My company is relocating to a new office building by the end of the summer. I use public transportation to get to work and currently it takes 30-40 minutes to get to work via subway. Where my company is moving to will more than double that commute, to approx 1 hr 15 minutes via subway and bus. Right now I live 4 miles from work. The new location is just one mile further, but its a different part of town harder to get to with public transportation.

The new location is in Eastern Queens, and there's no way I'm moving over there. I'm not driving b/c its too expensive to have a car up here. I think the quickest way to get there would be on a bicycle, but I don't know how dangerous those roads are during rush hour, not to mention weather conditions. And of course I can start looking elsewhere for a new position. I mean I don't have a dream job, but its not bad for now.

What would you do if faced with this situation?

4/30/2007 1:02:54 PM

I would first see if there might be anyone you know if the area or headed in that direction that might be interested in a ride share or car pool. It's unlikely, but you might as well exhaust all possiblities given the alternative.

4/30/2007 1:08:42 PM

Can you just take your normal route and then hop a cab to the new location?

4/30/2007 1:08:50 PM

suggest to your boss you will work from home if its possible.

4/30/2007 1:08:53 PM

Biking 5 miles on flat land wouldn't be too bad; it'd be a good way to wake up in the morning.

4/30/2007 1:21:39 PM

^^^^Nobody lives in my area. Its not a huge company so I kinda know where everyone lives.

^^^That'd cost me an extra $10/day if the location was a mile from where I work now. Its nowhere near where I currently work. Just 1 mile difference from my apt. Its not easy to find cabs in Queens really, plus during rush hour it'd probably take a while stuck in traffic(so actually cost even more).

^^Can't and won't happen due to the nature of work, though maybe if I was threatening to quit.

^True, not very hilly around here. But keep in mind this is NYC, so lots of busy roads, stoplights, and potential for extreme cold in the winter.

Thanks for all the helpful suggestions so far.

[Edited on April 30, 2007 at 1:29 PM. Reason : k]

4/30/2007 1:28:53 PM

Move, not to Eastern Queens but to somewhere with a better commute.

4/30/2007 1:31:14 PM

haha walking 4 miles aint shit

one mile added to that is 5 miles

haha walking 5 miles aint shit

4/30/2007 1:32:24 PM

It takes what? 10 minutes to walk a mile. Do your standard 30-40 minute commute, walk the last mile, total commute time 40-50 minutes.

4/30/2007 1:33:02 PM

I'd do that by bike in a heartbeat during good weather. Shit, you could probably walk there in 1:15 without killing yourself during particularly good weather.

4/30/2007 1:34:10 PM

Haha, a 10 minute mile is insane fast for walking. It takes closer to 14-15 minutes for the average person to walk a mile.

4/30/2007 1:38:25 PM

So tack on the extra 5 minutes. I'd do it, but those extra 5 minutes of walking...

4/30/2007 1:41:03 PM

Quote :

"haha walking 4 miles aint shit one mile added to that is 5 miles haha walking 5 miles aint shit"

Trust me, walking 5 miles is no strenuous activity to me but it would take too long.

Something to keep in mind is that NYC gets a lot of rainfall, on average 10+ inches more per year than Seattle. Add snow and really really cold in the winter and walking/biking won't be great.

Unfortunately there is no way for me to improve my commute without moving further east.

4/30/2007 1:44:46 PM

that really sucks. i'd hate to have a 30-40 min commute for just 4 miles...and 5 miles at 1hr 15mins is crazy. i think i'd pick a new city to live in.

i'd get a GOOD bike, a good weather proof bag, and carry in my work clothes...wear other clothes while you're riding.

[Edited on April 30, 2007 at 1:54 PM. Reason : and a helmet]

4/30/2007 1:53:04 PM

i didnt mean to sound all pompous...its just that when i saw you said it would take like 1hr 15 minutes i was like damn i bet i could walk that in that amount of time

i bet if i walked 5 miles a day in NY i'd learn to walk even faster

[Edited on April 30, 2007 at 1:56 PM. Reason : cause i'd be affraid of getting mugged]

4/30/2007 1:56:35 PM

Get a new job

4/30/2007 2:01:37 PM

would it be possible to meet a coworker somewhere in the middle and then finish the commute with them?

4/30/2007 2:12:52 PM

What would I do?

I would post my new commute on a NYC message board and ask advice from locals.



[Edited on April 30, 2007 at 2:13 PM. Reason : but that's just me]

4/30/2007 2:13:12 PM

other than move or new job what other kind of magical answer are you expecting?

4/30/2007 2:15:21 PM

http://www.mta.info/nyct/maps/busqns.pdf

[Edited on April 30, 2007 at 2:18 PM. Reason : ]

4/30/2007 2:17:22 PM

^^ flying carpet.


Calvin did it. And even was even home in time for dinner.

4/30/2007 2:25:54 PM

ask for your company to give you a cab stipend

4/30/2007 2:45:11 PM

1) see if your company has (or is willing to have) a commuter FSA
2) Investigate opportunities to telecommute for a portion of the day/week
3) Perhaps not in Queens, but look at the subway and bus routes and see if you'd like to live in another area with an easier commute
4) Look for another job - if you're "eh" about your current job, what's currently stopping you (office move or not)
5) Pick up reading as a hobby and pass away the hour commute to and from reading a good book - use it as personal time?

4/30/2007 3:51:20 PM

I see the point about snow and rain and whatnot, but if you ride with a coat and gloves on you'll be A-okay (I did it all last year, of course my work was only about 2 miles away, but very hilly).

4/30/2007 3:53:58 PM

How economical would it be to get one of those little scooter type deals?

4/30/2007 4:03:09 PM

I'd say something to the boss and see if they can figure a better way via public transportation, or perhaps you can get permission to expense some of the extra travel costs

4/30/2007 8:11:01 PM

i do a combo of biking and bus.

bike on trails and easy streets, then use bus to cross the lake and get through the crazier suburban traffic. our buses have bike racks on the front. theres also bike racks to lock up at major transit centers.

as far as biking in traffic, its the suburbs that suck most. biking in the city rocks.

look into bike trails and bike accessible roads.

4/30/2007 8:45:48 PM

I would bike in if I were you...I live about 2.5 miles away from work and it takes me about 15 min. to bike it at a decent pace.

Bike commuting is actually pretty easy if you're prepared. I obsess over the weather channel a bit, particularly in the winter, because I bike in all conditions, but I can offer some tips:

1) Ride a bike you don't care about. This is not the time to buy a $1000 fancy pants carbon-fiber frame with custom components. Think a steel frame, maybe an old trusty road or touring bike, or a mid range mountain bike. Also, good brakes, front and back lights, and good tires are essential for your safety in traffic.

Also the above bikes are less attractive to thieves.

2) Get a good lock. Actual chain link, or U bolt (did they fix the Kryptonite problem yet?)

3) You're likely going to want to carry shit to work (paperwork, lunch, etc.) Consider getting a rack, panniers, or a milk crate for these items. Or at least a backpack.

4) Depending on your job, a change of clothes. A friend of mine also commutes, and he keeps extra dress clothes at his office in case he gets wet or dirty.

5) A good raincoat for the New York rain you mentioned. Particularly effective with fenders.

6) A helmet.

Or, you could do a combo of subway on the crappy days, bike on the nice days.

4/30/2007 9:35:40 PM

cab stipend or new job

4/30/2007 10:23:22 PM

ha

they are moving areas because its cheaper

its cheaper because access is more difficult

basically they are giving the employees the finger

4/30/2007 10:25:20 PM

Have you checked HopStop to be sure there's not some PT way to get there that you're not thinking of?

I mean - the time thing happens - but you leave so early in the morning now as it is that you'll have to get up at 3am to get there

[Edited on April 30, 2007 at 10:30 PM. Reason : DON'T MOVE! Unless I'm coming up there to take your place ]

4/30/2007 10:28:37 PM

Thanks again for everyone's suggestions/help. Lemme try to address everyone's suggestions.

Quote :

"Have you checked HopStop to be sure there's not some PT way to get there that you're not thinking of?"

Yes Andrea, I've spent a lot of time on Hopstop.com. No good

Quote :

"i bet if i walked 5 miles a day in NY i'd learn to walk even faster [Edited on April 30, 2007 at 1:56 PM. Reason : cause i'd be affraid of getting mugged"

Don't worry man, safer here than most places

Thanks 1, but the bus schedule's not gonna help me. And I kinda want to keep this off the NYC area sites, ya know?

Quote :

"other than move or new job what other kind of magical answer are you expecting?"

Kinda bored and looking for interesting answers?

Quote :

"see if your company has (or is willing to have) a commuter FSA"

I already use FSA for commuting, it covers all my subway expenses. Won't help me any further.

Quote :

"i do a combo of biking and bus. bike on trails and easy streets, then use bus to cross the lake and get through the crazier suburban traffic. our buses have bike racks on the front. theres also bike racks to lock up at major transit centers. as far as biking in traffic, its the suburbs that suck most. biking in the city rocks. look into bike trails and bike accessible roads."

I will look deeper into finding bike trails, but this is NYC, extremely urban, and bike trails are very rare outside of the perimeter of Manhattan and major parks.

AntiMnifesto, I appreciate all the biking tips. My current bike is a 15 yr old Trek, so I'm good in the non-flashy bike dept.

Quote :

"ha they are moving areas because its cheaper its cheaper because access is more difficult basically they are giving the employees the finger"

Yeah you better believe that is the #1 reason. Most of the employees live out on Long Island or Westchester and drive in (this is a very old company, only 3-4 employees younger than 30 including me). No fucking way I'm gonna do something like that. Joke's on them though. My dept does a lot of business in Manhattan and after the move instead of it taking 1-2 hrs it'll now take at least 1/2 the day. Way to kill efficiency.

Quote :

"Get a new job"

Thats what everything points towards. Only problem is I'm starting to feel like I don't want to stay up here much longer (thinking another 16 months). So it'd be tricky trying to get a new good job, keeping in mind I might relocate after another yr.

4/30/2007 11:17:11 PM

Maybe they would entertain teleworking some days since the commute is crappier?

Only thing I could think of other than "suck it up", demand more $, or quit.

4/30/2007 11:22:39 PM

Yeah its a tough dilemma. I just got a 15% raise, and how much is another 1 1/2 hrs a day worth? Probably end up sucking it up for a bit....hehe.

4/30/2007 11:24:44 PM

Answer is obvious -- look for a new job

[Edited on April 30, 2007 at 11:26 PM. Reason : wtf 1 mile doubles the commute]

4/30/2007 11:26:10 PM

^yeah yeah, inevitable.

Its not 1 mile further in the same direction. Its 5 miles in a different direction.

4/30/2007 11:29:57 PM

Have you really analyzed how much your time is worth here vs. the cost of having a car up there? Vandalism issues aside - you had it up there for a while and it didn't seem to be that much of a burden. It would be worth the time savings to have it perhaps?

5/1/2007 12:01:23 AM

http://www.nycbikes.com/

find a place at work you can stash your shirts/ties/suit/etc if it's a hard ride for you. great if you can shower there. Take the train/bus mondays to drop off the week's business clothes/lunches etc. Mountain pedals/shoes have helped me, but not so important in city riding.

when you're biking every day, you'll get in the habit of being a bit obsessive about tomorrow's weather report. Train to bus should be a workable backup for you.

^having a car in NYC is borderline insane. even Queens.

-B

[Edited on May 1, 2007 at 12:45 AM. Reason : .]

5/1/2007 12:41:17 AM

i'd never go to work if i had this sort of ordeal.

5/1/2007 1:02:48 AM

One more suggestion: rollerblades. I'd be scared shitless riding a bike around in NYC but being on rollerblades on the sidewalk wouldn't be bad, especially if the sidewalks are in good condition. Just wear a helmet and wrist guards.

If it rains suck it up and take the cab

5/1/2007 1:34:12 AM

^I'm not the greatest at rollerblading, my main problem being difficulty with stopping, so I'd pass on that, lol.

Haha, yes I have Andrea. Last summer my car was broken into once and vandalized once. Total cost approx $1500. I had the car up here from May - Sept (5 months) and add to that cost around $500 in maintenance, plus God knows what for gas (not much) and thats a lot of money. Plus, if something happened to my car again my insurance agent would really start to wonder (car insured in NC). Compare that to $76/month for an unlimited subway pass that I purchase pre-tax (thank you FSA) and its no contest.

Biking seems to be the order of the day.

If I wanted to hail a cab from my apt I'd have to call one. Its not that easy in Queens to get one, and I'm just across the river so its not like I live in suburban queens.

[Edited on May 1, 2007 at 1:09 PM. Reason : k]

5/1/2007 1:09:16 PM