LIRR Commuters...Driving instead?

Have you ever considered driving in instead?

I'm seriously considering it.

The amount that I'm paying for my monthly + subway = more than a car payment and insurance would be. I have parking at my job and I work 7-3 (M-Th only) so hopefully the traffic won't be horrible.

Ugh.

Re: LIRR Commuters...Driving instead?

I sprained my ankle last year so I drove in for a little while (I only go to Queens). If I had a hybrid car so I could take the HOV lane on the LIE, and if I had free parking I would seriously consider it. But since neither of those apply to me, I'll keep riding the LIRR for now

Re: LIRR Commuters...Driving instead?

You also have to budget for tolls, more frequent car maintenance and additional wear & tear on your car.

Re: LIRR Commuters...Driving instead?

Re: LIRR Commuters...Driving instead?

You might be fine with the traffic in the am since you start at 7 but when I used to drive the traffic started at 2ish and by 3 it was already stop and go on the LIE. As much as the train can drive me crazy I would much rather sit on a train for an hour that is moving then in a car that is sitting in traffic. $$ wise I think you will find out it doesn't really save you.

Re: LIRR Commuters...Driving instead?

When DH and I moved out to LI from the city we commuted for 2 months and hated it. Our train wasn't direct to the city, we transferred at Jamaica. 1/2 the time we missed the connection cause our train was late.
We decided to try driving instead. I had to be at work by 8, I believe we left around 6:45am. It took us about an hour door to door. It was nice, but everyday to and from we would be in traffic, which does get frustrating!

Re: LIRR Commuters...Driving instead?

never in a million years

Re: LIRR Commuters...Driving instead?

Re: LIRR Commuters...Driving instead?

The drive in ins't bad but the drive home is killer unless you work till 7/8

Re: LIRR Commuters...Driving instead?

My friend and her DH used to drive in together from Northern Queens . They preferred it but now they work in different parts of nYC.

Re: LIRR Commuters...Driving instead?

DW and I live in Queens and both work in the city... i wouldnt EVER consider driving in.... EVER

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Nooooo, I don't think you should switch to driving. (As written by someone who has no choice but to drive in and doesn't want even more on the roads)

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i could never do it. i work 8-4 so the traffic is horrible. especially merging from the gowanus to the BQE. and i dont get parking, so that alone is too expensive.

im jealous! but if you decide to and i ever want to leave early, im getting a ride!

Re: LIRR Commuters...Driving instead?

I worked those hours and had to drive since I was working in Queens and the Bronx.

Traffic is HEAVY even at those hours. Traffic on Fridays and two days before any holiday is a nightmare. To get to work ontime at 7, I would leave at 5:30 to beat some of the traffic and get there early.

I have a Jeep Grand Cherokee and gas was $$$$$.

I did get home earlier than if I took the train, but the effort didn't outweigh the benefit of relaxation.

If you really think it will be worth it, try it out a few times.

Re: LIRR Commuters...Driving instead?

I stopped take the train and started driving in. I prefer it over the LIRR for a number if reasons:

1. You have control of what time you can leave and get home (don't have to rush to be on a train platform at 6:48 am, etc)

2. You have control of what routes you take (I avoided the LIE where it was packed, and took shortcut side roads through Queens).

3. The extra gas isn't so bad considering your average speed in the peak commute hours is around 30-55 MPH). Now that I drive on 135 and SSP every day, I find that my speed is 50-70 mph and you end up using MORE gas when you cruise at higher speeds.

4. If you need to take the midtown tunnel, with EZ pass its $4.80 one way (I would take the 59th st bridge home because I wasnt in a rush to get home).

Weird ss it sounds, I actually would get to work EARLIER when I drove than in the LIRR. I would take Sunrise Hwy to Conduit, to Cross Bay/Woodhaven Blvd North to LIE at Queens Center mall,then cruise into Midtown...took me 1 hr to 1 hr 15 min on average.

Re: LIRR Commuters...Driving instead?

Posted by skinny

Have you ever considered driving in instead?

I'm seriously considering it.

The amount that I'm paying for my monthly + subway = more than a car payment and insurance would be. I have parking at my job and I work 7-3 (M-Th only) so hopefully the traffic won't be horrible.

Ugh.

Re: LIRR Commuters...Driving instead?

I used to commute from West Babylon to Fort Lee, NJ.

For a few months I worked 7:30-3:30 and during those months, I drove. When my hours went back to normal, I resumed taking the train - LIRR to Penn to the A train to something like 180th street, where I transferred to a NJTransit bus which I was on for just 5 minutes (Fort Lee is right over the GW bridge.)

I agree with the others who said the morning was doable but the afternoon was tough. I was fine if I left my house by 6:15. At 3:30 pm it was already heavy on the highways and the bridges but not completely intolerable. I was usually home before 5:00.

However, this was 11 years ago. I have a feeling it would be worse today.

Try it out a couple of days before you commit to making the switch. Just one day could be a fluke.

Re: LIRR Commuters...Driving instead?

I never tried but I work standard work hours.

The parking/tolls/gas would be the expensive part for me--probably more than the train...but try it for a month and see?

Re: LIRR Commuters...Driving instead?

if my job paid for parking I would totally drive in. Whenever I drove in I'd leave earlier but I'd always have to deal with afternoon traffic etc. Still I found it better/easier than dealing with Penn Station and the LIRR.

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Nope.. as much as i complain about the LIRR, i would never drive instead

i actually enjoy my time on the train to relax and unwind for the day before i get home. I wouldn't be able to do that sitting in traffic in the car
my train line (babylon) runs very frequently so i'm not usually a slave to the timetables

Re: LIRR Commuters...Driving instead?

I drive from Suffolk to the Nassau/Queens border and if I could take a train, I would.

I drink on average, an hour and fifteen/hour and twenty minutes a day one way. If I could sit and read a book or snooze, I'd so rather do that.

NOt to mention, I go through about 120-150 bucks a week in gas.

AND oil changes, I usually have to get one about every other month or spend about 75 bucks on a synthetic oil change, which I do because they're better for high miliage driving.

All in all, I spend a ton on my commute and it totally sucks.