Dangers of working as a messenger
  • pletharoe
    OK, before I apply to work as a messenger, can you guys tell me how dangerous it really is? I know it's inevitable that you're going to have a few scrapes but I'd be interested to know how often people have minor incidents and how many near death experiences you've had!

    Cheers!
  • Bread PedalerBread Pedaler
    It's really dangerous. If you're stupid or unlucky you'll get killed. If you're lucky and you use your brain you might never get hurt. Same as any dangerous job.
  • ifbm
    If you start I reckon the best way is to take it easy until you get a real sense of the road; the bad driving, unpredictable pedestrians,HGV's, weather etc, even then from time to time you'll still take a tumble. Unfortunately though, you have to take into account a big element of luck (or bad luck) and the fact that your safety isn't insured by your skill on a bike.
    It can be the best job in the world on some days, but yes, it can be dangerous.
  • Buffalo_BillBuffalo_Bill
    A 2002 Harvard Medical School survey of Boston messengers determined that the rate of injury suffered at work by messengers was 3 times the rate of the next group, meat-packing workers and 14 times the US average.

    7 London bicycle messengers has been killed whilst working since 1989. Hundreds more have been hospitalised.

    It's a dangerous job.
  • Bread PedalerBread Pedaler
    A courier lad in bradford was killed in a 'collision' on the 11th.

    http://messengerofdoom.wordpress.com/2007/12/22/bradford-cycle-courier-killed/
  • tipper
    theres a few ways of looking at it in a logical way (reminds me of my high school rugby days actually)

    1, learn how to avoid accidents

    2, learn how to crash and cause the least amount of injury

    3, take tons of drugs, so either way you cant feel the pain or care about it

    4, winter has the threat of pneumonia while you on stand by, freezing your bolox off, wishing you were dead (or called in sick)

    5, summer has the "short skirt, head 180 hazard" as well (very often overlooked, and im sure weve all done it), and it always seems to be a taxi that you rear end when you come to a stop

    6, to practice, pedal as fast as you can then hold your eyes shut for as long as you can without flinching. if you can do it for more than 15 seconds, theres a possiblitiy you have the mentality of a messenger

    7, another good practice is, once every couple of months, deliberately chuck yourself off your bike when you are least expecting it

    its dangerous, but only as dangerous as you make it for yourself, so if you wear bright colours, a helmet, handle bar mounted bell and never break the law you might be ok, but if thats what you do, you aint ever gonna make any money as messenger....; )

    good luck whatever you choose....and let us know what you choose too

    ps. im not advocating the use of drugs in anyway.....pppffffftttt!
  • tofutofu
    you might have to hang out with seamus
  • switchblade
    or balding canucks
  • sleepy
    at least it's not as bad as china:

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