Greetings all - my first post. I love touring on a bicycle more than anything else, EVER. I'd like to live that way. But when it comes to work I do my messengering on a motorbike. Have any of you lot ever thought seriously about making the switch? I know it doesn't have any street cred and there's no social side of the business to speak of. And it doesn't do an awful lot for your fitness. BUT with decent knowledge and 45 hours per week you can reckon on clearing 420 with a motorbike, as opposed to 250 on a pushbike (so I hear.) And it's got to be safer. There's no way I'd take the risks of bicycle messengering for 50 quid a day, FFS.
On the other hand I may be forced into it when I lose my licence, which is just a matter of time.
Saw a large flock of you lot - maybe two dozen - loitering outisde the Red Herring this morning. Felt just a little bit sorry for you all, having no work. Are there just too many of you? Is that why the money's so bad?
Street cred is your enemy. It means too many people putting up with rubbish wages so they can say "I'm a bike messenger". Despatch riding has been uncool for at least 20 years. We are in an even lower caste than security guards. So the work gets spread around a not too huge pool of people.
Having said that, some people were making a grand a week in the early '80s. Where did it all go wrong?
Hmm. I read that for the first time ever yesterday in the gloriously appointed Riders Room at my employer. I think eating it would have been more pleasurable.
sorry, but how long have you been a 'motor'bike courier? Seems a bit odd you've only just read your first rider's digest. Also you haven't mentioned the overheads of insurance, tax, petrol, tyres, garage expenses and unavoidable fines that seem to come with motorbike couriering.
>Also you haven't mentioned the overheads of insurance, tax, petrol, tyres, >garage expenses and unavoidable fines
*and* youre "less cool than security guards"? And theres "no social side"? As for safety, wait and see how much of you is left when you lose it on the M4 at 90mph blowing past speed cameras because youre late back with the furniture catalogues. And then theres the long winter rides frozen to the seat, icy wind cutting through the wet leather. And you only make £420 a week?
Hmm. You got me. Cant think why I havent made the switch yet.. :)
Jeez, Spiro! You're in early! Even I didn't get in 'til 7-35 this morning. Glad to see your conscience has been pricked sufficiently to put in a shift at the mike. (You'll be skiving at just after 5, though, whle your colleagues are trying to persuade the bloke who had a 7-30 pre-booking and who lives in Edgware to knock out a Redhill, won't you?) It's comforting to see the fact that McDonald's taking 50% of their riders' earnings (for a managerial / agency function McDonald's are incapable of performing) to pay you and your colleagues' inflated wages has at least gone some way to instilling a work ethic.
I have to say that I find it very hard to believe that more than 10% - top whack - of motorcycle couriers clear £420 per week. Last time I spent a longish time (8 months) at a decent firm on a motorcycle, my weekly average was £578. That was in 2005. Cue derisory comments from Spiro and others, but I'm good. Very good. And I get fed. I was doing £70+ in petrol. Petrol was about 85p per litre then; now it's £1.15, so I'd be spending a tad over £100 if I were out there now. It costs £40 or so per week to keep a decent bike on the road. Then there's insurance. Switching twixt pushie, bike, mike and office, I don't have a no claims bonus...so even though I've had a licence for more than 27 years, never had a claim and never got a point on it, I still shell £700+ per year for insurance.
Being fair to Spiro, the percentage of riders on £500+ at McDonald's is probably higher than most other places, but no more than 20% of them clear £420 - probably less now. Right - I have a screen full of work in front of me nad the phones are going mad......hem!.....so back to the coalface.
Well, that's that job covered. Right - where was I?
Oh, yeah. As Red Rum intimated, the statement that pushies make £250 is rubbish. I'd be surprised if anyone with experience who did a full week at McDonald's pulled less than £250 (I am stuck in an office and haven't talked to anyone, but it can't be that quiet, surely.) I'd say all the decent riders at Lewis Day, Creative, Cyclone, Pink, Mach1/A-Z/Reuters....probably even the few at Addy Lee, make over £300 even when it's as quiet as it is now. Even some pushies at Maffier Despatch and Courier Shitsems make £300. As for the Metro lot, well, now you're talking....why did I ever leave there?
I though you were working for a living now, Rummy. Any more annoying comments like that and next time I'm asked to donate COAs to your fund at SD when you get splattered.....I'll think seriously about it for two seconds before agreeing to donate.
You didn't leave you were chased out after overdrive threathened to kill you. We know who you are. Apparently you were insulting clients, losing jobs and taking over an hour to do 2 ec1's...
£250 a week? Maybe at one of them dodgy visa companies.. Most riders only say 250 a week because they think you're the taxman..
£420 a week before overheads, like fuel, road tax, goods in transit insurance, non normal fire and theft insurance because you despatch and garage bills cos the electrics went when it rained.
Sounds like we earn more, my friend. And we don't get a letter every now and then asking for money cos we parked on the pavement..
Apologies, didne read fully before posting, someone else has also said this, albeit slightly different, still, the same.. Sue me...
Most of the riders at the herring are from one company............................