I often ask myself just how far I would be willing to go to earn a pittance. Not many people I know would carry 2 bags for of clothes from Dalston to Notting Hill all for £7.50. For those of you who don't really have a grasp of how far that is, well according to Google maps it is 6.6 miles, now that isn't to far when you consider on the average bike messenger will cover over 60 miles a day, but you also have to take into account the "dead mileage" that you have on jobs like that, the 3 miles or so that you have to ride to get back into the west end where your next pick up will be. That's 3 miles or so you are travelling without earning any money.
Sometimes you get lucky, a prime example of this occurred the other day when one of our motor bikes got a job going to Portsmouth, not a bad little run for a motor bike to take but when we get a phone call 5 minutes later for a pick up in Portsmouth, well that just makes the job like a dream.
Sadly this very really happens for me, seen as we have very few if any clients anywhere west of W2. If im lucky I will get a pick up from the BBC but those jobs are few and far between.
Then you get the ridiculously small runs, I had a Soho Square to Rathbone Place the other day, again for the geographically challenged that is 0.1 miles. Yes someone was willing to pay my £2.50 to basically walk over the road to deliver a package. However this isnt the shortest journey I have ever made. I once took a cheque from the 15th floor of a building to the bank which was on the ground floor of the same building and then took the receipt back to the post room on the 15th floor, Distance wise, I'm going to guess probably about 46 steps.
Not that I'm complaining, I would gladly do 40 of those jobs a day, but sometimes it is just nice to get your head down and get the legs pumping and go for those slightly longer rides.
The more annoying thing then long distance runs and dead mileage, is the ungrateful bastards you deliver too. After trawling my way across London with said bags of clothes on my back the only reaction I get is a sneer of why do I want this. But very every 4 assholes there is one person that is really grateful you are good at your job.
I have had two prime examples of the grateful people recently , A few days ago when delivering something to the flight centre on upper street, I hand the package to a rather lovely young lady called Hayley, who proceeds to genuinely get really really excited about receiving a package, saying that I have made her week. whilst hooting with delight. Today I had another grateful client, a urgent time sensitive job from Great Portland Street to Appold Street near Liverpool Street. I arrive at 11:15 with a big warning on my PDA saying "MUST BE DELIVERED BY 12:00"
Of course the package isn't ready yet, so Im sitting there waiting, watching the clock tick by, whilst I don't mind waiting for packages as obviously waiting time is charged. The guy asks me how long it will take to get to Appold Street, I tell him about 20 minutes. So as the clock slowly moves towards the 11:40 mark I can see the guy is beginning to panic and sweat. the final words I hear from the office are "Thank you so much" and "ride like the wind" from the receptionist.
Onto a sadder note, Its official, Summer is over.
So long summer
This sadly is the proof, this was the last day when I was riding around in t-shirt and shorts. now sadly its layers of t-shirts, at least 2 pairs of long socks and the ear warmers, I even had to dig out the Face mask on Wednesday morning. Now I know I should be used to colder temperatures having spent two years in Canada, but everywhere you go there are different types of cold, and the wind in London can be a very very harsh thing, especially near the river.
So the two tone tan will slowly be fading away as less and less skin is being left on show.
All I can do is dream of Spring.
I had a encounter with one of the boys in blue on Thursday evening. admittedly I was riding the wrong way down a one way street in the middle of rush hour but still I was only going at a crawl.
I see the meat wagon and just know that he is going to jump out and say something and low and behold out he jumps arm raised in front of him and orders me to stop.
I don't know if this will work again but I'll definitely try it. I managed to get out of a ticket but simply saying" sorry officer, I know Im in the wrong" to which the cop replied" right ok you've admitted that you are doing wrong, so just get off your bike and walk it down here.".
The most annoying thing was the cop made me walk the 3 yards that it was until the road became a two way street again.
But hey I got out of a £30 fine so its all good.
Next Wednesday (the 27th of October) is London Courier Appreciation day, So if you do have a messenger in your office during the day, just acknowledge them and say they do a good job. We appreciate praise, but we de appreciate tips even more ;-) only kidding just a simple "good job" or the offer of a drink is always welcomed.
Oh and by the way incase you were wondering did I make it over to Appold Street by 12, the answer is yes, I handed over the package at 11:58. Made it with two minutes to spare.
Happy riding.
10-4
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