Tell me about your commutes

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:An hour each way between driving, parking, Metro, and walking. And I am dragging a 3 year old with me both ways.

It's super fun. (sarcasm font)

Sucks for you and the 3 year old.

[Anonymous]

I think it gets better as you get used to it. I used to resent my commute every morning and evening. I have the same commute now (about the same length as OP's, although if I choose to, I can take Metro for part of it), and after several years of doing it and realizing there are not a lot of acceptable alternatives, I just suck it up and deal. I also look for little things that will make it better - e.g., when summer comes and traffic lightens considerably. Or when my kids are old enough that I do not have to drop them off anymore and can get an earlier start. But ultimately, as others have indicated, what you're dealing with is sort of par for the course around here.

[Anonymous]

Sorry to hear that.
Kid's school is ca 2 blocks away-we drive since it's up the hill.My school and work are both ca 7 minutes by car in rush hour.
Glad the commutes are short.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If there was no traffic, I could get to my office downtown from my home in 10 minutes. IN traffic, it takes anywhere from 30 to 45 minutes. It sucks but unless you are moving closer in to a point where you will actually walk still plan to have to make some kind of commute.

+1

Just about everyone I know in DC-proper and close-in is still spending 30-60 mins. commuting each way.

Yep. I live 3 miles from work and regardless of whether I drive or Metro, it's often up to 30 minutes due to pure congestion. Off-rush hour, it takes less than 10 minutes. I can't get myself out of the door earlier, but I'm sure it would help! Just the nature of the beast around here.

Agreed. I used to have a 20 minute walk and now drive 20-30 mins to the metro and ride another 25-40 mins to get in to the office (metro is so inconsistent). I've never lived in a suburb and the first few months I was pissed every single day with the traffic and inconsistency of my commute. Eventually, I just stopped obsessing and now I don't mind it at all. Find a radio station or podcast you enjoy and stop being so angry. You'll get used to it. I also experimented with leaving home and work at different times and found my commute is much shorter when I leave a little later, and I still get in at the same time. I don't have kids so drop off and pick ups aren't an issue.

[Anonymous]

I have an hour and 15 to an hour and a half each way. Sirius radio has helped (raw dog comedy is great) but the best way for me to deal is making it to the gym during lunch as often as possible. Relieves a ton of tension

[Anonymous]

This is my experience too. Loathing, then acceptance. 30-45 mins in and out, stop and go traffic. I hated it, hated it, hated it. But then I just sort of accepted it, and it's not so bad. (Previously I was a one-transfer subway commuter in NYC, but it was so much more reliable than Metro I didn't mind it.)

Anonymous wrote:I think it gets better as you get used to it. I used to resent my commute every morning and evening. I have the same commute now (about the same length as OP's, although if I choose to, I can take Metro for part of it), and after several years of doing it and realizing there are not a lot of acceptable alternatives, I just suck it up and deal. I also look for little things that will make it better - e.g., when summer comes and traffic lightens considerably. Or when my kids are old enough that I do not have to drop them off anymore and can get an earlier start. But ultimately, as others have indicated, what you're dealing with is sort of par for the course around here.

[Anonymous]

OP, the only thing that might make you feel better is that most people who work in central DC have the same problem you do. I live 2.5 miles outside of downtown, and during rush hour, no matter how I commute (bike, jog, bus, drive, metro) it takes me 45 minutes door to door to get to or from work. Any chance you could join a carpool or take public transportation? I enjoy the commute more when I don't have to navigate the traffic and can zone out or read.

[Anonymous]

I live downtown to avoid this waste of time.

[Anonymous]

6:45- leave home, walk to bus stop
7:00- get on bus. Take bus from Glover Park to Dupont.
7:15- arrive Dupont.
7:20- get on second bus from Dupont to Columbia Hts.
7:35- arrive at work (I'm a teacher, so school). Children enter classroom 8:30.

Evenings: do the reverse. But this time it takes an hour.

[Anonymous]

From Fairfax -> Montgomery County before 7:30ish = 30 minutes. If I leave any later, the commute time could easily double. The wife is set on living in Virginia so my only option is to find something local.

The drive home is hit or miss and I have yet to understand the traffic pattern. Sometimes I leave at 4:30 and end up in stop-and-go, and sometimes I leave at 6 and have no traffic. People in this area need to learn to drive a consistent speed, even if it's just 30 mph.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:An hour each way between driving, parking, Metro, and walking. And I am dragging a 3 year old with me both ways.

It's super fun. (sarcasm font)

Sucks for you and the 3 year old.

We drag our 3 and 1 year olds on our 45-60 minute car commute, and in a lot of ways it sucks for everyone involved. But we try to make the most of it by listening to music, singing, and playing endless annoying games of "I Spy" or whatever the game du jour is. The worst part is really the time lost from the day.

[Anonymous]

I did a commute from Oakton to DC for nearly 2 years and I got sick of it. I parked at a bus P&R and took the bus to metro to my office in downtown. Going in would be about 50 mins, going home 1hr to 1.5hrs depending on metro and buses. It nearly killed me. I read books, listened to music, slept. I loved the company and if I didn't I would have left sooner.

In the end, I found a different company closer to home.

Hang in there, do your time, and then when a new opportunity arises...go for it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is my experience too. Loathing, then acceptance. 30-45 mins in and out, stop and go traffic. I hated it, hated it, hated it. But then I just sort of accepted it, and it's not so bad. (Previously I was a one-transfer subway commuter in NYC, but it was so much more reliable than Metro I didn't mind it.)

Anonymous wrote:I think it gets better as you get used to it. I used to resent my commute every morning and evening. I have the same commute now (about the same length as OP's, although if I choose to, I can take Metro for part of it), and after several years of doing it and realizing there are not a lot of acceptable alternatives, I just suck it up and deal. I also look for little things that will make it better - e.g., when summer comes and traffic lightens considerably. Or when my kids are old enough that I do not have to drop them off anymore and can get an earlier start. But ultimately, as others have indicated, what you're dealing with is sort of par for the course around here.

+1 once you stop being angry about sitting in traffic it makes it easier to deal with. I also began to appreciate that compared to many, my 30-45 minute average commute really isn't THAT bad.