longest acceptable commute? (apartment, house, neighborhood)

[GRap]

What's the longest commute that some of you have made for work on a regular basis? How was the experience? Was it sustainable?

I will be moving in July to the bay area. I will be working in Palo Alto, but I'd really like to live in San Francisco. Of course, that would entail a 40-45 minute daily commute each way.

I've never had to commute like this and I wonder if it is something that is manageable(ie does it add significantly to your stress levels?). I know it is worse financially, given gas prices.

Anyone have any experience with a comparable commute?

Any input would be appreciated...
thanks

[Mike in TN]

35-40 minutes one way. Although that was a smooth 35-40 minutes on an open road. Had I been held up in traffic I'm sure I would have arrived more irritable.

[Lucidus]

I am actually considering becoming a super commuter. I have inherited a lake house, but it is 1 1/2 hours, almost exactly 100 miles, from where I work. The gas expense will not be so bad if I get a fuel effcient vehichle like a Civic Hybrid. Also I could sell my current house and save money because the lake house is paid for. The commute is an easy drive on uncongested Interstate, I can average more than a mile per minute for %90 of the drive. The only thing that bothers me is the time lost to driving. If it was "only" 45 minutes one way, then it would be a no brainer, I would do it.

[lammius]

I live 13 miles from where I work, but the commute is about 70 minutes each way. I have a 15 minute walk to my neighborhood train station, a 45-minute train ride, and a 10 minute walk to the office. I enjoy the walking portions because it gets me outdoors and in the fresh air. It sucks a bit on days when the weather is bad, but at least then I have the option of taking a bus from my apartment into NYC (longer trip though), and subways in Manhattan. During the train ride I pop open my notebook pc and start doing work or paying my bills or something else productive. On days I feel less productive I'll just listen to my nano and/or read a book. The commute is long but I feel I'm making good use of the time. I enjoy this more than a driving commute.

[Fuzz]

My longest regular commute was when I lived in Chicago -- about 30 minutes on the bus. Since I didn't drive, it was pretty relaxing.

Once in a while, I did have to drive out to one of our offices near O'Hare, which took an hour, sitting in bumper-to-bumper, stop-and-go traffic. Those were brutal. I was pretty beat by the time I got home. Even on days when I drove there outside rush hour with little traffic, just the time spent in the car was still wearing. Thankfully I only had to do that maybe once every few months.

Fortunately, I've been telecommuting for the last 7 years, so my commute is something like 30 seconds. :-)

[tahiti]

pshaw! i have a 60 mile commute each way - my job moved. before that it was 35 each way, totally tolerable.

the first 40 miles can be miserable, the last 20 are a breeze. no traffic i can do it 1hr 10 minutes, but average is about 90 minutes. worst was 3 hrs.

that said, i work from home several days a week so i don't have to drive it all the time. i'm not sure i could that.

but, my original commute of 35 miles took about 1 hour and i had absolutely no problem with it.

[Steve-o]

My longest commute was 1.5 hours one way. I used to live inbetween Dixon, IL and Oregon, IL and drive to Geneva, IL every morning. Ive since moved back to the burbs, where my commute is now 20 minutes. MUCH better.

I wont do anything more than 45 minutes now, it just becomes too much.

[CTownNative]

When I've got a job when Im a little bit older,my longest acceptable commute will be 40-45 minutes,as long as I got a kicka** CD with me,like Mobb Deep.

[SpeedyAZ]

I commute about 30 miles each day (figure 40-50 minutes) and it's tolerable. I just crank up the tunes and go with the flow.

[CTownNative]

Thats the good thing to do.I love listening to music.