To quit my job due to roadworks

[turbohamster]

I have a 22 mile commute to work, mainly along a motorway. Over the last few months due to roadworks a 35 minute commute has turned into an hour 5 on a good day but more typically 1 hour 25 minutes. Roadworks will be in place until end of 2018. Is it rash to decide I can't do this for another year and leave my job?

To be honest I think if you reasonably can get a job in your own home town then I would. We've all got too deeply entrenched in a mindset that thinks nothing of burning several gallons of fossil fuels every day just to get to work and back. It's not sustainable and we need to take a step back and all try to live and work with fewer regular miles of travelling. There's so much waste with huge numbers of people who live in town A driving to town B and others who live in B driving to A.

I thought of the M6 too, the bit they are working on is bad at the best of times. But they are about to start this again on the M5 near us, just finished one very long set of roadworks and they just start up again a bit further down!

People aren’t treating it as one of the deadly sins - it just seems a bit silly to quit a job with nothing to go to in this climate. How long can you afford to be out of work for?

Assuming like most of us you work because you need to and not just because you’ve nothing else to do then I think you would be very foolish to leave your job because of this! It’s a pain of course but as pp said, there’s no guarantee the next job won’t also require you to commute.

Also, how sure can you be that you will get another position before your savings run out? Do you have enough saved to not only cover your current cost of living but also any unforeseen circumstances eg car trouble, boiler repairs, cost of moving house if landlord gives notice?

Any park and ride possibilities? i.e. drive half way?
Any way of making the train journey productive?

Can you negotiate working 1 day a week at home?

Most of my team arrive for 8am due to traffic.

there is nothing stopping you looking for another job..... but i would be hesitant quitting before you get one.

Spend the weekend applying for new jobs. Give it a few weeks until you find out if you get anywhere.

Also, are there any "work from home on XXX days" options? Come in late, or whatever?

I don't think it is one of the seven deadly sins ffs. I do think that it is foolish to deliberately put yourself out of work, instead of planning ahead and finding a job first. If you've never had a problem getting a new job, then get one before you quit. I've always thought that it's easier to get a job when you you already have one.

You asked in AIBU. I gave you my opinion that it you could plan it rather than leave yourself unemployed.

I recently gained my motorbike licence due to commuting problems. I now go straight up the middle of the stationary traffic (filtering is legal!). You can do a direct access course and get your bike licence in a few months. It really is not dangerous/scary/rebellious as everyone makes out...just ordinary people trying to get to work.

Our household outgoings are such that they could be covered by one wage. Have enough savings to cover outgoings for 10 months. We own so no worries about landlords giving notice.

If I could do the journey in a single train journey I would. But it would be 2 x 15 minute journies with a 50 minute wait in between plus walk/bike either end so no time to be productive.

I feel your pain but it's temporary (m5?) my commute is like this without road works - it can vary from 25 mins to over an hour due to the wonderful J9 to J8 of the sodding M42!

Just keep telling yourself it will get better

And have been in current job less than 2 years so no employment rights to lose

Roadworks are a pain in the arse but they aren’t forever. 1.5 hour commute is not that unusual.

Just find another job first.

I'd do it if you're certain you'll find more work - particularly as you sound financially stable. Also, if they're due to go on to end of 2018, I'd be willing to bet they'll be continuing way into 2019 - seems to be how the timescales work around us anyway.

Why not find another job first just to be safe? If you've never been without a job for more than a week then it shouldn't take long to find one!

Get a decent audio book to listen to?

could you talk to your boss about working from home in the jam packed hours,would traveling in off peak be quicker/easier.
could you look for a new job before you leave so you know your safe