| Posted On: | 2007-06-30 17:30:45 |
Over the years many people have come and asked me info on what it is like to be a bike courier here in Montreal.
So you want to be a bike courier here in beautiful Montréal? I have ridden in 8 winters on my bike and once the snow goes everyone think this is the best time to be a bike courier. What you are thinking of doing as a job is offering a service. In this business it is feast or famine for there is no middle ground. If your costumers are not busy you are not busy. In mosyt cases the summer is slow period for business. What people have to understand that in most cases this is paid by package & no hourly wage? Yes there are some companies that offer guaranties. If you thought this would be an eeasy cash grab it is not. The first thing is this is purely physical job. I case my dinner on my bike 9 hours a day. There is a huge difference in biking for your own pleasure and doing the courier job. You will be sore as shit from your body trying to do the job. This will pass after a point and that goes for your sore ass if u have one? The nice thing about this job is biking as much as you are going to do u work your entire body out. 9 hours torking your body in a prone position combo by your legs pumping makes for a brutal workout @ high speed. So I just want you to understand this is really hard work. This is not just a job, but a life style for you have to take care of your body and you have to love it for there is no middle ground for you either love it or hate it. Just like with any sub culture this feeling of brotherhood which is very much alive in the courier world. Doing this job can and is expensive for you use your bike. I don’t know about other people but I ride my bike hard. You will be working in Mother Nature’s playground and she will throw everything she has @ you with pleasure. So dress for it or you will be in pain. The wicked thing about this job is you get to see things most people don’t for you go every where and any where to pickup & drop of things. In doing so you come into contact with best & worst of society. If you are looking for a job where you can explore yourself & maybe finds who you are then this is one of those jobs. Now what I want to stress is that this is a crazy ass job and you can get killed. I have been hit 7 times by a car last being the worst one. I have had 6 door prizes (car door opens and you slam into it). The best advice I can give anyone is when you get on your bike use your mind to ride & not your emotion for they will kill you.
Then there is the sheep factor to contend with. What I mean by the sheep factor is this folks is people walking around. Next time you are downtown stop and watch the intersection for a turn. Everyone fallows what is in front of them & they don’t look either. The worst part is you have from time to time people popping out between cars and so on. So far as I know there have been 2 deaths to those that popped out in front of a biker.
I just wanted to put things into a realistic light….
So is it fun doing the courier? Damn straight it is fun and that is way I do it
So if there is anyone that wants more info on the topic or need advice please free to contact me
Lee
