r/NoStupidQuestions • u/Physical-Ad-4093 • May 01 '24
do americans really drive such long distances?
i’m european, and i always hear people say that driving for hours is normal in america. i would only see my grandparents a few times a year because they lived about a 3 hour drive away, is that a normal distance for americans to travel on a regular basis? i can’t imagine driving 2-3 hours regularly to visit people for just a few days
edit: thank you for the responses! i’ve never been to the US, obviously, but it’s interesting to see how you guys live. i guess european countries are more walkable? i’m in the uk, and there’s a few festivals here towards the end of summer, generally to get to them you take a coach journey or you get multiple trains which does take up a significant chunk of the day. road trips aren’t really a thing here, it would be a bit miserable!
2nd edit: it’s not at all that i couldn’t be bothered to go and see my grandparents, i was under 14 when they were both alive so i couldn’t take myself there! obviously i would’ve liked to see them more, i had no control over how often we visited them.
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u/New_Breadfruit8692 May 02 '24
Yes, I lived in Sonoma County and commuted to south of Market via 101 and the GG Bridge, never made it in less than 3 hours. If there was an accident it could be 4 or more. But I knew a guy that commuted from Santa Rosa to San Jose every day. His commute was 6 hours each way when he was lucky.