Commute

If you were offered a job in Westchester and you live in Nassau County and commute to the city now, would you do it? Assume same money. Lateral to a little more senior role.

Possibility of one day a week in NYC.

eta: could be a higher profile position

Message edited 2/13/2013 2:17:20 PM.

Re: Commute

Is mass transit an option?

What is the difference in the commute time?

Re: Commute

No to mass transit but the commute on a good day driving could be about the same.

Good thing about driving is not being a slave to the train schedule.

Bad thing is driving and wear and tear on the car.

A conundrum for sure.

Commute

My friend did it for nearly 3 years. She just ended up moving to NYC b/c she couldn't deal anymore.

Re: Commute

Where in Westchester?

I had to commute there for a previous job a few days a week, from Long Beach to White Plains and it sucked when I drove.

I often trained it and it still sucked.

Plus it's expensive with the tolls and such.

Would you be receiving any kind of reimbursement for that?

Re: Commute

Purchase.

Not sure about expenses for tolls and such but I spend close to $400 a month on the LIRR and subway so not sure how that would flesh out.

Tolls, gas, wear and tear. I guess I would have to put a number on that and negotiate if this comes to fruition.

It's hypothetical right now.

I speculate that if it happened most likely there would be one midtown day.

I would try to lobby for a work from home day.

That would be so much better.

Re: Commute

The other bad point is that you really have to be physically awake and attentive while driving. I find it more tiring than the subway and LIRR.

Do not underestimate how bad the first leg of the trip -- from Nassau to the Throgs Neck Bridge -- can be. Can you do a partial practice run in rush hour, perhaps driving to Bayside, then taking the train to work in the city from there?

Re: Commute

Message edited 2/14/2013 7:07:20 AM.

Re: Commute

The folks in that office actually get in early and leave early because some of them commute from queens and have to take the bridge.

not sure if I would be able to do that but I'm just trying to have an idea if I could do it if it happens.

Of course, job growth, opportunity and manager alignment factor in.

I may be barking up the wrong tree about it but in case that's the plan I want to make sure I know what I'm signing up for.

I've gone to this office before for offsites and I left the house at 6:30am. Got there at 7:30. I left at 4:45 and got home around 6:15. Clearly the ride home is longer. I don't know if I could work those hours but it's something to think about.

Re: Commute

i would not do it, because i think i would be more stressed out about the commute, while making the same money. thats just me though.

Re: Commute

Not sure how the stress is different from hoping I don't miss the train and waiting for subway issues to resolve.

and then dealing with the aholes on the LIRR.

Re: Commute

I wouldn't do it. But I worked in the city for 10 years and now work and live in Nassau which is a huge change so I feel like I'm spoiled.

Re: Commute

DH used to commute from Nassau to White Plains and honestly it was horrible. It is okay in good weather but NOT fun in rain and snow. No I don't think.I would do it. The tolls, gas, wear and tear on your car is not necessarily cheaper than taking the train. The trains are a pita but you can close your eyes, read or just relax. DH said driving could be very stressful.

Re: Commute

Re: Commute

Re: Commute

Re: Commute

Re: Commute

I wouldn't do it.

Growing up, I lived in Seaford and for a long time, my dad worked up in Westchester (Rye), and the commute added so much time to his workday. Plus, any type of bad weather (even rain) could lead to major delays, traffic. It think it was very hard on him to do that commute day in and day out (he did it for 12 years).

I think if it was a major opportunity for more money or significant advancement, I'd consider it, but even then, I might not do it. But for a lateral move, I definitely would pass.

That being said, it's definitely a personal decision - there are trade-offs with every career move, so it depends on how you personally value them and weigh things out. I don't have a great tolerance for commuting, esp. with my current lifestyle (preschooler at home). But others don't seem to mind it as much... my dh doesn't really mind his commute.

Re: Commute

I make a big commute everyday, 5 days a week - from Nassau to Brooklyn (Bensonhurst) for work. I have to park on the street, alternative side parking so thats a big pain in the rear.

I have to be in at 9am and I leave at 7:30am. I get out at 5pm and home by 6.

During bad weather, and accidents, I can get home by 6:30pm.

This isn't my career, and I plan to have children in the next few years so ideally, this isn't the commute I'd stay with.

BUT, if this is a job you see yourself staying in and don't mind commuting, I'd say go for it!

Commute

To Purchase from Nassau isn't too bad. DH works there though we don't live on LI. The worst part is the Hutch, because it's the Hutch and because if there's an accident you don't have many alternatives- it's not like LI where you can figure out detours easily. The nice thing about Purchase, though, is that once you're off the highway it's fairly quiet as far as traffic goes.

Re: Commute

Also, I think that knowing something is a potential negative and LIVING it day in and day out are too different things. It's easy to dismiss the negatives when you are weighing the pros and cons out on paper, but it's a different story to experience those negatives.

I know when I started my large law firm job back in 2001 fresh out of school, I knew I'd be working long hours doing boring work for demanding partners. The drudgery of big law firm life was well known among law students, and we joked about it. And I "knew" mentally that it was a tradeoff I was making for a high salary and other financial perks. However, the fact that I expected it didn't make it any less hard to be sitting in my office, exhausted at midnight working on some boring research assignment that needed to be done by morning. Or when I had to cancel evening plans on some partner's whim. It was harder to accept when I was in the moment than when I just considered it as an abstract thing.

Same as when we moved to LI from the city and I started commuting by train. I knew I'd have the commute every day, but the physical realities of standing on a cold train platform in the wind each morning were different than I imagined when thinking about the commute.

I would really think hard about whether it would work for you... maybe do the drive a few times during the hours you would be going to work. If you like driving and don't mind sitting in traffic, it may work for you. But keep in mind there is also a lot of unpredictability when commuting a distance by car --- traffic can be caused by weather, roadwork, and accident. Are you ok with the uncertainty of how long it may take you on any given day to get to work and back?

Re: Commute

I find that taking the train has it's uncertainties. Twice I almost had to sleep at Penn.

My commute now is 1:50 on a normal day each way.

I will actually find out more later today.

I will keep you guys posted. Thanks for the input.

Re: Commute

Doesn't look like I can't afford to commute to Westchester even if I wanted to.

It's really cost prohibitive.

Message edited 3/4/2013 5:53:48 PM.

Re: Commute

I kind of figured that.

Unless a company is offering reimbursement for that, those tolls are killer.

Gas too!!

Re: Commute

I really need to figure out how much it will all cost. I may need to do the commute to figure it out...trial..