MESSENGERS WHAT WOULD WE DO WITHOUT THEM?

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Washington Post, November 2, 1987

Bob Levey {Oct. 27} makes the demand that we "get bike messengersoff downtown streets. Get them off now." And he makes it twice. Hedoes not, however, propose a solution to this problem of, as he sees it,people on bicycles preying on innocent pedestrians and motorists who happento get in the way. Is Mr. Levey suggesting we give messengers cab fare,bus fare or cars? Or is he suggesting we just break their knees? We certainlycannot eliminate the service. If it weren't vital to Washington, therewouldn't be so many of these barbarians biking amok on our streets.

The other day my son Jim left for work from our home at 7:30 a.m. Itwas a rotten day, cold and dark, and it was pouring. After reading Mr.Levey's column that day, I was more than normally concerned by what Jim'sday would prove. He recently returned from a four-year tour of duty withthe Marine Corps. He was stationed in, among other places, the Philippines.He knows danger and is in great shape; both qualities stand him in goodstead. He is bridging the gap between discharge and college by workingas a -- you guessed it -- bike messenger in the District.

Though my heart goes out to Jo Hinkel and S. Christine Pirkle, who Mr.Levey said were victimized by couriers, my heart also goes out to my son.If Mr. Levey wants horror stories, Jim's got 'em. Bike messengers are heldin such low regard in the District that many motorists think nothing ofhitting them. And it happens all the time. If nothing is broken and noblood is visible, the motorist doesn't speed away -- he usually sticksaround just long enough to blame the felled cyclist for the mishap.

Yes, I have encountered rude, irresponsible, pushy couriers. But moreoften, the encounter has been with rude, irresponsible, dangerous taxidrivers, limo drivers, Metrobus drivers, Hill staff drivers, police cardrivers and just plain drivers.

In the industry in which I work, we use messengers every day. I reallydon't know what we would do without them. If Mr. Levey actually got outthere and met with the messengers instead of taking irresponsible potshotsfrom his typewriter, he might realize that most are decent young men andwomen who not only do not think they're above the law, as he stated, butare just trying to earn a living and doing it in a very hardway.

Jim biked home the other night soaked to the skin and totally frustratedby the treatment he had yet again received at the hands and mouths of citizenssupposedly more law abiding than he and announced he's moving to California.Joke or no joke, I'm tempted to encourage this move. I'm very afraid thatMr. Levey's "get them off now" cry is going to make Washington,D.C., a horrifyingly dangerous place for every messenger on a bicycle.

SUE KENNEDY Washington

If you have comments or suggestions, email me at messvilleto@yahoo.com