Unhappy GrabFood Rider Shares Video Of How He Walks & Pushes PMD To Deliver Bubble Tea

I’ll be blunt about this.

Being a Personal Mobility Device (PMD) rider now has to suck.

If you don’t understand what I’m talking about, watch this video first:

The recent ban of PMDs from footpaths has drawn much ire and elicited many an angry response from users.

It hurts even more for food delivery riders as the delivery times now will be much longer.

The result? They have to take fewer delivery jobs as well.

I’d be pretty annoyed if it affected my livelihood as well.

First-Person Perspective

It’s always easier to understand something when you see it for yourself.

According to Mothership, one GrabFood rider used his Youtube account and did a video to show the effects the ban had on him.

Taking his order of merely one bubble tea, he proceeds to walk for around 30 minutes to his given destination.

The delivery was from Century Square mall to Block 458 at Tampines Street 42.

This isn’t terribly far if you had some form of transport but on foot, it takes at least around 26 minutes.

Not to mention the lack of park connecter networks on the way there.

Though a majority of the videos has him reading comments on videos, I couldn’t help but notice the evening sun.

I’m pretty sure whatever drink the customer ordered wouldn’t be cold by the time he got there.

A sentiment shared by the rider around the 19 min mark. 

It honestly feels pretty cursed to be walking for a 30 minute delivery in weather like Singapore’s.

The video has garnered over 14000 views and 72 likes of this writing.

His Opinions On The $7 Million Grant

But how much does it help?

The government has set aside S$7 million for existing food delivery riders (as of 7 November) to trade-in PMDs for a bicycle or a or personal mobility aids (PMA).

In his video description, the rider has this to say:

He feels that if PMDs were allowed to ride on roads as an alternative, it would actually reduce pedestrian accidents and make footpaths less congested.

Also, the money wouldn’t have to be spent on this situation.

The rider does understand that the ban would keep errant ‘young punks’ from riding recklessly but the consideration towards the delivery drivers could’ve been more.

Parts of his video also mentioned that less fortunate people, such as those with disabilities or lack of academic backgrounds, could be affected as this job was all they had.

I can only hope that situations for these riders will look up and that common ground can be established.

Remember: it’s not the machines that make reckless riders. It’s just the irresponsibles ones that give others a bad name.