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Driving vs. Metro
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Anonymous
| I've been taking the red line for 8 months into Downtown from Silver Spring. It takes me an hour each way (a little longer in the morning because I drop my DS at his in-home provider). Anyway, I've been driving into work and it literally cuts my commute in half! So, I am wondering if I should shell out an extra $130 a month to get a permanent parking space. Did anyone else make this decision for the sake of saving time, not money? I love the extra time with DS, especially in the evening. Any thoughts? |
Anonymous
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Sounds reasonable, if you're sure it's not a fluke.
I will say that in my office, the drivers are late/frustrated way more often than the metro riders. I get a message from one of my staff at least three times a week that they're stuck in traffic. Movie filming, motorcades, bad weather... it's neverending. |
Anonymous
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Just based on time considerations, I would say get a space. Moneywise, you might be spending about 3x+ (depending on insurance costs, gas) more to drive but if you make more than a certain amount/hour, it might be worth it.
Ex. Metro/mo: $2.80/way x 2 trips/day x 20 days/mo = $112 Driving/mo: $1500/yr/12 insurance + $5/day x 20 days/mo for gas and wear & tear on car + $130/mo parking space = $355 Driving costs/mo: 3x as much as, or $243 more than, metro Time savings/mo: 15 min/way x 2 trips/day x 20 days/mo = 10 hours/mo Wages/hour: Break even if you are paid at least $24.30/hour, or $48,600/yr (based on 2000 hours/yr) |
Anonymous
| I have done both within the city. It was SO worth it to have the space. Years later, metro still refuses to take notes from other cities' public transportation, which ends up being a colossal shame. I couldn't believe it when I moved here and saw the Metro escalators were exposed to the elements (only recently partially covered) and they scratched their heads every week when they broke. Metro is truly needed out further, but that's another story. I have also commuted 2 hours each way 5 days per week (I couldn't make this stuff up) to law school. Yes, we have since moved closer in. Public transportation here needs a lot of work. Don't get me started on their idea of customer service...... |
Anonymous
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I have always preferred to drive for so many reasons:
Flexibility. If you leave work and need to stop somewhere, you have your car. Food and drink. Can't make the commute without my go cup of coffee. Blasting loud music Always getting a seat Door to door service No exposure to elements Had a free parking space so why spend the dough on metro? Metro is not cheap enough, even if I pay for parking, to make it competitive with all the luxuries of driving. I shake my head that we don't do more in this city to pressure drivers off the roads and onto metro, with lower fares, COFFEE in the stations! (Take a percent, use it to keep the trains clean!), etc. etc. |
Anonymous
| I do the same commute and it's not a fluke. I go Georgia Ave to 13th Street to K Street and I get there in no time flat. If parking in my building were only $130 I would definitely drive but it's double that so I drive in the cold months, Metro in warm. |
Anonymous
| I have the same commute, and if I didn't hate driving so much, I might drive. But I absolutely hate driving, hate being in traffic and hate not getting at least a little bit of time outside on my feet in addition to lunch. But I didn't realize you could make the commute in 30 mins during rush hour ... I mean, it can take 5 mins on upper Georgia to go from the corner of Colesville and Georgia to just over the DC line. Does it start moving quicker after that? An extra 30 mins with DD might be worth the horror of driving. |
Anonymous
| I commute from Silver Spring to L'Enfant. I hate driving. I get off work at 4pm though so I miss the worst of rush hour. I'm always home within 40 minutes. And I haven't spewed any carbon. Every mile you drive adds another pound of carbon to the atmosphere. It's true! |
Anonymous
| Driving would be so much more pleasant if the traffic lights were coordinated. Biggest peeve is unnecessary and avoidable congestion --- not to speak of easily avoidable greenhouse gas emissions. |
Anonymous
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In my 20 years of commuting, I've found driving to be much faster in various situations. Sad, too, because I'm a big believer in public transportation. But they still need to work on improving our system for it to be truly efficient.
Drive to work. At some point, your time becomes so much more valuable. |
zumbamama
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|
If it cuts your commute in half, and you have the money, I'd drive. But if I drove, I would double my commute...the metro does actually save time and money for me...but I guess it just depends on where your point A & B is.
Although I was completely unaware of exposure to elements in the metro. |
Anonymous
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I commuted yesterday from Silver Spring to downtown: took the bus to the Metro, got on the Red Line, switched at Metro Center to Blue Line, went 1 stop, office across from the station. Door to door time: 40 minutes. Granted all the stars were aligned as in the bus and trains were right there but I can normally count on the commute being between 40 and 50 minutes.
Now, when I drive, it is anywhere from 25 to 50 minutes plus time to park and walk to my office. My point is that public transportation, for me at least, is a lot more consistent. I find waiting in traffic to be very frustrating and I find the garages to be equally frustrating: either you have to park in some ridiculously tight spot or wait 15 minutes for the guys to get your car. Not worth the aggrevation for this commuter! |
Anonymous
| I hear a lot of frustration about public transportation in the area (a lot of it justified) but jumping in your car and adding to the vehicle congestion and traffic is NOT going to better public transportation options. You have to use it and pay for it for it to improve. Or commuters from MD and VA need to pay commuting tax. You can't just complain. |
Anonymous
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OP here- thanks for everyone's input. I forgot to mention before that because of the shortened commute time by driving, I would be able to work the alternate schedule and have every other Wed. off. I can't do that taking Metro (not for lack of trying). And I really could use that extra day to spend one on one time with my son, for doctor's appointments, etc. |
zumbamama
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| I took the bus from Silver Spring to Bethesda for the first time last week (I hate the bus) but it only took 15 minutes and was WAY cheaper than the subway! |