Drive to work
 

Alright campers,

Just curious here on how far most of you 'commute'.

I live Bidniz Bay and work in JLT, in the mornings it's about 25 mins along Al Khail and round JLT in. Fine, lovely drive at 120ish all the way.

In the evenings, I sit in traffic to get out of JLHelmet and then traffic all the way along SZR, stop start for roughly 45-60 minutes. I've tried to go up Hessa (I think) to Al Khail but it takes forever to queue to get onto Al Khail.

I'm not normally bothered by driving but the stop start SZR idiot race is just beginning to grind and I'm curious to see if I'm not alone in dreading it?

NB: Can't move, the mrs works in Mirdiff so Biz Bay is in the middle...give or take.

Re: Drive to work
 

About 30 paces

Used to be about 3 miles that took an hour then I saw sense

Re: Drive to work
 

Work from home with an internet connection - surprised you can't do that scampy

Re: Drive to work
 

20 minutes drive (min 15 if no traffic, over an hour in the summer when every man and his donkey converge of the resort known as Sidi Bouzid--God alone knows why). Greater incompetence than anything I've seen (including the rag-tag of nationalities in the ME), but thankfully with almost zero aggression and most vehicles incapable of accelerating the skin of a rice pudding. Unfortunately that caveat doesn't hold good for the big ****-off coaches transporting workers to the industrial zone, whose drivers just don't give a ****: total arseholes. And the taxi drivers who are suicidal / homicidal. Wandering dogs, donkeys and sheep don't help, either. Was thick fog this morning: 80% of vehicles with defective lights, 10% with no lights (and it was well before sunrise)... :blink:

Re: Drive to work
 

26 minutes to work - same everyday, no traffic, no lights.

different route home due to the stupid road layout. Anywhere between 30 and 45mins depending on time of day, traffic and lights.

I do regret having a manual some days it must be said.

Re: Drive to work
 

Can you not take the metro? There's a stop in Business Bay and two stops in JLT. You might have to walk a few hundred meters but that can only help...

Your girlfriend may work in Mirdiff but if you'd had sense you'd know it's not that long of a commute from someplace like the Greens, Tecom or the Marina to Mirdiff. It's the reverse that's a right pain because the bulk of the traffic in the AM is towards Jebel Ali and in the afternoon towards Sharjah (as you've now discovered). Your girlfriend is a teacher which means she's on the road earlier in the AM and earlier in the PM too, which would allow her to avoid the peak rush hour.

When I lived in the Greens and worked at DAFZA (even further away than Mirdiff) the drive was only 25 minutes both way. Sheikh Zayed to the Dubai Mall flyover to Business Bay and Airport Tunnel and the same in the afternoon (reverse the order). My Marina friend who worked in SHARJAH only had to drive 45 minutes both ways.

Re: Drive to work
 

120 seconds of walking
I had to pay extra to be able to have to live closer to the office, it pays for itself in SO many intangibles
lunch time, nip across, gym, pool etc
more time with family etc etc
plus no more blood pressure due to the idiots on the road
dont have to worry about parking, fuel, oil, insurance (yes i honestly dont see the need to buy or maintain a car...cabs, the metro and rentals cover every scenario in my opinion)
in scamp's case I understand that since the two people have to travel to opposite ends of the road then it makes sense to be in the middle, but I think you should seriously look at the metro option, or maybe a car pool, the calming effect of not having to drive...even if it is only for a few days in the week is so good for the nerves

Re: Drive to work
 

nothing worse than living close to the office, in my opinion.

Re: Drive to work
 

not if ur the boss :cool:

Re: Drive to work
 

:thumbup:

Re: Drive to work
 

fair point. I'm just a worker bee, not the bee keeper.

Re: Drive to work
 

Exactly 8km (which includes exactly 1km getting out of the apartment car park - no, really) which takes exactly 10 mins (which includes the car park and a 2-mins-ish wait at WTC roundabout lights).

WTC - underpass - SZR for about 100 yards - underpass - Maktoum Bridge - underpass that does a sharp turn to the left - about another 0.something km to the firm's car park.

Pleasant enough.......... and Malcolm and Sarah on Dubai Eye for company..........

Re: Drive to work
 

I hurt my neck last week and worked from home, surprisingly didn't take the piss (I used to work from home a fair amount in the UK), probably worked more than in the office....but got marked down as sick. Typical shit recruitment mentality. Wish I'd done ****ing nothing.

I don't doubt it!

We like where we live, I know I bang on about it but for two years I was paying in the 60k bracket for a 1400ish sq ft 1bed. Downtown is on our door step and we like it / prefer it to the Marina end of town.

That being said, I have suggested next year we look at The Greens etc, maybe even go proper suburban in the Springs.

I swear the traffic is getting worse, in the evenings it's just rammed, that or recently there have been more accidents...

Re: Drive to work
 

I drive a lot. 30km to school then another 20km to work and then again back to front. Not factoring in any other trips here there and everywhere. don't mind it really.

Re: Drive to work
 

Nice 20 minute drive along a beach road almost all the way, no real traffic except the odd jam caused by an accident.

Usually see every day; random camels or dogs on the roads, cars or trucks driving on the wrong side of the road (it's a dual carriageway), ridiculous speeds (both slow and fast), museum piece cars, people riding on the roof of cars or trucks, and at least one thing so crazy that it actually stands out from the rest of the madness.

When I leave I think I will need counselling to reintegrate with the world.

Re: Drive to work
 

A drone?

Re: Drive to work
 

sort of, but less autonomous

Re: Drive to work
 

Aren't we all ....*philosophical sigh*


*a lone dog howls on a hill in the distance*

Re: Drive to work
 

Depends where work is that day.

If I am in the office I leave The Democratic Peoples Republic of Mirdif (DPRM) and head past Busy Bay Bridge, generally at a crawl due to the Sharjah wanks. Then over G'houd bridge and off on the first exit down along the creek and into my office adjacent to Maccy Bridge. The reverse is also pretty shit. Generally both take 20-30 mins.

If I am on site its mostly in RAK or on the East Coast. Been on site in Khor Fakkan 2 days so far this week with the tunnels blasts. Then living in the DPRM really comes into its own. Out the back way via Khawaneej and onto the 611, then the Kalba Rd and onto the DXB-FUJ bypass and up the coast. 1hr 40 at reasonable speeds.

I generally drive so much these days I am over the hassle. I just whack a audio book on and chill out. the problem is sometimes you don't want to get out at your destination if you are at a good bit in the book.

Re: Drive to work
 

30 minutes both ways for me - Marina to DSO via Hessa St and Emirates Road. Against the main flow of traffic everyday. Its a fair commute in terms of actual distance but with no stop/start traffic its an absolute breeze.

1 set of lights, 140 for the majority, never any real traffic, iPod plugged in for a singalong, smoothie in hand, done. Would hate to get to work and already be stressed out by the journey there.

Every night on the way home I see the opposite side of Hessa St is an absolute parking lot for miles. Seriously could not handle that every day and would definitely be considering a motorbike to pick my way through.

Re: Drive to work
 

I haven't yet worked out if sitting in the Hessa shit to then get onto Al Khail for a blast is quicker/slower/same as stop/start on SZR...

Re: Drive to work
 

less than 10 minutes Greens to the back side of JLT. go through Emirates Hills so basically no traffic and no need to venture on to SZR.

roughly the same distance from Disco Gardens used to take me between 30 minutes and 90 minutes depending on the traffic.

Re: Drive to work
 

7 minutes (I have checked), Palm to DIC. I've forgotten what a commute is.

Re: Drive to work
 

Scamp, just waddle over to the metro and take it. You might be pleasantly surprised.

Mind you Gold Class may be the way to go if it's rush hour.

I take the metro all the time when I come to Dubai for work as I'm usually based in one of the hotels on Sheikh Zayed near DIFC. It's quick and easy and you won't be the only white face.

Re: Drive to work
 

The thing is, the metro is probably just as slow, if not slower, I can't expect the same level of comfort as in my car, I can't smoke or eat or drink, I can't guarantee a seat, I have to 'waddle' to and from it at both ends of the journey (adding 8mins at the home end - I've timed it).

The only benefit of the metro I see is that I don't have to think or do anything.

I might give it a go next week because my car is in for service.

Re: Drive to work
 

Usual about 20 - 25mins from Downtown to Satan’s Arsehole, sorry Sharjah. If the lights are for you getting out of Downtown and onto SZR then it’s fine, if they’re against you can take an extra 5mins. Then SZR, 120 outside lane all the way (apart from Garhoud Bridge because there are no cameras on it so 130ish there). Only other sticking point can be picking through the merging traffic on Al Khail flyover in Sharjah. If the coppers are there, as they have been lately, it’s a breeze if not it can be a few minutes of torture. For the journey home go via Business Bay to avoid SZR, and hope the lights into and around Downtown are favourable, and that not all of the traffic decides at the last moment they’re in the wrong lane to get into the Dubai Mall car park entrance they want.

Re: Drive to work
 

Downtown lights aren't great. But by far the worst are the ones getting out of Burj Views.....jesus wept, take forever to go green and then last about 15seconds!

Re: Drive to work
 

There a shitshow. Weekend evenings it can take a solid 15mins to get out. Worth going out the back way, either onto Al Khail or through the tunnel into DIFC depending which way your heading.

I think they've improved the sequencing, went out them last night for the first time on a while and they were better.

Re: Drive to work
 

30mins each way straight along the YAS Highway to Mina Zayed. Hardly any traffic.

From 1st December, that will become 45mins each way up/down SZR to Jebel Ali.

Re: Drive to work
 

Well they can't have got worse...

Re: Drive to work
 

I've taken the metro from Emirates Towers to Dubai Marina stop when going to business meetings in JLT. Had to walk through the JLT cluster and around the lake a bit (Swiss Tower if you know the building).

Door to door was about 40-45 minutes.

You can always smoke while walking to/from the metro...the actual ride itself is just under 30 minutes. To/from Business Bay would be even shorter.

But I get it anyway. You aren't a lean machine like me and need the comforts of a soft American car despite that it adds a lot of time to your evening journey. So quit whinging and put up with it.

Re: Drive to work
 

Let's say it takes 30mins from JLT to Business Bay.
+ 8 to get to metro from office
+ 8 to get to apartment from metro
+ 4 waiting time for metro / buying ticket
= 50mins

In the morning, it takes me no more than 25 to get to work.
In the evenings, it takes me between 45-60mins.

If I shave time off the walking bit, obviously by not waddling, then I might get it to about the 40/45min total mark.

At which point my commute is 40/45 x 2 = 80/90 mins
Whereas, it currently stands at 25 + 45/60 = 70/85 mins

So, thanks, you've helped me work out that I'm still better off on my big fat arse in a car. Next time, don't be so rude though, there is no need.

Re: Drive to work
 

Sorry.

Your earlier post implied it took a hour to get out of JLT alone. My mistake.

But I'll continue to point fingers at expatriates who can't be arsed to sacrifice the comforts of their cars and yet still complain about the traffic problems they willingly contribute to.

Re: Drive to work
 

why just the expats?

What about me... I have no choice as I do not have the option for public transport (not at a reasonable cost in terms of time and money) - I tried the metro bus combo once and it was almost 2 hours to get home.

Re: Drive to work
 

Working in Dhahran I lived on the KFUPM Campus and I walked to work !
In Jeddah I took a taxi from the compound to the Airline Training Centre.

Re: Drive to work
 

But you get in about 10-15 minutes of walking excersice done my dear Dr. Watson. And it's only these next 4 months when can actually walk outside.
Not to mention the comfort of totally zoning out while in a car you can't :)
As you said, you have a car service coming up, see how that works out for you. A friend of mine is in real estate and the poor bugger is driving his car atleast 4 hours a day. I can literally see him ageing in front of me :(

Re: Drive to work
 

JLT can be a pig. It's not great at the moment but not horrible either, averaging about 9mins. At worst it was 20+, at best it's 1.

Re: Drive to work
 

Just started the walking/metro/walking thing.

When driving, it actually takes longer to get out of my building and into the office car park than I truly spend driving on the open road.

Travelling home last night, a train arrived as I got to the platform and I was home in 15 mins vs about 20 in the car.

My flex bit wrist band thingy thinks that I have got a new personal trainer :-)

Re: Drive to work
 

Good points.

I've started swimming in the evenings, but a bit more exercise can't hurt can it. See how I get on next week.

Re: Drive to work
 

You're not the one complaining about the traffic, are you?

I teased Scamp because he does have feasible options other than driving. Despite working in JLT he elected to live in Business Bay even though there are seemingly thousands of apartments available in JLT or other areas in the south end of Dubai.

His choice, fine, then why whinge about the traffic and expect sympathy?