The NYC bike messenger epitomizes New York on edge. These people put their lives on the line for little money and no benefits. Of course, a comparison to the Police or Fire Department is unfair – bike messengers are not public servants hired to protect citizens. And it is a for-profit business. But they risk their lives for no glory. An extraordinarily dangerous job with no recognition.
The job itself demands the ultimate in utility. A whole style of bike outfitting and accoutrement has been spawned by the riders, some of it spilling over to those interested in sporting a street style. Perhaps the most notable item adopted by non-bikers is the messenger bag – the Manhattan Portage.
Many experienced messengers (like the one in the photo) will use a fixed gear bike (aka track bike). There is a minimum of parts and maintenance. They offer control, light weight, and quick acceleration. There has been an up trend in use and interest in these bikes.
Also de rigeur is the heavy duty 3-foot bike chain and locks – this is a whole discussion unto itself. Theft is a huge problem here, and virtually every type of innovative lock has been used. In the end, the simple heavy-duty chain and American-style lock have proven most reliable. Thieves have used huge bolt cutters and all manner of tools and techniques to break locks and chains. And it is not unknown for a thief to take the bike and the thing it is locked to if feasible. Or take parts and leave the frame (see Left for Dead here). You can read about these and other matters at the NYMBF (New York Bike Messengers Foundation) website.
Here are two quotes from their website about the job as told by messengers Hermes and Tone.
Hermes: “It is a job where you’ll encounter people who’ll attempt to kill you, disrespect you, and unwittingly put your life in danger. You’ll ride in the worst weather imaginable, and deliver heavy, bulky items for an extra $1. You’ll wake up tired in the morning and go to bed defeated. You’ll be bored out of your mind sometimes, just sitting around and waiting.), and you’ll be stressed to the breaking point.”
Tone: “It is however incredibly dangerous, yet exhilaratingly fun at the same time. I seriously consider it an extreme sport. Imagine running with a pack of wolves made of metal as fast as you can with the wind in your hair, but sometimes the wolves bite and you have to evade them as well as the moving trees, called pedestrians, in this konkrete jungle we call New York. I guess it’s hard. It’s definitely not for the weak hearted.”
In the final analysis, the job is the ultimate in street cred…
NOTE: In an amazing happenstance, while shooting this, a messenger approached me, Eugene Carrington. He told me that he was actually known in the messenger world and pulled out a small booklet: Messenger Blues and Other Poems. I bought a copy for $3 🙂
I remember reading a long time ago in a book that “what draws and keeps so many in California is not so much what the state has as what it suggests.” When I quoted this to a friend at the time who was a recent transplant from New York to the West Coast, he bristled. There certainly are wonderful things about this remarkable state, but I still think that quote still makes a valid point.
