A food delivery man in China rushing to deliver an order on time accidentally knocked over a fence and then knelt down to beg a guard for mercy, sparking protests from fellow delivery men.
On August 12, a delivery man from Hangzhou city in eastern China's Zhejiang province was trying to save time by crossing a green area of a residential complex, but accidentally stepped over a fence.
Security guards immediately confiscated the driver's electric bike keys and demanded that he pay a fine of 200 yuan (US$28).
According to Hangzhou police, the delivery man was so afraid that the delivery would be delayed that he got on his knees and begged for the keys to be returned.
Following the incident, a large number of delivery workers gathered near the building in protest, forcing police to quell the situation.
Videos shared on Weibo can be seen shoving and shoving police as angry delivery workers yell “Apologise to the delivery man! Apologise!”
The fence was accidentally damaged as the driver was rushing to make the delivery on time. Photo: Baidu
The driver's employer, Meituan, sent a representative to the scene, paid for the fence repairs and assisted police in dispersing the crowds.
Meituan added that it would provide support to couriers if police investigations showed they had been mistreated.
“We hope that people can maintain a calm, understanding and tolerant attitude when faced with situations like this,” Hangzhou police said in a statement.
The incident quickly became a hot topic on social media in mainland China.
“This is truly heartbreaking. No one would willingly kneel in public unless they were driven to desperation,” one netizen posted on Weibo.
“Why would a security guard make the delivery man's job harder? They are both struggling workers,” said another online observer.
Meanwhile, a third added: “The high demands placed on drivers often force delivery workers to break road rules and risk their lives to earn a small income.”
Economic pressures and job shortages have driven thousands of people into the food delivery industry in recent years.
The incident sparked protests by the man's colleagues, which police had to break up. Photo: Baidu
Last year, China's two largest food delivery companies, Meituan and Ele.me, employed 7.45 million and 4 million active delivery workers, respectively.
Delivery workers are paid up to 10 yuan (US$1.40) per order depending on the distance they deliver, and late deliveries attract complaints and lead to fines.
China has taken steps to improve working conditions for delivery workers, but reports of abuse remain common.
On July 23, a delivery man's ankles were locked with a riot control device as a “punishment” by security guards in the central Chinese province of Hubei.
In July 2022, a customer refused to let a female delivery worker use the building's elevator, insulted her professional ethics, and threw hot noodles at her.
