commute you can read, or doze, or play games, or watch movies or whatever. With a car you can listen to music or an audio book and that's it.
I find the commute soul-crushingly dull, but I put up with it it because I don't want to move house and I don't want to change clients.
you will get sick to the back teeth of driving
your back may suffer
your car will need servicing/tyres/consumables much quicker
your insurance will cost more as you up the mileage
if there is an accident on the way home it will drive you insane
slow drivers will give you rage
you won't want to drive anywhere at the weekend
you will pay more for fuel
you may begin to resent your partner
i'd say don't do it. i'd rather live near work and have an extra 2 hours per day to myself, fair bit more ££££ in the pocket each week (not that shy of £100 really) and a better lifestyle. Then, at the weekends and in your own time you can drive to the nice places when with your partner to enjoy the scenery.
let's face it when getting in from work at 7pm on a dark damp night it doesn't really matter where you live or what the view is like because all 99% of people do no matter how rich or poor is put the TV on and have a cup of tea or beer.
It's the weekends that matter and you need to be able to have the energy and will to be able to drive places and the ££££ in your pocket in order to do so.
HTH
your back may suffer
your car will need servicing/tyres/consumables much quicker
your insurance will cost more as you up the mileage
if there is an accident on the way home it will drive you insane
slow drivers will give you rage
you won't want to drive anywhere at the weekend
you will pay more for fuel
you may begin to resent your partner
i'd say don't do it. i'd rather live near work and have an extra 2 hours per day to myself, fair bit more ££££ in the pocket each week (not that shy of £100 really) and a better lifestyle. Then, at the weekends and in your own time you can drive to the nice places when with your partner to enjoy the scenery.
let's face it when getting in from work at 7pm on a dark damp night it doesn't really matter where you live or what the view is like because all 99% of people do no matter how rich or poor is put the TV on and have a cup of tea or beer.
It's the weekends that matter and you need to be able to have the energy and will to be able to drive places and the ££££ in your pocket in order to do so.
HTH
My office is 54 miles from home and I work 8.30 - 16.30. I've worked for the company for 3 years. During school term I leave home no later than 6.45, usually a bit earlier, and I get home around 18.00 if I leave work bang on 16.30; usually it's closer to 18.30. That's a lot of my personal time being taken up by getting to and from work and that is the real PITA - it doesn't leave a lot of time to do anything in the evening.
The drive itself doesn't bother me that much; you just have to get into the right mindset. I'm not in a hurry, it's not a race, I'm just going to work. If I can cruise in L1 in 5th then I just stay there. It's amazing how many cars pass in L2 that I catch up again 20 minutes later.
I'm lucky that my job now, for the same employer, involves a fair amount of travel and I can work from home some days as well. As a result I've changed from 30,000 miles annually the first year to a mere 13,000 last year. Financially it makes a big difference.
The drive itself doesn't bother me that much; you just have to get into the right mindset. I'm not in a hurry, it's not a race, I'm just going to work. If I can cruise in L1 in 5th then I just stay there. It's amazing how many cars pass in L2 that I catch up again 20 minutes later.
I'm lucky that my job now, for the same employer, involves a fair amount of travel and I can work from home some days as well. As a result I've changed from 30,000 miles annually the first year to a mere 13,000 last year. Financially it makes a big difference.
as something to do for the rest of your life, I probably wouldnt want to do it
as means to and end, a fantastic job that will allow you to further your career after a few years, I would do it (and have done)
in the past 1 to 1.5 hour commutes each way were the norm for me for a quite a few years
now I have a job, mostly from home, and travel all over EMEA ...sometimes its 1 hour or more to the airport, then a train, taxi etc ...some days I may spend my whole time travelling..but not everyday
as means to and end, a fantastic job that will allow you to further your career after a few years, I would do it (and have done)
in the past 1 to 1.5 hour commutes each way were the norm for me for a quite a few years
now I have a job, mostly from home, and travel all over EMEA ...sometimes its 1 hour or more to the airport, then a train, taxi etc ...some days I may spend my whole time travelling..but not everyday
t about. No car likes 24,000 miles a year. I think that's what ultimately killed my Corrado. I do about 120 miles a day, form cambs to London. Honestly, it's not that bad, certainly better than the train as you have your own space. The huge downside is the cost of petrol, I spend around £600 per month at the moment (Inc parking).
With this sort of commute you may have to consider a super efficient car.
With this sort of commute you may have to consider a super efficient car.
I have commuted 160 miles daily for about 8 years with 3 different jobs. For me the distance wasn't a problem despite the fact 1 commute mean going half way round the m25 and the other involved a large chunk of a14 (both soul destroying roads for those unfamiliar).
For me it was justification to have a nice car - if your commute feels too long, get a better car.
However, I didn't need to pay for my fuel and was able to enjoy the car and make good progress whenever opportunity presented itself.
It was only once is changed jobs again that I realised how tiring an 1 hour 30 minute race at the start of every day was! My current commute is 30 miles total, but as I'm paying for the juice, I rarely 'enjoy' the drive.
Is say its definitely doable for a few years, especially if you treat yourself to something that will make the journey pleasurable. You'll even look back on the time fondly. Not something you do if you spend the time watching the telly.
For me it was justification to have a nice car - if your commute feels too long, get a better car.
However, I didn't need to pay for my fuel and was able to enjoy the car and make good progress whenever opportunity presented itself.
It was only once is changed jobs again that I realised how tiring an 1 hour 30 minute race at the start of every day was! My current commute is 30 miles total, but as I'm paying for the juice, I rarely 'enjoy' the drive.
Is say its definitely doable for a few years, especially if you treat yourself to something that will make the journey pleasurable. You'll even look back on the time fondly. Not something you do if you spend the time watching the telly.
jinkster said:
I live in the pennines and commute to MAN airport everyday or so 45miles each way, no problems at all - really enjoy the drive and feel more refreshed and awake for it.
I'd rather live somewhere where I want and commute than live in some hell hole wishing i live elsewhere.
nothing more true than that ...we made that decision quite a few years back ...extra time in the car, but peaceful village life...always wins for meI'd rather live somewhere where I want and commute than live in some hell hole wishing i live elsewhere.
justify a nice car, use the time for "other stuff" so it dosent feel like a waste; listen to music, audio tapes, audio training ..whatever...something useful, especially if sat in a traffic jam
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