A moment in bike messenger life - Washington, DC

July 19, 2006, 12:45pm 441 4th St to 941 North Cap cussing a lot and laughing at my side saddle

A snippit of a day in the work as a courier. I'm clearly having one of those days where the mundane is humorous and everything else is irritating. The footage starts with me coming out of 441 4th St NW (aka 1 Judiciary Sq.) Washington, DC, and continues onto my bike, east on E St NW (a bit of cussing about guys standing in the street), north on N. Capitol St, passed a fender bender to the ramp by 801 North Cap, across the concrete plaza to the bike rack at 941 North Cap where I giggle at my own reflection as I ride side saddle on the top tube and dismount. At the end you can get a glimpse of the security that I need to go through just to get a few documents on file at DCRA (Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs).

If you notice one part on E St NW when I move over to the left side of the truck you see my hand shoot out. Yes, I used the momentum of the truck to push myself forward. I can't claim it as skitching because it was only a hot second and the truck began going slower than me. I don't think I have any good footage of skitching but I think one guy missed it by a few seconds during Monstertrack 2006 (?)

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• bicycle
• courier
• Washington
• DC
• messenger
• bike
• riding
• urban
• traffic
• bus
• city
• streets

[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.

[sanddreams0]

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

[meredithbegin]

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

[DarkoBWM]

What gear ratio do you have on your bike?

[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!