s_9

Today, at least in New York, is one of the worst possible types of days to have to deliver packages on a bike. At this point, it's mostly rain, but there's still slushy crap on the ground, and the rain that's coming down is pretty damn cold. In the summer, I'll sweat my butt off - and I won't care. In the winter, snow's not bad as long as you wear goggles. But this freezing slushy rain crap? There's nothing worse. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing. Unfortunately, I work in web design, so we don't use messengers for anything. If we did, I'd give each of 'em a dollar or so. (depending on how quickly it'd make me broke). It's always infuriated me that we tip EVERYONE in this city, but the people who break themselves every day don't get crap. Tip your messenger.

filtersweep

Uh... OK... thanks for the sermon, rev.

s_9

spread my gospel!

wangster

nasty day out... the messers that are working today are hardcore and I'd tip them if we used any messenger services.

Def didn't ride to work today... wouldn't want to leave my baby out in weather like this.

rvabiker

Hmmm...so you work for a company that uses no messengers but if you did you'd tip them each "a dollar or so"...what was the point of this again?

s_9

I work in an INDUSTRY that doesn't use messengers. At one point, I worked in this stuff. (And wouldn't stay home. That's for sissies. Granted, I didn't ride in today, but if you don't HAVE to do it, why the hell would you?) If I used a messenger 30 times a day, I'd give each of them a dollar and say "sorry I can't give you more, but I use messengers 30 times a day." If I used a messenger twice a day, I'd give each of them $5. Maybe they could buy a dry pair of socks for the ride home. My only point is trying to figure out how to get people to tip messengers regularly. I can't do it myself, but maybe my friends can.

emayex

hallelujah

wangster

alright, sun's out and sky's clear, no more tipping.

chimblysweep

so, do you tip messengers on mopeds too?

seriously, though, the crappy weather means only hardcore riders are out there. which means they get more tags and more $$. and some companies have a hazard pay dealie where you get paid more on snow days.

i know people who prefer it this way.

goodtobeawake

hardcore

r-dub

Last Thursday I was in the driving rain for about 11 hours. Changed 'waterproof' bags 4 times due to water seeping in, stopped worrying about keeping myself dry after 15 minutes. Just when I thought it would be an all-around crappy day, I got a call for a r/t rush going about 3 miles each way. I made the trip w/ signatures in 18 minutes, keeping everything bone dry. Client called me a god and gave me a $20 tip! Made the rest of the day much easier! I just wish everyone would give some nice words or money or both when it gets like that outside.

luckycat

Yeah, it definitely limits the amount of riders, and there's more work to go around. But one thing to remember is that you end up moving a lot slower in this crap weather than you normally would. So yeah, you can make good money on these kind of days, but you really have to bust your ass for it. The other thing is that since the messenger company is way backed up, they probably won't be accepting rush jobs, so you can kiss that extra money goodbye.

Some places do offer incentives to come in, but they generally do not end up working out to be worth much. An extra ten bucks a day, that sort of thing. I always felt that the rider should get a higher percentage of the run on days like this, unfortunately none of the companies I worked for agreed with me.

When I was dispatching, I would do everything I could to make sure that people who regularly showed up in the bad weather would be very well taken care of on good days when there are a ton of people in and not as much work to go around.

salome

i think it's a great idea. most people in the various service industries are routinely underappreciated and definitely underpaid. everyone giving a little translates to a lot for the recipient. The days are definitely brighter when someone says something nice or gives you a little extra.

But unfortunately people are generally clueless in our society and to top it off are huge tightwads.

peterbarson

people from the east coast tend to tip more then people fromm the midwest and south. It's surpising to me that this thread was started by someone from NY.
In my buisness(restaurants) we don't use messengers at all, but we do work for tips so we see all kinds.
Lately some servers were telling me that their tips go down during the holidays, possibly because everyone is spending on x-mas crapola, so they forget to treat their fellow humans well.

Super Rookie

dude. that weather is for chumps.

nyc is so soft when it comes to working outside.

try telling a messenger in mpls or winnipeg about the rain and slush and they will laugh at you.

the 'peg is clocking in at 1degree and 20mph winds. now those kids are hard core.

but, i like the idea of being tipped.

one time i had to make a pick up on a really hot day in the middle of summer and it was a really big architecture roll that was left outside after 5pm. i was all super pissed cause i wanted to go home, but on top of the roll there was a brown paper bag that said "for messenger" and it side it was a 6pack of newcastle! how sick is that?

tip your messenger in beer! they will like you more!

s_9

Super Rookie, I hate you and Minneapolis.

One of my worst ever days (cold rain all day long, mean dispatcher) was turned around at the end by a nice lady who I was delivering a package to. She saw my pathetic, frustrated, soaking body, and gave me a $5 tip. Made everything better.

LóFarkas

Is that the way it is? Wusses are allowed to take the day off when it snows? I've never been a messenger, but my understanding is that the worst weather days tend to be the ones with most work (ppl won't take their crap anywhere themselves), so everyone is needed. There was a photo on alleycat.hu of a "winter is coming" sheet that one of the messenger company bosses put out to inform his workers. Among other things, it said "If you call in sick on the day of the first snow, don't bother coming any more. Its ****ing ****ty to leave us in **** when we need you most."

SnowbunnyB

Tipping is a great idea, in any form. Today wasn't that bad though. It really got gorgeous out late morning. It was all about the plastic bags in the shoes! Brought me back, and kept my feet warm even with skimpy SiDi's, (and cheaper than booties). The bridge was nice. It's all about the positive attitude... (granted a little easier when you don't have a dispatcher screaming at you)...it's when the snow is shooting at you sideways, that's when it gets ugly.

RedMenace

this is New York City. you are nothing but in the way. tip? **** you. use my toilet? **** you. stand in my office and drip Calcium Chloride solution on the floor? **** you. get back out in the **** where you belong, messenger scum.

p.s., **** you.

boots

sorry guys, but minneapolis don't got nothing on new york city.

cold isn't the issue here. cold is fine. nothing wrong with cold.

the problem is slush. slush slush slush slush slush. god i hate freaking slush.

riding into the city today, i got sprayed by slush, bogged down in slush, fell down in slush. i would have eaten slush for breakfast, but i couldn't afford it.

oh, then my day began.

a tip would have been nice. fat chance. i've been tipped three times in over a year. better than most messengers, i think.

and i didn't make more money today than most days. about normal. though i did finish it off with two triple rushes. yum.

Msngr

Boots has it right, SR. NYC is a different situation than other cities (though i imagine boston is worse). there's just no place to put the snow and stuff, and there is a lot of traffic, so everything gets really sloppy. plus, there is so much metal on these streets, and so many potholes, and people drive so aggressively that one cannot ride fast.

jacobs

Boston streets are probably worse, but the space between picks and drops in NYC is quite a bit farther, so I think it evens out. I couldn't believe it here yesterday, most of the mess. companies stopped taking calls at 3:00 or so and there were no cars on the roads.

jacobs

Oh yeah, EVERYDAY should be tip your messenger day. Eventually I'm going to stop posing as a paralegal and just bring that package back otherwise.

"I wouldn't want your job today" should only be allowed if they are tipping.

luckycat

Absolutely. Also "is it raining(snowing, sleeting, etc...) out there" when you're dripping wet. And "you're riding a
bike in this weather?"

boots

goddamn that's true. "is it still coming down out there? geez? how about that? okay, here's a huge box full of bricks that we won't pay oversize for. have a swell weekend once you thaw out!"