Life of a Messenger

eeehhhh [quote]chris crash lets just say this, its nothing like you think it is.

this is such a stupid question like whats the life of a builder like? he builds stuff.

whats the life of a courrier like? he courriers stuff.

haha :)

there seem to be a lot of new people on here like yofixie! recently, and well a lot of new people generally.

maybe it's 'cause of http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&safe=off&q=fixed+gear&btnG=Search&meta=[/quote]

I don't believe that we come above Sheldon (RIP)
Gotta be a mistake there.

life of a messenger:
get up, check dreadlocks in cracked mirror, apply beeswax, reshave undercut
listen to back to the planet cds to get in the mood
carefully colour co-ordinate outfit, black tshirt, black 3/4 length trousery combo, black socks, black shoes
doodle design for new tattoo on back of alleycat flyer
check alignment of spokecards; buff up 'one less car' sticker
apply dense layering of patuli oil
ride out, wage war on traffic; earn a crust (literally, a crust)
sneer dismissively at anyone not sharing unique proletariat values

pj life of a messenger:
get up, check dreadlocks in cracked mirror, apply beeswax, reshave undercut
listen to back to the planet cds to get in the mood
carefully colour co-ordinate outfit, black tshirt, black 3/4 length trousery combo, black socks, black shoes
doodle design for new tattoo on back of alleycat flyer
check alignment of spokecards; buff up 'one less car' sticker
apply dense layering of patuli oil
ride out, wage war on traffic; earn a crust (literally, a crust)
sneer dismissively at anyone not sharing unique proletariat values

That's sooo 5 years ago!

winston [quote]andyp If you think chris crash was rude you might find this forum isn't for you. He was succinct and accurate.

more like **"zucchini and a carrot" **

.....with Chris' spelling.[/quote]

HA!!

trampsparadise [quote]pj life of a messenger:
get up, check dreadlocks in cracked mirror, apply beeswax, reshave undercut
listen to back to the planet cds to get in the mood
carefully colour co-ordinate outfit, black tshirt, black 3/4 length trousery combo, black socks, black shoes
doodle design for new tattoo on back of alleycat flyer
check alignment of spokecards; buff up 'one less car' sticker
apply dense layering of patuli oil
ride out, wage war on traffic; earn a crust (literally, a crust)
sneer dismissively at anyone not sharing unique proletariat values

That's sooo 5 years ago![/quote]

er... (pauses, looks around the streets of soho)

not if you're a messenger.

oh snaps, i missed that

i'm going to get you winston... if i can ever spell your street close enough to find it in the A-Z

chris crash oh snaps, i missed that

i'm going to get you winston... if i can ever spell your street close enough to find it in the A-Z

Frankly I'm surprised you managed to get 'A-Z' right...

i've been going for lessons at your mums

Mum's ;-)

Old time courier life (90s):
A) Get up, bathe, or sort of bathe,
B) Call in by radio, ask for work,
C) If there's jobs on, rush like hell for the 1st one, as its gonna be a good day
D) If there's nothing, take your time rolling in, call empty from central london,
E) Get jobs, cycle all day, if its raining all day, pray its busy, or you'll be frozen
F) Lunch-time is often quiet, gather in Soho Square or Golden Square
G) All the smoke makes you think of Bob marley :))
H) Afternoon session is busiest coming to the end if the day, hopefully you earned enough
I) Last job done, start for home, slaughter all wannabees on their pricey steeds when chellenged
J) If you got a booty call, head from home to friends house, sleep over
K) Get into work next day with dead battery, swap at office, then head out

Normally, expect punctures several times a week, running into peds just as often, replacing bike or forks after major prangs, and some time off when the claret flows freely from an open leg.

All that aside, I've never ever had a better job, or one that was more fun. I'll always miss it, even though the money was never great. Also, scored alot too, as fit females like muscular legs in bike shorts, and the "I don't care" attitude to life.

Now I make enough money to support my kids, but there's no excitement in my job, no adrenalin rush from HAVING to deliver a job with 3 minutes left, and you've got 6 traffic-lights to go through, and 2 filghts of stairs. Oh yeah, and you get to race, all the time - against mopeds, other cyclists, taxis (fukem) and anybody that your mood takes.

pj [quote]trampsparadise [quote]pj life of a messenger:
get up,
listen to hardcore techno, old school punk rock and/or hip-hop on your ipod to get in the mood,
put on the same carefully colour co-ordinated outfit, jersey, black 3/4 length trousery combo, black shoes that you wore yesterday,
check your email, surf the web, text your mates on your company's XDA,
don't even bother to wonder if anybody even has unique proletariat values

.[/quote]

There, corrected.

trampsparadise [quote]pj [quote]trampsparadise [quote]pj life of a messenger:

lay in bed past three or four 'snoozes' from alarm.
get up,
call into your controller and say your on the road
eat 3 breakfasts consisting of carbs, carbs, and carbs. Add soya milk or whatever is this weeks idea for maximum energy, minimum waste.
wait for job.
listen to hardcore techno, old school punk rock and/or hip-hop on your ipod to get in the mood, OR read some psuedo-political/transcendental/spiritual book that allows for rationalization of lifestyle.
wait for job.
put on the same carefully colour co-ordinated outfit, jersey, black 3/4 length trousery combo, black shoes that you wore yesterday, and the day before,and the one before that. Though socks may be changed.
wait for job.
If it's winter stuff shoes with paper. If it's summer, spring, winter, or fall, curse yourself for forgetting to put gloves, shoe liners, etc on radiator to dry the night before.
wait for job.
check your email, surf the web, text your mates on your company's XDA,
wait for job.
pack bag to weigh at least 5 pounds before even picking up first package of the day. curse yourself for forgetting to take out yesterday's (last week's) now smushed food from bag.
get first job of the day.
ride around town, not being paid properly for your wealth of knowledge of London's streets and you can only laugh when black cabbie asks you for directions OR ride around town stealing work off of skilled knowledgeable couriers while you think you're being cool by being a 'real-life messenger' but you quit come winter.
Go to pub, talk about near misses and bike parts. Drink beer like it's the holy grail.
don't even bother to wonder if you even have unique proletariat values
get hit one too many times, learn a trade, move into a profession = quit.
become a controller = quit
die = quit
game over.

.[/quote]

There, corrected.[/quote]

wife and girlfriend's point of view

Get the real story from the woman - the way that history has always gone!

trampsparadise [quote]pj life of a messenger:
get up, check dreadlocks in cracked mirror, apply beeswax, reshave undercut
listen to back to the planet cds to get in the mood
carefully colour co-ordinate outfit, black tshirt, black 3/4 length trousery combo, black socks, black shoes
doodle design for new tattoo on back of alleycat flyer
check alignment of spokecards; buff up 'one less car' sticker
apply dense layering of patuli oil
ride out, wage war on traffic; earn a crust (literally, a crust)
sneer dismissively at anyone not sharing unique proletariat values

That's sooo 5 years ago![/quote]

20 years more like.....unless your Polish.

Sometimes, on days like today, when the weather is beautiful or when its summer and the skirts get shorter and tops get lower ;) I feel like chucking in my I.T. office job and going back out on my bike.

But in the winter though when its raining and cold and your feet and hands are freezing and won't get warm, then I am glad I'm not back out there.

Its swings and roundabouts really. Some great things about it, others not so great. One things for sure though, I wouldn't swap the time I spent as a courier for anything. It taught me a hell of a lot and looking back now, it was mostly great.

http://www.movingtargetzine.com/article/old-school-bicycle-messenger

bill have you written about every thing ever, so all you need to say now is hypperlinks ?

delivery boy on a bike.

chris crash bill have you written about every thing ever, so all you need to say now is hypperlinks ?

funny cos it's probably true, at least on this particular topic :)

wheels delivery boy on a bike

ha that takes me back!

. Lee's bollywood movie

now where the fuk is Tynan??

well remembered lpg, that made me laugh

In summer you say to yourself, "best job ever, why didn't I think of this earlier?" Everyone wants to do what you're doing.
Winter: Cold + wet man hole covers + pitch black by 4pm = GRIM...maybe I'm just a soft pussy?
Loose interest in expensive clothes and fashion :)
All your money goes on your bike :(

chris crash bill have you written about every thing ever, so all you need to say now is hypperlinks ?

Yeah.

http://www.movingtargetzine.com/article/why-i-like-being-a-messenger-part-1

im sorry bill the correct answer was this:

yes

Actually it's probably

???