Tell me about your commutes

[Anonymous]

Seriously bummed out about my commute and want to vent/commiserate.

I was a sahm for several glorious years, and now am at a bew job (that I am grateful to have!), but my commute is miserable. 50mins in the am, but 1hr+ on the return, in stop and go traffic the entire way!! Just as an fyi, the route would normally take 25-30mins tops.

Sigh. I am trying to fill the time with audio books and calling my mom/friends. But it's still no use, I was so sad this afternoon to be stuck in traffic instead of hanging out with my kids. So incredibly bummed. So hard to handle right now, but I really need this job, esp after several years off.

How do folks handle this? I am hoping in 2-3yrs, if it looks like I will make a career at this job, to move closer to my work. But right now, it's not an option.

But for now, it's super early mornings in order to try to beat some of the rush.

Any one else want to commiserate? Share your stories?

[Anonymous]

I live in Silver Spring and commute via metro to Judiciary Square. From the time I leave my house to the time I walk into my office it takes an hour, which includes dropping off my kids at school. If I didn't need to drop them off at school it would still take 45 minutes. And this is living in a "close-in" suburb.

I love my neighborhood and my job so neither is going to change any time soon.

[Anonymous]

I fill my time to turn it into work. Schedule a conference call. Make people do something or present to you while you drive home.

[Anonymous]

I changed jobs, live in Rockville, work in Rockville, 15 minutes from home and the kids school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I fill my time to turn it into work. Schedule a conference call. Make people do something or present to you while you drive home.

My old boss used to do this when he was late driving in in the AM. Terrible idea.

[Anonymous]

45 minutes on metro (including the walk on both ends). I either catch up on email, read the paper, or listen to podcasts.

[Anonymous]

I use it as me time. I catch up with friends, listen to mommy music, sometimes just sit in silence. Use your commute as mandatory downtime.

[Anonymous]

My first post kids job had an awful commute too OP so I REALLY get it. It was about an hour each way, easily 1.5 hours in the winter. It was really soul wrenching, it just made me a very sad person. I think it would of been better if I didn't have to drive it (like taking a train/metro) but add in the stress of stop and go driving and it became unbearable. I ended up changing jobs about 8 months in, for it just made my day too long. I literally missed 45 mins of kid time in the morning and an hour in the evening which was not worth it in my opinion, plus the commute itself didn't agree with my personality. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I fill my time to turn it into work. Schedule a conference call. Make people do something or present to you while you drive home.

My old boss used to do this when he was late driving in in the AM. Terrible idea.

Terrible why? This is pretty common.

[Anonymous]

4 miles. Yesterday it took almost 15 minutes.

[Anonymous]

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.

[Anonymous]

I live 5 miles from my office in downtown DC. It is a 10 min drive in non-rush hour traffic, but 30 or more in rush hour. Problem is that I can't afford parking so I take Metro, which takes 50 min. Hate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I fill my time to turn it into work. Schedule a conference call. Make people do something or present to you while you drive home.

If she is just returning to the workforce, she might not have the luxury of being the scheduler of the conference calls or delegator of the tasks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I fill my time to turn it into work. Schedule a conference call. Make people do something or present to you while you drive home.

If she is just returning to the workforce, she might not have the luxury of being the scheduler of the conference calls or delegator of the tasks.

Exactly my thought. Seriously doubt OP reentered workforce as the boss.

And I would hate my boss if he called me up to have me "present" to him like that. Assy behavior.

[Anonymous]

OP, I hear you. Also a former SAHM with not a lot of options. I love everything about my job except the commute, which is an hour under the best conditions. When we had the snowy commute last Wed., it took nearly three hours. I negotiated two WOHM days a week for that reason; not sure if that's an option for you.

This will not change for us. DH's job is here, the schools we want are here, and my job is never going to move closer. It's where I worked pre-kids, so I have a lot invested there. I try to make it marginally pleasant with the radio, though I find myself doing WTOP most of the time for the traffic report.