Long Commutes Are Sucking the Life Out of You

[Nevyn]

Originally Posted by tehgyb

I agree 100%! My hour and a half round trip commute for work each day is not only murder to the wallet, but it becomes mentally overbearing in that its eats even more of my "down" time.
On the other hand it does give me some time to be at peace and just drive, which could be a bonus, but many times I just am not in the mood for it...

1.5 hr round trip? I'd love to shorten my commute to that. I have dropped from 3.5 hrs round trip down to 2 hrs round trip...

[Miller88]

For everyone, there is a happy medium.

I have had commutes up to 45 minutes and as low as 1 mile.

While I love driving and find it extremely relaxing, I find that I like getting into work as quick as possible then getting on the road and heading home as soon as possible.

For a few years I had a 20 minute commute thought the country. At times, it was boring - but when the job went horrible, it was nice being able to calm down and get back in a good state of mind. I was always a bit more adventurous on the way back and I'd take seasonal highways. Really relaxing.

The commute where I was only commuting 1 mile was not good. I wouldn't have time to wind down from work before I got home. And it would definitely show. I'm not a person that puts a lot of time into evalulating "energies" and such, but I'd get a negative "energy" in the apartment when I'd get home (after a bad day) and it'd be there until I called it a night. On good days, it was fine.

Right now, I have an 8 mile commute. It really isn't relaxing as I have to drive through the center of the city on a crowded interstate ... but it's not too long and not too short.

Best part is, I'm able to average 35mpg out of the focus!

[tehgyb]

Originally Posted by Miller88

While I love driving and find it extremely relaxing, I find that I like getting into work as quick as possible then getting on the road and heading home as soon as possible.

For a few years I had a 20 minute commute thought the country. At times, it was boring - but when the job went horrible, it was nice being able to calm down and get back in a good state of mind. I was always a bit more adventurous on the way back and I'd take seasonal highways. Really relaxing.

The commute where I was only commuting 1 mile was not good. I wouldn't have time to wind down from work before I got home. And it would definitely show. I'm not a person that puts a lot of time into evalulating "energies" and such, but I'd get a negative "energy" in the apartment when I'd get home (after a bad day) and it'd be there until I called it a night. On good days, it was fine.

Ill agree with this!

[mechman600]

A 10-15 minute (relaxed paced) bicycle commute would probably be the best commute ever.

[ecomodded]

When i was working as a roofer i rode my bike to work when weather permitted- it was the best warm up ever.
By the time i got to work i would be stretched and limber and happily willing to start work as opposed to being stiff & sore from the previous days work and still half asleep arriving in my car.

[meanjoe75fan]

I read that article. I'm sorry, but the math in there was pretty far off, and the assumptions tenuous.

1. 51¢/mi is the IRS "standard depreciation" and reflects ALL costs (fixed and variable) divided by miles driven for the "typical motorist." What you need to look at is the *marginal cost* of driving that extra mile (gas, some of the maintenance, some of the depreciation.) That's a LOT less than 51¢!

2. Taking out a 30-ye mortgage implies that your "short commute" remains constant over three decades: no job changes or moves within the company. That's laughable! (This would be a better comparison for a rental, IMO.)

3. Economists generally value a persons time at 70% of their wage rate. So $25/HR for "lost commute time" implies a near $40/HR hourly rate! What are we, strippers and dealers?

4. The math also assumes no countering benefits in exurban living: only cheaper housing. Stuff like cleaner air, less noise, crime, better schools are totally ignored!

Like my IBM-employed ma used to say: GIGO...garbage in, garbage out.

[Fat Charlie]

Originally Posted by meanjoe75fan

4. The math also assumes no countering benefits in exurban living: only cheaper housing. Stuff like cleaner air, less noise, crime, better schools are totally ignored!

We passed a house under construction in town and my daughter said "I wish we could live there." I asked her where the dog would play. I asked her where her swingset would go. I asked her where she would ride her bike. I asked her where our garden and fruit trees would go. I asked her where our hammock and wildflower garden would go.

She decided that she's glad we don't live on Main Street.

[Daox]

Originally Posted by meanjoe75fan

I read that article. I'm sorry, but the math in there was pretty far off, and the assumptions tenuous.

1. 51¢/mi is the IRS "standard depreciation" and reflects ALL costs (fixed and variable) divided by miles driven for the "typical motorist." What you need to look at is the *marginal cost* of driving that extra mile (gas, some of the maintenance, some of the depreciation.) That's a LOT less than 51¢!

He does address this and evaluates an inexpensive vehicle and it still comes out to 34 cents per mile. It is with this figure that he calculates the $800/year per mile farther away from work. It would be even more if he used the 51 cent number.

2. Taking out a 30-ye mortgage implies that your "short commute" remains constant over three decades: no job changes or moves within the company. That's laughable! (This would be a better comparison for a rental, IMO.)

I don't see how this pertains to the article. He is just saying that nobody ever seems to think about distance from work. If you have to travel farther to work due to a new position would you not even consider moving? Would you not even consider looking for a new job?

3. Economists generally value a persons time at 70% of their wage rate. So $25/HR for "lost commute time" implies a near $40/HR hourly rate! What are we, strippers and dealers?

I think that the number he uses here is perfectly reasonable. If you didn't have that job you wouldn't be traveling that distance. Why shouldn't your time spent due to that job be summed together?

4. The math also assumes no countering benefits in exurban living: only cheaper housing. Stuff like cleaner air, less noise, crime, better schools are totally ignored!

I agree here. Its a financial evaluation. But, what is stopping you from finding a job outside the city so you can have the best of both worlds? That is what I did.

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by meanjoe75fan

Economists generally value a persons time at 70% of their wage rate. So $25/HR for "lost commute time" implies a near $40/HR hourly rate! What are we, strippers and dealers?

Nope, software engineers and such - and $40/hr is really pretty low.

[renault_megane_dci]

I feel this is very biased and somehow useless.
For example, I want to buy a house but I can't afford one close to my work because all I can put in it is a mandatory 33% of my income per X years.
The few € I put or save from my tank has no impact on my housing potential (we're talking France).

On the other hand a shorter commute makes for more free time wich I really like and my kids like it too.
Plus the less fuel I burn, the cleaner the air.
It might not be a lot but it's better than nothing.