# Commuting advice ... help!



## dinaella (14 Nov 2007)

All, 

I need some advise on commuting as have been offered a good secure job in Baggot Street and my only worry is the commute. 

I'm living in westmeath and currently have a good job here but not sure how secure (no pension, bonus, VHI) - would the commute be worth the security ...? I have heard the commute is really tough. I would be driving as need the car and have flexi time to a point ..? 

Or am I better off staying local and taking a chance? 

Thanks for any advice.


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## queenlex (14 Nov 2007)

*Re: Commuting advise ... help!*

stay local thats a crazy commute you'd have no life with travelling plus fuel costs wont be going down either.


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## camel (15 Nov 2007)

Sounds to me like a huge commute.
Investigate the possibility of renting closer to Dublin and renting out or selling your house in West Meath (a course of action I took a couple of years ago as I couldn't hack the commute...from Meath).
Good luck, difficult decision if there's a big monetary incentive to job in the city.


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## SNOWBALL (15 Nov 2007)

HI Dinaella

Unless you are getting an exta €15,000 with a top bonus and you can start a 10am i would not do it.It is a long distance.Take a day off and leave the house doing the route it would be very stressful.You probaly will have to pay for parking aswell.


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## redstar (15 Nov 2007)

In a word - don't.

You could take out a personal pension (PRSA) and stay in your current job. It would probably cost less than the cost of commuting to Baggot St. and you would still live and work locally.

I commute from Trim to Fairview and it takes 2 hours door-to-door each way. Its JUST about bearable, but there are no IT jobs in my local area.


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## aircobra19 (15 Nov 2007)

I would avoid commuting if I had a choice. It wastes so much of your life.


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## Paulone (15 Nov 2007)

agree with the other posters that to commute is soul-destroying, as well as v.hard on your car and, after a while, your coming-home time of 8pm or later is then normal...  it is far from normal.

If you have a family, I'd say no. You won't see them.

If you don't have a family, you might consider taking a room in Dublin and trying to structure your work so that you spend say 3-nights a week in town and the rest at home. You'll be splitting your life between two places and paying a rent as well as your mortgage. I know someone who does this and because that person is well paid and has a pretty vibrant social life in Dublin, its thought worth it.

I used to commute in every day from Laois using a private bus service and used every trick in the book to make myself try and believe my situation was okay and manageable. I began to realise that it was not working when I found myself getting unwilling to go anywhere at weekends because I was so sick of travelling. 


You'll choose at the end of the day, but please do think v.long and hard about it.


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## aircobra19 (15 Nov 2007)

Over time it just wears you out.


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## dinaella (15 Nov 2007)

Thanks a lot for the responses, Its flexi time for the job but still will be leaving Baggot Street at 4.30 at the best. 

Most people I have spoken to think I'm better off staying where I am and seeing what happens as the commute is something big to dedicate yourself to long term - I'm also in IT and jobs around here are limited but the Dublin has a better long term future I guess which is the attraction. 

I do have a young family who are settled here so no chance of moving closer (not that i could really afford it to be honest !). 

Need more companies to come to the Midlands !!!


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## ajapale (15 Nov 2007)

Please ask commuting questions in the correct forum

moved from LLL


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## z103 (15 Nov 2007)

Is there a parking space with the job?

I commuted from Tallaght to Baggot street for six months and thought it was terrible.

I gladly took a different job, not in the city centre, but less pay.


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## dinaella (15 Nov 2007)

Hi, 

Yup, there is a parking space with the job - it just seems part of the city thats really hard to commute to. Someone said look at N11 and M50 as a route but have a feeling that would be a tough route to get to the N4. 

Certainly something you have to think very serious about before taking on which is a pity because there seems to be lots of good jobs in the city right now - I guess thats the price for choosing to live in the country.


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## ang1170 (15 Nov 2007)

Have you tried to do the trip at the time of day you'd likely to be doing it?

I suspect that would make your mind up for you.


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## Shannon81 (16 Nov 2007)

hi

Im commuting from Meath up @ 540 every morning for the bus so at least i can sleep. I'm only doing it for the money, however if i got a good job offer at home i'd give it up in a minute.


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## swordshead (16 Nov 2007)

Shannon81 said:


> hi
> 
> Im commuting from Meath up @ 540 every morning .


 Oh god thats the middle of the night..poor you! Nevermind the westmeath-dublin commute, commuting in dublin alone is horrendous! The M50 is soul destroying just getting from south to north dublin most days-adding on another hour to westmeath would be madness!


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## briancbyrne (16 Nov 2007)

if you value your sanity don't
if your in a relationship and value that dont - - you get in the door annoyed with everything in life and its those closest to you that you end up taking it out on
I do 1 1/2 commute e/w and it kills me and that isint bad towards some of the horror stories Ive heard.


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## swordshead (16 Nov 2007)

briancbyrne said:


> if you value your sanity don't
> if your in a relationship and value that dont - - you get in the door annoyed with everything in life and its those closest to you that you end up taking it out on
> I do 1 1/2 commute e/w and it kills me and that isint bad towards some of the horror stories Ive heard.


Couldnt have put it better myself! I leave work in great form and get home in the horrors! I thought it was just me p*ssed off with sittin in soul destroyin traffic day in day out!


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## SOM42 (17 Nov 2007)

dinaella said:


> All,
> 
> I have heard the commute is really tough. I would be driving as need the car and have flexi time to a point ..?
> 
> ...


 
Is there no way you could park the car in Mullingar or elsewhere enroute and get the train to Pearse the rest of the way?  Personally I think it would be mad driving that distance.  I live approx 11k from the city centre and will only drive as a last resort even though my hours are flexible and have parking.  Train every day.  Its not perfect but that traffic would kill any sane person!


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## dinaella (20 Nov 2007)

Thanks for all the responses, from everyones experiance and people I speak to it seems the commute is a really tough choice and thing to do. I know some people who have done it for the last 4 / 5 years and it seems to become the 'norm' and they don't worry about it too much but that scares me a little. 

The company I work for has an office in the uk and they all commute that time and more but have to say they get really well paid for it as well. 

Its a tough one and seems to be a lot of people out there doing it at the moment - any hope that the roads / transport systems will improve? the m50/n4 junction is going through some serious work.


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## aircobra19 (20 Nov 2007)

dinaella said:


> Thanks for all the responses, from everyones experiance and people I speak to it seems the commute is a really tough choice and thing to do. I know some people who have done it for the last 4 / 5 years and it seems to become the 'norm' and they don't worry about it too much but that scares me a little.
> 
> The company I work for has an office in the uk and they all commute that time and more but have to say they get really well paid for it as well.
> 
> Its a tough one and seems to be a lot of people out there doing it at the moment - any hope that the roads / transport systems will improve? the m50/n4 junction is going through some serious work.



Demand will always increase to fill capacity, unless theres a viable alternative like public transport etc. IMO it will only get worse. Depends if you want to waste precious time commuting when you could be doing something far more interesting, and enjoyable.


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## pinkyBear (20 Nov 2007)

Hi Dinaella - would you think of applying for a job in Blanchardstown or the north of the city - there are a good few IT companies there and you would avoid having to go into town...


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## LouisLaLoope (20 Nov 2007)

dinaella said:


> any hope that the roads / transport systems will improve? the m50/n4 junction is going through some serious work.


 
This junction has improved and traffic gets through quicker from Liffey Valley to Palmerstown, but it just postpones the build up so there's heavy traffic at the other end of the Chapelizod bypass.  At least that's been my experience.

I've read all the posts and not one person has recommended you do it.  Stay where you are, take less money and have a life.  I think you'd be crackers to take the job.

But best of luck!


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## dinaella (21 Nov 2007)

Thanks for all the advise and I agree that with more and more people moving out to the Midlands the commute is going to get worse until the rail system from Mullingar/Tullamore and Dublin is more frequent .... from what I have heard the commute getting any worse than it is would have serious impact on people that do it. 

Its a tough one but something has to give sooner or later on the commuting issue for sure.


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## monkeyboy (21 Nov 2007)

Dont Dont Dont Dont !!

When I was doing the 12mile commute from Northside inside M50 to Sandyford every day, spending 1.5 hrs each way I was goung mad.

I always said I would easily take a 10k pay cut and more to be able to walk to work. Its money saved on fuel easily and the value of your pesonal time, sanity and well being is priceless.


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## aircobra19 (21 Nov 2007)

Commuting by train in Irelands no fun either.


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## Guest128 (20 Feb 2008)

Hi,
Here is a report from the trenches:

I live in athlone and did the commute to Dublin (chapelizod) yesterday morning. I was testing the commute from Chapelizod to Baggot St, since I also have gotten a job on Baggot Street. I left Athlone at 5.40 AM and got to chapelizod at 8am. Traffic started way before Lucan turnoff and lasted u until the M50 roundabout. From there to chapelizod was fine. I got the bus from chapelizod to D'Olier street and walked to Baggot St from there. I arrived at workplace at 8.45AM. If you were to drive up the quays rather than getting the bus, it would take much longer due to bus lane introduction.  

Thankfully this was a once off journey for me. Moving up to Dublin was the only option for me. This was no problem though, I have no ties in the midlands. It really does depend on your own circumstances. However, I would not wish that commute on anybody, plus you will hit the exact same problems on your way home. All in all it would add up to a 14 hour day I would estimate, its up to you. Hope this helps.


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