Thank you to everyone who stopped to help when I was knocked over

Thank you to everyone who stopped to help me when I was hit by very well know Pizza delivery moped on the zebra crossing on Peckham Rye/ The Gardens on Sunday evening. It is great to know that there are so many good people in the area.

I remember getting off the 63 then waking up on the crossing having my leg bandaged. Happy to report that after 23 hours in King's A&E I am on the mend. The young driver also ended up in A&E, as his breaks had failed. He said that he had also been hurt on on the same bike a week before, but the company in question didn't seem to bother. I have no doubt these delivery companies put their drivers under pressure to deliver and put profits over the driver and the public safety.

I for one am off food deliveries for good

Helen x

Sorry to hear and great that help was at hand.

Please do contact said delivery company, I put the blame on them for lack of training and monitoring and the whole gig economy mentality. All for profit.

All for profit.

Yes, well, that is what living in a capitalist society is about. For most actual businesses profit is the key motivating factor. Profit, IMHO, is fine - there are issues about excess profits, of course, where market power allows you to exploit your suppliers (labour and goods) or your customers, but there is legislation to address this. Not always with much muscle or teeth, of course.

It is taxes on profits which (partly) pay for much of what we value in life, as well. Without profits you don't get some types of tax income.

Helen - so sorry to learn about this incident and glad to hear you’re on the mend. Do get in touch with the company - maybe through a lawyer - I would have thought you should be due some compensation.

The moped/ driver should have been insured - so there should be a claim on the insurance. If the moped wasn't insured then you may have a claim against the employing company. Even where the brakes failed (i.e. it was not driver error) there is an insurable claim. As you were quite severely injured the police should also consider prosecution if it can be shown that the moped was not properly maintained. (They should do anyway, but they tend not to bother when injuries are only slight, in my experience). However actions against two-wheel drivers always seem more difficult against those on 4 wheels.

Strewth Penguin, are you an apologist for big business?

They pay piece rate. They do not properly train their delivery people. Don't even ensure that theyuse lights at night let alone follow the highway code and the law.

Very much the unacceptable face of capitalism. A responsible government would address some of this.

Depends on what company you're talking about. Domino's has employees that are paid hourly rates plus maybe some kind of per delivery incentive, and the bike is provided by the employer. Deliveroo, Just Eat, Uber Eats etc - "gig economy" bullshit where the rider is supposedly an independent contractor, and the rider rents or buys the bike.

Whatever it is - the bike should be in good condition and ridden carefully.

Good point DKH, it's a shame we as consumers can't put more pressure on these businesses. If they were using slave labour we'd be up in arms. But most don't care about either the employment conditions, or that this contributes to road safety. Phew, just about kept to the topic.

He said that he had also been hurt on on the same bike a week before, but the company in question didn't seem to bother.

Reading the above it suggests that the rider was on a bike supplied by a third party - possibly the company for whom he was delivering Pizzas, possibly a delivery company. In either case, if the bike was faulty causing an accident then it is an Heath and Safety Issue - being an accident at work which must be reported. The driver being himself injured; the accident clearly did need reporting as a legal requirement - even where he was being treated as self-employed - the 'workplace equipment' was faulty (allegedly).

A company with faulty equipment not keeping an (accurate) accident register is breaking the law.

There are existing remedies within legislation to take action here, although the driver would be better placed for support if he was a union member (the union does not have to be 'recognised' by an employer to actively support a member in need).

If it’s domino’s, forget it!

They don’t give a toss!

I once had hand towel bits in my pizza, the attitude of the manager was shit to say the least!

(The blue paper towels you generally use to dry hands with)

I asked the manager if they use them in store, initially she didn’t want to tell me, but eventually told me they did!

I know someone who used to work in the dulwich branch, when I told them what happened, they told me the dulwich branch was the worst for hygiene!

I'm spending a few days in Reading. The delivery cyclists all seem to have electric bikes doing 40 km/h. Illegal. I'm not one for knee jerk posts but sarf London appears pretty benign compared to here

Good point DKH, it's a shame we as consumers can't put more pressure on these businesses. If they were using slave labour we'd be up in arms. But most don't care about either the employment conditions, or that this contributes to road safety. Phew, just about kept to the topic.

 

It’s easy to put pressure on them - just never use them.

I've never used them but I will be very much in the minority. I don't see any ethical food delivery companies out there, and if there are not serving the mass takeaway market.

Likewise re not using them, but I’ve not even had a delivered takeaway from the local Chinese, etc. for at least 25 years and have never ordered an Uber or Lyft, etc. I think they’re exploitative though I know others say they’re a good form of self employment.