This caused quite a large outcry among Food Delivery riders. Many of them had been using PMDs to make deliveries. These people are part of the gig economy pertaining to Food Delivery apps such as GrabFood, FoodPanda, WhyQ and Deliveroo. A user uses the app to place an order, and someone in a painfully bright uniform (seriously, have you seen some of those uniforms? They're hideous.) will bring that food to their doorstep. Some of these workers used bicycles, some used motorcycles, and some unfortunate ones used the now-restricted PMDs.
Benefits of the PMD in Food Delivery
PMDs are a fun activity for hobbyists. But where they really shine is as vehicles for Food Delivery. |
| Sleek and sexy. |
Apparently, it's easier on the knees and back as opposed to cycling, and obviously cheaper than a motor vehicle. Some enterprising mothers were also seen bringing their very young children along on deliveries, in effect babysitting and making deliveries simultaneously. And, of course, it's faster than walking.
Back when PMDs first hit the market, Food Delivery riders found a new, less physically-taxing way to make fast deliveries. However, there was a snag - there were reports of fire safety issues and one man even died from a PMD-related fire. Owners of PMDs now had to adhere to safety regulations (the UL2272 certification), paying the cost out of pocket as they upgraded to the new model.
However, due to an increasing number of injuries stemming from accidents due to reckless riding, the LTA soon declared a ban of PMDs from roads and footpaths. Those who had ponied up cash for the new PMD models were now owners of an expensive machine that was severely hamstrung by the ban. Vendors of PMDs ended up with an untenable amount of immovable inventory. Deliveries slowed and income suffered as riders found themselves unable to make deliveries with the same dizzying speed as before. Food vendors, previously being able to sell more food via delivery orders as opposed to being limited by seating spaces in food establishments, found their incomes affected as well. There were even recent cases of e-scooter tourism being affected.
The people happy with the ban (or, at the very least, relieved) were those who feared for their safety as pedestrians, or those who had already been affected by reckless riders.
The Gig Economy
Food Delivery apps are one manifestation of a growing gig economy here in Singapore; indeed, worldwide. It's a new mode of working, made possible by mobile technology and the wonders of the Internet in an increasingly-connected world. |
| Food Delivery Apps |
The Food Delivery industry, in particular, experienced a minor boom as citizens took to it. Not only is the pay pretty decent, it does not require paper qualifications or hard-to-learn skills. The barrier to entry is almost non-existent. Ergo, one could be a school dropout and still make a good living as a Food Delivery rider. And as part of the gig economy, workers enjoy a flexible working schedule and determine just how much work they want to do each day. Kind of like being a taxi driver... without the requisite license and cab rental.
A tech professional's take on the situation
Reactions have been mixed throughout the Nation. Some have stated that the riders' right to earn a living does not trump the right of the public to be safe on footpaths. Conversely, some of the riders have expressed sympathy for those injured or killed by reckless riders, but insist that it is unfair for their living to be affected by the actions of a few.Some have even accused the upset food delivery riders of being lazy and entitled, and wanting easy, well-paid jobs, and told to take up actual jobs.
Now, before I weigh in here, I just want to state that I have very little skin in the game. I do not use food delivery apps, choosing to either walk to buy my own, or cook, like some kind of psychopath. I don't own a PMD, though those e-unicycles do look pretty cool. I have not had any bad encounters with reckless riders, though as a pedestrian and someone who has aging parents and a very young nephew, I can certainly see why people would be concerned.
More importantly, I have never been in a situation where riding a PMD to deliver food looked like a viable career choice. I am a tech professional in an industry that will probably never see a sunset, because the only thing that makes software obsolete is other software. So I'm quite aware that me dispensing career advice to food delivery riders to suck it up and "get an actual, stable job" would come off as more than a little sanctimonious, and rightfully so. I have no aversion to sounding like a condescending prick - it can be fun and therapeutic - but if and when I do, I'd prefer it to be intentional.
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| Here's a stable job. |
Besides, there's no such thing as a "stable" job (unless you're a horse jockey. Stable, geddit? Hur hur). Years of being affected by changes to the economy have taught me that valuable lesson.
No, as a tech professional, the point I want to make is that the Internet-enabled gig economy is, by its very nature, volatile. Those food delivery riders who adopted that trend so handily should realize that as quickly as mobile technology disrupted traditional services such as taxis with ride-sharing, advances in technology could just as rapidly disrupt the newly-minted Food Delivery industry. Ban or no ban, that too-good-to-be-true job was built on top of an unsustainable foundation.
Food Delivery companies are basically driven by investor money, trying to strike while the iron is hot and anticipating their investment will eventually come good. Much like bicycle-sharing companies (of which several ceased operations in Singapore since the last time I wrote about them) and the ride-sharing company Uber which also ceased operations here last year.
Riders complaining about their affected income is reminiscent of passengers griping about increased cab fares after Uber's exit. They had a good thing while it lasted, but they should also be aware that it was never going to last.
It's not about what you can get. It's about what you can keep. Whether the affected Food Delivery riders continue on their chosen track or seek career opportunities elsewhere, they should bear this in mind.
That's not to say Food Delivery riders are wrong to be upset. I've lost my job before. I get it. This situation sucks to be in. When I lost my jobs, on each occasion, I upskilled, came back stronger and landed another one. It's not my place to suggest that Food Delivery riders should do the same, but like it or not, the ban is staying until our infrastructure expands enough to safely incorporate PMDs. There's a limit to how productive railing at the Singapore Government is going to be. Get it out of your system if you must, but let it go.
Remember, one can always ask the Government to help take care of you. But no one takes care of you better than you.
Finally...
I've avoided expounding on whether the Singapore Government was right or wrong in issuing the ban. It's a moot point. They did what they felt they had to do.For wannabe politicians hoping to cash in on some political points by politicizing this issue ahead of the next General Elections, you're wasting your time. The math doesn't add up. You could gain some support from Food Delivery riders who are upset at how the Singapore Government handled this, but for every disgruntled rider, there are at least eight citizens who support the ban.
This is not a hill you want to die on. Move on.
Some food for thought!
T___T
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