3 replies to this topic

[BSLChrisStoner]

Washington Post: The astonishing human potential wasted on commutes
https://www.washingt...m=.6dc424d41790

[NewMarketSean]

I'm lucky enough to have a short commute...short enough to ride my bike if I chose. But these long commutes are brutal. My wife has a 35-45 min commute to Columbia from New Market, and it can be an adventure.

 

The issue is, jobs are clustered in areas where the cost of living is higher, so people want a cheaper house and work where salaries are higher. Or they want to live in a less crowded area, but less crowded areas don't have many jobs...

 

I've always said that I would rather live in a condo downtown and walk to work than live in a crowded suburb, like Towson or Columbia and drive to work for 15-20 mins. Just put me down there where I don't have to rely on a car, and can walk to work, restaurants, bars, O's games, etc.

 

The problem with Baltimore is the crime is getting out of control. You still have younger people willing to live there but at what cost? And they're more than likely going to leave once they have kids anyway.

 

As for the productivity thing, yeah that sucks, but these people are already working 8+ hrs, so it's not like they're missing work, they're cutting into their personal time. It's their own decision, but still...it sucks.

 

I think working from home should be rolled out across the board. If you can do it, you should be allowed to do it. Be measured by your productivity, not by being forced to sit at your desk from 8:30-5. It may be crazy for a while but it'll even out. Sure people will goof off, but goofing off will get them fired...so they'll learn they can't blow off work to play video games, and working from home will just become like working from the office.

 

I say that as someone who COULD work from home, but whose company isn't receptive to that idea. At all.

[The Epic]

It's a huge problem, but I can go on record as saying I love my long commute. It's really mind-clearing. Listening to podcasts on the way to work and on the way home makes the time a work a lot easier to digest, especially for those 10, 12, 14-hour days.

 

Also, WFH is an option for my job, but given that someone's always at my house 75% of the time, it's hard to focus on work.

[Chris B]

I wouldn't want to work at home 5 days a week (would be too monotonous and I like to get out of the house like most people), but to even have that option 2-3 days a week would be awesome. 

 

I can also do 90% of my job from home.