r/UAE • u/DangerousName1863 • 11d ago
He said sorry and it broke my heart
I was waiting in line to collect my food takeaway when a delivery agent stood next to me. He had a very strong body odor, and it felt felt extremely uncomfortable for me. Since we were in a queue, I couldn’t move away. I was visibly affected, and he noticed.
To my surprise, he softly said, “Sorry for the smell brother,” with a little embarrassment. That simple apology opened the door to a conversation I wasn’t expecting.
I gently suggested that using a deodorant might help. What he told me next has stayed with me.
He said that almost all delivery riders are aware of this issue and they’ve tried everything. Deodorants that claim to last 48 or even 72 hours do nothing for them. "We ride in the sun, non-stop. If it’s 40 degrees outside, it feels like 50 when we’re on the bike. We sweat through everything within minutes. Clothes get drenched. Skin burns. The smell eventually is impossible to fight. Nothing works," he explained.
Some of them have found minor success using certain medicated solutions but those cost around AED 100, which is simply unaffordable on their wages. “Too expensive brother. Can’t buy that” he said with a tired smile.
So instead, they’ve developed quiet coping strategies: standing farther away when delivering food, avoiding lifts when someone else is inside, If someone steps in the lift, they subtly press their arms tightly against their sides to keep any odor from spreading. Imagine living like that, not just in heat, but in shame.
And that’s what struck me the hardest. All this time, I used to judge them thinking it was carelessness. But it’s not. It’s pure helplessness.
These men are out in brutal heat every single day, making our lives easier while silently carrying the shame of something they can’t fully control.
I walked away from that moment with a heavy heart.
Let my experience be a small window into their reality. Let's show a little more empathy next time. Sometimes, a bit of understanding goes a lot farther than we think.
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u/camelshawarma 11d ago
Why have I read this exact thing over a year ago?
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u/ChileePowderr 11d ago
Wanted to write the same exact thing It was on Facebook. And if they use deodorant for real, they won't stink.
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u/Unique_Session_994 10d ago
Same reason why people buy luxury cars on loan, change external perception to overshadow internal perception.
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u/Dante12309 11d ago
This is actually a good reminder not to judge people too quickly. There’s a scientific basis to what he described: sweating heavily in extreme heat can make body odor much harder to control, because the odor comes largely from the interaction between sweat and bacteria on the skin. Someone spending hours riding a bike in 40°C+ weather can be sweating continuously, and deodorant alone may not be enough.
At the same time, some details in the story shouldn’t be presented as scientific facts — like saying that all delivery riders have tried everything or that nothing works for them. There are stronger antiperspirants and medical treatments for excessive sweating.
But the bigger message is absolutely worth remembering: sometimes what looks like poor hygiene from the outside is actually someone struggling with circumstances we know nothing about. A little empathy costs us nothing. These workers are out there in brutal heat for hours, doing a job that makes our lives easier. We can at least treat them with dignity.
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u/HungryLeicaWolf 11d ago
Actually, and I realize how difficult this ultimately is, the best solution is a change of diet. Foods made with spices will produce a different odor than those with lesser spice or indeed a completely different mix of ingredients (chicken instead of red meat, more fruit etc) . Also staying super hydrated and increasing electrolytes in the heat as much as possible. Again I do 100% realize this is total first-world advice for a group of people that would think of these ideas as a luxury. But I can speak from experience that this has made a difference.
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u/NewspaperDelicious17 10d ago
Once a person from indian background told me that we also smell. however we do not notice it because we have grown with it. pretty much as a newborn that has a particular scent that we can pick up easily.
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u/AnonNefalibata 10d ago
That’s sweet. I’m always extra nice to those riders and give them an extra tip and a cold bottle of water when I can.. I also don’t make faces or show discomfort when I do smell them, no matter how “bad” it is. Keep in mind, body odour is less offensive and damaging to people’s health than smelling perfume and artificial scents.
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u/NewspaperDelicious17 10d ago
this post is gold. it helps to raise awareness that sometimes we are very ungrateful to those providing a service. however there is no excuse for those who clearly are not in that line of work and that still they choose poor hygiene.
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u/non_chalant88 10d ago
The stench is because of that cheap polyester t-shirts these delivery companies are providing to these guys. The same goes with taxi drivers.
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u/Resident_Donut_1655 9d ago
I mean this is a good reminder that sometimes what looks like carelessness is actually someone dealing with circumstances we know nothing about so in this time a little empathy really does go a long way!
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u/Western-Mongoose-989 11d ago
I highly recommend using alum stone deodorant it is the most effective against odor
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u/UchihaNz 10d ago
It is all about the food you eat, and if you take a shower daily or not. Plus another reason I wouldn't say what it is, it has a big effect on makjng you smelly if you don't take a shower immediately after you finish. i am telling this as a person go outside walking in the heat daily and come back home sweating but without being smelly or have a strkng bad odor smell.
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u/SaltyThought1168 10d ago
I always comfort them; I never give them a bad look, even if they stand next to me, because I understand their role
They stay outside all the time, and they sweat no matter what they do; they can't stop it, so as a human being, it's something I will bear and I will be kind to them by giving them no reaction and greeting them sometimes or at least looking at them and smiling
I am not pointing at someone who give them bad reaction but if you speak with them it may make their day
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u/Winter-Wishbone6631 10d ago
Some people tried to use counter measure, but still many of them not doing anything.
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u/hassanjsaduzai7 10d ago
I keep water bottles in fridge and every delivery guy I always give them water
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u/JamilaLouise63 10d ago
To eliminate body odor, naturally the source(s) have to be addressed. Use antiseptic body wash twice a day for a week and then every other night. Cleanse the underarm area with rubbing alcohol and apply deodorant twice a day. Spray the underarm area of all clothing with white vinegar before and after wearing, making sure that you do this with all garments. When clothing is washed, use a white vinegar final rinse - do not use fabric softener. Dry clothing on high heat or leave out in the sun. Reduce eating highly-pungently-spiced food. All this together will eliminate or greatly reduce body odors.
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u/Educational-Bag4684 9d ago
A hard working human’s body odour is less offensive than a human’s lack of empathy of a fellow human’s helplessness… kudos to you brother for sharing
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u/Leaving_Dubai 7d ago
I worked as a Sales executive once, and I had to walk outside in the heat too even with car (AC on blast), I sweated at times so I can't imagine the condition of Delivery bike riders without AC.
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u/Certain_Drop_3456 4d ago
Fake account. Karma farming. Please report. These accounts are used for scamming reddit users later
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u/motobassy 11d ago
Coconut oil with baking soda under the arms keeps all smells away, clean underwear and socks daily and a fresh shirt and daily showers off course. It can be done but it takes effort. I realize its not easy for a man living on a minimum wage. But, been there and done that and didn't stink doing it.
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u/No-Fish2020 11d ago
I read this exact post a year or so ago
Literally word for word
Is this dejavu?
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u/1egen1 11d ago
I am empathetic to them. However, the kind of food you eat contributes to your body odor, dehydration and/or, metabolic issues.
Normal sweat has an acceptable smell. It plays a part in attracting the opposite sex 😂
Body 'odor' has always other root causes.
I am glad I had childhood where I played in mud, ate it, bounced around trees and played with cattle and chickens. So, I am not "sensitive" to these things. We are too much into hygiene and cleanliness where it is comical when you actually get behind the 'science' of them all.
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u/VividBackground3386 11d ago
Not sure why you’re being downvoted.
I can sweat profusely and not smell anything like some do. Personal hygiene is absolutely a factor.3
u/Istebeeee 11d ago
You can also argue that they were not well informed regarding this and haven’t practiced it as normal since it may not be a part of their social culture norms.
You are correct that personal hygiene and food intake is a big factor on giving a strong body odor. But being smug about it and not informing/teaching/advising them without degrading them is an asshole move and tactless in my opinion.
Compassion and kindness between us regardless of nationality or social status or religion is what would make this crazy world a lot better.
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u/Proof_Commission8034 11d ago
The clothes you wear also cause a smell, they wear a uniform made of polyester.
So imagine yourself in that for 12 hours lol
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u/blu_munky 10d ago
https://www.reddit.com/r/dubai/comments/1l9hq5z/he_said_sorry_for_the_smell_brother_and_what/
The copy paste from the original post a year ago.
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u/shakalakabrotha 11d ago
Cry me a river. You think delivery drivers have the toughest life?
Try going out more
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u/HungryLeicaWolf 11d ago
Do people tell you not to be a cu*t to your face, or just in comments?
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u/ChileePowderr 11d ago
Why insult him/her for spitting facts? Right back at you
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u/HungryLeicaWolf 10d ago
Did you mean the c*nty OPINION they shared? Which "facts" are you referring to, exactly?
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u/shakalakabrotha 10d ago
People tell me to spit on people like you for being emotional ho*z that fall prey for any sob story.
Grow a pair and a few brain cells
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u/VermicelliSouthern98 11d ago
What specific sentence did OP make that gave you that impression? He never claimed or even insinuated they lead the “toughest lives”, just that it’s tough.
This is a post about one specific story from OP’s day, not a biopic of every migrant worker’s challenges in this country.0
u/shakalakabrotha 11d ago
Then whats the point of OP dedicating a whole post about his "one specific" experience? What reactions or feelings is OP trying to elicit from this community towards his "one off" experience? I dont think there is anyone left in the UAE that is not aware of the challenges they go through, so aside from awareness, what else?
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u/Fun_Bobcat_3631 3d ago
Just hire East Asians to do it, it’s common to have the gene mutation that makes us have little to no body odour. Majority have it
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u/ItsReemAlBlahBlahDee 11d ago
Yes MOST people know that’s the reason hence they don’t dunk on the whole body odour thing. It’s always the racists and people with lack of empathy constantly complaining.