The Economist: Declining fortunes of Bicycle Messengers

No news to anyone that has worked in the field, but it may be
surprising to the layman who considers bicycle couriers as part of the
solution in increasingly congested, smoggy cities. Yes velo-couriers
are clean -- well, at least where it concerns emissions!, and fast. But
nothing can be beat an electron to a drop.

Here's the article from the July 1st issue of The Economist:

_____ Begin Article __________

GRAPHEON, a graphic design firm in Portland, is kind enough to keep a
bowl of sweets in its reception area, not for peckish clients but for
the ravenous bicycle messengers who dash to the front desk bearing
deliveries. These days, however, the bowl is dusty and the Tootsie
Rolls stale. Most of Grapheon's clients prefer to e-mail their artwork.
Look around: bike messengers, the freewheeling mavericks whose tattooed
calves and daredevil stunts once defined urban cool, are slowly
vanishing from America's streets. In New York, the hub of the messenger
world, the number has skidded from 2,500 during the dotcom frenzy in
the 1990s to an estimated 1,100 today, according to Joel Metz, who runs
www.messengers.org, the website of the International Federation of Bike
Messenger Associations.

The reason is straightforward. High-speed internet, PDF files, digital
photography and digital audio have been eroding bike-messenger revenues
by between 5-10% a year since 2000, or so reckons Lorenz Götte, an
assistant professor of economics at the University of Zurich (and a
former bike messenger himself). The revenue slump has sent wages
tumbling. In 2000, messengers in San Francisco could make $20 an hour.
Now the average is closer to $11.
Bike messengers have survived dire prophecies before. In the 1980s,
doomsayers had predicted that the fax machine would push the profession
into oblivion. Faxes did indeed carve a big chunk out of the business,
but messengers hung on, thanks both to the poor quality of faxes and to
new technology, such as pagers, which allowed prompter dispatch.
Keeping up with the download-and-print world will be trickier. One
strategy is specialisation. The legal system still relies on original
documents, so some messengers cater to lawyers by offering benefits
such as serving subpoenas and filing papers in court. ³They are almost
paralegals on bikes,² says Mr Götte. Others focus on deliveries that
cannot be made electronically‹architects' blueprints, for example, or
take-out meals.
Paradoxically, although their long-term prospects look wobbly, the
messenger subculture has never been stronger. Their grimy allure is
celebrated in books, films, festivals, and even trading cards. Last
year's Cycle Messenger World Championship, held in New York, drew 700
competitors from 30 countries. Perhaps this signals a resurgence. More
probably, it reflects the urge to honour a tradition that is beginning
to slip away.
_________ End Article ________

Luke

Luke wrote:
No news to anyone that has worked in the field, but it may be
surprising to the layman who considers bicycle couriers as part of the
solution in increasingly congested, smoggy cities. Yes velo-couriers
are clean -- well, at least where it concerns emissions!, and fast. But
nothing can be beat an electron to a drop.

Here's the article from the July 1st issue of The Economist:

_____ Begin Article __________

GRAPHEON, a graphic design firm in Portland, is kind enough to keep a
bowl of sweets in its reception area, not for peckish clients but for
the ravenous bicycle messengers who dash to the front desk bearing
deliveries. These days, however, the bowl is dusty and the Tootsie
Rolls stale. Most of Grapheon's clients prefer to e-mail their artwork.
Look around: bike messengers, the freewheeling mavericks whose tattooed
calves and daredevil stunts once defined urban cool, are slowly
vanishing from America's streets. In New York, the hub of the messenger
world, the number has skidded from 2,500 during the dotcom frenzy in
the 1990s to an estimated 1,100 today, according to Joel Metz, who runs
www.messengers.org, the website of the International Federation of Bike
Messenger Associations.

The reason is straightforward. High-speed internet, PDF files, digital
photography and digital audio have been eroding bike-messenger revenues
by between 5-10% a year since 2000, or so reckons Lorenz Götte, an
assistant professor of economics at the University of Zurich (and a
former bike messenger himself). The revenue slump has sent wages
tumbling. In 2000, messengers in San Francisco could make $20 an hour.
Now the average is closer to $11.
Bike messengers have survived dire prophecies before. In the 1980s,
doomsayers had predicted that the fax machine would push the profession
into oblivion. Faxes did indeed carve a big chunk out of the business,
but messengers hung on, thanks both to the poor quality of faxes and to
new technology, such as pagers, which allowed prompter dispatch.
Keeping up with the download-and-print world will be trickier. One
strategy is specialisation. The legal system still relies on original
documents, so some messengers cater to lawyers by offering benefits
such as serving subpoenas and filing papers in court. ³They are almost
paralegals on bikes,² says Mr Götte. Others focus on deliveries that
cannot be made electronically‹architects' blueprints, for example, or
take-out meals.
Paradoxically, although their long-term prospects look wobbly, the
messenger subculture has never been stronger. Their grimy allure is
celebrated in books, films, festivals, and even trading cards. Last
year's Cycle Messenger World Championship, held in New York, drew 700
competitors from 30 countries. Perhaps this signals a resurgence. More
probably, it reflects the urge to honour a tradition that is beginning
to slip away.
_________ End Article ________

Luke

I remember when it was fax machines that were enemy number one. Do you
guys know what fax machines are? ;-)

Joseph

I've always thought that if I ever got dis-barred, I could be a pretty
good bicycle messenger. File Those Papers!!! Serve That Subpoena!!!
Zowie!!!

Dave C, Esquire.


Luke wrote:
No news to anyone that has worked in the field, but it may be
surprising to the layman who considers bicycle couriers as part of the
solution in increasingly congested, smoggy cities. Yes velo-couriers
are clean -- well, at least where it concerns emissions!, and fast. But
nothing can be beat an electron to a drop.

Here's the article from the July 1st issue of The Economist:

_____ Begin Article __________

GRAPHEON, a graphic design firm in Portland, is kind enough to keep a
bowl of sweets in its reception area, not for peckish clients but for
the ravenous bicycle messengers who dash to the front desk bearing
deliveries. These days, however, the bowl is dusty and the Tootsie
Rolls stale. Most of Grapheon's clients prefer to e-mail their artwork.
Look around: bike messengers, the freewheeling mavericks whose tattooed
calves and daredevil stunts once defined urban cool, are slowly
vanishing from America's streets. In New York, the hub of the messenger
world, the number has skidded from 2,500 during the dotcom frenzy in
the 1990s to an estimated 1,100 today, according to Joel Metz, who runs
www.messengers.org, the website of the International Federation of Bike
Messenger Associations.

The reason is straightforward. High-speed internet, PDF files, digital
photography and digital audio have been eroding bike-messenger revenues
by between 5-10% a year since 2000, or so reckons Lorenz Götte, an
assistant professor of economics at the University of Zurich (and a
former bike messenger himself). The revenue slump has sent wages
tumbling. In 2000, messengers in San Francisco could make $20 an hour.
Now the average is closer to $11.
Bike messengers have survived dire prophecies before. In the 1980s,
doomsayers had predicted that the fax machine would push the profession
into oblivion. Faxes did indeed carve a big chunk out of the business,
but messengers hung on, thanks both to the poor quality of faxes and to
new technology, such as pagers, which allowed prompter dispatch.
Keeping up with the download-and-print world will be trickier. One
strategy is specialisation. The legal system still relies on original
documents, so some messengers cater to lawyers by offering benefits
such as serving subpoenas and filing papers in court. ³They are almost
paralegals on bikes,² says Mr Götte. Others focus on deliveries that
cannot be made electronically‹architects' blueprints, for example, or
take-out meals.
Paradoxically, although their long-term prospects look wobbly, the
messenger subculture has never been stronger. Their grimy allure is
celebrated in books, films, festivals, and even trading cards. Last
year's Cycle Messenger World Championship, held in New York, drew 700
competitors from 30 countries. Perhaps this signals a resurgence. More
probably, it reflects the urge to honour a tradition that is beginning
to slip away.
_________ End Article ________

Luke

In article ,
Luke wrote:

The reason is straightforward. High-speed internet, PDF files, digital

the writing was on the wall when the fax machines arrived, well before
the internet.

"Luke" Quoted the Economist:

The legal system still relies on original
documents, so some messengers cater to lawyers by offering benefits
such as serving subpoenas and filing papers in court. ³They are almost
paralegals on bikes,² says Mr Götte.

When I started doing occasional bicycle commuting, I became acquainted with
Ed, the chief legal officer of our company. Ed commuted all year around in
seemingly all weather, and was an inspiration.

Once, when already dressed for the ride home in the dark with orange vest
and the other necessary regalia for Chicago, he got an urgent call from the
CEO. He needed to bring some papers to a negotiation IMMEDIATELY. The CEO
said he didn't care how Ed was dressed, he needed the papers IMMEDIATELY.
So, Ed got the papers and rode over.

When he arrived in the conference room, he ended up giving some legal
advice, doing some revisions in the agreements, and then making sure
everybody signed what they needed to sign. As the meeting was winding down,
the other party to the negotiation asked the CEO, "By the way, what Bike
Messenger service is that? I've never seen such service."

Luke wrote:
No news to anyone that has worked in the field, but it may be
surprising to the layman who considers bicycle couriers as part of the
solution in increasingly congested, smoggy cities. Yes velo-couriers
are clean -- well, at least where it concerns emissions!, and fast. But
nothing can be beat an electron to a drop.

Here's the article from the July 1st issue of The Economist:

_____ Begin Article __________

GRAPHEON, a graphic design firm in Portland, is kind enough to keep a
bowl of sweets in its reception area, not for peckish clients but for
the ravenous bicycle messengers who dash to the front desk bearing
deliveries. These days, however, the bowl is dusty and the Tootsie
Rolls stale. Most of Grapheon's clients prefer to e-mail their artwork.
Look around: bike messengers, the freewheeling mavericks whose tattooed
calves and daredevil stunts once defined urban cool, are slowly
vanishing from America's streets. In New York, the hub of the messenger
world, the number has skidded from 2,500 during the dotcom frenzy in
the 1990s to an estimated 1,100 today, according to Joel Metz, who runs
www.messengers.org, the website of the International Federation of Bike
Messenger Associations.

The reason is straightforward. High-speed internet, PDF files, digital
photography and digital audio have been eroding bike-messenger revenues
by between 5-10% a year since 2000, or so reckons Lorenz Götte, an
assistant professor of economics at the University of Zurich (and a
former bike messenger himself). The revenue slump has sent wages
tumbling. In 2000, messengers in San Francisco could make $20 an hour.
Now the average is closer to $11.
Bike messengers have survived dire prophecies before. In the 1980s,
doomsayers had predicted that the fax machine would push the profession
into oblivion. Faxes did indeed carve a big chunk out of the business,
but messengers hung on, thanks both to the poor quality of faxes and to
new technology, such as pagers, which allowed prompter dispatch.
Keeping up with the download-and-print world will be trickier. One
strategy is specialisation. The legal system still relies on original
documents, so some messengers cater to lawyers by offering benefits
such as serving subpoenas and filing papers in court. ³They are almost
paralegals on bikes,² says Mr Götte. Others focus on deliveries that
cannot be made electronically‹architects' blueprints, for example, or
take-out meals.
Paradoxically, although their long-term prospects look wobbly, the
messenger subculture has never been stronger. Their grimy allure is
celebrated in books, films, festivals, and even trading cards. Last
year's Cycle Messenger World Championship, held in New York, drew 700
competitors from 30 countries. Perhaps this signals a resurgence. More
probably, it reflects the urge to honour a tradition that is beginning
to slip away.
_________ End Article ________

Luke

Every now and then I'll daydream about going back on the road as a
courier; you, back to simpler times, freedom, cycling all day etc- of
course it is just a daydream now, but at least I spent a few year s on
the road; something to tell the grandkids about...

Mike Kruger wrote:
"Luke" Quoted the Economist:

The legal system still relies on original
documents, so some messengers cater to lawyers by offering benefits
such as serving subpoenas and filing papers in court. ³They are almost
paralegals on bikes,² says Mr Götte.

When I started doing occasional bicycle commuting, I became acquainted with
Ed, the chief legal officer of our company. Ed commuted all year around in
seemingly all weather, and was an inspiration.

Once, when already dressed for the ride home in the dark with orange vest
and the other necessary regalia for Chicago, he got an urgent call from the
CEO. He needed to bring some papers to a negotiation IMMEDIATELY. The CEO
said he didn't care how Ed was dressed, he needed the papers IMMEDIATELY.
So, Ed got the papers and rode over.

When he arrived in the conference room, he ended up giving some legal
advice, doing some revisions in the agreements, and then making sure
everybody signed what they needed to sign. As the meeting was winding down,
the other party to the negotiation asked the CEO, "By the way, what Bike
Messenger service is that? I've never seen such service."

Lovely story I had a meeting arranaged with some stakeholders on a
Monday and got a sudden call about 4:30 Friday afternoon asking if I
could meet that afternoon since their president was called to funeral
out of town on Monday and probably would not be back for a week. I
said yes as long as they didn't mind the cycling gear.

Of course, on the way, I got caught in a downpour and ended up
squelching my way to the board room while being jeered at by a couple
of the resident engineers whom I had met the Sunday before on a club
ride.

John Kane, Kingston ON Canada

"Luke" wrote in message
...

No news to anyone that has worked in the field, but it may be
surprising to the layman who considers bicycle couriers as part of the
solution in increasingly congested, smoggy cities. Yes velo-couriers
are clean -- well, at least where it concerns emissions!, and fast. But
nothing can be beat an electron to a drop.

I've wondered if in some high density areas bicycle food delivery could be
viable - both the hot delivery variety and groceries. Cargo capacity would
be an issue for the latter.

recycled-one wrote:
"Luke" wrote in message
...

No news to anyone that has worked in the field, but it may be
surprising to the layman who considers bicycle couriers as part of the
solution in increasingly congested, smoggy cities. Yes velo-couriers
are clean -- well, at least where it concerns emissions!, and fast. But
nothing can be beat an electron to a drop.

I've wondered if in some high density areas bicycle food delivery could be
viable - both the hot delivery variety and groceries. Cargo capacity would
be an issue for the latter.

In central parts of NYC Pizza and Chinese is almost always by bike. The
grocery store across from where I grew up had a fleet of cargo trikes.
I saw a spectacular crash once!

Joseph

On Sun, 9 Jul 2006 10:56:53 -0400, "recycled-one"
wrote:

No news to anyone that has worked in the field, but it may be
surprising to the layman who considers bicycle couriers as part of the
solution in increasingly congested, smoggy cities. Yes velo-couriers
are clean -- well, at least where it concerns emissions!, and fast. But
nothing can be beat an electron to a drop.

I've wondered if in some high density areas bicycle food delivery could be
viable - both the hot delivery variety and groceries. Cargo capacity would
be an issue for the latter.

Trailers can have a large capacity. A human can easily move more than
their own weight when assisted by gears and ball bearings.
Add electric assist for the up-hill and heavier loads.

Here's a slick concept model for an electric assist cargo trike:
http://www.pashley.co.uk/products/freightmate.html
--
zk