Reply to: Super commuters

[darmstadt]

Train, car or bike?

Fat woman....

[The Lone Gunman]

Sounds eminently sensible to me.

I've fallen off one & it hurts.

A lot.

Train, car or bike?

[Bagpuss]

You have to remember one thing about driving around/within/outside the M25.

Every 3 weeks or so you will have the journey from hell. Instead of an hour it will take 3 1/2. This usually happens when it rains, for some reason people in the rainy UK aren't used to driving in the rain.

[newcommuter]

Not a prayer.

so,to finish this off, is the general consensus that it isn't worth getting a car because I wouldn't make it to the office before 10 anyway, which is when a train would get me there?

thanks for all your replies

[newcommuter]

thank you for your kind advice Lone Gunman.
However somehow I don't see myself getting on a motorbike every morning.I'm absolutely terrified of motorbikes,silly as it may sound.

[Dalek Supreme]

thanks for that.
unfortunately i can only drop my son off at nursery at 8.15 at the very earliest. What's it like after that? Is there any way I could make it to the office for 9.30?

Not a prayer.

[newcommuter]

You haven't thought this through very much have you?

actually, i have, as they won't expect me to get there before 10am, 3 days a week. The rest of the time I will be working from home I am just trying to find out whether it would be viable to get a car for those 3 days or whether to do the trip by train. it only makes sense if the car gets me there quicker.

[DimPrawn]

You haven't thought this through very much have you?

[monkeyboy]

thanks for that.
unfortunately i can only drop my son off at nursery at 8.15 at the very earliest. What's it like after that? Is there any way I could make it to the office for 9.30?

No chance

[newcommuter]

On that route driving is best but you need to leave home 06:30 latest (06:00 is better) and leave the office by 16:30 latest (16:00 is better). That way the trip takes less than 1 hour each way.

thanks for that.
unfortunately i can only drop my son off at nursery at 8.15 at the very earliest. What's it like after that? Is there any way I could make it to the office for 9.30?

[The Lone Gunman]

I was being serious. That area is major commuter belt. Overcrowded sweaty trains full of people shouting at their mobiles. Cars stuck in traffic jams.

Biking is a lot of fun and you can filter through the jams (on the right bike). You can gat all the right gear for winter to be warm and dry.
You can do intense courses to get your licence for about 500 quid.

The downside is having to be very aware of all the other idiots on the road. Having to be very careful how you ride, it hurts if you are not. Having to put up with every arsehole copper trying to enforce anti bike legislation.

Some of the time you gain in not being stuck in traffic is eaten away by having to change at either end of your journey, but the grin factor usualy makes up for that.

[Dalek Supreme]

On that route driving is best but you need to leave home 06:30 latest (06:00 is better) and leave the office by 16:30 latest (16:00 is better). That way the trip takes less than 1 hour each way.

[newcommuter]

Motorcycle.

any other suggestions?
is car better than train?

[The Lone Gunman]

I had a job interview in Slough which gave me a good idea of how strenuous the journey by public transport is. Having been offered the contract I'm now considering getting a car to do the commute.

Is driving there any better? Any tips on routes, leaving times (i live in Crouch End, North London)?

Any advice much appreciated

Motorcycle.

[newcommuter]

car or train?

I used to commute to Slough.

I had a job interview in Slough which gave me a good idea of how strenuous the journey by public transport is. Having been offered the contract I'm now considering getting a car to do the commute.

Is driving there any better? Any tips on routes, leaving times (i live in Crouch End, North London)?

Any advice much appreciated