The Commute Justifier
It seems like Steven and I get a lot of inquires about our commutes from our family and friends who don’t live in the Chicago suburbs.
With him, the question is “how many miles do you drive to work each day?” and “how long does that take you?” and “why do you live so far away from your office?”
With me, it’s “how long does the train ride take?” and “why do you live so far away from your office?”
We find ourselves answering these questions, but slipping our common justifiers in with our answers. Mine are “At least 100 other people get on the train stop with me in the morning to go all the way to the city!” (i.e. I am not the only crazy one), and “it would take me three hours to drive to the city!” and “I think I am only going to commute like this while I am young!”
His justifiers (which I usually provide to him) are, “when I bought my house I worked at an office that wasn’t so far away,” and “we could buy a house closer to the city, but it would be 1/10th of the size of ours now, and be in poor quality.”
I think it is funny that I feel like I have to justify commuting on the train to Chicago. When people ask me about it they are just curious, not mean or spiteful, but when I am talking about it, I realize how ridiculous it sounds, so I try to rationalize it.
The truth is, A LOT of people commute from the suburbs to Chicago. We live in the suburbs so we can have yards, and garages, and decent houses. But just because a lot of people do it, that doesn’t mean it doesn’t suck, and I don’t get to work each day thinking, “why the hell do I live so far away?” Because I do.
Themocracy
LOL you didn’t say how long it takes you though.
When we lived out there, we lived in Lake Bluff, and then Lindenhurst. I worked on the edge of waukeegan, and hubby worked in Buffalo Grove. Technically we only lived about 10/15 miles respectively at the worst, but it ALWAYS took an HOUR to get to work. I HATED it. I would have loved to ride the train, to work on other things while commuting. It’s better than sitting in a car cussing at the person in front of you.
Now we live in the country (seriously, major boonies in vermont.) The commute has changed to a literal translation of miles rather than time. In chicago 10 miles = 60 minutes. In Vermont 40 miles = 50 minutes (unless you get behind a local idiot – it happens since there is virtually no passing allowed.) We often have the discussion of which is worse: a short distance that takes an hour, or a big distance that takes an hour. Either way, the store is still THAT “long” away. Ugh.
It’s hard to always justify my commute to other people, when I’m continually trying to justify my commute to myself. You do what ya gotta do, people.
Ever get that feeling that you just don’t want to board the train after a long day of work to get home. That happens to me all the time. I dread the hour + commute and start dreaming of private helicopters.
The fact that you and Steven own a very nice home in a very nice suburb is def reason enough for all the people asking you why.
if i had a long commute i’d take public transportation too. it sucks that you have to live so far away but the pay off seems worth it. i’d go for a bigger place and a commute rather than a small place and no commute. 🙂
I wish I had the option of public transportation for my commute. Mine is 45 mins each way, if I leave no later than 6:00am. Anywhere from 60-90 mins if I leave any later. I actually wouldn’t mind much if I could relax and read, but there is no decent public transportation in CO once you get out of Denver, so it’s no option.
I’d much rather have a commute than live near my office. The houses around here are older (and not in a cool pre 1900 way, these look the same they did when they were built in 1970) and way more expensive than I think they should be.
Kyra – the ride is an hour and twenty minutes… when it’s on time! You’ve got it right – you can’t think of how long it will take you to get somewhere out here based on miles; you have to know from experience! Steven and I always enjoy going somewhere without the congestion and basing travel time on actual distance!
Gina (Mannyed) – here is what I wonder: why is the commute so quick in the morning, but so long at night when I want to get home? 😉 Hee hee!
sizzle – it is worth it. For now. Until we buy our private island and guy lay on the beach all day!
Jenniy – Denver sounds similar to Chicago, sans trains 🙁 I couldn’t drive, even if I lived closer. The traffic is too stressful! You are all tense when you get to work if you drive!
I used to love commuting to work on the train. Great time and I got so much done and my gas bill was next to nothing. Of course the monthly pass for Metra keeps going up and up. But…
kapgar – I like that feeling of getting something done while I commute too. Now, we just need to convince Steven to get me a wireless card for my computer! 😉
OMG, Kim — WHY IS THAT!!! LOL!
My commute lasts anywhere from 40 minutes to an hour and a half, depending on what time I leave in the morning: 40 minutes if there is absolutely no congestion, and 1+ hour every other time. I try to take Metra when I can pace myself properly in the mornings. As Kyra said, taking the train beats sitting in the car cussing at the person in front of you (I thought I was the only one that did that! 🙂 although I have been known to add gestures as well)
I knew my commute would get worse when we bought a house out here, but we fell in love with the house and it fit within our budget, unlike houses further south in Lake County. The long commute seems to go with the territory around here.
Gina (Mannyed) – I wish the train was slower in the morning and faster on the way home 😉
lcmotorist – Everyone cusses! My husband has about the same commute as you, and some of his stories are so ridiculous. Metra is great, but I wish that somehow, more people could take it, so there would be less road congestion. He could take Metra, but the closest station to his office is about 4 miles away and there is no reliable bus. We are so happy we live in North Lake County. We love our house too 🙂