My trip home, thinking about relative distances America vs. Europe

[TxTeleMan]

Drove a VW bus non-stop with a friend in 1974 from San Francisco to New Orleans -

hard to believe but almost half the trip was El Paso to home.

Texas sure is wide!

El Paso, Texas is closer to the Pacific Ocean than it is to east Texas. And Orange, Texas is closer to the Atlantic Ocean than it is to El Paso.

El Paso, Texas to San Diego, CA - 724 miles
El Paso, Texas to Orange, Texas - 858 miles
Jacksonville, FL to Orange, Texas - 762 miles

It's not just Europe, it's the Northeastern United States. New York City, Philadephia, Washington, DC. They're about as far apart as Houston and Dallas.

 

[Agave_Blue]

It is if you count the Ukraine as being in Europe. .....

I think we kind of have to since the Ukraine is in Europe.

 

[Nick JD]

Actually, no. 3 times the area of Texas is nearly 806,000 sq. miles, Queensland is just a little over 715,000. Also, Texas is nearly 800 miles wide, and 800 tall, is Queensland more than 2400 miles wide in any direction?

I thought the word "nearly" meant the same in Texas... Texas fits in my state 2 and 2/3 times (see how I used American units for clarity).

We've got a reef almost the size of California (133,000 sq mi).

 

[TxTeleMan]

I think we kind of have to since the Ukraine is in Europe.

And Texas is still larger than the Ukraine.

 

[w3stie]

This whole thread is a testament to why it is ridiculous for the media to tell Americans that we are somehow cheating the rest of the world with our gas prices.
There are several European Countries that could fit into Minnesota much less Texas. When we visit relatives it is a matter sometimes of thousands of miles, in Europe maybe a hundred. Their environment does not require the same investments as here in the U. S.
It is ridiculous to say that England is paying $10-20 a gal for gas and we complain about $4 here in the U.S. Let them drive 120 miles a day back and forth to work, then I will stand in line with them to holla'. Now I am not saying that they all don't have to sacrifice but the vast majority does not.

That's why I was prattling on about the Solar Car Challenge. Not that anyone cares... shuffle...sniff...

 

[Nick JD]

Let them drive 120 miles a day back and forth to work...

Aren't there any other jobs between your home and your work? Driving 120 miles to get to work isn't because America's big ... it's because Americans think it's a good idea to do it.

I live in the least populated country in the world, and I don't know anyone who has a 120 mile commute! 5 hours driving per day? Why?

 

[Agave_Blue]

And Texas is still larger than the Ukraine.

I don't think anyone questions that.

As a matter of fact, iirc this topic was the subject of a Jeopardy question:

TeleMan: "Big" for $600 Alex.
Alex T.: It's bigger than everything. .... TeleMan.
TeleMan: Texas.
Alex T.: Answer in the form of a question please.
TeleMan: What is Texas?
Alex T.: Correct for $600. Select again.

 

[Sidney Vicious]

Yeah, sorry, I goofed. Was going on memory. It's closer to California than it is to Dallas...by quite a bit.

I repeat: :!:

 

[Sidney Vicious]

El Paso, Texas is closer to the Pacific Ocean than it is to east Texas. And Orange, Texas is closer to the Atlantic Ocean than it is to El Paso.El Paso, Texas to San Diego, CA - 724 miles
El Paso, Texas to Orange, Texas - 858 miles
Jacksonville, FL to Orange, Texas - 762 miles

It's not just Europe, it's the Northeastern United States. New York City, Philadephia, Washington, DC. They're about as far apart as Houston and Dallas.

CRAZY

 

[Sidney Vicious]

Aren't there any other jobs between your home and your work? Driving 120 miles to get to work isn't because America's big ... it's because Americans think it's a good idea to do it. I live in the least populated country in the world, and I don't know anyone who has a 120 mile commute! 5 hours driving per day? Why?

We have a winner!

 

[Ironwolf]

Aren't there any other jobs between your home and your work? Driving 120 miles to get to work isn't because America's big ... it's because Americans think it's a good idea to do it.

I live in the least populated country in the world, and I don't know anyone who has a 120 mile commute! 5 hours driving per day? Why?

You work where there is a decent paying job. You live where you can afford to live based on what the job pays. We have a lot of people around here who commute 120 to 150 miles a day. I know a couple of folks who commute almost 200. But that isn't 5 hours of driving at 75+ mph. For most of them it's around an hour to an hour and a half, each way.

It can be a long haul between towns here. The next town south east along the freeway is about 40 miles. Once you exit the metroplex going northwest along the freeway the next town worth calling a town (and the only one that isn't some distance off the freeway) is about 35 miles. The next town after that is a little over 70 miles farther on.

I commute about 20 miles a day, and I live in the same town where I work. Shoot, I even live on the same side of town.

 

[BigDaddyLH]

I thought the word "nearly" meant the same in Texas... Texas fits in my state 2 and 2/3 times (see how I used American units for clarity).

We've got a reef almost the size of California (133,000 sq mi).

Let's just agree that Texas is big. Not as big as Queensland, but still big. Not as big as British Columbia, but still big. Not as big as Ontario, but still big. Not as big as the Northwest Territories, but still big. Not as big as Quebec, but still big. Not as big as Nunavut, but still big. (And Nunavut is 3 times the area, 2,093,190 sq km versus 696,241).

 

[rolling56]

Save my life I'm goin' down for the last time ♪

You must have lived near St.Louis at one time?

Ever hear the band Missouri > Movin' On? or the band Touch?

My wife is from SoCali and never heard of any of them

 

[Joe-Bob]

I thought the word "nearly" meant the same in Texas... Texas fits in my state 2 and 2/3 times (see how I used American units for clarity).

No worries. I was just being a wiseguy.

 

[jefrs]

Aren't there any other jobs between your home and your work? Driving 120 miles to get to work isn't because America's big ... it's because Americans think it's a good idea to do it.

I live in the least populated country in the world, and I don't know anyone who has a 120 mile commute! 5 hours driving per day? Why?

You live in Mongolia?

 

[Nick JD]

You live in Mongolia?

On weekends.

On weekdays it's really difficult to overtake on the 8-lane highways what with all the bowmen on horseback in the fast lanes.

Okay, I live in the least populated country with actual roads.

 

[Markdett]

I guess it just depends on what you are used to.....

I have lived in the US, Germany, and England.
In the US, I have lived in TX, AZ, NM, Calif, NY, Alaska, VA, and FLA, as well as Colorado.
England seemed so small, yet traveling "A" and "B" roads seemed to take for ever, compared to similar roads in the US. Frequently, in the UK, my friends and I went by train, rather than using my old Morris, as it was faster and more reliable.
In the US, I made 750 mile plus weekend round-trips from Wichita Falls Tx to San Antonio to visit my parents. In the UK, going the 60 odd mile distance from RAF Lakenheath, Suffolk to London was not considered something to round-trip in a day.

 

[emu!]

My boss flies from Dallas to Houston occassionally.

After 23 minutes into the flight, the pilot tells the passengers the plane is leveling off at 30,000 feet. 10 minutes later, the pilot tells the passengers the plane is descending and will be in Houston in 23 minutes.

Dallas to Houston in under 1 hour...crazy.

 

[Dave Hicks]

Chile's a big un, too, latitudinally at least.

D.H.

 

[rghill]

You work where there is a decent paying job. You live where you can afford to live based on what the job pays. We have a lot of people around here who commute 120 to 150 miles a day. I know a couple of folks who commute almost 200. But that isn't 5 hours of driving at 75+ mph. For most of them it's around an hour to an hour and a half, each way.

I had a manager who drove from Tucson to Phoenix and back every day, which is over 120 miles each way, and having to deal with rush hour in two cities and along one of the busiest stretches of I-10. He did it because his wife had a very good executive job in Tucson and the management position was the best he could find.

I also knew someone that drove from Prescott Arizona to Phoenix every day, which is about 60 miles. I can understand that one - living in a much smaller town is a good trade off for the extra drive.