Commandments of bike messenger-ism.

Here's some knowledge that was dropped on me during my years of messengering thru Chicago's Winters and equally blistering summer days. Following my list will be words of wisdom passed on from others via the interwebs.

Wintertime:
1) Stay Hydrated.
2) Layer clothes properly. I like the ski-balaclava thing that covers yer head but it's thin enough to still be able to sport a helmet.
3) Don't be afriad to wear ski goggles.
4) Realze you will be wet. Find your standby sanctuarys and always know where one is relative to your position. You never know when you'll be near another.
5) When riding over the cheese-grater bridges in Chicago in wet weather, don't tense up or look down thru to the river. Your rear wheel likely will fishtail - just maintain forward momentum and don't struggle. relaxxxxxxxx
6) Enjoy your bicycle and take care of it. If that means throwing it in the shower with you after work because you've ridden through thousands of gallons of salt, then do it.
7) Keep plenty of plastic bags with you, of different sizes. For your radio(s), your oversize packages, for your ipod, for your sanity.
8) next to my door I kept a checklist of things that i would be miserable without - gloves, etc. Stuff your typically wouldn't forget, but once you're at work and without, you suddenly miss.
9) If you're standing-by, don't just sit around smoking spliffs. really. Ride your bike in circles, or keep moving or something, because once that work finally comes to you, and you've been sitting on your ass. it makes getting back into the flow sooooo much easier.
10) Cal's for the mid-day warmup
11) Lower wacker driver makes things soooo much easier, plus you can escape the elements.


Summertime:
1) Stay Hydrated
2) properly layer
3) stay hydrated
4) In chicago, Lake Michigan was a welcome respite fro the 100 degree days. Since it's so close to downtown, i'd just go to the Beach off of LSD @ Michigan ave and strip to the bae minimum and jump in for a quick bit then get back on the bike. You're cooled off and dry within minutes.
5) Gina the Pizza lady!
6) Cal's for the midday cool-off


Anytime:

• Respect your fellow meessengers.
  
• Don't DIS the dispatcher. It will NEVER EVER EVER work in your favor.
  
• Respect. period. Hot heads can tend to wreck a lot, IMO. Everyone gets mad, but it's what you do with it - do you want to carry it around all day or forget about it and move on? I don't need anything else to add to the list of things that pisses me off, so i try not to let idiots get to me.
• There will be a time and place whee you feel the need to exact U-Lock Justice to a vehicle or other inanimate object (never a person). Just make sure you can get away. Ducking into Parking Garages has proved effective in the evasion of those you have dispensed Justice to.
  
• Don't be afraid to scream if you need to break thru the ped crowd. The one that seems to work for me is: "I'VE GOT NO BRAKES!!"
• $0.99 Pringles @ walgreens = a good day.
• Find the spot where they don't mind you using their microwave once in a while.
• Get a good cross-street guide.
• Clever moustaches are not necessary for employment as a messenger.
• Don't kick the bums. SUre luch at the woman who is peeing into the curb while standing up, but you don't have to berate the poor crazy dude who's trolling for cigarette butts. Really, you don't have to berate anyone.
  
• Appreciate and embrace lively arguments and constructive criticisms, but don't carry grudges or hold beef. That's a lot of weight to bear.
  
• Have a list of accessible water-closets.
  
• Be one with jah. There's little subsects of mess'ers that seem to hate each other, and it's a really interesting social construct to witness. Cliques are cliques, and it all boils down to high-school buffoonery. If you're a kid that's fine. If you're 30 and still passing on your standbytime with copious amounts of Spliffs and Sparks, maybe it's time to grow up, maybe not. Who DOESN'T love the burnt out old-time messenger?

have a safe and happy 2009, the three of you that read this. ;)


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I found these words of advice and knowledge on some facebook group page.
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I never could identify with the linear thinking of the Commandments. I offer this circuitous way of operating as a messenger to everybody as I've found
it over 18 years on the road...

Four Noble Truths of Bike Messengering:

1. There is conflict in and out of traffic as events constantly shift.
2. Conflict in and out of traffic becomes a problem when one takes it personally.
3. The conflict in and out of traffic can be averted.
4. Ride the eightfold path.

Eightfold Path of Messengering:

1. Keep in mind that things constantly shift in and out of traffic and try not to take anything anyone does personally.
2. Stay in the moment you're in, on and off the bike. Don't hold grudges or plan arguments. Just ride the bike, pay attention and enjoy yourself!
3. Refrain from cursing out or judging anyone in or out of traffic. The sensation of superiority is false, fleeting and less enjoyable than just moving on. Greet all who champion or challenge you with a laugh - after all: you're free.
4. Ride away from things, not at them...even errant pedestrians and side view mirrors. Tolerate security procedures, impatient people, waiting time, and awkward packages with the knowledge that none of it will last forever, and any conflict that arises is a result of your choice. (admittedly some of these circumstances are insanely hard).
5. Do not knowingly transport items that are injurious to others and expect to to be free of any conflict in or out traffic and feel good about yourself. Also, try to do things that benefit messengers, cyclists, people around you on the whole.
6. Get up and at 'em - no matter what the weather is like, or else you're headed for conflict in or out of traffic (and in fact, you're a wannabe).
7. When off the bike keep as free an attitude about anything with anyone as you can. This kind of mindfulness can benefit your experience on the bike, free of conflict when in of traffic.
8. When on the bike be as focused on space, speed and objects as you can, with little or no thought towards anything else. This kind of concentration can carry over into your experience off the bike, and free you from conflict outside of traffic.

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1. have Due respect for other couriers and messengers
2. Thank clients for their business each pickup and also receiver on delivery
3. Observe the rules of the road as much as you can
4. Treat each tag with equal importance
5. Answer tourism / bicycle questions with accuracy and be friendly
6. Support local business first when you eat, shop etc.
7. Be an advocate for cycling in general and volunteer in the community
8. Treat your bike well
9. Treat your body even better
10. Look for and implement innovative ways to make our occupation forever sustainable keeping employed and earning a decent wage for a hard days work.

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Post #9 Pat Angel (Australia) wrote on December 31, 2007 at 8:13pm

Number One: EVERY car driver is an arsehole who is TRYING to kill you. Think of everyone like that. I know its not true, but wasting time trying to work who is and isn't an arsehole is a waste of time... and the arsehole might run you down whilst you are contemplating if another driver is cool.

Number two: Stop for cars, not lights... Applicable only if you wanna be fast!

Number three: Don't just respect your operator, be mates with 'em. Respect stops them sending you crap work, be mates and they send you the cream!

Number four: Always smile and be friendly with the clients - There are other courier companies out there, piss off the client and they can take their work elsewhere. They are the ones who pay you, not your boss. The boss is just the middle man in the money chain.

Number five: As well as your toolkit, puncture repair kit and pump, carry a spare tube. Too many times I have blown out the rear tube irrepairably. A patch won't fix an inch long split.

Number six: What goes around comes around... You're just cruising and you meet a mate at a lift, they are really, really busy and are doing a drop. Take their package and do the drop for them. The time will come where the tables are turned and they'll do it for you.

Number seven: Keep your water bottle on your bag, not on your bike. Drink between your bike and the pick up/drop, do nothing but ride on your bike (yeah, and acknowledge new jobs etc). Refill your bottle every chance you get, even if it is still 7/8's full.

Number eight: Keep your lock key hanging from a bracelet, just the right length to fall into your fingers ready for unlocking, and it makes a great stylus for your touch screen PDA. Fishing through your pockets for the key dozens and dozens of times a day sux. Make the bracelet from an old chain. It never breaks, its in keeping with the life and it looks cool!

Number nine: Remember its a lifestyle, not a job. You have to LOVE riding; you won't makeif it's just a job. You'll be cold and wet or hot and sweaty for most of your life and the pay is not gonna make you rich... But you'll be part of one of the coolest sub cultures ever whilst being paid to have heaps of fun. Bloody hard work, but heaps of fun. Always someone to have a beer with after work too, and don't those beers go down well! And the parties, the alleycats, the laughs...etc

Number ten: Do it properly - RIDE A BMX! (lol)

Live to Ride
Ride to Work
Work to Eat
Eat to Live
Live to Ride

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