Low pay, no benefits, stiff competition and constant threats posed by aggressive traffic and car doors - being a bike courier is a tough job, and they've got the battle scars to prove it.

The unique and complex nature of the event reflects the character of the profession. "You get people who can't work in Tim Hortons for 10 minutes who do this job for 50 hours a week, and they risk their lives, and they thrive.

People often blame cyclists for hogging the sidewalks and inconveniencing pedestrians. That was certainly the case on a recent warm spring night at the Bloor Cinema, but it wasn't because they were on their bikes.

You might've seen Cheryl Douglas, 57, weaving in and out of the city's busy intersections before, but she's doing it with health benefits and better wages now that she's a part of Courier Co-op Toronto.

What used to be 30-minute walk to work is now a breezy 10. My commute is a pleasant one, with the exception of road hogging drivers who disregard the sanctity of bike lanes and try to run me over.