Drive to work - how far would you be willing to travel?

[Dazza]

I don't often post on here but I have read most threads daily since about 2003.

Background
I have recently taken a job in Cambridge by the airport there. I had to take this job as my girlfriend has worked for bio tech companies in Cambridge since May 2011 and she is qualified in bio chemistry. My girlfriend is from Maldon and Cambridge is the closest hub for the bio chemistry industry to home. She believes that she will have a good career and stay in the bio tech industry up in Cambridge for the next 25 years.

As I have taken this new role in Cambridge, I will find a property to rent and share with the girlfriend. Now the issue, My girlfriend has got it in to her head that we could live in Bishop’s Stortford (As many of her work colleagues do) and drive to work everyday.

I checked Google maps and to my work from Bishop’s Stortford is just short of 30miles one way, therefore it will be 60 miles x 5 days a week. My girlfriend’s work is approx the same distance as it is for me but we can’t car share as I have to travel around and have different working hours to her.

This is causing a major argument and she can’t seem to get it that between us we would travel 600miles a week which not only would rinse the petrol but the poor car would soon tire out also (further costs).Personally I want to live within a comfortable commute as I have always done for the past 8 years.

I would appreciate some sensible comments so I can have a good conversation with her!

 

[ian_the_girth]

Couldnt she car share with a colleague of hers? Somethings got to give.

 

[Pubey]

car sharing is quite common, are you sure you can't arrange something with people going up the M11?

 

[MK Shrimper]

Screw that, that'd soon get tiresome. Roughly £300 a week petrol, not to mention the stress of driving at rush hour into a very busy city, up a motorway that is often snarled up ! :stunned:

Get a flat 5 minutes from work and cycle in. Lovely place Cambridge.

 

[Dazza]

I forgot to mention she will be changing jobs to another firm in Cambridge in mid November so she need to find out what is what before she could consider the car share. Yep MK, its a great place and I am ploughing on regardless with viewings for properties in Cambridge. I agree the travel would get pretty awful and with the clocks and weather changing it would soon make it fairly naff.

I drive to Cambridge quite often from Rayleigh, the M11 from Stansted to Cambs is pretty boring.

 

[Uncle Leo]

Screw that, that'd soon get tiresome. Roughly £300 a week petrol, not to mention the stress of driving at rush hour into a very busy city, up a motorway that is often snarled up ! :stunned:

Get a flat 5 minutes from work and cycle in. Lovely place Cambridge.

Seconded. That looks like a rotten commute.

 

[MK Shrimper]

Could always dump her and head to Freshers week...

 

[southend4ever]

I know Cambridge well as my ex bint is from there but what's so good about Bishops Stortford?

 

[Dazza]

I know Cambridge well as my ex bint is from there but what's so good about Bishops Stortford?

Got it into her thick head (She has a starred first degree) its CHEAPER :'( however she is forgetting the extra commute costs. Also she is thinking its a nice drive to Chelmsford so she can socialise with friends. She is forgetting here that although her friends don't have lifes yet they soon will be popping out prats. Secondly how often realistically does she see her friends? - I think every other weekend generally, so to me that isn't a good enough reason to live in B Stortford.

 

[blues_r_best]

Tell her she can live wherever she wants but you'll be getting a place in Cambridge.

 

[Pubey]

Tell her she can live wherever she wants but you'll be getting a place in Cambridge.

And you'll sub-let your spare room (half of the bed) to fit female students.

 

[Mad Cyril]

My advice would be to buy a helicopter and fly into Cambridge airport.

It's not as convenient as driving, especially if you want to nip into a Little Chef but you will save hours per week and as you know time is money.

 

[hockleyeast1964]

Once again a woman makes life difficult.Live in cambridge and spend the saved cash on a holiday.

 

[Mad Cyril]

BTW, Cambridge is a very expensive place to buy property.

Move outside the city and the local towns make Deliverence look positively cosmopolitan.

 

[Davros]

Screw that, that'd soon get tiresome. Roughly £300 a week petrol, not to mention the stress of driving at rush hour into a very busy city, up a motorway that is often snarled up ! :stunned:

Get a flat 5 minutes from work and cycle in. Lovely place Cambridge.

£300 a week to drive 600 miles?!! What the hell are you guys driving!

If you are going to do this, get a Diesel, or at least an economic petrol that gives you somewhere near 50mpg, and that will only cost you around £120 a week in fuel. I base this on the calculation that i can drive to Keswick and back (circa 700miles) on about a tank and a half of Diesel, which costs me about £110-£120

I would say i have little sympathy over the time of the commute, as i spend 3 hours on train/tubes a day, but then driving is probably a bit more stressful as i can sleep on the train if i want!

But yes, either way, the £400-£500 a month you save on fuel between you would surely account for the increase in rent-mortgage, so live closer!

 

[MK Shrimper]

£300 a week to drive 600 miles?!! What the hell are you guys driving!

If you are going to do this, get a Diesel, or at least an economic petrol that gives you somewhere near 50mpg, and that will only cost you around £120 a week in fuel. I base this on the calculation that i can drive to Keswick and back (circa 700miles) on about a tank and a half of Diesel, which costs me about £110-£120

I would say i have little sympathy over the time of the commute, as i spend 3 hours on train/tubes a day, but then driving is probably a bit more stressful as i can sleep on the train if i want!

But yes, either way, the £400-£500 a month you save on fuel between you would surely account for the increase in rent-mortgage, so live closer!

Oopsy! That should read month!

 

[Pubey]

Oopsy! That should read month!

with maths like that, it's a surprise you were involved in the WCML tender!

 

[MK Shrimper]

with maths like that, it's a surprise you were involved in the WCML tender!

...free holiday to a little island of Necker for a little mathmatical oversight.... :winking: Cheers Dickie Branson.

 

[Swiss Tony]

I do between 600 to 700miles a week on average,i have no choice you do,my advice move local my man,driving sucks.

 

[Davros]

Oopsy! That should read month!

Lol, phew, thought you were charging around in a Ferrari or something similary thirsty!