A food delivery worker recently posted a video online that quickly went viral, highlighting the challenges and dangers faced by individuals in this line of work.
In the video, a White man threatened the delivery worker as she tried to complete an order. The incident prompted outrage and discussions about safety, job responsibilities, and self-defense.
The video, which has garnered nearly 290,000 views on social media, captured a tense encounter. The delivery worker, sounding shaken, pleaded with the man to step away from her car.
The source of the confrontation was the man's unleashed dog, which was preventing her from making the delivery. Racial and sexist undertones were also on display.
A sista was trying to do a food delivery and a suspected white supremacist neighbor started threatening and harassing her pic.twitter.com/fRGpBh55wc
— Tariq Nasheed 🇺🇸 (@tariqnasheed) October 17, 2023
The delivery worker was heard pleading:
"I'm trying to do a delivery, and he won't grab his pitbull dog. I can't get out to do the delivery because of this racist man right here."
The man, who appeared to be in front of his property, confronted the delivery worker, insisting that he was within his rights to approach her car.
She, in contrast, maintained that she was parked on his neighbor's side. The argument escalated, with the man threatening to "drag her out of that car."
In response to the threat, the delivery worker warned:
"Please get away from my car before I shoot you."
The incident sparked a significant online debate, with many expressing outrage at the situation.
Many were furious on the delivery woman’s behalf.
@tariqnasheed Stop calling him sir he\u2019s a low life thug— Milly (@Milly) 1697575491
@tariqnasheed The way I would\u2019ve posted his address and a call for action. Stop respecting these kind of people. They\u2019re only tough when you appear afraid!— Lit Mami (@Lit Mami) 1697575556
@tariqnasheed I feel like a solidarity pull up is in order. Where did this happen?— Mike Baggz (@Mike Baggz) 1697586628
@tariqnasheed Why don\u2019t they ever mind their business??? DAMN\ud83e\udd2c— Delray Payne (@Delray Payne) 1697585441
@tariqnasheed as soon as he walked up on me and said \u201cill drag you out that car\u201d he woulda got maced and I woulda sat there with my legs crossed tweetin & waitin for the cops \ud83e\udd37\ud83c\udffe\u200d\u2640\ufe0f— TIP\ud83d\udc9c\ud83e\udd38\ud83c\udffe\u200d\u2640\ufe0f (@TIP\ud83d\udc9c\ud83e\udd38\ud83c\udffe\u200d\u2640\ufe0f) 1697653501
Others, however, seemed to miss the point: the man was unnecessarily hostile and aggressive, and the woman was genuinely afraid of the entire situation.
They suggested the driver should consider a different profession if she is genuinely afraid of ... dogs.
@tariqnasheed So wait\u2026 hes at home minding his business and you want him to remove his dog so you can deliver food? Ummmm thats not how that works. If youre afraid of dogs you have no business delivering anything.— Grammar Police (@Grammar Police) 1697581640
@tariqnasheed @CherrellRene Why would he have to put his dog up for her to deliver food to somebody else\u2019s home? I wouldn\u2019t put my dog up either. I\u2019m going to listen again but I didn\u2019t hear him say nothing racist. Whoever ordered the food needs to come out and get it and if she ain\u2019t feel safe she can just\u2026— Fendi Frost (@Fendi Frost) 1697727295
@tariqnasheed Girl get out that car an if his dog bite you call the police an they will get him. It's not on a leash however this too much, the dog playing an not even thinking about her— TheBlackJoanRivers (@TheBlackJoanRivers) 1697592759
A recurring theme in the discussions was the importance of knowing one's rights, especially in situations like this.
Some argued that the delivery worker had a legal right to be on the property to fulfill her delivery.
@tariqnasheed We as a people need to learn the laws related to self defense. Some states have stand your ground laws. In my opinion, she had the right to defend herself with force since he (1) showed hostility and verbally threatened her and (2) approached her car in a threatening manner.\u2026— Kevin Brown (@Kevin Brown) 1697643500
Additionally, they pointed out that she could have chosen not to make the delivery, and should have instead communicated the situation to her delivery company and local authorities.
However, it is unclear where the food was meant to be delivered, as the video poster has since deleted the video, leaving some unanswered questions.
This incident serves as a stark reminder of the challenges faced by food delivery workers and the need for open discussions on issues of safety, race, and job expectations in the gig economy.
It also highlights the importance of understanding one's rights in any situation, especially when personal safety is at risk.
