FAO Londoners: commuting

[Clara]

Brighton is a lovely place to live - such a vibrant community and everything's on your doorstep but personally I think you're mad commuting.

Are you living the dream doing this job in London or just working for some 'aspirational brand' and chasing a career/money? If so, it ain't worth travelling for...either live and work in London or stay in Brighton and come to London at weekends to party.

...but having said that, Brighton is a career vacuum due to it's proximity to London so unless you're self employed or working in a media centre it can be difficult not to drift (Brighton is full of lazy drifters) and work in the leisure industry or a $hit call centre.

Or you could just ignore me.

Good luck with it.

Cheers everyone for the advice!

I love London and could see myself living there but unfortunately my OH isn't that keen on the idea (at present!) whereas we both absolutely love Brighton. We'd be renting for the first few months so if I decide the commute is awful or that we'd prefer to be closer to London, we can always do that. He's looking at work around Brighton/Gatwick area but can easily transfer to London as is in teaching, whereas in my industry (Marketing & PR), as Robder says, good jobs are a bit thin on the ground outwith the big cities.

I've also always wanted to give London a go in terms of work so this seems the best situation. Plus having lived literally around the corner from my work for the past two years, I must say I am looking forward to being able to read the papers and get some notes done before getting into the office.

 

[djchewie]

Yep. But it's only got a 1 liter engine and doesn't weigh much.
Rated 51 mpg city, 60 highway 8)

my new shiny thing is rated 60.1 urban/

80.7 extra/72.4 combined.

and has 110 horses too. 8)

going back to the commute thing. I personally wouldnt, costs a fortune, and like peeps have said, if the only link to work screws up, yr stuck!

Use the difference of what youre willing to pay for travel and live nearer work!

 

[Emma_1983]

my new shiny thing is rated 60.1 urban/

80.7 extra/72.4 combined.

and has 110 horses too. 8)

going back to the commute thing. I personally wouldnt, costs a fortune, and like peeps have said, if the only link to work screws up, yr stuck!

Use the difference of what youre willing to pay for travel and live nearer work![/QUOTE]

Yeah but what if it pays more? Surely that would be worth it?

 

[weloveliam@space]

Yep. But it's only got a 1 liter engine and doesn't weigh much.
Rated 51 mpg city, 60 highway 8)

my new shiny thing is rated 60.1 urban/

80.7 extra/72.4 combined.

and has 110 horses too. 8)

PMSL Listen to you two

How funkin old are you both

I'm lucky if i get 15 mpg

 

[djchewie]

PMSL Listen to you two

How funkin old are you both

I'm lucky if i get 15 mpg

hey, if it means saving nearly 100 squid each month, i'll quite happily drive like an old git....

have you got a Maserati or something?

 

[djchewie]

Yeah but what if it pays more? Surely that would be worth it?

personally, id rather have an hour less spent each day sat on public transport

 

[Robbie G]

PMSL Listen to you two

How funkin old are you both

I'm lucky if i get 15 mpg

Im with you mate. I spent years of driving economical cars and they where all rubbish. Give me my 160bhp Alfa any day of the week even if it does mean i can acutuall watch the tank empty every time i put my foot down

 

[Robbie G]

personally, id rather have an hour less spent each day sat on public transport

Horses for courses but id rather sit on a tube reading a good book than be stuck in a traffic jam for 5 days a week.

 

[Robder]

Horses for courses but id rather sit on a tube reading a good book than be stuck in a traffic jam for 5 days a week.

Indeed.

 

[weloveliam@space]

hey, if it means saving nearly 100 squid each month, i'll quite happily drive like an old git....

have you got a Maserati or something?

Not a Maserati, though its quicker and German

A 100 quid, does that include running costs and depreciation What are your getting again ? A fiat 500 ??

Im with you mate. I spent years of driving economical cars and they where all rubbish. Give me my 160bhp Alfa any day of the week even if it does mean i can acutuall watch the tank empty every time i put my foot down

Given my job cars aren't a turn on anymore, it has to be really special to get the pulse going, though i really enjoy nipping about town in the secrataries Toyota aygo from time to time. But then love getting back in my comfy V8 Not great for the ol' environment i'm afraid

 

[djchewie]

A 100 quid, does that include running costs and depreciation What are your getting again ? A fiat 500 ??

i did consider one

I've decided on the MINI Cooper D.

 

[Olly]

Horses for courses but id rather sit on a tube reading a good book than be stuck in a traffic jam for 5 days a week.

the problem is other commuters - whose germs you have to breathe, armpits have to smell and whose inane banter you are obliged to listen to

all 3 are noticeable by their absence in a motor car

 

[Beckiboo]

Nice.

I live 4-5 km (2-3 miles) from work.
It's about 6km on the road going, 8-9km coming back. Damn one-way streets.
Morning commute - 10-25 minutes 8)
Evening commute - 20-60 minutes

But it's been so nice driving for the past 11 months. Even on extreme heavy traffic days (2 hours getting home one day earlier this month when Hillary Clinton was in town ), at least you're in your own space with your own music, can have a cigarette, etc. I don't mind so much.

It takes you one hour to drive 2-3 miles?! That's the same distance to work as me and I walk that in the same amount of time, or bike it in 25mins 8)

 

[ben]

it wears you down. don't do it.

 

[Morbyd]

It takes you one hour to drive 2-3 miles?! That's the same distance to work as me and I walk that in the same amount of time, or bike it in 25mins 8)

It's 5-6 miles by road the route I have to take home. 60 minutes is extreme. Today it was about 30.

It take about 45mins to walk it so it's probably about 3 miles as the crow flies.

 

[discoplayer]

I could see myself going back there in the (very) long term yes but cooler than London - naah.

\

yaaaay! you may be right there... i love london too! but like you said, i love all the wicked little antique shops & nic nacs & hippy/organic healthfood/skincare places..... the beach, the ****ty fish n chips by the beach that is freezing..... i miss the uk a bit....

 

[weloveliam@space]

i did consider one

I've decided on the MINI Cooper D.

Good call. The 500 although cute would have spent more time in the garage.

 

[Olly]

\

yaaaay! you may be right there... i love london too! but like you said, i love all the wicked little antique shops & nic nacs & hippy/organic healthfood/skincare places..... the beach, the ****ty fish n chips by the beach that is freezing..... i miss the uk a bit....

you wouldda loved Brighton 2002 for the INSANE Quentin "Fatboy Slim" Cook concert which was pretty memorable (for atmosphere if not music) - the gig only lasted for about an hour before the cops pulled the plug in panic but it was a proper laugh driving down, convoys all the way down the motorway, people giving up and walking, selling beers and spliffs along the roadside! (saw one chap in a wetsuit!) we don't see that sort of thing happen much these days.

 

[djchewie]

Good call. The 500 although cute would have spent more time in the garage.

Probs with the 500?

also considered the Fiesta , MiTo, Seat Ibiza SC, & Polo. But settled for the Special Edition Camden instead. Got more than i expected part ex, £850 off list price and the monthly PCP payment i wanted.

8)

 

[Morbyd]

you wouldda loved Brighton 2002 for the INSANE Quentin "Fatboy Slim" Cook concert which was pretty memorable (for atmosphere if not music)

Is that the same Fatboy Slim as Norman Cook?