Do-able Commute to work

robatwork

Nice thread given what i typed about 1.5 mins ago on the previous thread about employees saying they don't mind an hour commute, then leaving 11 months later saying the commute was too far.

There's no good answer to this as for example I wouldn't go more than 30ish mins each way, but on a rare bad day that can be 50 mins. But I'm older than you and done lots of driving as part of the job and not minded it. Your 45 miles journey can take 1.5 hours - 1 hour in rush hour into any city in the UK would be miraculous (yes I'm assuming into a city).

My first job I worked with a guy who commuted from Chesterfield into Charing Cross Road in London. Not one of those weekend houses with a flat in town - he drove that every day. To him it was a price worth paying but everything else thought it was a little doolally. He arrived very early so must have left home at 430am.

NeilCr

In my last year at work I was commuting three hours each way by train. I should say it was for three days a week only

I actually enjoyed it. I live at the start of the line so always got a seat (I made sure that I arrived early at the London terminal for the trip back). I had a cup of tea, read the paper, got good at crosswords and sudokus and did some studying for voluntary work I was going to start.

But I knew it was for a limited period and, as I say, it was part time. I don’t think I could have done it full time at my age (younger, maybe).

Personally, I couldn’t do that length of journey in a car

boliston

i think a lot depends on transport mode - an hour on a train could be used for reading or other tasks but driving is simply "lost" time you will never get back - even cycling or walking gives exercise so is still good use of time

Marvel1

It depends on the salary, don't want most of my pay on petrol cost.

Alarae

My commute is about 50 minutes in the morning, 40 minutes on the way home. I leave work just after 7:30am and work 8:30 - 4:30pm. Get home around 5:20.

It's not too bad. I have done it for two years now, and I'm just used to it. Luckily I don't really hit traffic, but on days I do that is when it sucks.

I'm here for another two years (training costs) so can't complain too much as I can do nowt about it!

moneyistooshorttomention

Retired now - after 40 plus years working.

For a total of about 2 years out of my worklife I had either a 10 mile lift or 10 mile train ride (followed by 5 minute walk).

For the rest of the time it was:
- few months of live-in jobs (so no commute at all)
- the other jobs were walks of between 1 mile and 2 miles done everyday and 1-2 miles walking back home again.

Admits to being puzzled anyone would drive a distance of up to 2 miles. The other side of that is being puzzled anyone would drive more than 30 minutes each way - unless the job is VERY fulfilling and VERY well-paid. An "absolutely love it and love what it pays me" job might be "allowed" to take up to 1 hour each way of my time for commuting.

Jazee

My company recently changed their policy on homeworking so since autumn I've had to go into an office in the city every day. Its minimum 30 mins in the car, 30 mins on the bus and then 15 min walk, each way. That's a good day. Some journeys home in rush hour can take almost 3 hours.

I'm currently negotiating a voluntary redundancy package and will be looking for a job no more than a 30 min drive away.

Stylehutz

Its really up to the individual. When I was recently out of work I limited my job search to 30 minutes commute from googlemaps. The job that I am in is exactly a 29 minute commute based on normal traffic conditions. If it was 31 minutes, I wouldnt have taken it. You have to draw the line somewhere as to how far you want to commute.

annie_d

7 minutes there…..12-15 minutes home and THAT annoys me

Murielson

In a previously role I commuted 75 miles each way, each day.

A303, M3, M25 so sometimes fast, sometimes very congested.

You say highways (why not major roads??) so depends on your route, how much yu enjoy driving, fue efficiency of your wheels, home situation, how much you want the job, salary, pressure in job and ability to unwind on commute (as others have said previously).

No right or wrong and comes down to what you want, no one else.