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Delivery bikers


Barry

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I feel sorry for these guys. I know they are pushed hard and forced to make deliveries on time and ride like idiots sometimes but,

These guys are sent out on crappy 125cc bikes that are barely capable of keeping up with traffic and they are forced to drive the crappy little bike as fast as possible so they can get paid. They aren’t given any safety gear by their employers other than a helmet. I understand it’s too hot to wear a full power ranger suit but these guys aren’t even given basic stuff like gloves, boots, knee and elbow pads, back protectors. Most of them ride round in t shirts and sandals.

Last week I saw a crashed delivery bike on a bridge. No rider to be seen. The emergency services were checking over the sides looking for the rider. I didn’t stop but best guess he hit the edge and went over and fell 20 metres to his death. Yesterday I saw a bike and rider lying on the road with people standing around. From the way he was bent in half backward, his head was touching his heels, the poor guy was dead. 

I see stuff like this at least once a week.

Next time you order something, think about the poor guy who has to deliver it. If your food is 10 minutes late it’s ok, you won’t starve to death. There are people out there dying every day who are getting treated like disposable labour rather than human beings just to deliver your falafel sandwich.

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I’m gonna sound very blunt and rude now but as much respect I have for these guys I see 80 percent of them driving as they should, while the other 20 percent drive like they stole the bike and think they are in a video game. In no possible way is any job worth risking your life for and if you don’t ride defensively in UAE on a motor bike you’re signing your own death warrant. 

For some reason whatsoever many of them can’t seem to grasp when they are driving in the blind spot of the car in front of them, or overtake from the craziest angles and speeds. Sorry for these people I have zero respect 

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"Go as far as you can see; once you get there, you'll be able to see further."

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20 minutes ago, Frederic said:

I’m gonna sound very blunt and rude now but as much respect I have for these guys I see 80 percent of them driving as they should, while the other 20 percent drive like they stole the bike and think they are in a video game. In no possible way is any job worth risking your life for and if you don’t ride defensively in UAE on a motor bike you’re signing your own death warrant. 

For some reason whatsoever many of them can’t seem to grasp when they are driving in the blind spot of the car in front of them, or overtake from the craziest angles and speeds. Sorry for these people I have zero respect 

I completely understand what you are saying. I used to think the same way as you do. In my line of work I speak to everyone from the generals to the ground troops who are fighting the good fight.

The majority of bike delivery riders come from third world countries. They came here to work so they could have enough money to send back to their wives and children so they could do stuff that we take for granted like go to school, go to the doctor, sometimes just to have money to eat.

For most of these guys, if they make a late delivery, they don’t get paid. That means they wasted an hour of their time dodging traffic in scorching heat for nothing. Some of them do ride crazy but it’s because of the pressure their employer puts on them. It’s not the fault of the riders, it’s the employers. You only have to look at how the employers send them out with no safety gear. These guys are just trying to support their families with a Damocles sword hanging over their head. If their delivery is 2 minutes late, their children might not eat that day.

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3 minutes ago, Barry said:

I completely understand what you are saying. I used to think the same way as you do. In my line of work I speak to everyone from the generals to the ground troops who are fighting the good fight.

The majority of bike delivery riders come from third world countries. They came here to work so they could have enough money to send back to their wives and children so they could do stuff that we take for granted like go to school, go to the doctor, sometimes just to have money to eat.

For most of these guys, if they make a late delivery, they don’t get paid. That means they wasted an hour of their time dodging traffic in scorching heat for nothing. Some of them do ride crazy but it’s because of the pressure their employer puts on them. It’s not the fault of the riders, it’s the employers. You only have to look at how the employers send them out with no safety gear. These guys are just trying to support their families with a Damocles sword hanging over their head. If their delivery is 2 minutes late, their children might not eat that day.

I guess what you have mentioned is a bit dramatized as this is a job that they have willingly choosen to do. I agree that delivery guys should never be penalised for late delivery and I don't think in UAE there is a system of penalty. In India when Domino's pizza was launched and their promise was to deliver the pizza within 30 minutes else the pizza is free. And the cost would be borne by the delivery guy. Imagine, a company like Domino's doing this.

But coming back to the topic, these delivery boys drive quite rashly at times and like Fred said they need to learn to drive defensive for their own safety. I have seen bikers over taking from the right so often. They drive here similar to how they do back home where they zigzag through the traffic, but the big difference is the speed and the size of the cars.

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In my many years I've seen a lot of bike accidents. With a bike it doesn't matter whose fault it is the bike guy will always suffer. Keeping this in mind the bike guys need to take extra precaution. I will not judge them all equally. I've seen some who have driven over a Zebra crossing to save a minute endangering pedestrians. I've seen the non registered small scooters driving on the wrong side of the road. But I won't generalize.

I do feel sorry for them, as they need to drive in all kinds of weather and conditions. If they drive in between 2 cars they get cursed, if they abide by the lane discipline they get cursed for taking a cars space. I feel RTA should have consistent rules, bike lanes, and create awareness campaigns to improve safety. There should be some rules which should apply to companies having bike delivery and penalties to the companies whose riders don't follow rules.

I know a few bike drivers for ages riding bikes as delivery drivers without any incidents.

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And then we have these, to rest leg on leg guard heroes. Spotted an hour back.

SmartSelect_20190926-231314_WhatsApp.jpg

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Let's root for each other & watch each other grow.

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