UPS lately

rick81721

rick81721

Lothar
shrpshtr325 said:
why do you pay the rediculous prices for pre-mixed gas? buy the damn 2 stroke oil (or hell even straighth saw30wt motor oil) and mix it yourself, the special 2 stroke oil costs the same per qt (last time i checked) as the pre-mixed stuff and you can make something like 10 or 15 gallons of mixed fuel with it, for 30 seconds of time to measure it.

savings are not nothing. ill use my case as an example, i use 4 gallons (maybe a bit more, but ill use a round number) of mixed fuel a year (standard 50:1 mix)
at home depot that is 19.97/gal or $80 a year in fuel.

now for the same amount of fuel i spend
$2.50 (approx)/gal on gas ($10)
stabil (so it doesnt go bad, also an ethanol treatment) $6.98 treats 25 gallons ($.28/gal) ($1.12)
2 stroke oil $12.97/pint (makes just over 6 gallons) ($2.11/gal) ($8.44)
my time for mixing : 60 seconds (ill be generous) at w/e rate your salary is but likely <$1/minute

soo lets add 10+8.44+1.12=$19.56 (23.56 if you want to charge for your time)


i just saved $56/year over buying the pre-mix fuel . . . thats not pocket change
Click to expand...

I never knew you could even buy pre-mixed gas. Almost as ridiculous as buying chocolate milk!
 
one piece crank

one piece crank

Well-Known Member
The pre-mixed stuff I have seen is ethanol free! Big difference in the life/maintenance of your small power equipment.

But as you suggest, I mix my own but use avgas...
 
shrpshtr325

shrpshtr325

Infinite Source of Sarcasm
Team MTBNJ Halter's
one piece crank said:
The pre-mixed stuff I have seen is ethanol free! Big difference in the life/maintenance of your small power equipment.

But as you suggest, I mix my own but use avgas...
Click to expand...

stabil makes a blend with an ethanol treatment my (rather incomplete) understanding is that its nuetralizing the negative effects of the ethanol.
 
stb222

stb222

Love Drunk
Jerk Squad
jdog said:
Some may deny it, but amazon is killing the local bike shop. We’ve seen somewhere between 25-30 shops go under in the philly/ NY market in the last two years and more are to come.

We’ve seen growth because of these shops going away, but that’s not how I’d prefer to gain it.

No everyone values what independent bike shops do, but if you do, I ask that you think about throwing a bone to your local shop a bit more often. (Not just mine). Sure, you can get most things a bit cheaper on amazon, but know they are eroding your local culture. I don’t see how you could deny this.
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I am not embarrassed to say that I buy bike stuff at Halter's, one or two shops local to me when I need a tube or something, REI due to its close proximity to my work, amazon and other online retailers. It isn't always about the lowest price, it sometimes, I need a chain, REI is right there and I can have it now. You personally know I am an impulse buyer, which makes Amazon same day shipping dangerous for my bank account. I dont know if this makes me a bad local consumer.
Many smaller local shop have gone to QBP next day shipping benefit of having the Lancaster location and in return, they basically stock nothing. You are not one of them.

In any case, a few years we talked about the big box stores putting local out of business. Now amazon + big box is killing it more. While I like supporting local, it just isn't reasonable to by toilet paper at the corner store.

Norm said:
The real issue with all of this is that everything is so goddamn expensive. So we all have to make choices about where we spend our money. This morning as an example, I drove to Home Depot which is 6 miles away and it took me almost 2 hours because of shitty morning traffic. I had to go there as opposed to my local hardware store because the local store does not sell mixed gas for the leaf blower. They do not sell gas because they do not sell leaf blowers and other power equipment. I bought a few other things while I was there which I could have gotten at the local shop, but I was at HD. Frankly I would have bought the gas online if I thought to look but assume that they cannot ship gas.

Ok what is the point? Eating 2 hours with this trip has fucked my day. I would love to spend my time with humans but life simply does not allow that very often. Just as a practical matter we all have to balance where we spend our time as much as our money.
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I really liked the local hardware store by my old house, for whatever reason, they had the best hardware (screws,nails, nuts, bolts, etc) that was way better quality and, if needed, you could buy a handful out of a box. But aside from that, unless I had an emergency run during an active project, I rarely went they for anything else. The closest one to me now is 3-4 miles away in a direction i dont really go for anything else, so it never sees my business :(
 
shrpshtr325

shrpshtr325

Infinite Source of Sarcasm
Team MTBNJ Halter's
ethanol is horrible for all the older seals and gasket materials,s the newer machines have gaskets and seals made out a material which is much more resistant to ethanol, just like more modern cars. I have had good luck running the ethanol treatment and will continue to do so since i go through way too much fuel to be spending $20/gallon for it.
 
one piece crank

one piece crank

Well-Known Member
I pay $5/gal for Avgas, keep 5 gallons on hand, and mix 1 liter as needed for power equipment - no ethanol, no fuss, no problems, ever.
 
gmb3

gmb3

JORBA: Sourlands
JORBA.ORG
jdog said:
As a side note, a good friend of mine recently took on a part time job in the Amazon fulfillment center. He says it's hell on earth for working conditions.

Low wages, no music or headphones allowed, very few breaks and short ones. He said most people don't last a week. They see about a 80% turnover rate monthly.

Most other people who work there are like him, out of work after years in a in a highly specialized job that has vanished. He's miserable.

Basically he urges anyone to think twice about shopping with amazon.

One doesn't need to look very far to see the localized impact of Amazon. I'm fairly biased as I own a small, independent retail store and I know so many others who do the same.
I am sad to see the downswing or early end in local retail. I like interacting with a local expert and actually touching, feeling, smelling something before I make a purchase. In the last few years, i've made an effort when contemplating any purchase to look for super durable, long lasting products that will be around for years. The whole amazon concept is gross to me.
Click to expand...

As a guy who supports distribution and fulfillment centers, I feel the need to clarify some small things:
1. No headphones is for safety - stay alert and don't get caught in conveyors (no hoodies, tie long hair back are also rules for similar reasons). Also don't want people having their cell phones on the floor, too easy to get distracted and waste time. "Boomboxes" in a work area should be allowed as long as the music isn't offensive to anyone.
2. Breaks are dictated by state laws (or unions if applicable) - I believe most places give a 15min paid break plus 30min unpaid lunch for anyone working 6+ hours a day. I was very surprised to find this on nj.gov FAQ though:

"Q. Are breaks and lunches required by law?
A. The mandatory break law only applies to minors under the age of 18 and they must be given a thirty (30) minute meal period after five (5) consecutive hours of work. Company policy dictates break and lunch periods for anyone over the age of 18."

I would think "old guys" need more breaks than minors but oh well.

That said, I have heard Amazon is a really bad working environment and people burn out quickly, especially Supervisors/Management.
 
The Kalmyk

The Kalmyk

Well-Known Member
gmb3 said:
"Q. Are breaks and lunches required by law?
A. The mandatory break law only applies to minors under the age of 18 and they must be given a thirty (30) minute meal period after five (5) consecutive hours of work. Company policy dictates break and lunch periods for anyone over the age of 18."

.
Click to expand...

Unless you own the business and want to work your kids like slaves.
 
Norm

Norm

Mayor McCheese
Team MTBNJ Halter's
I don't mix my own. I used to but then I would let it sit for 2 years. This makes more sense for my lifestyle.

Telling people to pay someone else to blow your leaves so you can go spend money in a bike shop sort of misses the point. We paid someone to maintain the lawn for 2 years and frankly it wasn't that great - especially the leaves. They would just blow them where they hoped people would never look or not care. So now I find myself having to rake out tons of wet/composting leaves in shitty areas. I can pay even more for a better landscaper to come, but that then means I have even less disposable cash to spend on bike shops and artesanal pies from the farm stand that cost $93 a pop.

Don't get me wrong, I still use bike shops but I need to budget both my time and money as best I can. I simply can't afford to pay $50 for a pair of road gloves that may start to fray in 3 days. I wish I could but I gotta pay alimony plus we got 3 kids steamrolling towards college and we all pay enough in NJ taxes. The reality is that Amazon makes life better for a big number of us.

Most of us aren't wealthy enough to live our lives on principle alone.
 
02camaro

02camaro

Well-Known Member
i saw a ups delivery truck getting towed today, thankfully nothing has been delayed from them yet but my fed ex package was "delayed" in Macungie PA yesterday due to weather. last i checked it didnt rain or snow in the tri-state area at all since sunday, either way got it today. overall amazon has been delivering my stuff on time and all teh warehouse stuff has been perfect. i have gotten several open box car parts for 50-75% off retail because a chump dickered the box.

as far as trying to buy local, i do my best to but last time i was in a pinch and needed a chain i got boned paying $50 bucks for a chain that amazon sells for $25 because i needed it now. other things i can get local but im still buying from a big corporation because thats who sells it, so why not just buy amazon and wait for it to come and save dealing with humans and some money?
 
Bike N Gear

Bike N Gear

Shop: Bike N Gear
Shop Keep
Well Fedex kept one rider from destroying the trails over the past two weeks. Just needed one bolt. Spent the whole week trying to find it's way from Woodbridge to Somerset and get off the truck.

FROM
Salt Lake City, UT US
TO
SOMERSET, NJ US


  • Friday , 11/30/2018
    6:11 amKEASBEY, NJOn FedEx vehicle for delivery
  • 5:00 amKEASBEY, NJAt local FedEx facility
  • Thursday , 11/29/2018
    7:47 pmKEASBEY, NJArrived at FedEx location
  • 8:06 amKEASBEY, NJDelivery exceptionFuture delivery requested
  • 2:54 amKEASBEY, NJOn FedEx vehicle for delivery
  • 2:24 amKEASBEY, NJAt local FedEx facility
  • Wednesday , 11/28/2018
    1:07 pmKEASBEY, NJDelivery exceptionCustomer not available or business closed
  • 2:52 amKEASBEY, NJAt local FedEx facility
  • Tuesday , 11/27/2018
    11:12 pmKEASBEY, NJArrived at FedEx location
  • Monday , 11/26/2018
    10:40 pmLONG ISLAND CITY, NYDeparted FedEx location
  • 11:55 amLONG ISLAND CITY, NYArrived at FedEx location
  • Sunday , 11/25/2018
    2:20 pmWOODBRIDGE TWP, NJIn transit
  • Saturday , 11/24/2018
    5:43 pmWOODBRIDGE TWP, NJIn transit
  • 5:43 amLAMAR TWP, PAIn transit
  • Friday , 11/23/2018
    4:40 pmLA SALLE, ILIn transit
  • 4:37 amNORTH PLATTE, NEIn transit
  • Thursday , 11/22/2018
    3:33 pmNORTH SALT LAKE, UTDeparted FedEx location
  • Tuesday , 11/20/2018
    9:20 pmNORTH SALT LAKE, UTArrived at FedEx location
  • 6:33 pmNORTH SALT LAKE, UTPicked up
  • 3:15 pmShipment information sent to FedEx
 
S

scooter77

Active Member
Usps is the sometimes the slowest but most reliable I know it will show up. Both Fedex and Ups with I have had packages go missing or delivered damaged. Getting them to reimburse you or refund the missing item is impossible in my opinion. It's the drivers word verse your word. With these new delivery services Amazon uses sometimes they lose your package and they either credit you or just resend the package so it arrives even if you get the other one. Now Amazon putting smaller bike shops out of business I can believe but isn't that the case with any large retailer. The big box stores have always knocked mom and pop shops out of business. With people being having so many delivery services available. You dont have to leave your couch and have everything delivered to your door. What can we do?
 
thegock

thegock

Well-Known Member
More anecdotal evidence:


Some Amazon deliverer left a box on the front porch yesterday, I drove it to the right address five blocks away and left it on the lawn on the way to work.

Last year, a box of .44 ammo (twenty lbs worth) arrived on the front porch. I called ups and it disappeared days later.
 
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