Robotic food delivery pods
Author
Discussion

Stev8s

Original Poster:

346 posts

212 months

Thursday 21st July 2022
quotequote all
I seem to be noticing far more of these things well was going to say roaming around mainly Milton Keynes but tend to see more and more stationary at lights or trying to get up pavements etc but reason for post is that moreand more are popping up around Bedford where I am and the other day one was causing a major tailback at a zebra crossing to me these things seem to take ages to actually move so what are the rules say at a zebra crossing people were stopping waiting ages for it to decide to move should it of even been there as said people getting frustrated waiting causing a massive queue up the bloody road is it waiting for a clear gap of traffic or what
To me these things are I don't know a complete waste does anyone actually use them or are they carrying drugs between housing estates biggrin
Surely it would be far quicker to nip to the shop than wait an eternity for your pint of milk or is it for people that cant get off there fat arse

SlimJim16v

8,077 posts

172 months

Thursday 21st July 2022
quotequote all
Stev8s said:
should it of even been there
rolleyes

blank

3,761 posts

217 months

Thursday 21st July 2022
quotequote all
I live in MK so we've had them for a while.

Times I've used them:
Novelty value
COVID
As part of a game (it delivered a clue)
When my wife has gone out and my son's in bed (so I can't go out)


As for zebra crossings, good question. We don't really have them in MK so I've never seen it happen. Usually they just cross at normal junctions and wait until it's clear.

I can't imagine you'd be prosecuted for not giving way to one, and they're obviously still programmed to give way even when they're on a zebra crossing.

wazztie16

1,680 posts

160 months

Thursday 21st July 2022
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I once stopped at a zebra crossing to let one cross (first time I'd seen one waiting). I gave it 10 seconds and it didn't move so I just carried on, not going to sit there causing a q.

I can't imagine it's illegal to not wait for them as they aren't humans, so I would imagine the law doesn't apply in that respect.

WilliamWoollard

2,489 posts

222 months

Thursday 21st July 2022
quotequote all
Food delivery robots are not pedestrians, there's no need to wait for them at crossings. I regularly see them waiting at traffic light controlled crossings, presumably for the green man.

bigothunter

13,491 posts

89 months

Thursday 21st July 2022
quotequote all
Stev8s said:
I seem to be noticing far more of these things well was going to say roaming around mainly Milton Keynes but tend to see more and more stationary at lights or trying to get up pavements etc but reason for post is that moreand more are popping up around Bedford where I am and the other day one was causing a major tailback at a zebra crossing to me these things seem to take ages to actually move so what are the rules say at a zebra crossing people were stopping waiting ages for it to decide to move should it of even been there as said people getting frustrated waiting causing a massive queue up the bloody road is it waiting for a clear gap of traffic or what
Are you Vicky Pollard? scratchchin

LordFlathead

9,646 posts

287 months

Thursday 21st July 2022
quotequote all
bigothunter said:
Stev8s said:
I seem to be noticing far more of these things well was going to say roaming around mainly Milton Keynes but tend to see more and more stationary at lights or trying to get up pavements etc but reason for post is that moreand more are popping up around Bedford where I am and the other day one was causing a major tailback at a zebra crossing to me these things seem to take ages to actually move so what are the rules say at a zebra crossing people were stopping waiting ages for it to decide to move should it of even been there as said people getting frustrated waiting causing a massive queue up the bloody road is it waiting for a clear gap of traffic or what
Are you Vicky Pollard? scratchchin
Haha I was thinking the same except VP has a brain.. well sort of biggrin

GasEngineer

2,335 posts

91 months

Friday 22nd July 2022
quotequote all
SlimJim16v said:
Stev8s said:
should it of even been there
rolleyes
Not one full stop.

DaveH23

3,355 posts

199 months

Friday 22nd July 2022
quotequote all
WilliamWoollard said:
Food delivery robots are not pedestrians, there's no need to wait for them at crossings. I regularly see them waiting at traffic light controlled crossings, presumably for the green man.
Were are you living? 2062?

Robots delivering food? What the shuddering fk is this?

arfur

4,015 posts

243 months

Friday 22nd July 2022
quotequote all
DaveH23 said:
WilliamWoollard said:
Food delivery robots are not pedestrians, there's no need to wait for them at crossings. I regularly see them waiting at traffic light controlled crossings, presumably for the green man.
Were are you living? 2062?

Robots delivering food? What the shuddering fk is this?
New one to me too ... https://www.starship.xyz/ appears to be the MK trial

BertBert

21,235 posts

240 months

Friday 22nd July 2022
quotequote all
DaveH23 said:
Were are you living? 2062?

Robots delivering food? What the shuddering fk is this?
keep up at the back

QuickQuack

2,808 posts

130 months

Friday 22nd July 2022
quotequote all
arfur said:
DaveH23 said:
WilliamWoollard said:
Food delivery robots are not pedestrians, there's no need to wait for them at crossings. I regularly see them waiting at traffic light controlled crossings, presumably for the green man.
Were are you living? 2062?

Robots delivering food? What the shuddering fk is this?
New one to me too ... https://www.starship.xyz/ appears to be the MK trial
Northampton, too, and they also deliver take aways. They even come out to some of the surrounding villages which aren't too far out. Unfortunately, our village is outside the boundary so haven't had the chance to try it yet but the robots themselves are a common enough sight. A funny one was observing a Mexican stand off between 3 robots, 2 going north and 1 going south, on the same pavement and on the precise path, facing each other. They were all stopped and didn't move at all while I was stuck for a few minutes at some temporary traffic lights at some road works. They weren't there the next day so it obviously got resolved, but it was funny to watch. hehe

JonChalk

6,469 posts

139 months

Friday 22nd July 2022
quotequote all
arfur said:
DaveH23 said:
WilliamWoollard said:
Food delivery robots are not pedestrians, there's no need to wait for them at crossings. I regularly see them waiting at traffic light controlled crossings, presumably for the green man.
Were are you living? 2062?

Robots delivering food? What the shuddering fk is this?
New one to me too ... https://www.starship.xyz/ appears to be the MK trial
Not a trial; been going and expanding for years in MK.

Local Tesco Express started about 2 years ago maybe more, they’ve now got something like 8 or 10 running out of this small local shop.

WilliamWoollard

2,489 posts

222 months

Friday 22nd July 2022
quotequote all
JonChalk said:
arfur said:
DaveH23 said:
WilliamWoollard said:
Food delivery robots are not pedestrians, there's no need to wait for them at crossings. I regularly see them waiting at traffic light controlled crossings, presumably for the green man.
Were are you living? 2062?

Robots delivering food? What the shuddering fk is this?
New one to me too ... https://www.starship.xyz/ appears to be the MK trial
Not a trial; been going and expanding for years in MK.

Local Tesco Express started about 2 years ago maybe more, they’ve now got something like 8 or 10 running out of this small local shop.
A common sight around Northampton and MK


vikingaero

13,222 posts

198 months

Friday 22nd July 2022
quotequote all
WilliamWoollard said:
A common sight around Northampton and MK

They're like mini self driving cars - put a seat on top and you could be driven around!

bigothunter

13,491 posts

89 months

Friday 22nd July 2022
quotequote all

speedchick

5,287 posts

251 months

Friday 22nd July 2022
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There was a post on Facebook last week from some police page. It was cctv of a wrongun being chased by an officer into a back garden, attempting to jump the fence and got dragged over the fence by another officer.
Meanwhile trundling up the road is one of these robots, it kind of hesitates slightly as it get level with the commotion and then hurries on in an 'I'm outta here' kind of way

xx99xx

2,964 posts

102 months

Friday 22nd July 2022
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You'd think the local chavs would vandalise, steal, break them etc but I don't think that happens an awful lot. Maybe because they know there's only a pint of milk and some crisps (or nothing) inside. You do see kids deliberately getting in their way though to make them stop.

Tango13

10,056 posts

205 months

Friday 22nd July 2022
quotequote all
QuickQuack said:
Northampton, too, and they also deliver take aways. They even come out to some of the surrounding villages which aren't too far out. Unfortunately, our village is outside the boundary so haven't had the chance to try it yet but the robots themselves are a common enough sight. A funny one was observing a Mexican stand off between 3 robots, 2 going north and 1 going south, on the same pavement and on the precise path, facing each other. They were all stopped and didn't move at all while I was stuck for a few minutes at some temporary traffic lights at some road works. They weren't there the next day so it obviously got resolved, but it was funny to watch. hehe
Duct tape and broomsticks, robot jousting is the future and you heard it here first...

PF62

4,065 posts

202 months

Friday 22nd July 2022
quotequote all
Although the robot normally takes decisions about crossing the road, etc. based on camera and sensor information, if it gets stuck the central control centre can take over.

Similarly if someone decides to ‘have fun’ with it, they can use the robot’s speakers or siren to get them to desist.