How do you make a long commute more tolerable?

Question

Got a long commute? How do you make it more tolerable? Please include tips and advice. Thanks!

Answer 1

Well get an ipod downlaod your most favorite songs........AND ROCK OUT!!!  :)

Answer 2

Check out YAKiToMe! (http://www.yakitome.com) It's a free website that turns any electronic text into an audio book podcast. It has high-quality male and female voices in multiple languages. You control reading speed and pronunciation. You can also download and share files using web 2.0 features.

Books on tape/CD are fine, that is ... if you can find them. How about hearing today's NY Times? I use YAKiToMe! all the time to listen to work documents, RSS feeds, web pages, ... and books, too. I think it's awesome.

Answer 3

I've been commuting for 11 years to the Silicon Valley and the Monterey Bay area. It doesn't bother me at all. In fact, I enjoyed driving long hours because I have learned 2 different languages by listening to tapes, I have heard at least 10-15 audio books, listen to jazz archives, and NPR. I enjoyed listening to my favorite jazz singers as well- Oh, I love it!

Sometimes, I wish the trip was a bit longer because there are times a real good program is on. Yeah, I am an NPR junkie!

I also drive to Orange CO three times a year to visit my parents but I leave at night because its more relaxing for me and my kids can sleep while I drive. It helps a lot, I never have to hear "Are we there yet?!"

Answer 4

Get rid of that mind game, and become intensely & completely involved in everything around afresh, each time, like that innocent little child, which is fascinated by any travel, oblivious of all discomforts!

Answer 5

If you are driving by yourself, be as goofy as you want to be. Sing along with alot of songs and sound ridiculous as you want to be. Who cares what you sound like, your having fun and releasing stress. Make up different words to the songs. Make sure you stop at rest areas to revitalize yourself. Nothing worse than feeling like you are about to fall asleep because of the drive.  I think others have listed good things if you are a passenger.

If you are driving with others play games finding stuff. I am sure someone can come up with something good. Play a trivia game.

Also bring your own food in a cooler or thermos. Don't pay for food on the road. Save it for something worth while.

Answer 6

Five years I communted a 90 minute drive one way then back 90 minutes to home. I lived through those days by checking out books on tape at the local library. I loved getting to read so many books and they would do interlibrary loan for special books I wanted that they didn't have. I could usually get a book a day read.

Answer 7

Ride a bicycle....actually some urban commutes are quite a bit  faster by bicycle.

Answer 8

To make a long commute tolerable.....get yourself some recorded books on CD or Cassette. Not only will you get hooked but you will find that the time goes by faster.

Answer 9

Podcasts are great. Thousands of them are available in all kinds of topics, TV/movies, music, politics, tech, sports, etc. And if you have iPod you can have it automatically sync up with iTunes to grab the latest episodes while you sleep (as well as other software for other MP3 players). Most are free and most of them update regularly so you always have fresh content.

Answer 10

music. is the main thing.

Also going with someone will be nice. You can pass the time by talking or playing games

Answer 11

if you don't mind joining a vanpool with different personalities, try signing up. you can tune them out by listening to your ipod or simply go to sleep.

if joining a vanpool is not your cup of tea, try riding with someone taking turns to drive every week. think of a different topic to talk about while commuting.

Answer 12

I would suggest the usual book/ music/ newspaper but you probably know all those so here's a slightly more random one...

If you're on a train or a bus then sit next to some irritating eejit who's on his/her phone (preferably having an argument). Spend time thinking about this random person and what their story is. Making up details is often rather amusing(if you'rer really bored.) If you think that they're giving the person on the other end of the phone a hard time then glare at them whilst loudly declaring that 'don't you just hate it when people abuse you down the phone? It's so impersonal and cowardly...' etc. etc. Their reaction should be good.

Answer 13

The best way is to get off the highway! Long commutes via interstates and the like are caused by bumper-to-bumper, stop-and-go traffic. It's maddening, and murder on your clutch. (Everyone does drive a standard, right?)

If the commute has to be long, find a route that's not quite as direct, but offers longer stretches of uninterrupted driving. In the country, it's obvious: take a back road. In the city, it's a bit tougher. But if you stick to the "commercial" roads (they will have factories and warehouses along them), they usually have fewer lights and a consistent, usually 40 mph speed limit. That's much better than the six inches per minute you often get stuck with on the major roads.

Answer 14

.depending on how u riding...nice car with all the perks...listen to favorite DVDs, practice singing, listen to inspirational or self help DVDs (i recommend this) learn a new language on DVD...call someone u luv (catch up on your reading or writing. The list goes on & on there r so many things to do. TAKE A NAP!!!

Answer 15

Sirus Satellite Radio, personally I like Howard Stern's show

Answer 16

I take the morning train. I use the extra time to study, or prepare for the day. I never have to worry about traffic, and it's better for the environment.

Answer 17

Take up knitting.

Answer 18

My son has long commute and he reads and listens to music.

This is on public transportation, when driving a long commute you just listen to the radio and drink lots of coffee.

Answer 19

Sometimes, I check out the scenery. Most times though, I people-watch and try to guess where my co-passengers are headed off to. =]

Answer 20

Subscribe to Books On Tape at http://www.booksontape.com/

Answer 21

good music and sunflower seeds!

Answer 22

If your driving, find a good radio station.

If your riding, read a good book.

Answer 23

none of the answers are any good if you are driving.  find some kiind of mental activities to  learn something!  like printing out a copy of the constitution and memorize it between red lights or on the train etc.by the time you retire you will be eady to go to law school.

Answer 24

If you're driving, bring lots of CDs, bring drinks, and take stops regularly to stretch out your legs.

If you're riding, bring an iPod, a dvd player, or a book (even though I can't read in a moving car, I get carsick X-P)...you can also wear comfortable clothing.  When I travel, I usually sleep about half the way there anyway, so be sure to get some rest also.

Answer 25

Sirius Satellite radio definetly & Bluetooth. Use the time to call friends and family.

Answer 26

The best way to make endlessly long commutes more tolerable is to build office towers and shops and homes all in the same place in a cluster.  Then people can walk to work.  

Or, if it's raining, hop on a trolley system that would speed people to their destination.  

Not only is commuting wasted time leading to road rage, but it's also bad for the environment.  What's so good about a "bedroom community" anyway?  Too often they become ghost towns where no one ever sees their own neighbors.  

Driving is fun, but the auto industry has monopolized urban planning and suburban development to the point where the automobile serves to cut us off from our own fellow citizens.  It's not just television that's doing it.  

Neighbors can be annoying, but if there is no interaction at all, Americans get cut off from each other and our sense of a nation with a common purpose is lost.  

We should be modify towns and cities to fit our needs, not the other way around--trying to modify human nature to fit the needs of corporate America or of the automobile.  

There are big problems that can be addressed if we design the world around us with all of our needs in mind, and not just the needs of real estate developers.

Answer 27

have a large selection of music, and try to commute with friends, this helps a LOT. I drove from Alaska to the lower 48 and it would have been unbearable if my dad hadn't gone with me. (and i only brought 1 CD, don't think i can listen to any linkin park for a while lol)

Answer 28

buy a cadillac, more creature comforts...

better seats, better ergonomics, better climate control...

Answer 29

Get an iTouch.  You can watch movies, listen to music, surf the web and so much more. Fill your iTouch with your favorite music and download your favorite movies.  It helps pass the time and before you know it, you're at work.  The best part is that you don't have to listen to other people conversation which is my biggest complaint when commuting.

Answer 30

Listen to music or read a book.

Answer 31

I drive 45 minutes to work and back each day, and my favorite thing to do is to listen to Spanish cd's to help me learn Spanish. My favorite is 'behind the wheel spanish'.