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What you can learn from bike messengers
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It takes a special breed to earn a living
dodging big-city traffic aboard a bicycle
By Paul Lavigne
Dallas Morning News, December 5, 2006
On a recent windy Wednesday that kept other cyclists indoors, Jonathan
Roach hit the streets of downtown, wondering at times if he would
topple in the chilly gusts.
Postponing a ride isn't an option, even in the wildest of weather,
because cycling pays Mr. Roach's bills.
Mr. Roach, 26, is one of a rare breed of bike messengers, also called
bike couriers, dodging and weaving through the streets of Dallas and
Fort Worth.Alain Cansino, 34, president and creator of the Dallas Order
of Messengers (DOOM), estimates that Dallas has fewer than 15 bicycle
messengers. That's about half as many as six years ago and just a
quarter of what they have today in Houston.
Most courier companies rely on automobiles, but there are times when a
car just won't cut it.
It's 4:40 p.m. and your law firm needs something filed at the
courthouse before 5. Good luck getting a car through downtown traffic.
If you haven't seen bike messengers before, you might have noticed them
a couple of weekends ago when DOOM sponsored its first Alleycat race,
bringing bike messengers from all over the state into downtown.
Alleycat races are designed to emulate the type of riding a messenger
might do in an average day. The course is secret until the day of the
ride, and it's not really a fixed route at all. It's a series of
checkpoints where cyclists have to complete a task or pick up an item.
"It really is a lot more than riding around in circles as fast as you
can," says Mr. Cansino, who likens it to a scavenger hunt.
During a real day, bike couriers can deliver between 15 and 30
packages, covering anywhere from 10 to 20 miles, Mr. Roach says. Most
trips involve law firms delivering documents to other law firms or to
courthouses.
It's not all mindless pick-up-drop-off-sign-here tasks, he says. Mr.
Roach says sometimes couriers are asked to request certain documents
based on legal criteria, similar to work done by a paralegal.
And there are the unusual demands, such as the businessman who needed a
courier to retrieve a forgotten cellphone and keys at home, and the
parent who needed someone to deliver a child's basketball shoes before
practice.
Diversity is what draws people into the job, says Mr. Cansino, who left
bartending in 2001 to be a bike messenger.
"For 12 hours, all I saw was those four walls," he says. "Now I get to
see the seasons change. You really don't have to answer to anybody.
It's really how much you want to give and get back out of it."
Skirting the dangers of downtown drivers takes some skill, and it's not
without risk. Mr. Roach has been hit by a car a couple of times and
he's seen a lot of close calls, especially among drivers pulling
heedlessly out of parking garages.
Being the best isn't about who has the sturdiest bike. (Mr. Roach rides
a 1980s road bike with skinny tires.) And how fast you ride isn't
nearly as crucial as how well you navigate.
"Dallas is a small enough downtown where it's really easy to get to
know the traffic patterns. You know which red lights you can run and
you know which ones are dangerous," he says.
Bike messengers' daredevil and devil-may-care attitudes separate them
from your average cyclist racing around White Rock Lake.
Sure, the Lycra crowd might have more expensive bikes and can ride
whenever they want, but Mr. Roach says he wouldn't change positions.
Having to ride his bike for work is the only way he would ever spend
that much time in the saddle.
"You're not going to ride in the rain or out in January when it's 40
degrees ... if you're just going out for exercise," he says.
"The people I meet in elevators, when it's sprinkling outside, will
say, 'Oh, you must hate your job today,' " he says. "And I think,
'Well, not really. I'm not stuck in a cubicle like you.' "
URBAN CYCLING TIPS
1. Always wear a helmet (no matter what that
daredevil on this week's cover is doing).
2. Be aware of your surroundings and watch for road obstacles. A
pothole can take you out. Watch for cars turning, stopping or parking,
and watch for pedestrians. They hurt, too.
3. Ride defensively.
4. Use headlights. They may not prevent cars from hitting you as much
as they keep you from running over the wrong thing. Cracks, manholes,
potholes and bottles can all ruin your night.
5. Be prepared. Know how to change a flat and have the equipment to do
it. That doesn't mean you need to have a big bag full of stuff. A
multitool, a pump, levers and a tube can all fit under a saddle.
6. Know your limits. Not all cyclists are meant for all roads, and not
all bikes are meant to ride in traffic.
7. Know your bike. Properly inflate your tires. Make sure your brakes
are in working order. Restrain your excess: Don't let shoelaces dangle,
and keep your pant legs from getting caught in a chain. (Couriers roll
up their pants to prevent this problem, not for fashion.)
8. A fender-bender in a car is a lot less damaging to your body than
one on a bike. Never assume a driver sees you. Make your decisions
wisely, and don't let your emotions get the best of you.
9. Cars hurt!
10. Always wear a helmet.
SOURCE: Alain Cansino, president and creator of Dallas Order of
Messengers
BIKE MESSENGER FACTS
The International Federation of Bike Messenger Associations has
information on its Web site (www.messengers.org) about the number of
bike messengers per city and where to find bike messengers.
Each city has a profile of important facts for bike messengers. Here's
the site's snapshot of Dallas.
Number of couriers: 20 (Though local couriers say the number is
slightly lower.)
Number of companies: 10
Price for a standard delivery downtown: $3 to $10
Percent of delivery fee paid to courier: 50 percent to 70 percent
Monthly housing rent for one person: $400 to $900
Cost of inner tube: $3
Pint of beer: $3.25 to $5.50
Reasonable lunch: $5 to $7
Where messengers hang out: Corner of San Jacinto and North Harwood
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