As above^ During your work, who do you pick up from, and what are they sending (if you know) and to whom?
I ask because I'd like to see what kind of folk are actually using cycle couriers these days. If anyone knows who used to use them, but now does not, that would be interesting as well.
I'll start us off:
> Graphic design company, sending poster tubes with printed proofs/samples to their clients. ~2 a week > T-shirt printer sending bags of garments to their customers. ~1 a week
The majority just send envelopes. The biggest item was a large retail outlet on Oxford St tried to give me three large suit bags - COA needs parcel car wallop. A mate of mine picked up a very posh expensive bog brush for a Chelsea customer apparently this brush was worth over £100! How the other half live eh?
Good to hear you're so accomodating... But what do you *actually* end up carrying? I want to know who uses cycle couriers these days and what they send.
Tapes, DVDs, CDs for tv comp, postprod., Portfolios, Fashion shit for magazines, boose, Paperwork for lawers, checks to banks, lunch forgotten at home by kids from posh parrents...........
tapes Dvds etc for Tv companies. birth, death and marriage certificates for the registry office, various things for the council. Took a pair of boots to the cobblers and picked them up for a client once. Big heavy folders for lawyers. bits of metal and welding supplies for a fabricators. Pattern books for tailors and upholsterers. Lots of Champagne around christmas. I have a client who gives me £20 everytime she forgets her keys. lots of Data sticks recently as well.
Potted plants from a recruitment agency for potential clients - hated that in the rain. Fish from a restaurant in Soho to their branch in the City. A brick. Cannot remember who or why but just remember the brick. Building supplies - special screws, hinges and things that that to the building site. Photocopier / printer machines parts. Flowers. Passports for visas.
A rolled-up Union Jack going back to Buckingham Palace, the copper at the gate apologised and told me that the Baked Bean has gone to Balmoral and taken all her people with her, so no-one can sign for it. Wait and return.
A letter to the house of commons for william hague, passports for visas (hate that one - lots of hanging around in something akin to a dole office), stuff for fashionistas, bags from M&S, lawyers shit, films, cds/dvds, catalogues and the other week a box containing something that I can still smell in my bag (a cross between a herbal smoke and sweets - it's a bit nauseating).
"passports for visas (hate that one - lots of hanging around in something akin to a dole office)"
Urgh yeah I hate that. Especially in the summer, in a poorly ventilated office...
Never had to take anything really unusual myself, that I can remember, but the van men used to deliver dirty clothes to a dry cleaner 10-15 miles away and collect the clean stuff back to this rich woman's city centre apartment. Also collect chips from a chippy near the dry cleaners and deliver to her city centre office. Madness.
I know van men who often have to deliver dead bodies of Sikh's from a client to an airline company, for expatriation to India. It's just a dead body in a lead-lined coffin, nothing to be squeamish about really. One of the guys though, went to pick up from the client, and ended up collecting a coffin no bigger than 2ft long. He's quite a sensitive bloke and didn't want to do it after that.
John doe teeth moulds was my favourite, big cheques, building drawings from architects, drugs to the local loonies (prescription ones btw) a suitcase during the Toronto film festival from one hotel to another. oh and some Jam and biscuits.
No longer working but i remember taking 49 grey pearles from Christies (had to go through 2 security doors and scrawl my name saying i wouldnt steal them). Also delivered fresh smoked salmons (whole) in polystyrene cases over christmas, the company gave us a few aswell, its all we ate for the whole week!