April 13, 2011, 6:28 PM |
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By Rob Kotch, Owner of Breakaway Courier
I went back to basics on Friday, Dec 10th and spent the day as a bicycle messenger on the streets of New York City. I started off as a bicycle messenger in Denver Colorado, in 1977. I also did bicycle messenger work in NYC for 3 years. Cycling has always been a big part of my life.
My initial enthusiasm to get back to the streets was quickly tempered by the harsh realities of the messenger grind. I prefer tranquil environments, I like to hear the snow crunching under my feet, I like the sound of the wind rustling the trees.
Returning to the streets was like walking back into the Gladiator Ring. It was an assault on all my senses. I could not hear the tranquil sounds of nature but the incessant loud noise of New York City going about its business. The constant loud thrum of traffic, the beastie roar of 53-ft trucks, the random shrill of another siren speeding to another emergency. The incessant horns honking, the occasional yelling and screaming of two New Yorkers working out a petty dispute. The smell of diesel exhaust, cigarette smokers, piles of garbage assault my nose. The canvas of gray on gray on black and white burn my eyes. There are no signs of life, just cement and asphalt. Continue reading: Back to Basics »
Posted By: Rani Robinson
March 18, 2011, 2:51 PM |
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By Andy, General Manager for Breakaway Courier
If you do not live in a major city you may not have ever noticed or even heard of the concept of a bike messenger. I think some background is in order.
The bike messenger is a very small cog in a very large transportation industry that encompasses approximately 1/3 of the US economy and entails vehicles and companies ranging from container ships, 18 wheel trucks, Fed-ex, UPS, the post office, and thousands of small local delivery services like Breakaway Courier.
All these businesses have one thing in common; they deliver something from here to there. The bike messenger is no different although there is obviously an added visceral thrill that is more akin to the pony express or Pheidippides delivering news of victory to Athens before dropping dead. I will have much more to say about the romantic image of the bike messenger versus the bike messenger “reality” at a later time. The question for now is why do bike messengers exist in large urban centers as opposed to vans or even motorcycles? The one word answer is….density. Dense urban areas with heavy vehicle traffic make the efficiencies of the bike messenger profitable.
Continue reading: The Reality of the First Week and Why does the bike messenger exist? »
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