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Am I the only one who hates delivery robots?

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71–80 of 84 posts

Re: Am I the only one who hates delivery robots?

#71

I hate them, but not for perhaps the normal reason. I also hate the way delivery has progressed. Delivery used to be relegated to a few types of food which were designed better for it. Remember when your pizza came hot in an insulated pizza sleeve, not dropped at your entrance cold and sad? We're making it more and more normal to completely avoid interacting with each other and having service be something we cherish,…

How much did you really interact with the pizza guy? Lack of interaction is probably mostly tangential to this.

Technology is progressing to the point of making a formerly luxury service widely accessible. Why is that a bad thing?

Re: Am I the only one who hates delivery robots?

#72
post #30

I think it's important to note that these things don't take jobs from humans; they dislocate the jobs from expensive humans where the vehicles operate to less expensive humans with an internet connection in the global south. This is literally outsourcing physical labour overseas.

That will apply to only a smaller percentage, even in early days. It's very typical for one human operator to remotely oversee many robots.

so, many jobs in a high paying country are being replaced by a single employee overseas. Do you see how this is not a better outcome?

Re: Am I the only one who hates delivery robots?

#74
post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

By your logic, heart disease and cancer are the real concern. Why you so worried about cars? Your comment is irrelevant otherwise.

I think we can tackle different issues at the same time For heart issues, it is a bit hard to fix. You need a healthy lifestyle is general is something you need the correct environment for and a good education about. Still, it's not impossible and any sane country has food labeling requirements and education around it as well as promotion of physical exercise. It's being done. Similarly car-centric city design is not…

In case anyone has trouble visualizing that, try picturing this many cars moving so quickly and efficiently:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vEpjPRs4Iio

Also, the woman with the roller bag.

Re: Am I the only one who hates delivery robots?

#75
post #33

I stumbled on the most hilarious cross-walk encounter between one of the these delivery bots and a Waymo in downtown phoenix.. it seems that neither was programmed (probably rightfully so) to take the initiative in the situation, so what ensued was a painfully drawn out exchange of agentic deference.

Interestingly, the solution to this problem in humans is that all humans have different individual aggressiveness levels. That works pretty well, but I would guess it won't be one of the first things that robot fleet operators try.

I'm vibe coding a "rock-paper-scissors" protocol for robots to be able to negotiate situations just such as this.

Re: Am I the only one who hates delivery robots?

#76
post #64

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Counterpoint (though I agree there is often a problem with them sharing often already insufficient pedestrian infrastructure): Many people can't walk to pick up their food. Pervasive delivery service is a huge quality of life improvement for a variety of disabled folks and folks who are homebound for whatever reason. And, the alternative to these robots is exactly this: "We have already problems with stupid drivers p…

that works only in theory, these robots deliver the food only on the street, so they might as well leave in restaurant since they make no difference for someone on 2nd or higher floor, most of the people in areas where they operate don't live in villas, but they either deliver to companies or to residential multi floor buildings plus disabled people have already their carers to take care of the food and can't rely on…

"counterpoint to the cars - they are much more efficient, they can delivery many orders at once"

I'd like to see the math before I agree cars are more efficient, at all. Little electric robots produce a lot less emissions than a gaming PC. Cars...well, they produce a lot more emissions than a gaming PC. And, gig workers are usually carrying two or three orders, not a big stack. In the old days when the only delivery was pizza and Chinese, they could stack them up and make it efficient. These days, it's three different stops at three different restaurants.

"plus disabled people have already their carers to take care of the food"

You have imagined a specific type of disabled person living in a specific type of world, and it is unlike anything that exists in the real world.

Most disabled people do not have in-home carers, at all, much less 24/7. Many disabled people can meet a delivery at the door or sidewalk, but can't easily travel to pick something up.

Sure, most regular folks should walk more, rather than order a burrito taxi. But, that's not where we are, and I don't know how we get somewhere else. Certainly outlawing little electric robots doesn't stop people from ordering food delivery. Based on what I know (which is not exhaustive, but isn't nothing, I work on delivery robots in a different space), I prefer the robots to the cars. But, the robots should absolutely be held accountable for disrupting pedestrian and wheelchair access to sidewalks.

Re: Am I the only one who hates delivery robots?

#77
post #63
post #28

> Labor-saving devices are rarely that — instead labor is shifted, from one department to another, from the body to the brain, or standards are raised — when laundry is done by a machine, its operator must ensure that all clothing is bright, soft, sweet smelling and stain-free What? The washing machine was so effective at saving labor that it's widely considered a major driver of gender equality: https://en.wikipedia…

Two things can be true. In this case, both are. Laundry machines were a massive improvement, but it did raise expectations around clothing.

[deleted]

Re: Am I the only one who hates delivery robots?

#80
post #2

we have these all over chicago and everyone hates them. I thought i hate it because they take up public sidewalks ( possibly illegaly) or that they are hurting delivery drivers or that some guy in india is watching me through the creepy camera on the robot. But those are posthoc rationalizations i just seem to hate them and i cant really explain why.

Two of them have somehow crashed into bus shelters, smashing the glass, most recently on Lawrence iirc. That's good enough reason for me. I use those bus shelters, especially on Lawrence!

Wait until you see the track record of actual delivery drivers.
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