bsnyc vs alleycats

[lph]

BSNYC was really good today. Not that I'd ever heard of an "alleycat", but he touches on one of my pet peeves - the pretentious way some sub-cultures glorify pain and suffering (or even disease and death) while mostly leading lives that people who really do experience pain and suffering would be *ecstatic* to have.

http://www.bikesnobnyc.blogspot.com/

[alpinerabbit]

particularly, real-life messengers.

I just got my DBF a present for his b-day. A Book and DVD about NYC messengers called "Pedal".

One guy portrayed wasn't even making enough money for a place to live so he mostly stays in a small underground alcove besides a subway line (!!!!). He kept on working until he had a stress fracture.

Messengering is not glorious.

[Eden]

Yeah - messengering is not very glamorous at all...
another interesting read is The Immortal Class by Travis Hugh Culley

many of them do work until they are so sick or so hurt that they can't do it anymore

Most alleycat races are not attended by a bunch of yuppie wanna be fixie riders. Most are put on and raced by messengers for a bit of extra cash, lots of free alcohol and a the rush....

[alpinerabbit]

many of them do work until they are so sick or so hurt that they can't do it anymore

Yep seemed to me more like modern slavery, in a way they chose it themselves but then again not. The subway guy's "other option" would have been bussing tables.

And that was not a typical alleycat race. This is an alleycat .

yeah in my DVD one goes SMACK over the hood of a car. Jezus, she coulda been dead on the spot. She had spent the 50$ her mom sent her for a helmet, for living costs.

[Kalidurga]

Messengering is not glorious.

And that was not a typical alleycat race. This is an alleycat .

I was on the elevator at work with a co-worker and a bike messenger one day. The co-worker mentioned (somewhat crassly) that some of the messengers that come into the store sometimes smell a bit, um, strong. The messenger dude who was in the 'vator with us replied that some of his compatriots live in the city parks and don't have frequent access to showers. They're definitely a renegade bunch. I think they're both cool and totally nuts Can't imagine what it's like to actually live that sort of lifestyle.

[wackyjacky1]

And that was not a typical alleycat race. This is an alleycat .

Aaaaaah! Did anyone else involuntarily scrunch up whenever they would squeeze between impossibly close cars? I kept yelling, "Whoa!" and "M*th#rf*ck#r!" at my computer screen.

Geez, I need a valium after watching that...

[celerystalksme]

i read that bsnyc blog post. i didn't read any of the comments...but seriously, if those idiots killed those birds and animals just for their "alleycat", they should be put to death.

[lph]

Judging from the comments they didn't, but like bsnyc I was indignated at them using roadkill for "fun".