unusual commutes

worried_jim

I was taking to a colleague about unusual commutes yesterday and he told me that his Mother lives on the Isle of Wight and works in Haywards Heath and does this journey every day.

I thought she was a glutton for expense and punishment until he described the journey.

Now it widely recognised that for distance traveled v expense the Isle of Wight ferry is the most expensive in the world. To keep costs down she drives her Audi TT from her home in the Isle of Wight to the ferry where she parks up and crosses as a foot passenger on an annual ticket.

In Portsmouth she has a Fiat Punto Diesel which she keeps in a car park, again with an annual pass. At this point she spends approx 1.5hrs driving to work in Haywards Heath.

Genius using two different cars every day for the commute. As a back up, if the forecast is for snow she keeps a Disco at her Son's house so on the drive home she will swap the Punto ready for the next day.

She loves Isle of Wight!

agrinnall

I'm fairly confident that there will be people who live on Scottish islands who do this, although perhaps not many who do it every day, for the same reason of the cost of transporting a vehicle on the ferry.

BeenThroughItAll

worried_jim wrote: »

I was taking to a colleague about unusual commutes yesterday and he told me that his Mother lives on the Isle of Wight and works in Haywards Heath and does this journey every day.

I thought she was a glutton for expense and punishment until he described the journey.

Now it widely recognised that for distance traveled v expense the Isle of Wight ferry is the most expensive in the world. To keep costs down she drives her Audi TT from her home in the Isle of Wight to the ferry where she parks up and crosses as a foot passenger on an annual ticket.

In Portsmouth she has a Fiat Punto Diesel which she keeps in a car park, again with an annual pass. At this point she spends approx 1.5hrs driving to work in Haywards Heath.

Genius using two different cars every day for the commute. As a back up, if the forecast is for snow she keeps a Disco at her Son's house so on the drive home she will swap the Punto ready for the next day.

She loves Isle of Wight!

That is unusual. Oddest one I've come across was a guy I worked with on a customer's site near Dover. He lived in northern France and his commute consisted of drive to the local town, park, walk to the station, catch a train to Calais, hop on a ferry to Dover, then catch a bus to the office.



He'd been doing it for years - apparently when he started he used to get the Hoverspeed hovercraft across, but when that got canned he started having to get up earlier.

DKLS

When my ex wanted to move to Bute, I would have been facing a convoluted commute to Glasgow, involving cars and ferries and trains thank heavens we spilt up I don't think I could done that commute long term.

I have a friend who is in on average travelling to 4 countries a week, her diary is pure hell, but she seems to thrive on it although her husband has a similar job and they literally make appointments to see each other!

OddballJamie

worried_jim wrote: »

Now it widely recognised that for distance traveled v expense the Isle of Wight ferry is the most expensive in the world. To keep costs down she drives her Audi TT from her home in the Isle of Wight to the ferry where she parks up and crosses as a foot passenger on an annual ticket.

In Portsmouth she has a Fiat Punto Diesel which she keeps in a car park, again with an annual pass. At this point she spends approx 1.5hrs driving to work in Haywards Heath.

Genius using two different cars every day for the commute. As a back up, if the forecast is for snow she keeps a Disco at her Son's house so on the drive home she will swap the Punto ready for the next day.

She loves Isle of Wight!

Cheaper to build one of those Top Gear aqua car contraptions.

Tilt

Can't help wondering why she dosn't get the train on the otherside (from Portsmouth Harbour)... wouldn't that be cheaper than having a second car with the associated costs plus the parking charges?

P.S. I live on the Isle of Wight and love it too!

jaydeeuk1

My friend used to live in a flat above tesco express where he also worked. His commute involved rolling out of bed at 8.48, chucking some clothes on and then going downstairs.

Despite having possibly the shortest commute known to man, he was hardly ever on time and was eventually sacked for being late.

notanewuser

There was a programme on TV recently on this subject. There was a woman that lived on the IoW, worked in London and had family childcare in Southampton. Thing she did a 3 hour commute each way.

And a guy living in Tobermory and working in Glasgow. He'd drive, catch the ferry, then drive for hours for meetings.

Think it was channel 5.

ETA - yep http://www.channel5.com/shows/britains-craziest-commutes

OddballJamie

jaydeeuk1 wrote: »

My friend used to live in a flat above tesco express where he also worked. His commute involved rolling out of bed at 8.48, chucking some clothes on and then going downstairs.

Despite having possibly the shortest commute known to man, he was hardly ever on time and was eventually sacked for being late.

Sounds like a guy my missus used to work with when she was a student in a popular clothing store in a town centre. On weekends he used to go clubbing then walk back to the shop and go to sleep in the stockroom until his shift started.

Years ago I worked with a guy that used to drive to work with his duvet then brush his teeth and shave in the office toilets.

root

OddballJamie wrote: »

Sounds like a guy my missus used to work with when she was a student in a popular clothing store in a town centre. On weekends he used to go clubbing then walk back to the shop and go to sleep in the stockroom until his shift started.

Years ago I worked with a guy that used to drive to work with his duvet then brush his teeth and shave in the office toilets.

That's just lazy although still an unusual commute I suppose

jaydeeuk1

OddballJamie wrote: »

Sounds like a guy my missus used to work with when she was a student in a popular clothing store in a town centre. On weekends he used to go clubbing then walk back to the shop and go to sleep in the stockroom until his shift started.

Years ago I worked with a guy that used to drive to work with his duvet then brush his teeth and shave in the office toilets.

Me and one my mates used to help out on a milkround at weekends during uni holidays. Some friday nights we'd go out till 2.00 in the morning, ring the main milkman to pick us up, we'd do our round (quite well considering) and be back in bed for 8.00am