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London messenger wins award
First Edition Cycling News for October 15, 2004
http://www.cyclingnews.com/
Edited by Jeff Jones and Hedwig Kröner
The International Federation of
Bike Messenger Associations (IFBMA) has awarded Buffalo Bill Chidley of
London the Markus Cook Award (MCA) for service to the international messenger
community. Since 1998, the IFBMA has awarded the MCA "to the person who has
inspired and empowered the wider messenger community, and who puts all messengers
before themselves."
"Bill's continued enthusiasm for the community is an inspiration. I'm not
sure messengers.org and my participation within the IFBMA would be what it
is today without his encouragement and overall spirit," said council member
and 2001 MCA recipient Joel Metz.
An incomplete list of his contributions to the messenger community would
include organizing the Cycle Messenger World Championships (CMWC) in 1994
and the 2003 European Cycle Messenger Championships (ECMC) in London. He is
one of the founders and Chair of the London Bicycle Messengers Association
(LBMA) and his "Moving Target" is the world's longest running messenger zine.
He's not a bad courier racer either noted by his title of Veteran's Champion
at CMWC 1996 in San Francisco.
Bill was the only president of the IFBMA's predecessor, the International
Federation of Cycle Messengers and Companies (IFCMC) and a driving force behind
the creation and continued success of the IFBMA and its concept of grassroots
organizing including the annual open forum.
After the death of London cycle courier Sebastian Lukomski this past February
Bill and the LBMA have mounted a campaign to prevent similar tragedies. To
date seven London bicycle messengers have been killed while working, all by
heavy goods vehicles (HGV's)
The LBMA's campaign seeks to ensure that "HGV operators be persuaded that
they have a duty of care towards vulnerable road users," and that HGV's be
equipped with appropriate safety equipment such as near side mirrors eliminating
blind spots. The LBMA calls for a ban from Central Congestion Charge Zone
on all HGV's that fail to comply.
On the web:
Markus Cook Award: http://www.messengers.org/ifbma/mca.html
IFBMA: http://www.messengers.org/
LBMA: http://www.londonmessengers.org/
HGV campaign: http://www.londonmessengers.org/hgv.html
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