Downtown bike courier

[Scrambler]

Anyone ever done this job or know someone who has? I've heard it can be well paying, and of course dangerous. It's something I'm thinking of doing during the dog days of summer when nothing is happening at the office. I do most my travel agent job from home in my own time anyway, so this might work.

Stay in shape, good hours, biking, decent pay... I'm in!

[Traditional_Ale]

Originally Posted by Scrambler

Anyone ever done this job or know someone who has? I've heard it can be well paying, and of course dangerous. It's something I'm thinking of doing during the dog days of summer when nothing is happening at the office. I do most my travel agent job from home in my own time anyway, so this might work.

Stay in shape, good hours, biking, decent pay... I'm in!

I really wanted to do this for the intensity (insanity) of it. But I couldn't deal with the exhaust from the cars, and most masks don't account for glasses (they fog up even in summer when wearing a mask).

[Got Miikka?]

Why not just pick bottles? Seriously. You'd be outside all day and you could make a lot of dough - tax free - to go along with your tan. I've seen people who look normal enough picking them... why not?

[worth]

being a bicycle courier downtown would be sweet.

[pope04]

Yeah, I thought I had the right "stuff" until my bike commute took me through downtown around rush hour. Not for the faint of heart.

[LIP MAN]

It's a very tight knit community, some friends that I have that are bike couriers are really cool, although some of their friends are like carnies lol. But you do make quite a bit of dough, but be prepared to start low, and get bitched at, as people who have done it for a long time make dispatchers happy.

[Jayems]

The best part would be that you could just pick and choose what traffic laws you want to abide by and get on with it. Stop signs, illegal turns, weaving in and out of traffic, leaning on vehicles that aren't yours... none of it matters when you're in a hurry and on a bike! awesome!

/semi-green text

[WhiteTom]

If you do manage to be a courier, please be careful. I had a guy whip by two feet in front of me today when I was in the middle of the cross walk, and it scared the crap outta me.

[ShaolinFlame]

I had almost killed a bike courier who out of nowhere cut me off in bumper to bumper traffic on the 5st SW railway underpass. I think his rear tire was about 2 inches from my front bumper which resulted in me almost getting rear ended. At least freaking signal or something. Passing bikers on the thin roads here in Vancouver drives me crazy as well - especially the ones who think they can ride side by side because they have some flashy shirt covered in crap.

Although i think its funny when they expect me to stop at a crosswalk so they can ride accross. Get off your bike or I will drive through you.

I hate bikers.

[The Ditch]

Actually you probably won't find someone who hates bikers as much as I do (I started that biking thread a couple of weeks back) but couriers have special laws, in some cases they don't have to follow traffic like regular bikers and cars do. I'm too lazy too look up specifics though.

[BuzzardsWife]

Those guys are CRAZY! I guess if you want a high pressure job, with bad air quality, but a huge adrenaline rush it would be good. Not for everyone though. Good luck with it if you do it.

[firebug]

One perk of the job is you get to meet all of the hot receptionists at most of the firms downtown.

My brother-in-law was a bike courier for several years. He quite enjoyed the job, but left when he married and started a family.

~firebug