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For Delivery Workers in Latin America, Affordable E-Bikes Are a Superpower

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Re: For Delivery Workers in Latin America, Affordable E-Bikes Are a Superpower

#91

Post by thrownaway2323 »

rob74 wrote: post #59

So, a 50 year old former "business manager in a government role" is now working as a delivery worker in Colombia, and the fact that the company gave him a loan for an e-bike (they didn't even provide it to him!) is listed as a "reason to be cheerful"?! I swear this is the most depressing thing I read this week so far, and that's something if you consider how depressing the news has been recently...

>So, a 50 year old former "business manager in a government role" is now working as a delivery worker in Colombia, and the fact that the company gave him a loan for an e-bike

Millions of venezuelan migrants are in a similar situation. It is not uncommon to see former university professors with PHDs, lawyers, engineers with decades of experience, etc. to find themselves in another country working as Uber drivers and other types of jobs. Having to migrate really fucking sucks especially if you are old. Consider yourself lucky if you live in a country that is politically and economically stable and you have some sort of net to support you when things don't work out for you.

Re: For Delivery Workers in Latin America, Affordable E-Bikes Are a Superpower

#92

Post by sebastiansm »

thrownaway2323 wrote: post #91
rob74 wrote: post #59

So, a 50 year old former "business manager in a government role" is now working as a delivery worker in Colombia, and the fact that the company gave him a loan for an e-bike (they didn't even provide it to him!) is listed as a "reason to be cheerful"?! I swear this is the most depressing thing I read this week so far, and that's something if you consider how depressing the news has been recently...

>So, a 50 year old former "business manager in a government role" is now working as a delivery worker in Colombia, and the fact that the company gave him a loan for an e-bike Millions of venezuelan migrants are in a similar situation. It is not uncommon to see former university professors with PHDs, lawyers, engineers with decades of experience, etc. to find themselves in another country working as Uber drivers and o…

It would be interesting to know how many of those old professors with PHDs, lawyers, engineers supported Hugo Chavez at the beginning.

Re: For Delivery Workers in Latin America, Affordable E-Bikes Are a Superpower

#93

Post by kjkjadksj »

conductr wrote: post #84
bobthepanda wrote: post #83

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The only issue with the cheap kits is that they seem to be much likelier to catch fire.

You can buy well built kits that are inexpensive. If you buy the cheapest available on Alibaba then maybe there's some risk of this

Do you have any recommendations for something weatherproof? Maybe something easy to convert back to regular bike? I would love for a little supplementary power to flatten the hills on the commute.

Re: For Delivery Workers in Latin America, Affordable E-Bikes Are a Superpower

#94

Post by kh_hk »

anovikov wrote: post #3

I wonder why is still anyone NOT using e-bikes for delivery. This is the lowest hanging fruit ever. No charging issues (just a normal wall socket is more than enough), no range issues - trips are short and battery can be swapped by a person in seconds to the one that was charging. Almost zero running costs compared to a two-stroke.

When I was doing it, for rush, fun and sport. I guess it's a privileged take on it though.

Re: For Delivery Workers in Latin America, Affordable E-Bikes Are a Superpower

#95

Post by mateus1 »

dfxm12 wrote: post #66
rob74 wrote: post #59

So, a 50 year old former "business manager in a government role" is now working as a delivery worker in Colombia, and the fact that the company gave him a loan for an e-bike (they didn't even provide it to him!) is listed as a "reason to be cheerful"?! I swear this is the most depressing thing I read this week so far, and that's something if you consider how depressing the news has been recently...

This sounds like one of those stories in the US about a community crowdsourcing a ton of money for a little girl to get some life saving surgery that would be covered by socialized health care in almost any other country in the planet. These stories are cheerful for capital.

This is PR slop for a startup. Their workers have no benefits or stability.

Re: For Delivery Workers in Latin America, Affordable E-Bikes Are a Superpower

#96

Post by robertlagrant »

1-more wrote: post #89
avgDev wrote: post #72

Earlier quoted context omitted.

To be fair, stories like this occur in countries with socialized healthcare. People often do come to the US for niche specialized healthcare that is cutting edge. US healthcare is great for the wealthy and those who can afford it. It isn't great for everyone and in general ranks average or poor in some cases.

When someone criticizes US healthcare, they are almost always using "healthcare" to mean "the care that everyone receives on average" and not "the healthcare received by those with good insurance." Private jets fly from around the world to The Cleveland Clinic and The Mayo Clinic every day, but that's not what's at issue for most people.

They also aren't criticising the fact that the US funds most healthcare advancements that are then bought in bulk by socialised programmes once the hard work of discovery and validation is done, and raises the average for everyone.

Until Trump cancels the funding, at which point they suddenly remember it, but only in the context of Trump criticism.

Re: For Delivery Workers in Latin America, Affordable E-Bikes Are a Superpower

#97

Post by robertlagrant »

Gigachad wrote: post #32
brokenmachine wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In Australia too. They don't follow any road rules and ride on the footpaths at insane speeds. They're not actually legal - I believe the law is that if they can go over 17kph without pedalling then they must be registered, have indicators, etc. But nobody seems to do anything about it. I guess some elderly pedestrians must die before something is done.

Nothing is being done because it’s not an actual issue. No one is dying from being hit by delivery bikes. They are just annoying. Meanwhile elderly drivers regularly have incidents that kill entire families and we shrug and say nothing can be done.

A friend's 8 year old kid had his arm broken by ripping, when it got caught in an on-pavement electric bike's wheel. 100% torque straight away.

I assume you heard about it, given the confidence of your assertions. So I'm just reminding you.

Re: For Delivery Workers in Latin America, Affordable E-Bikes Are a Superpower

#98

Post by Dwedit »

"E-bikes produce virtually no greenhouse emissions after manufacturing"

Except for the electricity to charge it, which could either come from clean or dirty power. True about the lack of exhaust though.

Then it leads to the question about the efficiency of generation, distribution, and battery charging vs the distribution and burning of gasoline. Also the weight of the bike. Perhaps someone else has already done the math on this.

Re: For Delivery Workers in Latin America, Affordable E-Bikes Are a Superpower

#99

Post by robertlagrant »

sevensor wrote: post #39
brokenmachine wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In Australia too. They don't follow any road rules and ride on the footpaths at insane speeds. They're not actually legal - I believe the law is that if they can go over 17kph without pedalling then they must be registered, have indicators, etc. But nobody seems to do anything about it. I guess some elderly pedestrians must die before something is done.

An elderly pedestrian I know was recently struck by a car. Compound fractures, dislocated joints. He’s looking at a long recovery and a pile of medical bills, because the driver was barely insured and in the US we’re somehow fine with that. So it comes down to momentum transfer, and I’d much rather he’d have been struck by an e bike.

> I’d much rather he’d have been struck by an e bike

E-bikes offer additional risk, not alternative risk, because they're ridden on pavements.

Re: For Delivery Workers in Latin America, Affordable E-Bikes Are a Superpower

#100

Post by goosedragons »

Dwedit wrote: post #98

"E-bikes produce virtually no greenhouse emissions after manufacturing" Except for the electricity to charge it, which could either come from clean or dirty power. True about the lack of exhaust though. Then it leads to the question about the efficiency of generation, distribution, and battery charging vs the distribution and burning of gasoline. Also the weight of the bike. Perhaps someone else has already done the…

You have to have a really really dirty energy supply for an electric vehicle to be a higher emitter than an ICE vehicle. E-bikes also will replace things like two-stroke mopeds which are especially dirty for ICE vehicles.
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