What's your average commute? What's the maximum you would commute? (Arlington: how much, construction)

[vauser]

As we are getting ready to make the soon-to-happen move to Brambleton, commute times have once again cropped up as points of discussion in the family.

I am very comfortable with 30 to 45 minutes of commute, each way, but an extremely uncomfortable for every additional minute. Trying to win some employers with a 2 day telecommute option but it ain't flying very well.

Is it reasonable to not want to do a 70+ minute commute each way, every day of the week? Or, is that considered being unreasonable?

1. What's your average commute?
2. What's the longest you have done (and for how long)?
3. Whatever you consider as an uncomfortable commute time (meaning, "would move to the next job as soon as you get one"), what is the %age hike (if any) that would convince you to take up this new position (and bite the bullet on the commute)?

[CaliTerp07]

On average it is about 20 minutes each way. I have a very narrow window of tolerable commute times--more than 10 minutes, less than 30.

I interned in Kingstowne one summer, while living on campus in college park. It was while they were doing construction on the WW bridge. OMG, 90 minutes in the morning, 2 hours in the evening. I kid you not, that commute almost destroyed my relationship with my (now) husband. I HATE traffic. It puts me in the absolute worst mood.

[spencgr]

My commute doubled when we moved to Middleburg. Ironically, we were moving because I couldn't stand my commute. I learned that the actual time spent on the commute is not what bothered me, it was sitting in traffic. I was irritated whenever I got home. Now (with twice the commute), I am not.

So, don't just calculate the time, the actual specific commute should factor in. And, what's good for the gander isn't necessarily good for the geese. Even if 100% of people respond that 70+ min commute is reasonable (and most people won't), it doesn't matter. It only matters what you can tolerate.

My average commute over my career is about 30 minutes. My current commute is 1.5 hours each way.

[NYmama2dallas]

I wouldn't want to spend more than 25 minutes in the car, driving. I could tolerate a longer commute if I was being driven (train/bus) but not much longer.

Just curious-why are you moving first, then job hunting? Most people do it in the reverse order.

[Jenjen391]

my current commute is between 60-70 minutes driving and metro . I use that time to read and wind down. I also telecommute 1 day per week, which makes a huge difference.

I was dreading the commute when we moved to ffx county from Arlington, but it doesn't bother me much now. In fact, though it is longer, it is much more convenient, since I drive to the metro garage and don't have to rely on a bus to take me to metro.

If I had to drive, I could probably only stand about 45 minutes, especially in stop and go traffic. It makes me crazy.

[OrangeFish]

Originally Posted by vauser

1. What's your average commute?
2. What's the longest you have done (and for how long)?
3. Whatever you consider as an uncomfortable commute time (meaning, "would move to the next job as soon as you get one"), what is the %age hike (if any) that would convince you to take up this new position (and bite the bullet on the commute)?

1. 20 minutes
2. 1 hour and 15 minutes one way, commuting in Massachusetts, and I did that for 6 years. It would need to be extreme circumstances for me to fathom even the possibility to do anything like that again.
3. There is absolutely no percentage hike for me to have a longer commute. I have a fabulous job and incredible flexibility and an easy commute (and I also telecommute). Not giving that up, thank you!

[tgbwc]

Originally Posted by vauser

1. What's your average commute?
2. What's the longest you have done (and for how long)?
3. Whatever you consider as an uncomfortable commute time (meaning, "would move to the next job as soon as you get one"), what is the %age hike (if any) that would convince you to take up this new position (and bite the bullet on the commute)?

1. 1.5 miles, 4 minutes
2. 16 miles, about 40-45 minutes from near Montclair (PWC) to Springfield for about 8 years.
3. I don't know how much it would take for me to go back to a longer commute. It's pretty nice being a few minutes from the house.

[HarryLou]

1. Average commute: 25 or so minutes a.m.; 35 minutes p.m....
2. Longest commute: an hour or so -- but against traffic, and spent with talking books...
3. Might go to the ends of the earth for a job I love, a job with a mission.

[sonnymarkjiz]

Originally Posted by vauser

As we are getting ready to make the soon-to-happen move to Brambleton, commute times have once again cropped up as points of discussion in the family.

I am very comfortable with 30 to 45 minutes of commute, each way, but an extremely uncomfortable for every additional minute. Trying to win some employers with a 2 day telecommute option but it ain't flying very well.

Is it reasonable to not want to do a 70+ minute commute each way, every day of the week? Or, is that considered being unreasonable?

1. What's your average commute?
2. What's the longest you have done (and for how long)?
3. Whatever you consider as an uncomfortable commute time (meaning, "would move to the next job as soon as you get one"), what is the %age hike (if any) that would convince you to take up this new position (and bite the bullet on the commute)?

Where is your job located? That's the big question.

[vauser]

Clarification: Moving about 10 miles from where we currently live, do contracting work in the area, and hence, need to keep my eyes and ears open for new contracts every now and then. Prefer Reston, Herndon, Chantilly, etc, but do work in McLean at times, and am okay with that. Where it gets tricky is - Falls Church, Alexandria and DC. Have consciously avoided that thus far, and hope to continue to be able to do it, but it gets tricky at times.

A 60 minute test commute seemed *okay* but it was done at off peak hours, and only once or twice. Doing it every single day at peak traffic might be a different beast altogether.

I was wondering if a longer commute affected one's mood and relationships, and from the responses thus far, it sure does appear that way.