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How much of a commute is too much

[Deleted User]

As a bit of a follow on from the almost comical thread about free travel and commuters. How much of a commute is too much? could an individual be actually driven mad by commuting? On the other hand, have some individuals got unrealistic expectations.

On a thread about house prices, someone commented that commuting from Bettystown to the city center would be brutal long-term a distance of 44k with good public transport options a commute of about an hour yet someone thinks that is too much?

My commute is about 50 min on average, my husband about 1 hour 20 and it has been getting longer for him.

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BeerWolf

I work at Dublin Airport. It's a 20 minute drive to get to the staff parking lot from home, 5+ minutes with the Staff Shuttle.

Overall spend an hour commuting each day working.

Marty Bird

Live and work in Dublin 25min cycle each way don’t think I could do some of the commutes others have said.

o1s1n

Currently live and work in Dublin City Centre, so have a 40 minute walk.

After doing years of 1+ hours of commutes (2 hours each way at one point) I could never go back, absolutely ruins me.

TommyGun2017

tastyt wrote: »

People say anything over an hour isvtoo much arent living in dublin or arent living in the real world. I live in D15 and work in the city centre, takes an hour and a half door to door on average especially in the evening and thats a very short walk and one bus journey

Same as myself. The 39/39A bus is grim getting home in the evenings

Tombo2001

PlaneSpeeking wrote: »

I"m fairly sure you're aware not everybody is able bodied enough to do that ?

Plus I'm fairly sure the N7 is off limits to bikes so that's us culchies screwed.

In answer to your question, I wouldn't in a perfect world choose to have 22 hours a week in commuting but my dad is secure in the Midlands whilst I work and I have a decent house for a decent rent, not like colleagues who share a box for 1800 a month.

What commute is too much ? Cannot be answered, it's up to the individual's life and what's in it.

I would put it to you that most people up to age 65 could manage a 15k cycle each way if they wanted to, which would cover a large chunk of the commuter belt, particularly if you combine it with the train service. Its not that hard.

A lot of people think 'I wouldn't be able for that'. They would.

Tombo2001

o1s1n wrote: »

Currently live and work in Dublin City Centre, so have a 40 minute walk.

After doing years of 1+ hours of commutes (2 hours each way at one point) I could never go back, absolutely ruins me.

Important point here that lots of people seem to completely miss.

As commutes go - 40 minutes on foot or on a bike is completely different to 40 minutes in a car.

The stress levels of driving are way way way above the stress levels of cycling or walking.

40 minutes on a bike will get you from most Dublin suburbs into the city centre. The car often takes longer, especially on a wet day.

In addition - if you walking or cycling, it takes the same amount of time every day. Driving - who the hell knows....

conor2469

An hour each way would be the cut off for me personally.

Up untila few months ago my commute was taking 50 mins each way:
15 min drive to train station
25 min Dart journey
10 min walk to work

This was ok, but I was at the mercy of the trains which are often 10-15 mins late so my commute ends up being over an hour each way.

I now ride a motorbike to work and it is 20-25 minutes each way.

Henry Ford III

I do just under an hour 4 days a week. Rural commute of 40 miles each way. It's plenty enough.

seamus

Tombo2001 wrote: »

40 minutes on a bike will get you from most Dublin suburbs into the city centre. The car often takes longer, especially on a wet day.

Also, 40 minutes in a car always feels like wasted time. You're sitting on your hole. You can't read, you can't watch movies, you can't do anything productive.

If you're walking or cycling, you're getting exercise. So your commute never feels like wasted time.

LollipopJimmy

seamus wrote: »

Also, 40 minutes in a car always feels like wasted time. You're sitting on your hole. You can't read, you can't watch movies, you can't do anything productive.

If you're walking or cycling, you're getting exercise. So your commute never feels like wasted time.

See people do this and more daily

PlaneSpeeking

Tombo2001 wrote: »

I would put it to you that most people up to age 65 could manage a 15k cycle each way if they wanted to, which would cover a large chunk of the commuter belt, particularly if you combine it with the train service. Its not that hard.

A lot of people think 'I wouldn't be able for that'. They would.

Tell that to my orthopaedic surgeon would you, he'd love a laugh.

CrankyHaus

tastyt wrote: »

People say anything over an hour isvtoo much arent living in dublin or arent living in the real world. I live in D15 and work in the city centre, takes an hour and a half door to door on average especially in the evening and thats a very short walk and one bus journey

Have you considered cycling it? I live in the inner city and commute out to D15 for work. It's a grand cycle, about 45 minutes, 60 if you're taking it easy. My drive is easy because it's against traffic, but I'd rather cycle unless I'm wrecked or have to drive to meetings during the day.

El_Bee

mariaalice wrote: »

As a bit of a follow on from the almost comical thread about free travel and commuters. How much of a commute is too much? could an individual be actually driven mad by commuting? On the other hand, have some individuals got unrealistic expectations.

On a thread about house prices, someone commented that commuting from Bettystown to the city center would be brutal long-term a distance of 44k with good public transport options a commute of about an hour yet someone thinks that is too much?

My commute is about 50 min on average, my husband about 1 hour 20 and it has been getting longer for him.

A hard rule for me in my many, many jobs has been if it takes more than 1 bus it's not worth it, although when sitting on the oscar traynor road some mornings and evenings for 45 mins 1 bus was too many.

facehugger99

seamus wrote: »

Also, 40 minutes in a car always feels like wasted time. You're sitting on your hole. You can't read, you can't watch movies, you can't do anything productive.

You can listen to podcasts and audiobooks - at least that's what I used to do when I had a long commute.

Some pretty good podcasts out there depending on what you're interested in.

Couldn't be listening to Irish radio, it would drive anyone mad if you had 20 hours of that a week going into your brain.

Cockadoodledoo

1 hour max and that’s having the comfort of a car. I’m not sure I would be so patient if I was waiting for buses etc.

Snugglebunnies

I do 50 minutes each way at the moment. I'm only working three days a week though so its not too bad.

seamus

PlaneSpeeking wrote: »

Tell that to my orthopaedic surgeon would you, he'd love a laugh.

Your orthopaedic surgeon would probably advise you to take it up regardless of what your issue is.

Because cycling is minimal-impact exercise with easily regulated effort levels, there are very few long-term injuries that can be made worse by cycling.

Osteoarthritis and sciatica are two which require additional consideration before taking it up - but the same is true of any sport.

Contrary to popular belief, back pain is not a problem with cycling, but there is a necessity to ensure the bike has been adjusted correctly.

If the decision is between not exercising at all, or exercising with consideration for your injury, then any doctor will always advise the latter.

seamusk84

Half an hour each way for me , but that’s on a motorbike....and I can tell you that it ain’t a nice commute this time of year!
Still beats an hour 15 door to door on the bus just in terms of time saving.

BnB

Tombo2001 wrote: »

...As commutes go - 40 minutes on foot or on a bike is completely different to 40 minutes in a car.

The stress levels of driving are way way way above the stress levels of cycling or walking....

I'd agree with that.... but I'd go one step further and break the car out more.

40 minutes in the car sitting in traffic traveling maybe 3 or 4 miles and feeling like you're fighting for every inch is a hell of a lot more stressful than 40 minutes actually driving and traveling 20 or 30 miles.

I'm currently out the country and I have a 30 minute drive to work to travel about 20 miles. There is just one roundabout that I can get caught at but once you avoid the very hot times (8:30 to 9 in the morning and 5-6 in the evening) it's grand. Even if I do get caught there, it's only an extra 10 minutes. All fairly stress free.

Grayson

I normally travel about an hour each way. This morning because of the rain traffic was horrible and my bus took nearly hours. If it's raining tomorrow I may just come in late.

Deise Vu

Worst commute I had was an hour each way and I had an 8 O'Clock start and a six O'Clock finish at the earliest (ie on the road at 7 AM, home at 7 PM if I was lucky). Literally a waste of your life, you are not fit for anything during the week and Sundays are spent with a feeling of foreboding for the week ahead. I took a job that wasn't good career-wise just to eliminate the commute and it had a 9AM start. It was the best decision I ever made until they decided to close the place recently. I am dreading getting back on the commuting threadmill, which is almost inevitable if I am going to work again.

Plopsu

PlaneSpeeking wrote: »

Ah what doesn't kill you

Kills you slower??

bnt

I've considered cycling, but there are two things preventing it:

the problem of what to do when I get to work - no showers
the fact that my route is congested during rush hour with buses driving in the spotty cycle lanes. Having a bus full of passengers silently swearing at you for holding up their bus is no fun. :eek:

RayCun

bnt wrote: »

I've considered cycling, but there are two things preventing it:
the problem of what to do when I get to work - no showers

the fact that my route is congested during rush hour with buses driving in the spotty cycle lanes. Having a bus full of passengers silently swearing at you for holding up their bus is no fun. :eek:

I don't know how long your commute is, but you probably don't need a shower at the end of it. Two main reasons people get sweaty cycling -
they are working hard
they are overdressed

How hard you work is entirely up to you. You can cycle with the same effort as walking. You won't be super fast, but you would be much faster than walking at that effort.
And just like if you were walking, if you wear lots of heavy clothes you'll get hot. Better to start off a little cold knowing that you will get warmer as you go.

You could try some different routes, some are better than others.

bnt

RayCun wrote: »

How hard you work is entirely up to you.

I have thought about this, you know - don't be patronising, and see my second point about the buses. I see cyclists from my bus seat: either the bus squeaks by with cm to spare, or it crawls along less than a metre behind the poor cyclist, who may be struggling up a hill. In that situation I would be pushing harder just to get to a point where the fecking bus can get past me - and sweating.

Shenshen

I've got 30/40 minutes each way at the moment, depending on traffic.
That's in the car. Walking, taking the train, walking, taking the bus, walking again adds up to 1.5h each way.

I'd love to cycle it, but I just don't feel the roads I'd have to take are anywhere near safe enough, unfortunately.

carleigh

Up until summer 2017, my commute was 3hours and 15 minutes in total (train and luas) each day......on a good day! I transferred closer to home and now my drive to work is 25-30 minutes each way. I still don't know how I put up with all the travelling.

incentsitive

bnt wrote: »

I have thought about this, you know - don't be patronising, and see my second point about the buses. I see cyclists from my bus seat: either the bus squeaks by with cm to spare, or it crawls along less than a metre behind the poor cyclist, who may be struggling up a hill. In that situation I would be pushing harder just to get to a point where the fecking bus can get past me - and sweating.

I don't cycle to work due to the lack of a shower, but I wouldn't let the worrying about the bus fully of people stop me. To be fair to Dublin bus drivers, when I used to cycle (when I worked closer and had showers) they are largely very conscious of cyclists. But probably best not to take the thread off on that tangent because that's been done to death on here.

Tombo2001

bnt wrote: »

I have thought about this, you know - don't be patronising, and see my second point about the buses. I see cyclists from my bus seat: either the bus squeaks by with cm to spare, or it crawls along less than a metre behind the poor cyclist, who may be struggling up a hill. In that situation I would be pushing harder just to get to a point where the fecking bus can get past me - and sweating.

To RayCuns point - I recently switched from a cycle commute to a walking commute.

And part of the reason was that the cycle commute actually wasn't much exercise at all. Walking to work feels more strenuous.

Tuesday_Girl

6 minutes each way, and I count my blessings every day.