Daily commute: 1 hour boring drive or sit on a train?
Discussion
I'm sure this has been asked before but I couldn't find anything...
Do or would you prefer a 1 hour drive into work every day or 1 hour sat on a train? I've been doing a 1 hour drive for years now and am thoroughly bored of it. One possible option open to me right now is to change jobs and work from London but that would only be viable by train, taking about an hour. The way I see it, a car is my space but one that I have to concentrate in. On a train I can just read a book or generally 'switch off'.
Do or would you prefer a 1 hour drive into work every day or 1 hour sat on a train? I've been doing a 1 hour drive for years now and am thoroughly bored of it. One possible option open to me right now is to change jobs and work from London but that would only be viable by train, taking about an hour. The way I see it, a car is my space but one that I have to concentrate in. On a train I can just read a book or generally 'switch off'.
Vaud said:
2 hours a day, assuming rush hour? Unless it was a very fine driving road, train every time, with an iPad, book, newspaper or music.
To be honest, it's more like 2.5 hours going between Milton Keynes to High Wycombe these days; previously MK to Aylesbury. Some of the roads can be entertaining but in general it's 40mph in traffic.helena123 said:
It would depend on how crowded the train got and if you have a seat or not. It it's a sardine can of a train, then car every time.
Unless you're guaranteed a seat every time it can be a real chore commuting on a train. I used to use one station where it was a lottery if you got a seat or not, now I use a different one and get a seat every time, no bother. I find it's good time to read, gonk, listen to some music, watch a downloaded TV prog, whatever really. Better that than sitting bored in another queue of traffic I find.Get yourself a BMW R1200GS, and a decent bike suit.
A Rallye3 suits good.
You'll not take it every day.
But you will try to.
Goodbye standing round glum stations waiting for Network Rail to sort out the c ck ups that plague them
I commute to Fulham from Caterham daily.
20 odd miles each way
Im saving 10 hours a week, that's not counting National Rail delays
And all in all....
£40 in juice a week.
£1200 p.a Insurance and Tax servicing brakes and tyres.
Its £350 a month on the train.
Yep, its cold in January and February.
So I take my pick over those months.
Having said that, its amazing in the summer.
Musi on the i phone.
Unbeatable
A Rallye3 suits good.
You'll not take it every day.
But you will try to.
Goodbye standing round glum stations waiting for Network Rail to sort out the c ck ups that plague them
I commute to Fulham from Caterham daily.
20 odd miles each way
Im saving 10 hours a week, that's not counting National Rail delays
And all in all....
£40 in juice a week.
£1200 p.a Insurance and Tax servicing brakes and tyres.
Its £350 a month on the train.
Yep, its cold in January and February.
So I take my pick over those months.
Having said that, its amazing in the summer.
Musi on the i phone.
Unbeatable
stuttgartmetal said:
Get yourself a BMW R1200GS, and a decent bike suit.
A Rallye3 suits good.
You'll not take it every day.
But you will try to.
Goodbye standing round glum stations waiting for Network Rail to sort out the c ck ups that plague them
I commute to Fulham from Caterham daily.
20 odd miles each way
Im saving 10 hours a week, that's not counting National Rail delays
And all in all....
£40 in juice a week.
£1200 p.a Insurance and Tax servicing brakes and tyres.
Its £350 a month on the train.
Yep, its cold in January and February.
So I take my pick over those months.
Having said that, its amazing in the summer.
Musi on the i phone.
Unbeatable
Unless it's tight london traffic,then think something thinner to reduce ballache lolA Rallye3 suits good.
You'll not take it every day.
But you will try to.
Goodbye standing round glum stations waiting for Network Rail to sort out the c ck ups that plague them
I commute to Fulham from Caterham daily.
20 odd miles each way
Im saving 10 hours a week, that's not counting National Rail delays
And all in all....
£40 in juice a week.
£1200 p.a Insurance and Tax servicing brakes and tyres.
Its £350 a month on the train.
Yep, its cold in January and February.
So I take my pick over those months.
Having said that, its amazing in the summer.
Musi on the i phone.
Unbeatable
now I don't know where the congestion charge starts and whether you work with in that, but on a bike you pay not charge.
but at 350 quid a month i would rather bike into london, as after the outlay to get the licence and insurance, gear and bike, it would probably not be much cheaper to bike, but after a year it would probably be quite a bit cheaper and quicker.
if it was me, i would rather bike into london from where i am, but i do have a few years NCD on bikes and the gear and the bike, also i have 6 years experience on bikes (5 years everyday riding come rain or shine plus snow and ice) I would rather bike in rather than use a car as you can filter past all the cars that are stuck in traffic.
but yes, you will get cold in the winter months, but there are things to counter that, like heated grips and hand muffs + heated clothing plus just wearing stuff under your leathers/textiles.
also my bike, when taking it easy, will do 200 miles from a (19?) maybe 20 litre tank. thats 45mpg, driving like miss daisy you might make 49mpg. better than most cars plus you don't have to get stuck in traffic as you can filter.
but at 350 quid a month i would rather bike into london, as after the outlay to get the licence and insurance, gear and bike, it would probably not be much cheaper to bike, but after a year it would probably be quite a bit cheaper and quicker.
if it was me, i would rather bike into london from where i am, but i do have a few years NCD on bikes and the gear and the bike, also i have 6 years experience on bikes (5 years everyday riding come rain or shine plus snow and ice) I would rather bike in rather than use a car as you can filter past all the cars that are stuck in traffic.
but yes, you will get cold in the winter months, but there are things to counter that, like heated grips and hand muffs + heated clothing plus just wearing stuff under your leathers/textiles.
also my bike, when taking it easy, will do 200 miles from a (19?) maybe 20 litre tank. thats 45mpg, driving like miss daisy you might make 49mpg. better than most cars plus you don't have to get stuck in traffic as you can filter.
Being in a similiar situation having agreed a two year contract I brought this for my 1.30 hour commute;
This shrunk the commute time to around 50 minutes.
But then I got sick of putting on the all the gear and not having any storage.
So I brought this;
And changed the times I work and lifestyle, I now leave at 6am and go to a local (to work) gym, then head to work after. Commute time is now around 1 hour.
However the homeward bound leg is still rubbish but doesn't seem to concern me so much in the RR.
This shrunk the commute time to around 50 minutes.
But then I got sick of putting on the all the gear and not having any storage.
So I brought this;
And changed the times I work and lifestyle, I now leave at 6am and go to a local (to work) gym, then head to work after. Commute time is now around 1 hour.
However the homeward bound leg is still rubbish but doesn't seem to concern me so much in the RR.
stuttgartmetal said:
Get yourself a BMW R1200GS, and a decent bike suit.
A Rallye3 suits good.
You'll not take it every day.
But you will try to.
Goodbye standing round glum stations waiting for Network Rail to sort out the c ck ups that plague them
I commute to Fulham from Caterham daily.
20 odd miles each way
Im saving 10 hours a week, that's not counting National Rail delays
And all in all....
£40 in juice a week.
£1200 p.a Insurance and Tax servicing brakes and tyres.
Its £350 a month on the train.
Yep, its cold in January and February.
So I take my pick over those months.
Having said that, its amazing in the summer.
Musi on the i phone.
Unbeatable
Is that supposed to rhyme?A Rallye3 suits good.
You'll not take it every day.
But you will try to.
Goodbye standing round glum stations waiting for Network Rail to sort out the c ck ups that plague them
I commute to Fulham from Caterham daily.
20 odd miles each way
Im saving 10 hours a week, that's not counting National Rail delays
And all in all....
£40 in juice a week.
£1200 p.a Insurance and Tax servicing brakes and tyres.
Its £350 a month on the train.
Yep, its cold in January and February.
So I take my pick over those months.
Having said that, its amazing in the summer.
Musi on the i phone.
Unbeatable
While there are obvious benefits to a bike, the fuss involved in getting changed and showering at work offset any real time advantage to a degree, if not completely. I previously worked with someone who commuted roughly the same 26 mile route on a bike and we found that from packing up the laptop to sitting on the sofa at home the time was more or less the same. Usually I would be half way home before he overtook me and the majority of the last stretch is dual carriageway anyway. It doesn't seem worth it especially when you factor in the heightened risk of getting killed.
For me it really is simply a decision between car and train.
For me it really is simply a decision between car and train.
Train for me. I also include some exercise in my commute by getting off the train a few stops early and running the rest - obviously this only works with commuter trains, not so easy on intercity trains.
Driving would be a nightmare of traffic, boring roads, very limited parking at work.
Driving would be a nightmare of traffic, boring roads, very limited parking at work.
Car - every time - I'd much rather be sat in my own space doing what I want and not running the gambit of leaves on the line, not being able to get a seat etc.........
I know accidents and delays can happen when driving by for me it would be the only choice, and I expect probably cheaper (assuming one needs to have the car anyway)
I know accidents and delays can happen when driving by for me it would be the only choice, and I expect probably cheaper (assuming one needs to have the car anyway)
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff