I hit 50,000 miles on my commute car last week and it was a wakeup call

Last Tuesday I looked down at my odometer and saw 49,987 miles. I bought that Honda Civic in March 2023, so that means I drove about 50,000 miles in just over a year. That is a lot of time sitting in traffic on I-35 between Round Rock and Austin. I started doing the math and realized I have spent around 800 hours in that car just going to work and back. If you are like me and you have a long commute, check your odometer today. How many miles have you racked up without really thinking about it?

3 comments

3 Comments

kaih3628d ago

Yeah, that "800 hours" part really stuck with me too. Like, when you put it that way, it's basically a whole month of your life every year just sitting in a car seat. But I wanna know something specific, are you actually getting anything out of those 800 hours or is it just lost time? Like have you learned a new language through podcasts or listened to full audiobooks, or is it more just zoning out and getting irritated at brake lights? Because I feel like that changes whether the commute is a total waste or kind of a necessary evil that you can make work for you.

jennifer_jenkins28d ago

Read that audiobooks are secretly the only thing saving commuters from going completely insane.

jamesf4128d ago

50,000 miles in a year is wild, but what hit me is the 800 hours. Have you actually tracked what you do with that time besides just driving? Like are you listening to audiobooks or podcasts, or is it just radio silence and road rage? Because I bet if you added up that time it might change how you think about the car payment or the gas bill.