MESSENGERS WEATHER OBSTACLES TO DELIVERY

by Traci Grant

Boston Globe,February 11, 1994
 

In the past few days, James Norton, 28, has had plenty of close calls.

For instance, as Norton whizzed around a corner in Boston's financialdistrict Wednesday, delivering parcels on his mountain bike, he hit a patchof ice that sent him flying out into the middle of the street. The truckbarreling toward him skidded to a halt, barely missing Norton, who laysprawled in the road.

"It's definitely dangerous out there," said Norton, who lives in Somerville."It's dangerous enough in dry, warm weather, but on days like this, it'sa whole different story."

In spring and summer, bicycle messengers like Norton take the spillsand the thrills in stride. But when the city is caught in winter's chokehold,messengers say they feel as if they are putting their lives on the linewith every pump of their pedals.

The most recent storm that clogged city streets with more than 18 inchesof snow -- and up to 26 inches in some areas -- has made Norton's job moredifficult and more dangerous than ever.

"This storm has been much worse than the previous ones," said Norton,who has worked as a messenger for Ace Bicycle Couriers and other companiesin the Boston area for more than a year. "The roads have been a lot slicker.I thought the worse was over. I was wrong."

According to the National Weather Service, the worst is yet to come.Even though there are six weeks of winter to go, the Boston area alreadyhas been blanketed by 65 inches -- 25 inches above average for this timeof year.

The weather service predicts a sprinkling of snow for tonight. But don'tbe fooled by a lull Saturday morning; it probably will snow again Saturdaynight and Sunday morning.

"That precipitation could be snow or ice or even rain around some partsof the coast," said Walter Drag, a meteorologist for the National WeatherService. "Let me put it this way, no matter what, we're going to add tothe total."

Weather reports like these are what lead Norton, who tunes into theWeather Channel the moment he wakes up each day, to dread mounting hisbike. On Tuesday, Day One of the storm, snow already had begun to pileup on the roads by the time he awoke.

After peering out his window, Norton resigned himself to spending theday dodging ice, snow banks, snow plows, pedestrians and cars. The maneuversmessengers must make around weather-related obstacles have done littleto endear them to those who share the asphalt.

"Pedestrians don't like you and the drivers don't like you either,"Norton said. "The people in the cars get angry. They want you off the street.The pedestrians want you off the sidewalk."

So where does the seasoned bicycle messenger find a happy pathway?

A mixture of both the streets and the sidewalks works for Norton. Ingeneral, sidewalks serve him best after a big snow because most shop ownershave them cleared and salted. Norton has found the worst roads to travelare in Cambridge, South Boston and the North End, although yesterday hepinpointed Back Bay, particularly Boylston and Newbury streets, and thestreets bordering Boston Common as the biggest messes.

"It's really bad through there," Norton said. "The streets are verynarrow. It doesn't seem to have been taken care of too well."

For snow removal, Norton gave the streets of downtown Boston a thumbs-up.When inclement weather strikes, he said he would rather be gliding arounddowntown than anywhere else.

Unlike many of the city's bike messengers, who give up their jobs atthe first sign of winter, Norton holds the position year-round. Despitethe trouble it causes him, Norton says he still reveres winter as a specialtime for Bostonians.

"Sometimes, I kind of like it in a way," he said. "It can be exciting.There's this feeling of camraderie on the streets. It's like we're allin this together."