Experiences of Deliveroo riders

FatLassOnaBike

Just wanted a bit of feedback from you guys and girls about experiences in your area with Deliveroo riders.

In mine, they are on the whole pretty good and don't really get a bad press and are under some very strict instructions regarding cycle safety and sticking to the road laws (I know I have just started out as a Deliveroo myself)

However last night the local 'newspaper' published an online piece about the local Roos meeting in a central part of town where we wait for our orders to come through. The article didn't say at any point about the Roos being a problem, it just explained to the readers what the sudden increase in 'cube carrying' cyclists was all about.

Que, rants on the papers Facebook page about cyclists jumping red liights, not having lights on, cycling on pavements etc etc

What have your experiences as cyclists been with Deliveroo riders in your area? I'm hoping that in my area we are actually the better end of the cycling spectrum and that it could be other areas riders which are leading to a poor perception, or it could just simply be the usual cycle hatred.

Ta muchly!

mudcovered

In Bath the riding standard was pretty ropy to start with but it does seem better now. Although a lot of the riders really ought to actually have lights when they are riding at night or should uprate the ones they are using. I've seen several with no front light and many with tail-lights that are incredibly dim.

Anonymous

Riding is actually pretty good in my experience.

Need to be better illuminated though.

tgotb

The ones I've seen are pretty representative of cyclists as a whole; most fairly good, the odd crazy one who rides like they're playing a video game.

Visibility doesn't seem to be a strong point...

vpnikolov

Creative way for Deliveroo to source feedback, I admit. If you are not a Deliveroo representative, I do apologise.

I agree with the comments above, generally good road behaviour, but can do a lot better with illumination.

BobMcbob

Agree the cyclists are generally fine, the guys on mopeds though...

Long_Time_Lurker

No problems up here in the North East.
But I must be getting old - all I think when I see them is that they will all end up with bad backs in a few years time. :oops:

rick_chasey

Does deliveroo treat them like employees or as self employed workers who use the deliveroo franchise?

Bikequin

I see far too many of them riding around with no lights

N0bodyOfTheGoat

From when they were recruiting, I think it was some sort of franchise deal.

mudcovered

Riders are payed by the delivery so no deliveries == no income.

rick_chasey

In which case, I'm tempted to cut the guys some slack, 'cos I imagine it's bloody hard work for f*ck all pay - especially the ones on push bikes.

rower63

Deliveroo riding and Uber driving remind me of the sharecropping business model. Perhaps not quite slavery, but something not far from it dressed up as "self-employed", "owning your own business" etc

hopkinb

My other half suggested I might want to earn some extra cash being a deliveroo rider, what with "how much time you spend on that bl00dy bike".

kingstongraham

I think Uber is a bit different, in that it makes better utilisation of the drivers. I still need to give them a decent tip to make up for the low amount the driver gets.

I can't see how Deliveroo gets much more earning time than the traditional delivery methods. Just means that some anonymous company with about 20 employees creams off a large percentage on the way to building up a $1bn business. I guess it must be better value for the takeaway, so there's only one place that can be coming from.

jamesco

rower63 wrote:

Deliveroo riding and Uber driving remind me of the sharecropping business model. Perhaps not quite slavery, but something not far from it dressed up as "self-employed", "owning your own business" etc

It's a textbook example of piece work.

rick_chasey

KingstonGraham wrote:

I think Uber is a bit different, in that it makes better utilisation of the drivers. I still need to give them a decent tip to make up for the low amount the driver gets.

I can't see how Deliveroo gets much more earning time than the traditional delivery methods. Just means that some anonymous company with about 20 employees creams off a large percentage on the way to building up a $1bn business. I guess it must be better value for the takeaway, so there's only one place that can be coming from.

I thought they charged restaurants to be on the app - in return for sending business their way.

trago1987

In Plymouth there are some that are pretty shocking jumping up onto kerbs just to get past a tee light and if traffic is bad using pavements. I see one lad everyday who is textbook though and have even seen him shouting at another one of his work mates for jumping through a red!

First.Aspect

BobMcbob wrote:

Agree the cyclists are generally fine, the guys on mopeds though...

Moped guys are unguided missiles in Edinburgh, most think they are cyclists as well, judging by their use of the bike lanes. I complained, made a few noises about police, council licences and wotnot (complete hot air) and seems to be a bit better. Possibly because the business model doesn't work and they've all gone and got proper jobs.

Cyclists seem fine to me - self preservation and all that. Lots of reflectives at this time of year as well.

bigmonka

TGOTB wrote:

The ones I've seen are pretty representative of cyclists as a whole; most fairly good, the odd crazy one who rides like they're playing a video game.

Think that sums up the ones in York too.

thistle_

I occasionally see a few riders near work and they are fine.

thistle_

thistle (MBNW) wrote:

I occasionally see a few riders near work and they are fine.

However we were in Nottingham at the weekend and they were riding on the pavement everywhere. I would've thought it would be quicker to either walk your bike through the crowds of shoppers or just follow the road...

rolf_f

thistle (MBNW) wrote:

thistle (MBNW) wrote:

I occasionally see a few riders near work and they are fine.

However we were in Nottingham at the weekend and they were riding on the pavement everywhere. I would've thought it would be quicker to either walk your bike through the crowds of shoppers or just follow the road...

Saw one in Leeds doing the same under the railway station last week. Takes seconds to ride down the road - he was crawling along on the pavement getting in everyones way.

roger_merriman

Seen a few with a bit of death wish, in Kingston centre and others who seemed sane enough in the surrounding areas.

prawny

Birmingham ones seem ok, some odd choices of bikes and clothing mind.

I like the reflective jackets, wouldn't mind one of them myself

fatsmoker

In Leicester there are a few that need lights in the evening. But then in Leicester about half the people / all the people on BSOs need lights.

Wrath Rob

I ride regularly around the back of Spitalfields Market. Lots of rider from both Deliveroo and Ubereats hang out around there, I assume as there's a lot of restaraunts in the area and Brick Lane is near by. The lights at the end of the road are slow to turn and I see lots of RLJ as a result. In my experience the riding standard is generally above couriers but definitely not law abiding and often unconcerned about other cyclists and road users. Ubereats is worse but not much in it. Plus they're all really, really slow!

FatLassOnaBike

vpnikolov wrote:

Creative way for Deliveroo to source feedback, I admit. If you are not a Deliveroo representative, I do apologise.

I agree with the comments above, generally good road behaviour, but can do a lot better with illumination.

Haha no, I'm simply a rider with them, nothing official. We have just been getting a bit of flack in my hometown from the local press comments section from the usual section of idiot drivers, but also from some cyclists who seem to think we're bad.

FatLassOnaBike

Rick Chasey wrote:

Does deliveroo treat them like employees or as self employed workers who use the deliveroo franchise?

Classed as self employed, hence why I have a full time job as well. Thankfully I only do it for a few extra quid a ,on the rather than as a mainstay career

FatLassOnaBike

prawny wrote:

Birmingham ones seem ok, some odd choices of bikes and clothing mind.

I like the reflective jackets, wouldn't mind one of them myself

Have to say the jackets are rather sexy, reflective as f*** as well!

The cycle jerseys look good as well, alas they my local onboard get guy hasn't got one in in my size yet, has plenty of racing snake ones though

rick_chasey

On this, an FT journo becomes a deliveroo rider as part of an examination of the 'gig' economy type companies and their economic value or lack of.

https://ftalphaville.ft.com/2016/12/12/ ... g-economy/

You might find it interesting.