I need to bitch....(long)

[bliss]

So I don't have a car. I haven't had one since the end of March. And it's a pain in the ass. Luckily, I live a block away from our trax system and close to nightlife/work.

Now, with this new job it's about 30-40 minute drive in a area that's not really public transit friendly. I was hoping to buy a $1000 car to get me to and fro but that's not going to happen for at least a month.

So I get to have a 4 hour daily commute. I get to wake my ass up at 4:30 AM to leave my house to make the bus and arrive at work a whole HOUR early than my start time. And the latest the bus picks up is 5:30 PM. I end at 5PM.

Oh did I mention I have a 30 minute walk along a frontage road that's pretty much full of diesels and freight trucks.

I'm not really looking forward too it. For the next 4 weeks, I'll be waking up at 4:30 AM, get home about 7:30 PM and in bed by 8-9PM to get back up and do it again.

Now, I'm grateful for my job and that's it's summer. But this still really fucking sucks. Ugh.

Okay, I'm done now. Flame away or whatever.

[315bride]

I'm not going to flame, but I can tell you that I did just about what you are describing. Leaving at 4:30 am to get subways to work, working at 7 am until around 1 pm. Studying, getting work done, doing homework, and several days a week commute to school. Class from around 5-7. Dinner in between. Class again from 8-10. Subway home at around 11. Repeat the process again the next day. I basically made up for lack of sleep on the weekends.

Yeah, that shit was hard. I did that for several months. For 4 weeks or so, you can do it. You'll do a ton of reading or music-listening on those commutes.

[dexteroni]

That does suck; thank goodness it's only for a month. Maybe you'll meet a coworker or two who lives in your area who would be willing to give you a ride once or twice.

[Deleted]

Do you have any carpooling networks where you live where you could pay someone to drop you closer to there?

[bliss]

Ya, I'm excited for all the reading. And getting there an hour early gives me time to workout on the on-site gym before work.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who has done this before.

[bliss]

Jul 8, 2012 15:55:38 GMT -5 flygirl said:

Do you have any carpooling networks where you live where you could pay someone to drop you closer to there?

None that I'm aware of. And chances are most employees will live in the suburbs.

[Deleted]

Jul 8, 2012 15:58:33 GMT -5 bliss said:

Ya, I'm excited for all the reading. And getting there an hour early gives me time to workout on the on-site gym before work.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who has done this before.

sounds like a great plan--I hope the transition time goes quickly for you!

[RobotLegs]

It would be a much faster commute if you ran!

[rikki]

Definitely get books and such.

How do you like the job?

[hannamarin]

Can someone drop you closer to skip the long walk?

[starlily]

Jul 8, 2012 16:24:36 GMT -5 RobotLegs said:

It would be a much faster commute if you ran!

I was thinking the same thing. Bust out that 5 minute mile & shower at the on site gym. Walla! You get to sleep in a bit more.

[bliss]

I"m downloading books on my tablet as we speak. I hope this helps me reach my reading goal for my list.

Everyone I know has to work around the same time and we either live or work in opposite directions. I'm hoping that one of my coworkers can pick me up from the trax station that is only 4-5 miles away and I won't have to walk or get up at 4 AM.

And as for my 5 minute mile, I've only been able to do it a few times and haven't been running as diligently the last few months. Plus, I'm not going to run to and fro work just because I'm a fast runner. That's just stupid and seriously something you really need to get the fuck over.

Finally, I start the job tomorrow. So I can't really comment on how I like it yet.

[backinpgh]

Sheesh. Can you carpool or something? I feel for ya, I had a long bus commute to a job like this for about a month as well.

[Balki.Bartokomous]

You have a tablet?

[emilyinchile]

Jul 8, 2012 19:21:44 GMT -5 bliss said:

I"m downloading books on my tablet as we speak. I hope this helps me reach my reading goal for my list.

Everyone I know has to work around the same time and we either live or work in opposite directions. I'm hoping that one of my coworkers can pick me up from the trax station that is only 4-5 miles away and I won't have to walk or get up at 4 AM.

And as for my 5 minute mile, I've only been able to do it a few times and haven't been running as diligently the last few months. Plus, I'm not going to run to and fro work just because I'm a fast runner. That's just stupid and seriously something you really need to get the fuck over.

Finally, I start the job tomorrow. So I can't really comment on how I like it yet.

I don't know the backstory on your fast running, but this is not necessarily a stupid suggestion. I have a 45 min commute on the bus plus a 15 min walk, but it's only about 4 miles. The bus route just isn't direct, and there's traffic. I can bike faster than I can bus and could easily run it if I had a shower at work.

So chill out. You gave commute times, not distances. No one except you knows if it's run-able.

[Deleted]

That sucks. I hope you can find a carpool.

[jenn248]

I hear you on the commute - I had a similar one when I was first out of college and commuted from DE to VA (just outside DC) every day. It sucked, and I would never recommend it long-term (I did it for six months). Just try to keep in mind that four weeks will go by very quickly - you'll be fine, just tired! Good luck with your first day.

[liveintheville]

If you got a cheap bike would that cut down on commute time? Our buses can hold 4 bikes on the front rack.

[Laura Palmer]

Meh, I had a 2 hour commute for 3 years. Woke up at 5, left for the train at 6, got to work around 7:45. Left work at 5:15 and got home at 7:45.

[ckinla]

I did that for one summer while I was an intern. It wasn't the best, but I did what I had to do. I did get a lot of reading done on the subway (1.5 hr) and the walk from there was decent exercise (45 mins).

[bliss]

I found a carpool today at work. So I'm saved for the next few weeks.

As for the comments on the commute, I guess you didn't see the part about "unfriendly public transit areas", "roads with mostly diesels and freight trucks." It's in an industrial area of town where I have to run across a highway and walk along a shoulder. It's not a safe walk by any means and being a scooter or bike seems even worse. Also it's a lot more than 2 or 4 miles. That distance I'd definitely run/bike but not 11 miles that isn't easily accessed without a freeway/highway.

I'm just super glad one of the girls in my department lives close to me.

[AAM2012]

So...you freaked out over nothing?

[Deleted]

I'm glad it worked out.

[bliss]

Eh, I was stressed and worried about running across a highway 5 days a week. Just doesn't seem like the smartest option.

[emilyinchile]

"Not public transit friendly" doesn't necessarily mean it's unsafe to run or bike. It means there are no buses or metro stops. Plenty of lovely suburban areas are not public transit friendly. And if you were already walking, even if it was a walk you didn't like, then surely running/bikingwould be better because you'd be out of there even faster.

I saw what you said, and I think everyone else did too. The point is that you didn't give enough information to justify calling suggestions stupid. With the clarification, it's clear those weren't solutions to your problem, but it's not other posters' fault that you didn't give that information at the beginning. Either way, I'm glad you found a ride.

[Deleted]

If it was an area with sidewalks I'd be fine. I wouldn't bitch about that. I thought I gave enough information; a frontage road filed with diesels isn't common in the suburbs. Thought that was explanation enough. Additionally, the only comments I disliked is the ones about running. I never said anyone else's suggestion was stupid.