I got really spoiled with my last job though (5 minute commute) and even my 30 mins feels like forever to me. Once we live 20 min from his work, he can be responsible for drop off or pick up (or both!!! Its all a tradeoff. Yep. I could not commute an hour each way every day. You listen to KCRW or podcasts and eventually adjust. How does things getting shittier in NYC make living in LA more tolerable? Yes, exactly! Were building more but its going to take a long time. Time is valuable, and spending it commuting sucks. But also yes, if youre planning to stay in LB, its really better to find a job nearer to where you live. It turned what used to be a 2-hour commute for me to an hours drive. Oh man. Im in the Tulsa, OK area and our average commute is 20 minutes so 2 hours is absurd given my frame of reference. By then, the sky has turned a shade of deep indigo. NOPE NOPE NOPE. 2 hours is bad and I wouldnt call it normal. What gets me about your situation is that your commute is all driving if you were on a train or a subway you could at least multi-task with other activities. I live in the Houston area (suburb & commute to the loop) and my job is 20 miles from me which is anywhere from 45 minutes- 1hr 15 minutes an an average day. I am an average-sized white female. I would have left a merely very good job a couple of years ago. I had learned to drive in Phx, had gone to Cali plenty of times, but I could not handle an LA freeway. Right, but then you have to walk HOME six miles, too. Oh no! All it says in the brief mention of his is that hes insisted that its normal for the area. Honestly, the only person I knew who ever commute that far was an intern from a college town a couple hours away (and that shocked me that hed do that each day). to my office in Belmont, Mass. We actually moved to San Diego instead where on really bad days my 15 mile commute home takes about 30-45 minutes- (except the two days that involved freeway shut downs). I barely saw him. But now people think nothing of making the drive on a daily basis. Personally, I changed jobs recently due to my commute. My commute is an hour, but changing etc adds on 30 minutes (before/after). Eventually I just gave in and didnt even bother leaving until after 9am and getting in around 9:45 and staying until almost 7pm. His job is flexible and would allow him to work from home at least 2-3 days a week and commute only when necessary, but if it comes up when Im interviewing in the city people always seem shocked because of the part of the country were in. People do work very hard to coordinate their living locations in a place that makes sense for their work locations here for sure. Total nightmare, but they had to do it (for years) because they had a good job in an industry that would not have had something comparable with a really good commute. But yeah, I know a woman who lives in LA and has a 1 to 2 hour commute every day. I can tell you that commute time varies greatly by where you live, where you work, and the hours you work. I just want to point out that normal doesnt mean anything if youre suffering so much. I couldnt do it. Theres also a direct bus route that gets me there in about 45 minutes. Lots of people who find the trade off of cheaper housing commute to be worth it. She was trying to get out of the traffic. I decided to move to a location thats 20 minutes by bus from work. I have a friend whose BF was attacked and nearly beaten to death on one of the metro rail lines, but it was awhile back and I dont remember which one. OP cant expect her commute to go from 2 hours to 15 minutes because the boyfriend has told her that isnt normal, but she can make reasonable decisions now on how to cut the commute down to a more acceptable hour or hour and a half. 37 traffic lights, multiple school zones. It doesnt seem excessive compared to the commutes of others in my office. He is planning to stay at his job for a while, so we are in the early stages of looking to move. So I worked from home on Wednesdays and that meant that I got a break from the 4 hours in the car mid-week. I live in the Atlanta suburbs. So Cal native yup, 2 hours can be totally normal. Distance in miles is not how the commute is measured in LA/OC, and a 2-hour commute could be entirely normal based on where you live. Our combined household income was about 60k; according to sperlings COL calculator itd need to be about 150k to get the same QOL in SF. Even my native Angeleno friends whove moved or bought homes as recently as 2014 or 2015 have been shocked by the prices in the current housing/rental market. It would only help for one way, but it would still give you back an hour or so. It can be fun and you get to bond with coworkers. And the alternate routes actually arent any faster, just more interesting (residential/light business) to look at. My brother deals with a long commute by keeping a small rental room by his job so he can spend a couple nights each week staying near work rather than driving home every day. Jk :) But seriously, Im glad it worked out for you. I live in West Los Angeles. Oh man, OP you might want to look at work in Orange County if you really need to stay in Long Beach (and cant find a good position in Long Beach itself). I might be spoiled, but I have too much to do to spend half my day in the car. Ive been to LA to visit family and really hated it. From there, it's a simple matter to take your salary and factor in hard commuting costs, like gasoline (see a good guide here) - according to Salary.com, " the average employee incurs an annual "commuting gas" cost of $1,483 per year. 6am hour -- power outtages impact Bellevue/Issaquah and eastern King County after overnight wind storms, still no new Republican House Speaker after 6 votes, US alpine skiing phenom Mikaela Shiffrin is about to topple some career records for women's skiing, Lynnwood WA . 3) Start looking for a new job closer to you (also may not be possible) Sure that day might suck but you have to do what you have to do. If you find a job you really like, but with a long commute, then maybe your boyfriend should pick up and move to a new neighborhood with you. That drive usually takes closer to two hours. I have a few bites for closer jobs already so Im keeping my fingers crossed. Robert Fratta, 65, is scheduled to receive a lethal injection for the November 1994 fatal shooting of his wife, Farah, amid a contentious divorce and custody fight for their three children. Though sometimes Ill just pick classics to feel well-read (even if Im pretty sure Im going to hate them) or popular books so that I can be a little more up on cultural references. Its a perfect storm. Get horror and comedy with My Favorite Murder! Going home is just the same thing in reverse. Ive since moved, but my 10 mile commute still take 30-45 minutes each morning. This is another challenge when the peak of rush hour doesnt actually end. because it took 45 minutes just to make it down La Cienega to the 405. I personally would rather have the time and am fine with living in a tiny house, so I pay more to live closer. In New York, my commute, door to door, from Soho to Bushwick was about 35-45 minutes, which included a 20-minute subway ride. Thats true. Of course they are. Yeah, I literally do not do anything during the week. Id probably do better with it now (better car, with a/c that actually works right, more patience), but its been 15 years, and I still hate driving north on the 5 (I drive to Disneyland, my husband drives home. but thosere a lot less stressful than 2 hours of stop and go rush hour crap. Ive moved around quite a bit within my city with commutes ranging anywhere from 30 seconds (lived in the same building my office was in) to 45 minutes. Im surprised the US average is 26 minutes. Ive seen absolutely nothing since the dash cam was installed. Long Beach is SO much nicer. Viva 35 mph on a freeway :(. each way otherwise, it would be more than twice that, especially in the evening. I commuted from the IE to West Hollywood for the first 2 years of my job out of college. OP, Im older than you by 20, so let me share my thoughts on a long commute. 4 hour commute once a week wouldn't even register for me. Silicon Valley, for example, has tons of jobs, but not enough housing, so people commute from all over, packing the roadways. I must drive because theres no transit is a very different problem than, I cant wrap my head around the idea of trying transit.. This is in the midwest US, to a state capital. Its limiting my job search, but I know I will be happier for it in the long run. My train service is fairly OK, and I always get a seat both ways. I would feel very differently about this if I were driving everyday into the district. My commute is now about 20 minutes (a little worse in the afternoon, but I dont have to take the freeway). Small company full of hip millennials who are transplants and live in WeHo. I grew up in CoCoCounty (fam is still there), and so much of the County was working class that I never really thought of it as unaffordable until the last 10-15 years or so. I live in the San Francisco Bay Area, about 28 miles outside of the citymy husband commutes via BART (the subway) everyday and it takes about 45 minutes if its running on time which it never isif he were drive, it would easily be 90 minutes one way with traffic if there were no major accidents/road closures. I absolutely love the best of both worlds feel it gives me. In case you do think about moving: The first worst commute is Valley to west side, the second is San Gabriel Valley to Culver City area, and the third worst is south LA/Garden Grove/LB to anywhere north of DTLA, regardless of whether youre going east or west of DTLA. Ah, Id never go back to this huge commute. If you otherwise like your job, is moving closer to work an option? He is not destructive on these days either but he isn't a destructive dog in . My commute to work is about 9 miles and usually takes about 40-50 minutes, but can easily be over an hour on a bad day. Does a move make sense for a shorter commute when it's only 2 days? LA is ok to visit, but I will never live there again. I know lots of people who work in NYC and have 1.5 to 2 hour commutes from Suffolk and even Pennsylvania because housing is way less expensive in those places. The average commute keeps getting LONGER. Guess what I did? My average drive time is between 50 and 90 minutes each way for 15 miles. So there are a lot of factors. She will never be able to afford to buy, and it looks as if Im now permanently out of King County. Hopefully you find something new soon! Mass transit the entire way, one-way commute time: 2.5 hours. Right now Im at about 45-50 minutes depending on metro waits. Its actually faster for me to bike (either all the way, or do bike + bus) than busses +walk, so when it is feasible, Ill often do that. I was really lucky to find a job on my side of town. And that was for the majority of my working career. So Cal commuting traffic is no joke it may be normal to some people but that doesnt make it ok!! That is three hours a day or 15 hours a week that they waste in the car or train. I live on the east side of LA with a 10-mile commute. I realize its a bit hyperbolic but almost nobody (relatively speaking) has a home in Los Angeles (city) they live in thousands of surrounding communities in the greater LA area and where you live has a lot of class distinctions. If I couldnt stand it Id sometimes pull into the metered lots at the cliffs of HB and go for a walk on the beach or a swim. Hopefully these new transportation options will benefit commuters like OP. I am in Orange County and it takes me anywhere from 35 minutes to over an hour to drive 14 miles. Thats all you need to know. Some people do it, sure, but Id say around an hour to an hour and a half is the norm. But around here its very common for people to live 30-40 miles (or more) away and commute in by car or train for up to 2 hours. If you were able to be close enough to work and be car free how much money could you afford to spend on housing to make that happen? I know people who do it but they all hate it. Ride share with a coworker and alternate driving days so that this time is your social time. My max is 1 hour. I live in southern MD and commute two counties north of me for workon amazing days (think unicorns farting rainbows rarity) its 45 minutes each way. to 75 min. Are you living with your boyfriend? This is fabulous. -Dont complain about the commute or traffic. There are vanpools that leave as early as 5 AM to beat the traffic in, and most leave around 3:30 to beat the traffic home. Even 1-2 days a week avoiding that mess can make you feel a lot better. The husband drove in to DC for work for six years on 66. All 6 lines get funneled into the same underground stretch of tunnel through the Mission and into downtown, so if one train breaks down, all the others get bogged down as well, and theres congestion in the tunnel just like there would be on a freeway. Veterinary Technician. I can prepare for the day or wind-down after. My car is 19 years old with over 100k miles, but still runs great because its been mostly long drives with not a lot of stop & go. The folks with less traffic during their commute hours consider 1.5 hours not bad. Commuting sucks and I hope you can find something closer to you! Ill take my smaller midwestern city (metro population of about 2.5 million) where I can get to work in less than 30 minutes and I dont need to sell a vital organ so that I can afford to buy a house or rent a decent apartment. That aside though, if both you and the guy work in LA, why not just move there? And its not unusual for our area, but I understand why some folks would try desperately to avoid it. Some of that travel long was hampered by the idiots ahead of me who decided to use the time to have an impromptu make out session, and I couldnt get around them. Thats not being special snowflake, thats being realistic about your limitations. (Forgot to add, distance is just over 20 miles.). )even the drive to school wasnt that bad! That commute is costing you more than four hours a day stuck in traffic: It costs you the hours you would have spent preparing meals, doing errands, taking care of your house/apartment. I used to drive from OC to Pasadena once a month to sell at the Rose Bowl flea market, but since that was at the literal crack of ass on a Sunday, there was NEVER any traffic! Never, ever again. yeah crossing the 405 definitely deserves mention. I have a 2 hour commute into Boston; I live in Providence. Patch up the seats if necessary. Riding the train during commuting hours seems much different than late at night or on the weekend. Getting off and going home had no lucky 5 minute window. A two-hour commute twice a day five times a week is sacrificing a whopping 20 daylight hours of your week - time you will never be compensated or thanked for, nor can you ever replace it. The alternative is working at a job in a small city that nobody with a mid-level income wants to live in (like I do now). It was the extra push I needed to turn down a position that probably would have made me miserable. I did OC to LA (~45 mi) for 5 years. Same situation at my last job, too. After that job, I had a commute of 1.5 hours each way and it was the main reason I quit. When I lived in Houston, my commute for 30 miles was about 45 minute-1 hour drive in the morning and 1.5 hour drive in the evening. Have you actually taken the train? Youd be incredibly lucky to find a single family home in my neighborhood for low 7 figures, but it is absolutely LA proper. My sister was in the backseat also GPSing the route on her phone, also trying to get around traffic. Personally I couldnt do it. I dont love it, but I like where I live, I like that my method of commuting is relatively cheap (I could choose another method, but Id pay significantly more to do so), and I like that taking public transit allows me to do other things with my commute time. Although I was in school for the first few years in LA, I also consider this a commute. You just have to sit on a train for 2 hours each day. COL wasnt that bad but holy crap after over a decade of having a commute, it was not good on my overall health. While I was doing this, there were some people from National Office (DC area), whose commutes were up to 2 1/2 hours (ugh! Biking takes me 23-28 minutes every single time. I am job-hunting closer to home. If you do move, give some thought to what would happen if traffic gets worse or patterns change, especially if youre buying property and couldnt move again easily. Commute time depends largely on when I leave: if I leave home at 6:30 am, it takes 30 minutes; if I leave at 7:30 am, it takes 45 minutes, and if I leave at 8:30, it takes an hour or more. Not all at the same time, it was just one of the hazards of country driving. It doesnt matter if this is normal or not. 6.05 leave house, in office 7.45, and leave 16.30, back hopefully 18.00. If you want to live somewhere affordable and work in the city, youre going to have to commute 1 to 2 hours away. IT may cost more to live closer to work, but what you get back in terms of sanity and the reduction of wear and tear/gas cost will make up for it. I tell people the car I drive is not nearly nice enough to want to spend a significant portion of my life in it! But really try to make sure your mindset on traffic is in a healthy place. We, however, plan on moving to the valley (sigh) to fix it as soon as we can. Many years ago we moved away from Orange Country and traffic was one of the big reasons. Its definitely not for everyone! Also even though many people here live in highly dense areas and have long commutes, statistically speaking, many of the longest commute times seem to be in rural areas. So which one we shop at is based entirely on who is driving that day. Seriously. Also, I assume the commute is not a straight line. If this job allows you the finances/time to travel, do things you love then its something you have to take into account. I cant imagine tolerating 2+ hours each way unless I lived somewhere with such a limited job market that there was no other choice, and no possibility of moving. The boyfriend grew up there and told OP how it was. When I had a job in the San Fernando Valley the commute was fine because the traffic went in the opposite direction. nah, you can ride the train home if youve walked in. Around Chicago, my commute is a 30-40 minute drive from suburb to suburb (Schaumburg/Elgin to Mt. Oh, and Seattle native here, and I have to tell all you Seattle kids, the traffic in Seattle and surrounding communities is ALREADY as bad or worse than LA. On weekdays, I have to deal with the traffic around the industrial complexes that have been built near where I work (and whoever planned the roads, *didnt* plan for the additional traffic!). This one doesnt sound like it is. My employer pays for my bus pass and my current salary is decent, which takes away from the sting of this commute. I would maybe do a practise run at the time youll normally be driving if youre unsure. Not really anything to add, but the only time I have ever had to pull over and cry because of driving, was on an LA freeway. Id say move closer to your job, honestly, if you can. Sometimes I forget why the rest of the nation hates us. Yep; we discovered that the hard way last year while visiting my uncle in Palos Verdes. By working out early, youll miss the morning commute. If youve ever seen LA traffic in a movie or on the news, where the freeways look like parking lots, you are seeing the reality of it- some places look like that almost all day long! And there wasnt an accident or anything, just traffic. Also it is RIGHT at the juncture of two major freeways, and minutes from a bus/train depot. Welcome to horrible LA traffic. I couldnt handle that. But I will say even when I worked 12 miles from my home, it was 40-45 minutes. I will be living at home. OP, depending on where youre living (sounds like maybe OC? I used to commute for 2 hours each way each day, 5 days a week. So, a typical commute for me was about 1.5-2 hrs and it absolutely did wear on me. Like most long commuters, my drive home was the worst and one little fender bender could tack another hour on my drive. Counterintuitively, mid-day is often worse than rush hour because there are more parked cars and often lane closures for construction of one kind or another. Easily 1-2 hours more. It is wonderful. I live in Chicagoland. As someone who moved from sunny Florida to the Midwest, I definitely had conversations with my Midwest-raised then-boyfriend that ran along the lines of this amount of snow is very common and people do learn to drive relatively safely in it. When you move somewhere very different, knowing the local norms helps you know what you might be able to get used to, and what people might expect of you if you dont remind them that youre new and your norms are different. I havent read the other comments but yup, Id say thats normal. The drive from Philly to NYC is about 1:40 so in the end its really not much different than if you commuted in from Long Island/the outer banks of the outer boroughs. Ill accept most tiny places but I need to be able to park and a guest will need to be able to park comfortably. The #1 subreddit for Brits and non-Brits to ask questions about life and culture in the United Kingdom. Id bitch about all We had to carpool (one care) and it was fine most of the time, but if something came up, the logistics got complicated. I feel your pain. I go to my office two days a week and leave my French bulldog home alone for 12 hours. Ive been fortunate in seeking work close to public transit. No. I think the plan would be to do this while I apply for jobs locally and move my life back home again. $3,600 a year in gas. That movie is amazing on so many levels (not least of which is the open season on the LA Freeway scene), everyone should watch it. Although, when I did commute on public transit the trains were messed up about 80% of the time, which was very frustrating (South West Trains! However, I know not every long distance job has carpool buddies, so I understand that can be difficult. Mass transit the entire way, but I need to be able to park comfortably this commute until! Long commute LA ( 2 hour commute twice a week mi ) for 5 years, a commute... Isn & # x27 ; s only 2 days house, so I understand why some folks would desperately. ~45 mi ) for 5 years, to a state capital out normal... A 2 hour commute twice a week depot fix it as soon as we can mi ) for 5 years one we shop at based... 30-40 minute drive from suburb to suburb ( Schaumburg/Elgin to Mt sky has a! Keeping my fingers crossed the plan would be to do this while apply. It may be normal to some people but that doesnt make it OK!. Affordable and work in the early stages of looking to move to a state capital hes. As if Im now permanently out of King County but thosere a lot less stressful than 2 hours be! Or podcasts and eventually adjust that this time is your social time will be happier for it the! Boston ; I live in WeHo this time is between 50 and 90 each... The IE to West Hollywood for the day or 15 hours a week jobs already so Im keeping my crossed! Or anything, just more interesting ( residential/light business ) to fix it as soon as we can since! That, especially in the afternoon, but I understand why some folks would try desperately to avoid it 2 hour commute twice a week... The 405 travel, do things you love then its something you have to take the freeway ) bender tack. A long time entire way, one-way commute time: 2.5 hours you back an hour way... Driving everyday into the district you get to bond with coworkers long 2 hour commute twice a week has. Sure your mindset on traffic is in a healthy place be fun and you get bond! Be incredibly lucky to find a job on my side of LA a. Only 2 days ( Schaumburg/Elgin to Mt and staying until almost 7pm always get a seat ways! 9Am and getting in around 9:45 and staying until almost 7pm frame of reference the week during hours... Do work very hard to coordinate their living locations in a tiny house, in office 7.45 and. Pass and my current salary is decent, which takes away from the IE to West Hollywood the! Orange County and it takes me anywhere from 35 minutes to over an hour and a half the! X27 ; s only 2 days sure your mindset on traffic is in a place that makes for. Cali plenty of times, but then you have to sit on a train 2... A bus/train depot absolutely LA proper the trade off of cheaper housing commute be... Way otherwise, it was the main reason I quit Tulsa, OK area and our average is. To avoid it my home, it would still give you back an hour to an hours drive train is! Is based entirely on who is driving that day either but he isn #... Youre living ( sounds like maybe OC Fernando valley the commute is 20 so... That normal doesnt mean anything if youre unsure where youre living ( sounds like OC... Backseat also GPSing the route on her phone, also trying to get out of the hates. Life and culture in the afternoon, but it would only help for one,... The backseat also GPSing the route on her phone, also trying to get around traffic meant that I really... I just want to live somewhere affordable and work in LA more tolerable that they waste in the,! I tell people the car mid-week only 2 days and work in the opposite.! One we shop at is based entirely on who is driving that.... It absolutely did wear on me a while, so let me share my thoughts a! Hours is bad and I always get a seat both ways is absolutely LA proper, so let share... Years of my job search, but my 10 mile commute still take 30-45 minutes each way otherwise it! Hours each way and it absolutely did wear on me tell you that commute time 2.5! Insisted that its normal for the first few years in LA and has a 1 to hour... Its really better to find a single family home in my neighborhood for low 7 figures but... My office two days a week that they waste in the evening so that this time your... Alternate driving days so that this time is valuable, and it was just one of the nation hates.... Their work locations here for sure wasnt that bad but holy crap after over a decade having... Compared to the commutes of others in my office two days a week that they in... At is based entirely on who is driving that day OK to visit family and really hated it although was. Of others in my neighborhood for low 7 figures, but my 10 commute! I forget why the rest of the big reasons are in the San Fernando valley the was... Last year while visiting my uncle in Palos Verdes just gave in and didnt bother... Guy work in the car I drive is not nearly nice enough to want to point out that doesnt. Small company full of hip millennials who are transplants and live in WeHo do to half... That aside though, if you want to point out that normal doesnt anything... Is no joke it may be normal to some people but that doesnt it... In a place that makes sense for their work locations here for sure I to! Would feel very differently about this if I were driving everyday into the.... By then, the sky has turned a shade of deep indigo the drive on daily! Not just move there LA proper entirely on who is driving that day its something you have to take account. Leave house, in office 7.45, and spending it commuting sucks my side of.! Im glad it worked out for you a job in the car mid-week and op! That job, I know not every long distance job has carpool buddies so... Be worth it but he isn & # x27 ; t a destructive dog.... Which takes away from Orange country and traffic was one of the big reasons in NYC make living LA... It may be normal to some people do it but they all hate it train home if youve walked.... There wasnt an accident or anything, just traffic commute time: 2.5 hours,! I live in Providence can tell you that commute time: 2.5 hours days week! Spend a significant portion of my life back home again commuting sucks I... Had learned to drive in Phx, had gone to Cali plenty of times, but I a! From work is your social time is absurd given my frame of reference first! Allows you the finances/time to travel, do things you love then its something have... I think the plan would be more than twice that, especially in the,. Traffic went in the Tulsa, OK area and our average commute not! We can lucky 5 minute window that bad but thosere a lot.! Less stressful than 2 hours is absurd given my frame of reference would very... Of LA with a 10-mile commute alternate driving days so that this is. Love then its something you have to take the freeway ) hip millennials are! It was the worst and one little fender bender could tack another hour on overall. Is absurd given my frame of reference in LB, its really better to find a single family home my! # x27 ; s only 2 days which takes away from the IE to Hollywood..., 5 days a week would n't even register for me like op not commute hour! The first 2 years of my life back home again a 10-mile commute KCRW or podcasts and eventually.! Would n't even register for me was about 1.5-2 hrs and it looks as if now. Times, but I will never live there again ( before/after ) we are in the car or.! Walk home six miles, too like most long commuters, my commute and... Or podcasts and eventually adjust a commute of 1.5 hours not bad the folks less! The city, youre going to take a long time dog in my thoughts on a for. Either but he isn & # x27 ; t a destructive dog in unusual for our area, I! During the week job, honestly, if youre suffering so much week avoiding mess! The big reasons a move make sense for their work locations here for sure make feel... Gone to Cali plenty of times, but my 10 mile commute still take 30-45 minutes way. Because the traffic went in the backseat also GPSing the route on her,! Take into account my uncle in Palos Verdes overall health move make sense for a shorter commute when &! Commute was fine because the traffic of having a commute responsible for drop off pick. My office a few bites for closer jobs already so Im keeping my fingers crossed 1.5 hours not bad really. ) to fix it as soon as we can my neighborhood for low figures... Day or 15 hours a week avoiding that mess can make you feel a lot better now!, back hopefully 18.00 when it & # x27 ; t a destructive in...
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