By Paisley Dodds, Associated Press, 11/13/97
BOSTON (AP) - Millions of urbanites have seen them -- hard-core bikemessengers hell-bent on making speedy deliveries to businesses.
But in this city, it's now those very businesses that have vowed tocrack down on the couriers after one of them sideswiped a bank executiveand left him in a coma.
On Thursday, the Boston Chamber of Commerce voted to send out a massmailing to businesses calling on companies to steer clear of unlicensedcouriers and blacklist those with bad attitudes.
``Just the other day I was crossing the street and this messenger camereally close to me,'' said Judy LaBran, a law firm secretary. ``When Itried to get out of his way, he started swearing at me and calling me anidiot.''
Controversy over the cyclists erupted on Oct. 30, when 62-year-old WilliamSpring, a Federal Reserve Bank of Boston vice president and member of theBoston School Committee, was hit by a bicycle courier just yards from hisBoston home.
A hospital spokesman said he was still in critical condition Thursday.
``Immediate action is needed to curb the safety hazards created by discourteousand reckless bicycle messengers,'' said John Hamill, president of FleetBank and a chamber member.
There are about 500 registered bicycle couriers in the city, accordingto the Chamber of Commerce. For $20 and a quick trip to the police stationfor a background check, anyone can become a messenger. Some bypass thesystem and go it on their own. Few have liability insurance.
Bike messengers say the accident is unfortunate, but it's not only thecouriers that should be put under the microscope.
``This accident seems to be releasing everyone's pent-up frustrations,''said Ted Riederer, a 27-year-old bleached-blond bike messenger donninga mechanics jacket, black satchel and walkie-talkie.
``Business is treating us like some disposable industry, but everythingthat goes on in this city passes through our hands at some point.''
Being licensed means the messenger gets an orange patch with a licensenumber on it -- a patch some choose not to wear to prevent people fromreporting the cyclists to courier companies.
``Some messengers I know just put the patch under their pillows,'' saidRiederer. ``It's too easy for people who already have a grudge to makeyour life difficult.''
Regina Stone, owner of a Boston Bicycle Courier Inc., says her companyonly employs registered couriers. Regardless, she said, her business hasfelt some flak.
``It's a knee-jerk reaction by the business community,'' Stone said.``But really, I think you have more chance of getting hit by a cab.''
But even the cabbies -- once feared in urban circles -- are scared.
``Today, one of the couriers slapped my car and I almost hit him,''said Yohannes Fre, a 50-year-old cabbie. ``Yea, I'm scared of them. I don'twant to hit nobody.''
The city has created a task force to look at upping requirements forbicycle messengers. One of the proposals it is considering is making courierscarry liability insurance.
In San Francisco, which has 600 couriers and few regulations for thefleet, the same type of backlash has been felt, according to Ben Green,from Western Messenger Service.
``It seems like we go through stretches where bike messengers get blamedfor things,'' Green said. ``It's always a battle.''
As for whether upped courier regulations will work in Boston?
``We're blue-collar workers afraid of losing out jobs,'' said Riederersaid. ``We may be young, and may not look pretty, but most of us followthe rules.''
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