to think that 2 hours isn't that far?

[SkylarkMA]

An old friend thinks that 2 hours is a long way to drive to meet up for the day (it would be 2 hours back as well).

I don't think 2 hours is bad if it's only very occasionally and if this is a half way point between us.

Would you drive 2 hours to meet an old friend a couple of times a year? Or AIBU?

I wouldn't drive it but would be happy to take 2 hour train journey

Nope - ive lived all over the place but was just over 2 hours away when I had first kid. Never did it in a day trip and most friends with small kids didnt come across for the day. Lots stayed for a night and drove back next day. If i came to visit home Id stay over.

We now do just over an hour though now the kids are older of would do hour and a half each way if sharing driving!

Yep would and have done it as a train journey!

No of course its not too far.

It isn't far if it's something I want to do. Too far if not keen.

Too far for me in a day but I’d go on a train.

And with a 2.5 month old I'd never have done it. Nappy changes.. feeds.. crying.. nope.

I wouldn't like to drive 2 hours each way for a meet-up - having learned by experience that thinking of the drive back pretty much takes the shine off the meet-up for me.

When I drive to my mother's (almost 2 hours each way) I usually try and engineer an overnight stay.

Oddly enough I have no problem taking public transport for 2 hours of time and frequently do to meet up with a friend on the other side of the country.

Some people are talking about it being too far to go with a tiny baby. But the OP does not say this. Only if it is too far for an adult to go. And of course it is not too far for an adult to go. Any healthy adult that could not be bothered to travel that far to meet me, I really wouldn't bother with.

I think it depends what you're used to and how confident a driver you are. I commute an hour each way no problem. But when I visit my grandad it's 1.5-2hrs each way but roads I'm less familiar with and I find it really draining to do in one day. I still do it but I prefer to stay over.

I think it's fine. Especially if it's not that often and for a good friend.

There is one child involved but he's only 2.5 months old and sleeps very well in the car

That makes what I said earlier even more the case.
Two hours driving (alone?) with baby.
Then looking after that baby in a restaurant / pub / cafe for the time spent with friend.
Then driving home would not be something I'd want to do.

Very, very different from driving to friend's house, where can then get baby out and let them lie on the floor, and not have to worry about them disturbing people, and just having all household things on hand, etc. Not worrying about the time you arrive. etc. Meeting 'at a venue halfway' is much more stressful, or would have been for me.

As an Aussie, not too far at all! But I've noticed that here in the UK the same people who would happily fly to the continent for the weekend, wouldn't spend a few hours driving somewhere. Completely bizarre to me.

Ha that's me. We go away once a month to Portugal, Spain or Germany but the difference is we are there for 3 nights if we go after work on Friday and come home Monday afternoon.

Two hours? What a bunch of wimps some of you are (OK, those with health conditions are excused). I routinely travel 2-3 hours on public transport to meet friends or go to gigs/clubs, then back again. It mildly irritates me when healthy people, particularly women, are this fucking wet, TBH.

I would happily do a 4 hour round trip to meet a friend and would be a little hurt if they thought that the same time/distance was too long/far to see me. Even with a baby. A toddler would be harder.

I went to uni 400 miles from home and used to do the journey in one day, with a couple of short breaks. I have had to commute nearly 2 hours each way for work at points in my career. So maybe I have a skewed reference.

2 hours to my DMs. We go and visit her. Sometimes, DP will drive to get her, stay long enough for a cuppa, then come back to ours, bringing her with him!

That makes what I said earlier even more the case.
Two hours driving (alone?) with baby.

What's the problem with driving alone with a baby? You can't get them out of their seat when they're driving so why would having someone else there make a difference?

Then looking after that baby in a restaurant / pub / cafe for the time spent with friend.

He's a baby... he goes in a sling. Looks around at the world around him. Attaches himself to my boob when he's hungry etc. I go out regularly for the day with my son. Do some people just stay home all the time?

Then driving home would not be something I'd want to do.

Again, driving home exactly the same as driving there. I see no issue (unless of course you have a baby who is not okay in the car).

Reanimated has said what I was being too polite to end my last post with.

...skewed reference but, I do find it a bit wet that anyone without some form of impairment can't travel for two hours, have a break with a friend and travel back.

I think it also depends how you feel about the person asking. Close friend/family yes. Person i was happy to move away from as i was fading away from the friendship or not that close to- no way.

It mildly irritates me when healthy people, particularly women, are this fucking wet, TBH.

Secretly, I'm in this camp too. I can see if depends on how confident someone feels but why are so many women unconfident drivers.

But I drive 90 minutes to work each morning and the same back again after a 10-hour day so I wouldn't think anything of it. I've also regularly taken my children away on camping holidays on my own where the 2-3 hour drive to the site is the easy bit!

It’s not far at all. It’s a matter of priortities. I bet your friend would drive 2 hours for a fun / exciting trip to London or the airport right? She just doesn’t want to prioritize you, which sucks.

How long would you then spend together?

We regularly go from Preston to Edinburgh Glasgow or Birmingham for day trips. We tend to get the train though because the train fare is cheaper than burning fuel and parking fees, ( also we can have a few drinks without worry!)

I regularly drive to the remote parts of the Lake District and that takes more tab two hours each way ( once I have a good mountain day it's totally worth it!)

I'd do it to see my best friend or my DSIS or DB. But I'd prefer if it was 2 hrs on the motorway than 2 hrs on single-track country roads

Wouldn’t do it with kids