Moving Target

London courier killed whilst working, 3rd February 2012
6 February 2012 by Buffalo Bill

As reported by BBC News, a cyclist was killed after a collision with a coach on Wormwood Street last Friday (3rd February 2012). Various posters on the Moving Target forum expressed their concern that it was a courier, and Rico Logistics have apparently confirmed that it was Henry Warwick. If this is the case, then Henry would be the 9th London bicycle messenger known to have been killed whilst working.

I’m sure that all Moving Target readers & posters will join me in expressing shock and dismay. My condolences to friends and family. There’s some talk on the forum of a ride on Friday. Watch that space.

London bicycle messenger Papillon receives 2011 Markus Cook Award for services to the messenger community
1 November 2011 by Buffalo Bill

After being nominated for the 2nd year running, Stephanie ‘Papillon’ Bartczak has been presented the Markus Cook Award for services to the messenger community. Papillon is well-known within the messenger community for being very active within the organisation of the London Courier Emergency Fund, which exists to give financial assistance to London’s bicycle messengers and couriers who suffer injury whilst working. She helped found the Fund in 2007, and has worked to build it up constantly since then.

Here is her nomination from last year, taken from an email by Stefan ‘Fish’ Vis:

20-odd Questions - Eni
1 November 2011 by Dazzler

How old are you? 31.

Where were you born? Steeltown in Hungary.

Where do you live now? London innit :)

How long have you been couriering? 5th winter is coming up…..ssssshiver.

Hang Name? I wish i had one… :P

Who do you ride for? Reuters

What was your first bike? A tricycle.

What do you ride now? My bike.

What’s the best docket you’ve ever been given? £120 plus a free lunch for 8 hours work.

Michael Bryant to publish book about '28 seconds' that led to death of Darcy Allan Sheppard
21 October 2011 by Buffalo Bill

The video of the initial encounter is clear: a cyclist pulls up in front of a stationary car at red traffic light, and stops; after a few moments, the car jerks forward, reverses and then drives straight into the cyclist, knocking him off his bike and onto the bonnet and off again. The car stops briefly, and then drives around the cyclist to carry on down the road. As the car passes, the cyclist grabs hold of the car. Exactly what happens next is not as obvious, as there is no video, but at least this much is not disputed: the car moves over into the oncoming carriageway, hits some street furniture on the sidewalk, denting its side-panels, and at some point, the cyclist loses his grip on the car and falls dead in the roadway.

Cocks race tonight!
21 October 2011 by Buffalo Bill

Tonight at Full City, Leather Lane. 1st prize is a used track frame. All proceeds to the BFF Apology Fund (see the forum for more details).

After, the Ragworm vs Rikki Fredo & the Fabulous F&cktones Messenger vs Fakenger Battle of the Bands at the Grosvenor pub, Sidney Road, SW9, which is a benefit for the LCEF.

20-odd Questions - Curly
19 October 2011 by Dazzler

How old are you? In earth years 42.

Where were you born? The United States of Birmingham.

How long have you been a courier? 21 years. Time travels fast when you’re having fun.

Hang Name? Curly or Curlywurly. I used to have hair!

Who did you ride for? Lightning; Security Dispatch; Creative; West One; City Sprint; Cyclone; Premier, all in London. Currently, Mail Call in Melbourne.

What was your first bike? My dad used to push me round on a BSA (Birmingham Small Arms), but the first bike I could reach the pedals of was a Raleigh Road Runner with cow horns. I was definitely a kid of the Seventies. My flares often used to get caught in the chain.

Bicycle Film Festival 2011
10 October 2011 by Jontyponty

The tenth annual Bicycle Film Festival was riotous, but began inauspiciously. I arrived with my brother, and after I’d locked our bikes up I chucked him the keys, watching them describe a perfect arc before clattering down a drain by his feet.

Bikes rock & so does Overdrive - the Bicycle Film Festival 2011
6 October 2011 by Buffalo Bill

Now in its 10th year, the Bicycle Film Festival returns to London this weekend. In amongst the racing, a Northern Soul night at the Juno Bar on Friday, the bike polo tournament on Sunday, there’s heaps of films being shown at the Barbican. The Festival press release mentions, amongst others, Racing Towards Red Hook, Bikelordz (stunts & tricks from Accra, Ghana), and I hear that Neistat brothers have made another short, which, I am sure, will be well worth watching.

However, the press release fails to mention that London’s answer to Giovanni Gommi, Mr J Overdrive, has made a film about the London Courier Emergency Fund, and that it is in the Festival this year. It is being shown on Saturday as part of the Urban Bike Shorts screening on Saturday night, and there are still plenty of tickets available. So what are you waiting for? Get on to the online booking, and get a ticket now!

All the details of the weekend’s fun, frolics & films can be found on the official BFF London website.

Comrade Digger Commie-cat October 15th LMNH 6pm
3 October 2011 by Buffalo Bill

As part of Uncle Digger’s birthday celebrations, a revolutionary act of cycling. 6pm Look Mum No Hands. All proceeds to the London Courier Emergency Fund.

Stolen bike
28 September 2011 by Buffalo Bill

This bike was stolen in East London just a little while ago. If you see it, contact Justa, or CitySprint. Keep ‘em peeled!

Pink Express rider hit & 'critically' injured by lorry this morning
20 September 2011 by Buffalo Bill

According to this Standard report:

Police said a male cyclist was critical after being hit by a lorry in Vauxhall this morning. Witnesses told how his bicycle was dragged along the road by the HGV before the driver realised what had happened…

…[the collision] happened at about 7.45am today outside Vauxhall Tube. It is believed the cyclist, thought to have been a courier, was hit from behind by the lorry. The bicycle was dragged along Vauxhall bridge before the driver realised.

Police said the cyclist was initially in a critical condition but had now been stabilised.

Sean Skinner tweeted: “Looks like cyclist hit from behind by large refuse lorry at lights and bike dragged underneath for over 200m.”

The cyclist is believed to be Richard, apparently a courier working for Pink Express. I know everyone reading this will be sending their hopes for Richard’s swift recovery.

I fought the law & I won
16 September 2011 by Mike Bessenger

I felt a PCSO in Soho was harassing me. This ticket was the second where he’d approached me on the corner where my firm stand by, and accused me of a violation of traffic law. When I asked him where and when he was vague, at best, about the location and each time told me it had been ’10 or 20 minutes ago’.

The first ticket I paid. After receiving the second, issued amid a throng of boris bikes nailing it along the pavement in Broadwick Street, I went straight to the cop shop. After shouting about victimisation blah blah blah, I was told by a ‘real’ police officer to calm down, contest the ticket and forget about it. Nobody was going to take a messenger to court for the sake of £30. So I sent off the paperwork contesting the ticket in late October ’10.