Menino signs bike courier rules

By Anthony Flint

Boston Globe, June 30, 1998

Accompanied by the man whose accident last year highlighted the problem of bike messengers darting aggressively through city streets, Mayor Thomas M. Menino yesterday signed tough new rules requiring all couriers to be licensed, plainly identified, and insured.

The measure, passed by the City Council last week, now goes to the Legislature for approval because it covers the use of bikes on public roadways. The mayor said he will ask House Speaker Thomas M. Finneran to take action on it before the end of the session July 31.

Boston School Committee member William J. Spring, who was struck by a courier while crossing Commonwealth Avenue last fall, thanked Menino for addressing what he called a ``wild West'' atmosphere on the streets because of the behavior of some bike messengers.

``I was struck by a messenger going 25 or 35 miles per hour. Some people at the hospital thought I was hit by a car,'' Spring said, noting that fast-moving bikes ``are as much responsibile for the safety of pedestrians as automobiles'' and that ``the civility of Boston is at stake.''

Among other things, the new rules require all bike messengers to be individually licensed and to renew licenses if they change companies; that they be identified with a license plate; and that either the messengers or their company be insured.

``This has some teeth to it,'' which should help the messengers be on their best behavior, said Councilor at Large Stephen J. Murphy, accompanied by Councilor at Large Francis M. ``Mickey'' Roache. Councilor Thomas M. Keane Jr. of the Back Bay filed the original bill but could not attend the signing.

Spring, a Federal Reserve bank president who was in a coma for weeks after the accident, was accompanied by his wife, Micho Spring, and their two children.

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