Electric Bikes - Commuting by car right now: Bummed out.

The new job has me moving between various locations through out the day, in addition to about a 10 mile commute to just get to "home base." I know I can do the morning commute and the location hopping pretty easily as soon as I get my electric motor put on. (My whole mission is to be able to ride home without the motor, after whipping up and down between locations all day.)

But the motor hasn't come yet. Actually, it has...twice through Fedex, but I haven't been here to sign for it, since I've been at work. I've been waiting for this thing to be shipped for over a month (when I wasn't working), and now I can't get it. I tried calling Fedex and negotiating a time, and they wouldn't do it. Left a note on the door indicating when I'd be home today, and the guy wrote, "Maybe tomorrow?" No time indicated, of course. ...That company could save a huge amount just in gas if they pre-arranged delivery times.

Meanwhile, in just a week and a half, I'm falling back into last year's habits. After driving, I'm just physically and mentally exhausted, and don't feel like going out for a ride.

I'm just hoping that the Fedex guy knocks loudly when I'm awake tomorrow (3rd attempt) so I can get my motor without having to drive halfway across the city to pick it up from a warehouse. I feel like I'm burning a whole lot more gas just getting this thing rigged up than I will save once I've got it. :mad:

Good luck with getting your motor :) Having to drive a car is something I hate; - apart from the muscle and joint pain I get from sitting immobile inside one of the stupid things due to my disability, it's the whole business of having to drag about this great lumpy vehicle like I'm a tortoise. Then there is the business of having to leave it somewhere once I get to my destination. Altogether too much of the planet is being used to leave cars on IMHO.

I agree. Way too much parking lot space. And where I live, it's mostly single level parking, which means a parking lot can take up more space than the building it serves. And the asphalt, in addition to taking up excessive space and looking ugly, generates additional heat in our desert city. 20-30 years ago, this place used to cool down when the sun went down. Now, it takes until the next morning to cool, since the asphalt is releasing all of the heat absorbed from the previous day. :( When will people get a clue?

...BTW, the motor came today. Due to my (already known) mechanical ineptitude, I had arrangements with a bike shop for installation. We just dropped off the kit and my bike about an hour ago. On the phone, the guy said he thought they could have it done by the end of the day. Upon seeing the whole set-up, they didn't look so confident. They haven't called me to say something won't work, so I'm hoping all is going fine.

Where I live, Fedex and Purolator have pick-up centres 5 and 8 kms away respectively. Brown is way out in the sticks, so if I'm getting something shipped, and I have to use UPS, I sent it to my work address.