The next time any of us decide to throw a tantrum at a food delivery rider for taking a long time to get us our meals, think again.
A Chinese delivery rider working in Hangzhou tragically passed away while taking a nap on his electric bike.
It was revealed that the 55-year-old known as Yuan endures 18-hour shifts daily to make ends meet.
If it was a well-known fact, did any of his peers reach out to ask about his health?
In videos posted online, police officers were seen cordoning off the area with Yuan still on his bike.
According to a fellow delivery rider, Yuan had been resting from about 9pm on September 5 before he was discovered at about 1am the following day.
Nicknamed the “Order King” by other delivery riders who knew him well, Yuan typically brought home between 500 to 600 yuan (S$91 to S$109) a day.
On rainy days, the amount can exceed 700 yuan (S$127).
A delivery rider known as Yang told a local news outlet that Yuan “would sometimes work until 3am, then wake up at 6am to start again.”
“When he felt fatigued, he would take a brief nap on his bike, ready to return to work as soon as an order came in,” Yang added.
In fact, it was revealed by another delivery rider that Yuan was involved in a traffic accident two weeks ago and suffered a fracture in his leg.
Yuan allegedly only took a break for 10 days before returning to work.
The delivery rider also shared that Yuan relocated from Hubei for work and to support his 16-year-old son who is still studying. He also has an older son who is married with two kids.
In response to Yuan’s death, the Xianlin Sub-district office in Yuhang district released a statement confirming that he had “collapsed and died despite emergency treatment.
They also added that the food delivery platform, insurance company, and family members have reached an agreement.
Seems like the Singapore government’s decision to enhance the Platform Workers CPF Transition Support (PCTS) scheme for people who work as delivery riders couldn’t have come at a better time.
Angry netizens lashed out in the comments, many questioning the hardships faced by delivery riders.
One even lamented that “another “Order King” has fallen!”
Another netizen asked: “Is there no way to avoid these tragedies?”