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I'm completely different, I despise my commute because it's time that doesn't truly belong to me and I'm not being paid for. It's getting up earlier and arrivin

I'm completely different, I despise my commute because it's time that doesn't truly belong to me and I'm not being paid for. It's getting up earlier and arriving home later for the exclusive purpose of mindless presenteeism, time that belongs to my boss rather than to me because I certainly wouldn't be doing it out of choice. I also have to cycle through often horrible weather around drivers who I can only presume have WW2 fighter style marks for how may cyclists they've managed to run off the road. My next job will be exclusively remote, and I'll be much better off for it. I don't mind what other people choose to do, as long as I'm not forced to participate in the return to the office.

brtkdotse 5y ago
Oh, I have no doubt there are commutes that are horrible. The part that I miss from mine is a 26 minute train ride on a train that was always punctual and never more than 50% full.
- short_sells_poo 5y ago
  In a past life I used to commute to a small scenic village out of a city. It was exactly as you describe: scenic and relaxing 25 minute train ride with not another soul on the train and it was always on time. Now I fly around a lot and it feels like half my life is draining away "waiting to get somewhere".
- hdjjhhvvhga 5y ago
  > 26 minute train ride on a train that was always punctual and never more than 50% full. I'm happy for you but it doesn't seem like a typical commute though.
  - izacus 5y ago
    Typical for whom exactly? Mine is the same, just 15 minute total. What's "typical" for you?
    - deleted 5y ago
      [deleted]
  - Smaug123 5y ago
    An internal London-to-London commute could well be like that. My Kennington to Goodge Street commute started with an empty train, while if you can flex your starting time to 10am you're going to have a pretty empty Tube on much of the network.
nextlevelwizard 5y ago
> I also *have* to cycle through often horrible weather(...) Except you do not, do you? If the weather is horrible more often than not and you still choose to bicycle then that is on you. Same goes for people who complain that their commute takes upto 2 hours. That is/was a choice you made when you chose your living arrangement and employer. I know I get downvoted for this opinion since it goes against majority of HN, but commute and office work are both really nice and I miss them. I hope come next month our office opens up and I can start going to work again. But my situation is way different. I've purposely chosen both my employer and my living situation to suite me. I have 15-25 minute drive to office. My gym is on the way and there is several choices of grocery stores, so I can get additional benefit for my commute. On top of that the 20 minutes of driving back home is very nice book end to day of working and I can leave the office completely behind me and just have a nice drive and listen some music. In same toon in the morning I can hit the gym and then have a nice drive to office and start focusing on the work immediately. It is fine if you don't like your commute or your office, but don't take it personally when someone says that they like it.
- watwut 5y ago
  You cut the sentence just before it turned out it is primarily complaint about drivers: > around drivers who I can only presume have WW2 fighter style marks for how may cyclists they've managed to run off the road Aggressive or unsafe driving is bad even if the author has the option to use other transport. It is bad also because to prevent people from using bikes.
  - BoxOfRain 5y ago
    Yeah exactly, I know lots of people who think I'm mad for cycling through an urban environment and it's everything to do with dangerous drivers rather than the environment itself. The key I've found is to be assertive but not aggressive, cars will dangerously pull out in front of you or overtake in a dangerous manner if you show the slightest lack of confidence or hesitation. It's not an easy thing to do as any cyclist will be acutely aware that Newton's laws of motion are not on their side! Having said that, I definitely think the pro-cyclist camp (which I do consider myself a part of) likes to ignore that there are a lot of utterly useless cyclists out there too. Riding on the pavement, jumping red lights, being obstructive in traffic just to prove a point for example. I wish all cyclists kept to the highway code religiously because the small minority of bad cyclists or overly militant evangelists seriously damage the reputation of all cyclists, most of whom are simply ordinary people who want to get around without the expense or ecological footprint of driving. Cycling ought to simply be a means of getting around, as normal as walking or driving. I understand this is how it's seen in places like the Netherlands, which is a far better state of affairs than here where cyclists are basically seen as vegans on wheels with all the drama that entails. Cycling shouldn't be a political act; I don't want to tell anyone they can't use their car for example, I'm certainly not saying everyone has to take up cycling and replace every journey with it. I'm not interested in telling anyone what to do with their life choices, I just want to get to work without getting literally run off the road by a mental taxi driver or clipped by a pillock who thinks its important to save the 0.5 seconds it would have taken him to check his left mirror.
bequanna 5y ago
> I despise my commute because it's time that doesn't truly belong to me and I'm not being paid for. It's getting up earlier and arriving home later… Actually, the length of your commute is the result of where you choose to live and where you choose to work. If you decide that you want those to be located an hour away from each other, like magic, that is exactly how long of a commute you are responsible for making. There are almost infinite places you could live or work. I find it quite amusing that people complain and try to externalize blame for the clear result of a series of their own choices.
- deleted 5y ago
  [deleted]
- VelkaMorava 5y ago
  aCtUaLlY... dude be a bit empathetic. Some people might have relatives they have to take care of, and are unwilling to downgrade their job by multiple levels, hence the commute. Others might have children with friends in local school - sure, they can move, but it's the last resort. I sincerely hate you libertariantsy types. Your attitude works when you are 25-30 with no kids and distant family. And you know what fascinates me? Having remote/in office work be optional, this doesn't impact you in any way. I can happily live without commute, you can go to office for all I care.
  - bequanna 5y ago
    > I sincerely hate you libertariantsy types Huh. I didn't realize it was a libertarian view that one should be responsible for outcomes that are obviously the result of decisions they made (and still make). > I can happily live without commute, you can go to office for all I care. Right. A choice that each of us can individually make. I've made mine and you make yours. I am simply stating that one should take personal responsibility. In general, your employer shouldn't/doesn't care how long you have to commute to work. Why? Because you are replaceable with someone who doesn't have this problem or won't whine about it. Stop externalizing blame. Your quality of life will increase greatly once you stop expecting other people to solve problems you create and just solve them yourself. > dude be a bit empathetic. Empathy for what, exactly? OP can get a job closer to their home OR move closer to their job OR find a remote only job. It isn't their employer's responsibility to endlessly subsidize and cater to the choices of their employees. Regarding your other assumptions: I am outside of the age group you mention and have children + distant family.
diogenescynic 5y ago
My job is fully remote, but it's not entirely greener grass. There's almost no emotional connection to the rest of the team, I used to have work friends and now there isn't really even a veneer of that. There's also a real loss of body language and other physical signs/cues you could pick up on. There's also way more meetings and "working sessions" for projects now that don't feel super productive but it's the only way to really collaborate. I also hate having my webcam on from 8am to 6pm with a brief pause for lunch. I am thoroughly glad to not have a commute, but remote work has in a lot of ways actually been worse.
- hyuuu 5y ago
  I sympathize with this, how do you think remote work could be made better?
  - diogenescynic 5y ago
    Great question but I don’t have a good answer. All I know is it initially was great but 17 months into remote work and having no real connection to your colleagues and no water cooler discussion has really left a gap in the small things that made work okay. For instance, You don’t eat lunch with your coworkers, no one brings cupcakes in to celebrate birthdays, no one gets a beer after work. It’s all the minor pleasantries that have been stripped away and all that’s left are meetings and deliverables.
- tacocataco 5y ago
  > I also hate having my webcam on from 8am to 6pm Is this a reference to a bunch of meetings or does your employer want to be able to watch you all day?
  - heavyset_go 5y ago
    Some employers want their remote employees to keep their camera on for various reasons, from not trusting their employees to believing that leaving webcams running emulates in-person office environments. I wouldn't agree to it, but I've heard about such requirements from others.

brtkdotse 5y ago

Oh, I have no doubt there are commutes that are horrible. The part that I miss from mine is a 26 minute train ride on a train that was always punctual and never more than 50% full.

short_sells_poo 5y ago
In a past life I used to commute to a small scenic village out of a city. It was exactly as you describe: scenic and relaxing 25 minute train ride with not another soul on the train and it was always on time. Now I fly around a lot and it feels like half my life is draining away "waiting to get somewhere".
hdjjhhvvhga 5y ago
> 26 minute train ride on a train that was always punctual and never more than 50% full. I'm happy for you but it doesn't seem like a typical commute though.
- izacus 5y ago
  Typical for whom exactly? Mine is the same, just 15 minute total. What's "typical" for you?
  - deleted 5y ago
    [deleted]
- Smaug123 5y ago
  An internal London-to-London commute could well be like that. My Kennington to Goodge Street commute started with an empty train, while if you can flex your starting time to 10am you're going to have a pretty empty Tube on much of the network.

nextlevelwizard 5y ago

> I also *have* to cycle through often horrible weather(...) Except you do not, do you? If the weather is horrible more often than not and you still choose to bicycle then that is on you. Same goes for people who complain that their commute takes upto 2 hours. That is/was a choice you made when you chose your living arrangement and employer. I know I get downvoted for this opinion since it goes against majority of HN, but commute and office work are both really nice and I miss them. I hope come next month our office opens up and I can start going to work again. But my situation is way different. I've purposely chosen both my employer and my living situation to suite me. I have 15-25 minute drive to office. My gym is on the way and there is several choices of grocery stores, so I can get additional benefit for my commute. On top of that the 20 minutes of driving back home is very nice book end to day of working and I can leave the office completely behind me and just have a nice drive and listen some music. In same toon in the morning I can hit the gym and then have a nice drive to office and start focusing on the work immediately. It is fine if you don't like your commute or your office, but don't take it personally when someone says that they like it.

watwut 5y ago
You cut the sentence just before it turned out it is primarily complaint about drivers: > around drivers who I can only presume have WW2 fighter style marks for how may cyclists they've managed to run off the road Aggressive or unsafe driving is bad even if the author has the option to use other transport. It is bad also because to prevent people from using bikes.
- BoxOfRain 5y ago
  Yeah exactly, I know lots of people who think I'm mad for cycling through an urban environment and it's everything to do with dangerous drivers rather than the environment itself. The key I've found is to be assertive but not aggressive, cars will dangerously pull out in front of you or overtake in a dangerous manner if you show the slightest lack of confidence or hesitation. It's not an easy thing to do as any cyclist will be acutely aware that Newton's laws of motion are not on their side! Having said that, I definitely think the pro-cyclist camp (which I do consider myself a part of) likes to ignore that there are a lot of utterly useless cyclists out there too. Riding on the pavement, jumping red lights, being obstructive in traffic just to prove a point for example. I wish all cyclists kept to the highway code religiously because the small minority of bad cyclists or overly militant evangelists seriously damage the reputation of all cyclists, most of whom are simply ordinary people who want to get around without the expense or ecological footprint of driving. Cycling ought to simply be a means of getting around, as normal as walking or driving. I understand this is how it's seen in places like the Netherlands, which is a far better state of affairs than here where cyclists are basically seen as vegans on wheels with all the drama that entails. Cycling shouldn't be a political act; I don't want to tell anyone they can't use their car for example, I'm certainly not saying everyone has to take up cycling and replace every journey with it. I'm not interested in telling anyone what to do with their life choices, I just want to get to work without getting literally run off the road by a mental taxi driver or clipped by a pillock who thinks its important to save the 0.5 seconds it would have taken him to check his left mirror.

bequanna 5y ago

> I despise my commute because it's time that doesn't truly belong to me and I'm not being paid for. It's getting up earlier and arriving home later… Actually, the length of your commute is the result of where you choose to live and where you choose to work. If you decide that you want those to be located an hour away from each other, like magic, that is exactly how long of a commute you are responsible for making. There are almost infinite places you could live or work. I find it quite amusing that people complain and try to externalize blame for the clear result of a series of their own choices.

deleted 5y ago
[deleted]
VelkaMorava 5y ago
aCtUaLlY... dude be a bit empathetic. Some people might have relatives they have to take care of, and are unwilling to downgrade their job by multiple levels, hence the commute. Others might have children with friends in local school - sure, they can move, but it's the last resort. I sincerely hate you libertariantsy types. Your attitude works when you are 25-30 with no kids and distant family. And you know what fascinates me? Having remote/in office work be optional, this doesn't impact you in any way. I can happily live without commute, you can go to office for all I care.
- bequanna 5y ago
  > I sincerely hate you libertariantsy types Huh. I didn't realize it was a libertarian view that one should be responsible for outcomes that are obviously the result of decisions they made (and still make). > I can happily live without commute, you can go to office for all I care. Right. A choice that each of us can individually make. I've made mine and you make yours. I am simply stating that one should take personal responsibility. In general, your employer shouldn't/doesn't care how long you have to commute to work. Why? Because you are replaceable with someone who doesn't have this problem or won't whine about it. Stop externalizing blame. Your quality of life will increase greatly once you stop expecting other people to solve problems you create and just solve them yourself. > dude be a bit empathetic. Empathy for what, exactly? OP can get a job closer to their home OR move closer to their job OR find a remote only job. It isn't their employer's responsibility to endlessly subsidize and cater to the choices of their employees. Regarding your other assumptions: I am outside of the age group you mention and have children + distant family.

diogenescynic 5y ago

My job is fully remote, but it's not entirely greener grass. There's almost no emotional connection to the rest of the team, I used to have work friends and now there isn't really even a veneer of that. There's also a real loss of body language and other physical signs/cues you could pick up on. There's also way more meetings and "working sessions" for projects now that don't feel super productive but it's the only way to really collaborate. I also hate having my webcam on from 8am to 6pm with a brief pause for lunch. I am thoroughly glad to not have a commute, but remote work has in a lot of ways actually been worse.

hyuuu 5y ago
I sympathize with this, how do you think remote work could be made better?
- diogenescynic 5y ago
  Great question but I don’t have a good answer. All I know is it initially was great but 17 months into remote work and having no real connection to your colleagues and no water cooler discussion has really left a gap in the small things that made work okay. For instance, You don’t eat lunch with your coworkers, no one brings cupcakes in to celebrate birthdays, no one gets a beer after work. It’s all the minor pleasantries that have been stripped away and all that’s left are meetings and deliverables.
tacocataco 5y ago
> I also hate having my webcam on from 8am to 6pm Is this a reference to a bunch of meetings or does your employer want to be able to watch you all day?
- heavyset_go 5y ago
  Some employers want their remote employees to keep their camera on for various reasons, from not trusting their employees to believing that leaving webcams running emulates in-person office environments. I wouldn't agree to it, but I've heard about such requirements from others.