The LA Times’ assertion of Vandals, thieves attacking L.A. food delivery robots conveniently ignores the impact those robots have on real humans that also use the sidewalk.
We as pedestrians have been crowded out of public spaces by autonomous vehicles, scooters, e-bikes, street vendors, and the unhoused population in our cities. Now, our big-tech worshipping capitalist oligarchs are pressuring us to accept these robots that are Excited to Deliver Your Groceries! I am not excited, amused, or interested in whatever convenience these overpriced delivery services are offering.
Our public spaces are already under assault by the scooter invasion.
Lime, Bird, Lyft, Uber, and countless other thirsty tech-bro scooter startups. These rental scooters and delivery services are extremely overpriced.
Clueless riders park these scooters wherever they feel like, with no regard for anyone else.
Scooter related injuries are on the rise, increasing 21% in 2022 alone, per government report.
Scooters block sidewalk access for the disabled and damage parked cars all the time.
Cities like Columbus, OH have banned these robots altogether, along with Parisians who overwhelmingly voted in favor of a ban on scooter rentals. Arlington County, VA have planned to hold scooters hostage in a city-run warehouse if they are left on private property.
Knoxville, TN city council unanimously voted for a ban on delivery bots. Disabled Torontonians have pushed Geoffrey the “cute pink robot” into the street after voicing their opposition.
This is encouraging. It shows a silent majority of citizens are actually opposed to this unwanted, rentier capitalist scooter / delivery bot invasion. Americans who get the opportunity to vote on the future of urban planning in their communities should be the ones making decisions, not private corporate interests. Where do you think these articles about the assault on “cute innocent delivery bots” are coming from?
In short: robots can have roles in society but shouldn’t get the same rights as people when it comes to shared public spaces.
Please remember:
- Safety should always take precedence over capitalism: Pedestrians need to be the priority for safety. Robots could cause accidents or be obstacles.
- Unresolved Legal and Ethical conflicts: Robots aren’t sentient; they don’t need rights like humans do. If we give them certain rights and privileges, they will simply demand more. People often forget that powerful corporations have virtually no obligation or incentive to be fair and ethical.
- Practical Concerns: Despite what aggressively pro-business local media will tell you, sidewalks are for people, not machines. Allowing robots free movement could cause congestion or conflict with other uses.
Possible Solution:
Designate separate spaces for robots or regulate their behavior to ensure they don’t interfere with pedestrians; I don’t believe we have an example of this happening in any metro area yet. Maybe because the greater public good is in conflict with late-stage tech-bro capitalism.
(This article was written without the assistance of ai)