Nobody asked me, but...: Some people think I have it rough...

Monday, April 24, 2006

Some people think I have it rough...

I've mentioned before about my unusually long commute: 105 miles, each way, everyday. That's about 4 hours a day in the car, plus 9-10 hours in the office (it's the driving reason I make time for an hour of TKD twice each week).

Well, while many people (including those that read this blog) have doubted my sanity (and why not?), there's someone who makes me look sane in comparison:

AutoChannel: [Dan] Givens, an electrical engineer with Cisco Systems, Inc., in San Jose, Calif., drives a 186-mile one-way commute five days a week, a round-trip journey of 372 miles that takes a total of seven hours. He has been making the lengthy commute since 1989.
"I have a great job and my family loves the ranch where we live," he said in explaining why he makes the commute. "So this is the only solution."
What does he do during his long trek? "I listen to the radio and keep my eyes on the road," he says. "I also drink a lot coffee."

Whoa! That could be me! OK, my 105 pales in comparison, I know. But Dan's reasons are the same as mine (er, except I have a bi-level). We left NYC in 1992, and for about 3 years I rode a bus to Manhattan daily.

I've been driving at least 100 miles to my employment since 1996; obviously, Dan has many more miles under his belt.

Midas' "America's Longest Commute" Contest kicked off on Jan. 9, 2006 and ran through Feb. 6, 2006. Participants were asked to report the mileage of their current daily commute, defined as the most direct route, one way, in miles, from their principal place of residence to their principal place of lawful employment. To be considered, participants had to currently drive a minimum of four days a week, each week of the month, and have driven for a minimum of three months. Long distance cargo or other delivery and public transportation driving were not considered a daily commute. Motorcycles, buses, and all forms of public transportation were not eligible forms of transportation for daily commute.

A pity I didn't hear of the contest (not that I could have won). Curiously, a motorcycle didn't count... even if a rider used a car for bad weather, what's the difference?

With the Federally-enforced switch from MTBE to ethanol coinciding with market forces causing the oil futures to rise, my commuting costs are pretty high, indeed. Only recently, however, have they taken their toll; my current job has far fewer tolls, so my daily costs are only starting to hurt in comparison.

Of course, if Congress got off their collective duffs and overturn the Gore Gas Tax and approve more domestic drilling and refining, things would be much better for America as a whole. One can hope... and vote for politicians who will do these things!