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I think its cruel to force someone to commute 3. hours EVERYDAY 5 days a week, 2000 days a year. My commute is 7 minutes by car, and 15 minutes by bicycle. my wife's is 30 minutes. But, different strokes for different folks. I did do a 1.5 hour commute when I was a co-op in college for a semester, it truly sucked.
Quote:
Originally Posted by eten1234
Thanks for the replies. Yes, we have accepted the fact that we will have a long commute within our budget. My husband has commuted easily over 1.5 hours each way from where we used to live in North Jersey for 5 years and we know the drill. He can handle it - he just doesn't want to go far above 1.5 hours each way. From what I've read, Fairfield's commute is within our ideal commute (1.5 hours or less each way) but Trumbull might be pushing it, it looks like. Thanks again for the input so far.
Some of you are babies. I hate commuting, and I commute from Fairfield to Wall St. everyday. It's perfectly doable. 6:43 from Fairfield station, gets into GCT at 7:55 and I'm at my office by 8:10. Trumbull is another story entirely. No thanks.
Babies? No, I just prefer to live a life outside of commuting. I also prefer to watch my children grow.
Blakesq, I agree with your statment "different strokes for different folks" and that some commutes are not for everyone, etc. However, I'm not sure why you felt the need to post "I think its cruel to force someone to commute 3. hours EVERYDAY 5 days a week, 2000 days a year."
No where in my post did I say I was forcing my husband to do this. What I did include in my post, however, was HIS preference that he would rather have a longer commute if it meant we could have more land/house within a good town/school district.
Enjoy commuting 7 minutes by car and 15 minutes by bicycle 2000 days a year.
I'm home everyday by 7:30. How much are your kids "growing" between 6am and 7:30. Aren't they in school most of that time?
Not yet, mine are very little. I'm home by 4:40. That's almost 15 hours per week more (only counting the afternoon) that I get to spend with my family while you're still riding the train. But hey, to each their own.
My DH does the Fairfield NYC commute and it takes him 1hour 40 minutes door to door and he's not far from GCS. The trains are awful and very uncomfortable. He's lucky that he stays in the city one or two nights a week mostly to save his back. It's not fun and if you are also traveling with your job then it's that much worse. Since you don't mind a smaller house you might want to look into Larchmont, or another Westchester town such as Dobbs Ferry. Commuting you do everyday but visiting family is much less maybe if you see them every month it would only add two hours a month compared to one or more hours a day. Just a thought. There are many people who do the commute and I know one couple who drives to NYC everyday and they have 3 young kids. They leave their house at 6am and come home around 7pm. Our kids always say "Dad's on a business trip" even when he's not. DH doesn't like the situation but what other choice does he have with the current economy - anyway just food for thought. Maybe rent first to see if he can handle the commute and the trains? Good Luck to you - Fairfield is beautiful and a nice community to live in. Just one more thought for you to ponder - when the kids start to get older and have lot's of after school activities there is no way the commuter can be the little league coach or help with the boy scouts, swim meets, ect., that is probably my DH's biggest concern, he misses a lot of after school activities, plays, gatherings.
Last edited by J&A'sMOM; 08-16-2011 at 08:30 PM..
Reason: added "more stuff"
My DH does the Fairfield NYC commute and it takes him 1hour 40 minutes door to door and he's not far from GCS. The trains are awful and very uncomfortable. He's lucky that he stays in the city one or two nights a week mostly to save his back. It's not fun and if you are also traveling with your job then it's that much worse. Since you don't mind a smaller house you might want to look into Larchmont, or another Westchester town such as Dobbs Ferry. Commuting you do everyday but visiting family is much less maybe if you see them every month it would only add two hours a month compared to one or more hours a day. Just a thought. There are many people who do the commute and I know one couple who drives to NYC everyday and they have 3 young kids. They leave their house at 6am and come home around 7pm. Our kids always say "Dad's on a business trip" even when he's not. DH doesn't like the situation but what other choice does he have with the current economy - anyway just food for thought. Maybe rent first to see if he can handle the commute and the trains? Good Luck to you - Fairfield is beautiful and a nice community to live in. Just one more thought for you to ponder - when the kids start to get older and have lot's of after school activities there is no way the commuter can be the little league coach or help with the boy scouts, swim meets, ect., that is probably my DH's biggest concern, he misses a lot of after school activities, plays, gatherings.
The trains ARE awful (and the M8's aren't even all that much better), but I don't buy the commute times in your story. I work on Wall St. and my commute to work is NEVER more than 1:25. That includes walking across GCT to the 4 train, and taking it downtown, and walking a block to my office. I leave work at 5:30 and I'm home by 7:15, and that's only because I wait for the express to Fairfield. When I did work in midtown, I was on 47th and 6th within 1:15.
As for Worst-Chester, any money you save on a home, you'll more than make up for in taxes and window bars.
One thing the OP should consider though, is the fact that you will NOT be getting a parking spot at ANY of the Fairfield train stations. There is a 6 year waiting list, that even the new station will not put a dent in. Partially because our town is so backward, they would rather risk a riot than build a parking garage, and partially because we allow freeloaders from Easton and Trumbull to park in our lots.
I would factor in either taking a cab everyday ($15 each way), having someone drop you off, or paying more money to be within walking distance. For Trumbull, figure on having to drive the Bridgeport station, and paying the mini-bar prices they charge there for the chance of having your car still be there when you get back.
Sorry, but those are the facts that many of the regulars on here like to push under the rug. Better you hear them now.
Interesting since the express to Fairfield is 1hour 6 minutes not sure how SVTJayC got to Wall Street in 1hour 25 minutes and 47th and 6th within 1:15? So you only had 9 minutes to drive to the station and also get off the train and walk to your office - that is great!! All of our friends that work on Wall street report much longer times especially since they take a subway?
This is how DH gets 1 hour 40 minutes
1:15 train ride
15 minutes to drive to train station, park & walk to train - he parks on Mill Plain Road
10 minutes to walk to office
1:40 minutes sometimes it's 1:45 depending on the train he takes - He works very long days and can not depend on taking the same train everyday because he has meetings that may not end on time.
Also you can not rely on Fairfield Cab - They will take your call at night and usually you have to call in the morning to get them to come and you end up missing your train. This is normal and everyone knows how unreliable they are. Again OP good luck! :-)
Interesting since the express to Fairfield is 1hour 6 minutes not sure how SVTJayC got to Wall Street in 1hour 25 minutes and 47th and 6th within 1:15? So you only had 9 minutes to drive to the station and also get off the train and walk to your office - that is great!! All of our friends that work on Wall street report much longer times especially since they take a subway?
This is how DH gets 1 hour 40 minutes
1:15 train ride
15 minutes to drive to train station, park & walk to train - he parks on Mill Plain Road
10 minutes to walk to office
1:40 minutes sometimes it's 1:45 depending on the train he takes - His works very long days and can not depend on taking the same train everyday because he has meetings that may not end on time.
Also you can not rely on Fairfield Cab - They will take your call at night and usually you have to call in the morning to get them to come and you end up missing your train. This is normal and everyone knows how unreliable they are. Again OP good luck! :-)
I count from the time I get on the train to the time i step into my office. 6:43 express to GCT, 4 train to wall st. I'm at my desk with a coffee in my hand by 8:10...everyday. Perhaps I just have a tad more spring in my step than your DH (designated hitter?) and his pals.
Fairfield Cab is irrelevant now. Take the Red Dot cab.
Last edited by SVTJayC; 08-16-2011 at 10:57 PM..
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