A moment in bike messenger life - Washington, DC

[sanddreams0]

''here's another building with some more security". haha. the story of dc.

[TheMadzymoo]

Do bike messenger employers want you to know every single street and building and how to get there the fastest? Like how would you know all of that!? Do u use a GPS?

[meredithbegin]

@TheMadzymoo Well, first of all, they are not employers. Bike messengers (at least in DC and most of the U.S.) are independent contractors.

[meredithbegin]

@TheMadzymoo Yes, couriers need to know addresses. DC is REALLY easy to navigate considering the names of the streets are mostly all letters and numbers and the city is laid out in a way that makes sense. There are a few tricky spots which is why rookies (new couriers) are encouraged to carry a map. (or nowadays most have one on their blackberries/phones).

[meredithbegin]

@TheMadzymoo GPS is for idiots. If you need GPS then you have no business being a courier. Couriers should have a natural sense of direction. I know the city like the back of my hand but it did take time to learn it so well. Some learn faster than others.

I also know other cities better than a lot of people living in them. GPS takes the thinking out of the game making a user WEAK. Gotta keep those synapses snapping!

Getting there the fastest isn't always the point-- consistency is key.

[TheMadzymoo]

@meredithbegin right on thats more than what i was hoping for :) But like, do you totally get yelled at when your a newbie n your late on delivery?

[meredithbegin]

@TheMadzymoo As long as you communicate with dispatchers no one will get in trouble and packages won't be late. Most deliveries have a few hour window to deliver and dispatchers keep an eye on that. If your lost, get a flat tire, or get hit, first thing you gotta do is let your dispatcher know.

[DarkoBWM]

What gear ratio do you have on your bike?

[meredithbegin]

@DarkoBWM Not sure at the time. More than likely it was a 46-16.

[tiny11231]

Hi, I love the video, are there any bike racks at the monuments? I visited DC 3 weeks ago but i never got a chance to visit the monuments and i want to bike them all. Thanks

[meredithbegin]

Thanks!

There are some racks at monuments but they're not always in the best spot. Generally they may be at the end of one section of monuments/memorials in order to encourage you to walk around.

There are also bike tours you can take. An organization called Bike the Sites runs it.

[meredithbegin]

I definitely recommend touring at night because there are less people and more places to throw your bike. I took a bunch of folks around just this past Wednesday evening and we just lean locked to eachother when there weren't any bike racks.

I'd contact the National Park Service for comments/questions as they manage the National Mall. They would like feedback from cyclists, I'm sure!