DfT may introduce compulsory delivery charge for online shopping -

[MickiQ]

The enviromental arguments are the most valid since that is the primary argument behind introducing this charge anyway, It was suggested as a way to discourage people from placing unnecessary orders thus causing unnecessary pollution. We can get as cynical as we want about whatever the real reasons might be but that is what it is being sold as.
The argument that Marty1 trucking around the North East with a van with 250 parcels in it following an optimised route is more environmentally friendly than 250 cars making 250 journeys to 250 different places is a very sound one (which does indeed make one wonder about the real reason).
As well as the total number of miles being covered almost certainly being a lot less, there's also the fact that the van needs to get warm just once. My car has a trip computer that tells me it's MPG at a given time. When I start it from cold, it's only doing 10-12 mpg, by the time, I get off the estate it's up to about 24-25 mpg. I've got to be on the dual carriageway 3 or 4 miles from home by the time it's optimal, so even if a lot of those 250 journeys a short it's far from good from a pollution point of view.

 

[scifisam]

The enviromental arguments are the most valid since that is the primary argument behind introducing this charge anyway, It was suggested as a way to discourage people from placing unnecessary orders thus causing unnecessary pollution. We can get as cynical as we want about whatever the real reasons might be but that is what it is being sold as.
The argument that Marty1 trucking around the North East with a van with 250 parcels in it following an optimised route is more environmentally friendly than 250 cars making 250 journeys to 250 different places is a very sound one (which does indeed make one wonder about the real reason).
As well as the total number of miles being covered almost certainly being a lot less, there's also the fact that the van needs to get warm just once. My car has a trip computer that tells me it's MPG at a given time. When I start it from cold, it's only doing 10-12 mpg, by the time, I get off the estate it's up to about 24-25 mpg. I've got to be on the dual carriageway 3 or 4 miles from home by the time it's optimal, so even if a lot of those 250 journeys a short it's far from good from a pollution point of view.

You also manufacture, maintain and park one van, as opposed to multiple cars.

 

[Saul Goodman]

I'm sure he'd love too but a robot van that brings it to your door will still need someone to get it out of the van, carry it up your drive, knock on the door, irritate your neighbours by asking if it can be left wth them and stick a card through your door saying "Sorry We Missed You" Robots are going to have to progress a lot further than self-driving vans before they can get rid of the delivery person even if they don't drive the van.

All they'll need is a trebuchet on the van, and simply 'do a Hermes'

 

[NoXion]

All they'll need is a trebuchet on the van, and simply 'do a Hermes'

 

[MickiQ]

All they'll need is a trebuchet on the van, and simply 'do a Hermes'

That's a thought, If there was a trebuchet then it could simply lob the parcel clean over the house into the garden thus avoiding the need to knock on the door, disturb the neighbours or write a card. Took the kids to see the one at Warwick Castle about a dozen years ago, it's seriously impressive but a bit big to fit in a Ford Transit.

 

[Artaxerxes]

I presume that drones would fling them off the van but fuck knows how that's supposed to work with flats and multiple occupation bedsits

 

[Marty1]

It would be patently stupid and utterly transparent for Amazon to attempt to use environmental justifications for their exploitative labour practices. It wouldn't matter if every Amazon delivery was completely pollution free, if their business model was otherwise unchanged.

Ive given up on the idea of Amazon’s worker exploitation ever been reformed - nobody in power gives a fuck as it’s plebs off the dole and for the general public it’s a very convenient service.

Cars and vans are moving to electric anyway - if these proposals are implemented it will speed that up for delivery vans, the govt may make tens of millions during the transition.

If customers didn’t like this delivery tax and did start to return to the high street I could see Bezos buying something like Sainsbury’s as they own Argos and give away free carbon offset vouchers to customers if you spend over £50 etc.

 

[wayward bob]

Ive given up on the idea of Amazon’s worker exploitation ever been reformed - nobody in power gives a fuck as it’s plebs off the dole and for the general public it’s a very convenient service.

fwiw my understanding of the next gen is they're all up behind the amazon deliverers

since hamurabi people have been returning sandals, sorry, human nature

 

[William of Walworth]

I had to Google 'trebuchet'

Interesting discussion/thread though