Extinction Rebellion
- Thread starter Jeremiah18.17
- Start date
Miss-Shelf
I'll meet you further on up the road
Not coming to most individuals though for court related fees. It is advertised (always has been) in arrest related documents that people do it under their own £ resources but they may want affinity groups to help them
Some people are claiming a basic wage in XR ...and *sometimes* those positions are advertised...although of course, people who last year were able to give a lot of time for free were then more knowledgable and skilled in the roles that then become renuerable after the coffers swelled in April
Bahnhof Strasse
Met up with Hannah Courtoy a week next Tuesday
How do cabbies and van couriers plan to compensate the legions of Londoners who die every year choking on the filthy fumes from their vehicles?
Wouldn’t London grind to a halt within 20mins if cabs and courier vans were banned?
YouSir
Retired from Urban
No.
Knobhead
editor
hiraethified
Bahnhof Strasse
Met up with Hannah Courtoy a week next Tuesday
editor
hiraethified
And off you pop.
Bahnhof Strasse
Met up with Hannah Courtoy a week next Tuesday
Gramsci
Well-Known Member
Black Can drivers have had a series of protests using the cabs to block roads. Those that I've seen take place have been in Tottenham Court Road , Parliament Square, London Bridge and the Bank.
They were either daytime or early afternoon/ evening when people have been trying to get home.
The Black Cab drivers are well organised and the blocking of roads for half a day or an evening has been common over the last year.
Most of it is directed at TFL
I haven't seen any police using "pain and compliance" techniques to get the Cab drivers to move.
The police have stood by and watched.
I’d hate to be doing my courier job in London with any protest going on as I’d imagine the congestion is bad enough without protests, but 2 weeks of XR disruption would be a killer.
FridgeMagnet
Administrator
So far the people at XR protests that I've seen arguing with hostile reactions fall into three categories:
1. Drivers and cyclists who have been unexpectedly (to them) stopped, shouting "don't you know people have to earn a living, stop getting in the way". Tbh it is fair enough being frustrated when you're probably under pressure to make a delivery and suddenly get held up.
2. Lone florid men in suits around the City and Westminster who take it on themselves to have a debate with people they pass by. This usually doesn't end how they thought it would; they stand there arguing for a bit and never manage to deliver the zingers they think they will, and eventually just wander off.
3. Blokes shouting stuff about hippies to look hard in front of their mates or to impress a girlfriend who's either of a similar opinion or is intensely embarrassed. They don't hang around.
1. Drivers and cyclists who have been unexpectedly (to them) stopped, shouting "don't you know people have to earn a living, stop getting in the way". Tbh it is fair enough being frustrated when you're probably under pressure to make a delivery and suddenly get held up.
2. Lone florid men in suits around the City and Westminster who take it on themselves to have a debate with people they pass by. This usually doesn't end how they thought it would; they stand there arguing for a bit and never manage to deliver the zingers they think they will, and eventually just wander off.
3. Blokes shouting stuff about hippies to look hard in front of their mates or to impress a girlfriend who's either of a similar opinion or is intensely embarrassed. They don't hang around.
Bahnhof Strasse
Met up with Hannah Courtoy a week next Tuesday
As useful as Amazon is, and it is brilliant to have all your tat delivered to your door when you live in the sticks, it should have no place in central London. There are Amazon lockers where shit can be delivered to and you go and pick it up.
Gramsci
Well-Known Member
I really don't feel its good idea to set couriers and van drivers against the XR protests.
These people have precarious jobs and provide a needed service.
They are necessary for London.
Black Cabs are moving to be all electric a next few years. Already a lot of electric Black cabs on the roads.
Cabs and delivery vehicles to hire are part of the solution. A move away from people owning cars.
Nearly all couriers are so called "self employed". So don't get sick and don't have holidays.
ULEZ has hit them hard. ( Not Black cabs who are exempt)
Wha is needed is a whole reorganisation of how delivery system for London works. How to use green transport and make sure people have proper conditions of work.
These people have precarious jobs and provide a needed service.
They are necessary for London.
Black Cabs are moving to be all electric a next few years. Already a lot of electric Black cabs on the roads.
Cabs and delivery vehicles to hire are part of the solution. A move away from people owning cars.
Nearly all couriers are so called "self employed". So don't get sick and don't have holidays.
ULEZ has hit them hard. ( Not Black cabs who are exempt)
Wha is needed is a whole reorganisation of how delivery system for London works. How to use green transport and make sure people have proper conditions of work.
Bahnhof Strasse
Met up with Hannah Courtoy a week next Tuesday
FridgeMagnet
Administrator
The number of couriers on the streets of London right now is absurd, and is part of an increasingly prevalent on-demand economic system that deliberately creates a sector of exploited couriers, as well as attacking any existing system (like "shops" or "restaurants") that might prevent that, plus increasing social disconnection. It's also massively inefficient - it's now way harder to get something delivered than it was ten years ago - but efficiency was never the point.
Unfortunately Amazon Prime with ‘free’ delivery promotes conspicuous and frivolous consumption.
I’ve travelled 30 odd miles before to deliver a parcel that the customer has opened in front of me to reveal a pack of 5 biro pens, only to do the same again the following day with whatever else the customer had ordered the day before.
The amount of diesel fuel/carbon emissions for such trivial item deliveries must be shocking.
editor
hiraethified
...if you were unable to use and understand Google Maps. You know, the free to download thing with all its fancy live traffic updates, congestion notifications and automatic rerouting.
Gramsci
Well-Known Member
Funnily enough their are upsides. During the last XR protest in London when Oxford Circus was occupied by the second week a lot of traffic was simply avoiding Central London. So it was actually easier to get around. So a lot of traffic doesn't really need to go across the West End.
Shows how traffic could be reduced in West End.
Gramsci
Well-Known Member
Food deliveries is the big growth industry. As you say its marketed as on demand system.
I frequently use Google maps as Amazon’s routing is at times shit, but I’ll take your word that it would be able to successfully navigate around the XR protests, though I’d expect a very long day of work nonetheless as with Amazon and most other courier companies you don’t finish work until all deliveries have been attempted.
Gramsci
Well-Known Member
Cycle Couriers haven't been complaining that I know of. When XR occupied Trafalgar Square to start with they put a cycle lane through it so cyclists could get through easily.
The shouty commuter cyclist doesn't like anyone getting in the way even for a second. I've had run ins with that type.
editor
hiraethified
Because it's so difficult to find out where the protests are taking place what with all the press, Twitter reports., news reports etc etc.
Now that I've illuminated your ignorance on the topic, do you now think that self employed cabbies also be reimbursing members of the public who have been inconvenienced through their own protests? And if not, why not?
Gramsci
Well-Known Member
Couriers use Waze not Google.
Waze gives better routes and is updated for road problems better than Google .
editor
hiraethified
Same company!
Yes, they should and specifically Amazon couriers.
Gramsci
Well-Known Member
That I didn't know. The Waze app is better than using straight forward Google maps. Van Drivers I know swear by it.
