Job as a courier / messenger?

No, I have a certain amount of experience, but I never claimed to be a "'ardcore uber-courier", that's your unhappy formulation. I have more experience than you, for instance.

ps. i'm sure i would have loved it if i'd carried on working and got better at it, it was just the money issue that got me down. so as soon as i got offered a fairly well paying office job that didn't require me to leave the house until at least 10 i went straight for it, haha.

No, I have a certain amount of experience, but I never claimed to be a "'ardcore uber-courier", that's your unhappy formulation. I have more experience than you, for instance.

"if you're the 'ardcore uber-courier"

You missed the "if".

How do you know the other people commenting aren't as experienced as you (excluding me, of course)?

How much experience do you have?

I'd still look for something with your degree qualifications. If there's one thing in life you can't loose it's education. Use it.

Depends on the degree, right? What is it?

I'd still look for something with your degree qualifications. If there's one thing in life you can't loose it's education. Use it.

ahem "lose"

;)

"if you're the 'ardcore uber-courier"

You missed the "if".

How do you know the other people commenting aren't as experienced as you (excluding me, of course)?

How much experience do you have?

You're being disingenuous, and I don't feel I have to justify my employment history to you. I've been on the road for years rather than months in any case.I don't know anyone on this thread from the circuit, and therefore assume that I am as well qualified as any to offer advice. There's no need to be so defensive, my 'pussies' comment was tongue in cheek.

ps. i'm sure i would have loved it if i'd carried on working and got better at it, it was just the money issue that got me down. so as soon as i got offered a fairly well paying office job that didn't require me to leave the house until at least 10 i went straight for it, haha.

Yeah like I say it can be tricky to get going, but once you're up to speed it's as good a job as many.

You're being disingenuous, and I don't feel I have to justify my employment history to you. I've been on the road for years rather than months in any case.I don't know anyone on this thread from the circuit, and therefore assume that I am as well qualified as any to offer advice. There's no need to be so defensive, my 'pussies' comment was tongue in cheek.

Thank you for justifying your employment history to me.

I stick by what I said.
There's better ways to earn money that leave time for cycling for fun rather than work.

And just remember I can't see your tongue position.. in cheek or not you had a go..

you're a dickhead.

That's nice dear. Past your bedtime is it? Didn't get what we wanted for xmas? Diddums.

hey jonty........ put your dick away it's not impressing anyone. Hippy offered sound advice to a question about pay expectations, no more no less.

"I stick by what I said.
There's better ways to earn money that leave time for cycling for fun rather than work."

that's basically what the 3 exengers i know said after several years working as couriers in londons famous london
i also wish to point out that there are more than 3 ex couriers in london and their opinions should not be taken to represent that of the courier community as whole.

get a riskshaw/pedicab.

i used to work one or two nights a week. weekends mostly, 7pm till whenever. don't know what is costs now but it used to be between £20 and £40 a night or £120 a week to hire the veehickle. the owners looked after maintenance and storage and all that. the idea was to make your rent by midnight and you're laughing. i worked one or two nights a week all though uni and a couple of years after. i used to make a couple of hundred on one one weekend night and maybe another night or two in the week, pay the rent on my flat in cash then sit about playing the guitar and drinking till i ran out of money then do it again. when i got really good later on i was working one night a week. grinding up regent street with three fat americans in the back of your 7 speed quad isn't exactly fun but using the £2 per person minimum fare loophole it soon adds up. i knew guys that made £2-300 a night. some of them are still doing it now (ten years after i started with the original 6 riders) and some of them started their own businesses (there's a couple of hundred of riders now split over half a dozen companies). it was diferent back then but having tried the courier thing too i'd venture that if you're a graduate moving to london who likes riding, wants to make some cash and to leave day time free for study/work/creativity/whatever pedicabing might be a better bet that couriering.

better still, get agency work and yeah, enjoy yr riding.

shit i sound like my mum. "keep music as a hobby".

balls.

I tried it for a few weeks back in the day - seven years later I reluctantly had to go find a 'proper' job - I used to ride fifty miles a day - can't remember how much I earned - but then you really need to have a few other interests going on to get you through the quiet patches

like dangerous bum sex?

£150 a week? Youd get double that working in Starbucks or similar - i am amazed how low that is Motorcycle couriers make a lot more then that

£150 a week? Youd get double that working in Starbucks or similar - i am amazed how low that is Motorcycle couriers make a lot more then that

Thats just what to expect when you start, and a fairly conservative estimate. I know people who've been doing it a while who make £300-400. One even made £30k one day, all be it by being hit by a police car popping an illegal U-turn.

I've a friend who does it just as a gap between him being made redundant and him riding around the world with his missus in a month or twos time, and have heard from other couriers, the pays not great at all, it's tedious and dangerous, certainly nothing to work towards, just a job if you can't get anything else. Don't get me wrong, i'd love to ride my bike all day, but it's just like a macdonalds job i guess? Not dissing couriers either cos most of the ones I've spoken to are safe as houses, just it's a basic job with a basic wage.

You are certainly being disrespectful and "dissing" couriers. On top of this you don't know what you're talking about and you're chatting complete and utter shite.

Please don't listen to the likes of Hippy, Fat Pants or MrSmith. These people are not in the position to give out advice as jontyponty has pointed out and I stand by him on that.

If you are enthusiastic, like riding your bike, do what your told (unfortunately that's what the job entails) and just get on with it. With, or without, experience you'll make a good living far more than minimum wage. Things do get bad and the current time is no exception but there's still work there to do.

As for it being like a job in Macdonald's. If you work like I mentioned above you're looking at between 300-500 for a five day week and the longer you do it the more it stays towards the higher end. You can make more, although rare, it happens.

As long as you're there to work and not just hangs around and do backward circles in parks and street corners you'll earn. Be prepared for punctures so they don't become a problem and constantly maintain your bike. I've not always been the best at the two things. They are the main thing that costs you money while couriering. If you never break down, pick up and deliver jobs in a reasonable consistent time and know where you're going then the job will have its rewards.

"Please don't listen to the likes of Hippy, Fat Pants or MrSmith. These people are not in the position to give out advice as jontyponty has pointed out and I stand by him on that. "

just because i never was a courier and never will be doesn't mean the opinions of those i know who were are not valid. i guess between them they have over 15 years experience neither of them have a desire to return to the job. their opinion despite being secondhand is still valid. along with those who are enthusiastic about the job.

the best place to ask is moving target as it's a courier forum.

as for being a hipster? i guess if you hang around hoxton/shoreditch/brick lane you will pick it up easily enough. don't think the pay is very good though.

ahem "lose"

;)

Ha, jet-lag's killing me.

hard, dangerous, dirty work but heck someone had to do it - beat the heck out of being a office whalla

That is my advice, read mine over Mr Smiths when thinking about getting a job as a courier. That is all. Go to www.movingtargetzine.com so you'll get a better understanding.

whoa now! can everybody please just KEEP YOUR KNICKERS ON.

Mr Brown, just because you advise that being a courier is good doesn't make your opinion more valid than Mr Smith's. You're both entitled to that, and the guy who asked has both sides of the argument now. I don't know that reading any website will give him an idea of what it's really like though.

Horses for courses. I wouldn't want to be a dentist but hey, someone does, and thank goodness for that.

hey jonty........ put your dick away it's not impressing anyone. Hippy offered sound advice to a question about pay expectations, no more no less.

It's not sound advice. Just because he was rubbish doesn't mean everyone will be. Not trying to impress just giving my opinion, which he seemed to be annoyed by.