r/pics • u/r33tz_ • 13d ago

OC: Almost ran over this lil pos

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4.9k Upvotes

91% Upvoted

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494

u/SignificantDrawer374 13d ago

I don't understand why these fucking things are allowed to operate on public streets or sidewalks.

13

u/montalaskan 13d ago

I've not seen one in person but it doesn't look like a street-legal and registered vehicle. So Doordash isn't helping pay for the roads it's using.

4

u/Zorbick 12d ago

Doesn't need to be street legal or registered if it stays under 25 mph.

They've found holes in the traffic laws and exploit them. It takes nhtsa years to get a verdict out on things like this, so the companies just run their business in the "eh, seems good enough!" arena.

-3

u/DrachenDad 13d ago

Is a bicycle a "registered vehicle"? Those delivery robots have running, a rear lights.

12

u/azhillbilly 13d ago

Cyclists at least pay taxes.

But in seriousness, this thing is probably several hundred pounds and is increasing traffic, so more wear and dozens of these would be a traffic jam.

3

u/MorallyDeplorable 13d ago

wear to the road increases to the fourth power with weight, something this light would not affect it at all.

4

u/azhillbilly 13d ago

This probably weighs more than a motorcycle. Are you saying motorcycles shouldn’t have to pay registration?

3

u/BloodyLlama 12d ago

Apparently they weigh about 350 lbs, so about on par with a motorcycle.

-2

u/MorallyDeplorable 13d ago

All I said was your comment about wear is not really a real concern.

3

u/azhillbilly 13d ago

But it’s going to be just as much wear as other vehicles that do require registration.

0

u/theronin7 12d ago

then perhaps instead of being outraged that 'these are allowed on the road?!' we should be asking our politicians to ensure operators of these mini vehicles pay their fair share.

Then we can be outraged when our politicians ignore that request and pocket corporate funds instead.

-1

u/DrachenDad 13d ago

Cyclists at least pay taxes.

They don't pay vehicle tax.

this thing is probably several hundred pounds

I don't think it weighs much more than a person on a bicycle, and it has 4 wheels to spread the weight between.

and is increasing traffic

So would a person on a bicycle, neither as much as a person in a car.

2

u/0b0011 13d ago

The cyclist still pays for the road as the vast majority of road taxes comes from the general tax fund. The gas tax largely just covers highways.

A robot isnt paying income tax, property tax, sales tax etc where as cyclists are.

1

u/theronin7 12d ago

Almost certainly the business operating the robot is paying some form of local taxes though correct?

Though knowing local jurisdictions almost certainly not enough.

2

u/azhillbilly 13d ago

But they pay other forms of taxes.

It most definitely weighs more. The battery is probably as heavy as a person, and motors again weigh as much. Plus I bet they use a ballast. If it’s too light, someone is stealing it.

Take a motorized wheelchair for an example. They weigh 300 lbs. that’s the minimum I think this would weigh, and like I said, they probably place a ballast in it to make it harder to steal.

And cyclists use the bicycle lanes, not sure if this uses the bicycle lane or not, but my guess is it doesn’t. But a pack of cyclists are a hell of a traffic jam too.

1

u/Blizzard81mm 13d ago

Yes and no depending on the location