A bicycle courier might be unusual choice for a hero but one is the star of one of the latest American action films. A bicycle courier has to ride across New York City with a delivery wanted by many of the other characters in the film.
The well-known actor Joseph Gordon -Levitt plays the lead character in the film “Premium Rush”. The film has been praised for its all action sequences and breathtaking chases through the traffic of New York and has received critical praise for its high octane suspense shots done in real time. The actors had to undergo intense bicycle training and in fact the star had an accident where he ran into a van, fortunately only with minor injuries.
Every Day Couriers
Bicycle and motorbike couriers take the most risks of any type of courier. In fact many of them give up this type of courier work after accidents. Anyone who has been in a big city during rush hour will have seen bicycle and motorbike couriers weaving in and out of traffic to deliver on time. Vulnerable to any knock, this is a high risk business but many enjoy it. Chosen as one of the fastest ways to get an item delivered in an area of heavy traffic congestion, this is a high adrenaline type of job. Quick reactions are needed, good eyesight and traffic awareness, and also a sense of personal survival.
The man with a van type of courier is a less likely choice of hero, but many work long hours to deliver parcels and goods from one side of the country to the other. When a customer has been waiting for an item or vital part without which work cannot go on, then the man who delivers it is the hero who saves the day. Next day delivery has become an integral part of our courier system and urgent deliveries sometimes require an all night drive by the courier to get the job done. A commonly used quote is the phrase “Keep calm and carry on” and though originating from the second world war this is particularly apt for today’s courier. He may have to deal with breakdowns, bad weather, blocked roads and high volumes of traffic, but the delivery must continue. He will have a schedule to keep to so he must carry on.
At the moment, there are no films about the van courier as super hero. He is just an essential and dependable part of today’s society. The bicycle and motorbike courier are the poster boys of the adrenalin rush, and justifiably are the material for all action films like “Premium Rush” with a handsome up and coming movie star in the lead role. The ordinary courier who may have worked a sixty hour week and has made all his deliveries on time and still with a smile on his face is just as deserving of praise and is essential for the industries of today to function properly. Our country would grind to a halt without these unsung heroes.