I travel 1.5 hours to work, and that's just within London.
Yeah he's talking about travel costs though
Having to travel an hour and half to work
- Thread starter Shevek
- Start date
Yeah he's talking about travel costs though
Voley
🐭
It's a 45 minute drive to my work, which could be worse. Costs me about thirty quid a week in petrol, give or take, for a daily fifty mile round trip. There's no public transport alternative. I only take home about 200 quid a week but it's doable - it's not yet been enough to make me look for anything nearer home.
Looby
Well-Known Member
You don't seem to understand that a lot of people couldn't afford to provide for their family with those outgoings though. That would be 50% of my salary. I couldn't pay the rent and utility bills let alone anything else.
I'm not having a go but you really don't seem to get it. People cannot survive when 50% of their wages go on travel costs.
I do understand. You survive on what you've got. IIRC we were pretty much living on overdrafts. Obviously that's no exactly desirable, but what I'm trying to get across to Shevek is that his demands are IMO unreasonable. No one should have to do that, but many, many people do.
Mrs Magpie
On a bit of break...
Well actually that's pretty much what he had to do, sparklefish. He's blind. A tiny proportion of blind people are in employment and he used his savings to get us through that time. If he'd rolled over and gone "This is just not worth it, I'm packing it in." we would have been fucked because I have never been on good money and he's disabled and not exactly someone employers are falling over each other to employ. Luckily we have always lived within our means and are in social housing.
Looby
Well-Known Member
That's not what I'm saying, and I'm also not saying life's simple ffs. I think we're talking at cross purposes.
Looby
Well-Known Member
Good on him but people shouldn't have to do that Mrs M. Also social housing means that your housing costs are a shitload lower that the private sector. My mum pays a fraction of the rent we do for a 2 bed place and although she's in a flat most of her rooms are bigger.
_angel_
.
Yes - I can't understand how people cannot get this. If the amount being spent out actually exceeds the amount coming in, what are you supposed to live on?
"Gritting your teeth" doesn't make money appear for rent or food.
I agree, cost and time are two separate things (at least, as long as you don't have to factor time restraints and that into your day like)
I think maybe there are two separate arguments going on here.
I agree with Angel, the cost of housing and transport as a proportion of a household budget is on the rise, the ammount of money people have left over to spend on what they want has plumetted.
I'm looking for a new job right now. Like the OP I live in an area that's economically well developed. Why SHOULD I be prepared to commute for hours? One of the reasons I chose to live where I do is that there are decent local jobs I can get to within half an hour or so on the bus.
The other week I had a long day at work and I realised despite my short commute I'd effectively given up 12 hours of the day to work instead of 8.
I'm looking for a new job right now. Like the OP I live in an area that's economically well developed. Why SHOULD I be prepared to commute for hours? One of the reasons I chose to live where I do is that there are decent local jobs I can get to within half an hour or so on the bus.
The other week I had a long day at work and I realised despite my short commute I'd effectively given up 12 hours of the day to work instead of 8.
Mrs Magpie
On a bit of break...
Shouldn't have to and getting on with it are two different things. He shouldn't have to be in a job he is only doing because he's blind and is an attractive alternative to piano tuning. He trained as an interpreter and his skills as a linguist are brilliant. Shame he can only use them in an amateur context.
He hasn't got the same choices as he would have if he was able bodied. He couldn't even get into the university he wanted, not because his A levels weren't good enough, but because it was legal for them to say "No, you're disabled, we don't want anyone disabled."
Agent Sparrow
AGENT TRAITOR; fools 8 year olds
Tbf, when I did the 1.5 hour each way commute 5 days a week when I had lectures every day (and that was often only 10am to 5pm), it took more of a toll on me than when I had an hour each way to do. Current placement is the only one that is under an hour journey time, and it's total bliss. It genuinely does make a difference.
I know that we're lucky in this country, and have lifestyles that others can only dream of. However, if you are fortunate enough to live in a country and be in a social position where you can get a work/life balance, then it is an individual choice. As long as I had enough to get by on, I think I'd choose shorter work and commuting hours over higher pay. If I had to commute 3 hours a day I would, but I'd kind of prefer not to.
Of course, I am aware that there are lots of people in this country who don't get that luxury of choice either. And reading about Blind Lemon's experiences of being denied those choices is really shocking 
, though I'm not sure why I am surprised that that level of prejudice. 
And those who do have the opportunity to develop more choice in their employment usually have to go through an initial, hard slog where they have to take things they'd perhaps prefer not to do*.
*E2A: I, for example, had to move to Northampton
I know that we're lucky in this country, and have lifestyles that others can only dream of. However, if you are fortunate enough to live in a country and be in a social position where you can get a work/life balance, then it is an individual choice. As long as I had enough to get by on, I think I'd choose shorter work and commuting hours over higher pay. If I had to commute 3 hours a day I would, but I'd kind of prefer not to.
Of course, I am aware that there are lots of people in this country who don't get that luxury of choice either.
And reading about Blind Lemon's experiences of being denied those choices is really shocking , though I'm not sure why I am surprised that that level of prejudice. And those who do have the opportunity to develop more choice in their employment usually have to go through an initial, hard slog where they have to take things they'd perhaps prefer not to do*.*E2A: I, for example, had to move to Northampton
Mrs Magpie
On a bit of break...
Actually the costs aren't that much lower. We pay more rent in London for a smaller place than my sister and brother-in-law pay on their mortgage in Bedfordshire and he earns a hell of a lot more than my husband. They used to go on about how much lower our costs were till I asked them what their living costs were. The only difference was that they had two cars and we used public transport, and that still worked out cheaper for them. We just didn't have holidays anywhere while they did stuff like Australia and the Maldives and we shop in the market and Lidl and they do Waitrose.
FridgeMagnet
Administrator
I don't really see that the OP is being forced into commuting like that, but I have to say that if I was in a position where I had no choice but to do a three hour commute every day, I could grit my teeth as much as I liked but the result would probably be that I went mental. And then lost the job. It's expensive but it also drives me mad; whenever I have to these days i often end up in such a state that I'm useless the next day.
Some people are suited to certain things and some aren't; it's taken me ten years or so to work it out but I'm not suited for that, at least not any more. (When I was younger I was quite happy to do stupid commutes and stupid jobs but it wears you down.)
Some people are suited to certain things and some aren't; it's taken me ten years or so to work it out but I'm not suited for that, at least not any more. (When I was younger I was quite happy to do stupid commutes and stupid jobs but it wears you down.)
Isn't that entirely dependent on other factors. In Shevek's case he's already suggested that his partner could cover him some ways, albeit he'd rather not sign on.
Looby
Well-Known Member
True, I'd bet he's the minority though.
Mrs Magpie
On a bit of break...
Also I think there's a big difference when you have three children to support. If you are basically responsible for yourself alone, you have the luxury of not having to put your dependents first in employment choices.
DotCommunist
So many particulars. So many questions.
I got told this recently, although the bloke did give the caveat 'not that theres much elsewhere'
Unusually honest Job Centre staff ftw
Unusually honest Job Centre staff ftw
Correct me if I'm wrong, but some of the posts on here suggest that
- you shouldn't accept work if it's too far away
- you shouldn't accept work if the only way to get there is expensive
- you shouldn't accept work if it means you won't spend enough time with your kids
- most people have much choice in the matter
And I'm told I think life is simple. Ha ha ha.
- you shouldn't accept work if it's too far away
- you shouldn't accept work if the only way to get there is expensive
- you shouldn't accept work if it means you won't spend enough time with your kids
- most people have much choice in the matter
And I'm told I think life is simple. Ha ha ha.
Looby
Well-Known Member
I think you can't accept work if the travel costs mean that you can't pay basic bills etc
It's not my place to judge how long people spend with their kids but many wouldn't be willing to do 10 hour days when they have young kids and who could blame them?
I've started a new thread/poll about travel costs.
Mrs Magpie
On a bit of break...
There's also the thing of children who have no idea that there's such a thing as going to work. There are some people on my estate who are third generation unemployed.
DotCommunist
So many particulars. So many questions.
As someone on the rock for longer than six months they will buy me 300 quids worth of threads, give my employer a grand if he employs me and cover my travel costs for a new job for 4 weeks!
Also onna course for free at the local college (soon) for free.
They must be gagging to get the stats down but theres so many more people than jobs they have no chance
weltweit
Well-Known Member
I have always moved to get work, until now. Consequently I have always found myself a pad where it takes me about 1/2 an hour to get to work.
At the moment I am a bit stuck as I have to live here, and there are not many jobs for me here.
Still, a commute of 1.5 hours or 3 hours a day spent commuting sounds excessive to me.
At the moment I am a bit stuck as I have to live here, and there are not many jobs for me here.
Still, a commute of 1.5 hours or 3 hours a day spent commuting sounds excessive to me.
_angel_
.
This is the bit I don't get Pip - how much is too much to pay - when you're paying £25 a day to earn £30? How do you pay your rent?
I don't get what people think pays the bills unless you are relying on another person, which makes the job economically unviable all the same.
_angel_
.
There is quite a big difference between getting transport across a city and it costing maybe £5 a day and being expected to commute from one city to another at an extortionate cost though. Although I don't believe this is really what the OP is being asked to do because it makes no sense at all.
Having said that, I don't know how I could have afforded to even pay that in transport for the last job I went for, unless was being subsidised by something or someone - and that's with a 'social housing rent'!
DarthSydodyas
rusting
4 miles per day, <30 minutes wasted on commuting, and no trains. 
would not change it (.... except for the world).
would not change it (.... except for the world).
Pickman's model
sunset spires and twilight woods
fucking 2 minutes commute to work so
Mrs Magpie
On a bit of break...
To be honest I was really annoyed by the OP. I also think there's a fundamental different in mindset. Although my family has had situations such as very long commuting times, lack of employment choices, very few holidays over the last few decades and until about six years ago, very substandard* but relatively expensive housing costs, we are basically a jolly bunch. We don't often sit around woe is me-ing and have a happy life. We have good friends and are part of a good community. Our house is full of love and laughter. I think contentment comes with wanting what you have and not forever hankering after something out of reach. I don't want my life to be different. I think there are some people who will forever be discontent and whatever they have they will never find life fulfilling.
* GDBA wouldn't let my husband have a guide dog because our flat wasn't good enough and we had to wait five years to be rehoused until our housing was deemed fit enough for a dog.
* GDBA wouldn't let my husband have a guide dog because our flat wasn't good enough and we had to wait five years to be rehoused until our housing was deemed fit enough for a dog.
teamB_macro
New Member
Yeah it's an incredible waste of time. So much you can do for that amount of time --sleeping for one
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