Experimental Gund

[patgund]

Realizing that driving the commute to/from the new job in Marina Del Rey is going to take a toll on my car, much less on my nerves, I started taking a serious look at alternatives today.

Right now, it's looking like:

Gold Line to Union Station / Red Line.

Red Line to 7th Street / Metro Centre and Blue Line.

Blue Line to Slauson station.

Metro 108 or 358 to Work.

Maybe 2-3 hours each way. Which is exactly how long it would be driving in traffic. And a lot cheaper and less stressful on the gund

Comments

[zianuray.livejournal.com]

If public transit or even a carpool were available to me, I'd use it.

[kyril.livejournal.com]

What am I missing that makes a 2-3 hour commute each way seem sane? That's like working 12 hour shifts every day on a normal day!

No attack either planned or committed here.

[mysryael.livejournal.com]

Not this ride...

IF you have ever had to fight the So Cal Freeway system, you know
that it isn't the time, though that is bad enough, it is the constant
fight with your nerves not to get out of your car everytime the system
crawls to a halt and beat the living hell out of every stupid driver
that tailgates...or doesn't signal before entering a lane causing an
accident potential that will slow the system down even more.

This ride allows you to take your computer with you and answer email
or write papers, or just play one of the games available.

It is a chance to decompress by allowing someone else the responsibility
of getting your body home.

It is also hiring a driver and car for the ridiculously low price of 3.00 a day, or 52.00 a month as opposed to expending 2.41 a gallon for gas.

I think he has made a brilliant choice...

Well done Patrick.

Re: No attack either planned or committed here.

[kyril.livejournal.com]

Mysryael, you misunderstood me. If 2-3 hours each way makes sense, then public transportation is an important part of making that commute less unreasonable.

On the other hand, most of us value ourselves and our time enough that we don't find that much of a leech on our time to be reasonable, no matter how much we can do from a laptop on a bus in a public place.

Yes, everyone else in that area is doing it. That doesn't make it look like a good situation to those of us whose commute is only .75-1hr each way yet still don't have enough time at home/outside of work.

Patrick, if you're in a bit of a whirlwind financially due to the Doha Situation(TM) then save up and deal with that. But either this job is so wonderful that it's worth moving farther away from Little Bit for; or it may be a nice job but the location is bad for you; or you really need to value yourself and your time more.

Re: No attack either planned or committed here.

[patgund.livejournal.com]

Actually the job puts me closer to Little Bit. Added plus.

The commute is a PITA, make no mistakes. In a few months, as things stabilize and I have a better grasp on what the universe has in store, I'll move closer to the job site. I've already taken a step in that direction - Upland was where I was at for a few days, but Monrovia is slightly closer and gives me access to the light rail system.

And in a year from now?? I may be elsewhere again. We will see

Re: No attack either planned or committed here.

[seattlejo.livejournal.com]

Commute times are a funny thing. Here in Seattle there are people who commute 1 hours + ( or 4 hours if they are particularly insane) and there are those who consider anything more then a 15 minute commute insane, and will only live and work in the heart of the city.

My experience coming into Seattle and working in a nearby suburb was one that my hipster coworkers thought I lived in the boonies. (and I lived in the equivalent of Cicero distance wise and worked "downtown".) My commute from Rogers Park to Westmont was more stressful and longer (all public transit) but for the quality of life and the job I did it. On the other hand living in Phoenix I walked too and from work at an hour, and was considered insane by my coworkers.

Different cities have different commute thresholds. SoCals just seems particularly heinous. Thats why Patrick needs to move to the Pacific NW :-)
That said I dont think I'll ever feel like I have enough time , no matter how short my commute is.

[loli-cat.livejournal.com]

ehe, you said SLAUSON...

Ok, someone already said what I was gonna; that's gonna mean 12-14h work days. ok. But obviously if that job works out & you like each other, something's gotta change, like maybe moving closer to the job... :P

[cahwyguy.livejournal.com]

You might also consider moving closer. I know that ellipticcurve will shortly be looking for a roommate (probably late December or the beginning of next year). She's out in Granada Hills (San Fernando Valley); you might be able to vanpool or take the Commuter Bus from there.

[patgund.livejournal.com]

That is on the plan for later. And moving back to the valley is a possibility.

[snobahr.livejournal.com]

chronovius takes the Gold Line occasionally. And good points about using the metro include being able to read, being able to yammer onthe phone, listening to your own music, without needing to be in control of the vehicle you are in.

Commute commiseration

[chronovius.livejournal.com]

I understand the dilemna completely. I normally ride in a car pool, and that's 1.5 hours each way on a good day. When I'm a Metro transit victim, it can be much worse. Getting home on Wednesday was 3:15, only one bus and one train, though one is the Gold Line train, which is usually pretty good.

Make sure to check out some of the other carriers, like Commuter Express and Big Blue Bus to see if they might help. Might cost an extra $1 a day, but could save you a lot of time.

My commute is Gold Line from Sierra Madre Villa to Union Station (Gold Line) then Commuter Express 534 almost non-stop to my office. However they only run the 534 a couple of times a day and if you miss it, then it's local buses/trains. Total crapshot on time if I happen miss the last one.

Good luck.

Something that may help

[chronovius.livejournal.com]

Commuter Express line 437

http://www.ladottransit.com/comexp/routes/437/437.html

Also these buses are a good deal more pleasant than the standard MTA buses, looking more like tour coaches with reclining high-backed seats and reading lamps on many.

Re: Something that may help

[patgund.livejournal.com]

Thanks. That one goes right by my work too.

The drawback I see for taking it to work is that I start at 9am, and runs way too early as a result. But for returning back, it looks quite doable. Though, since it doesn't seem to go to Union Station, I'm going to have to figure out where to board the redline at