I find it funny that earlier in another thread I read about how the working conditions in warehouses are terrible. Yet here I see suggestions like this for delivery workers.
Can you imagine working a job like this when it's cold outside and you potentially had ice the night before? And to solve this problem you'd basically reinvent the car/truck.
Why do you consider riding a recumbent bicycle an insurmountable hardship?
In icy conditions, it's likely safer for most citizens to have delivery done by bicycle. They're slower and lower mass compared to a van.
In cold, the delivery person can just add layers. And, they'll be moving more, so in all likelihood, the additional layers required is minimal. It's not like a UPS van is super warm inside - not with the driver constantly opening the doors and hopping in/out.
It simply boils down to priorities. Do we want cheap/easy delivery to merchants or do we want safe pedestrian and bicycle zones for customers. Or, is there a magical balance point in the middle?
I’d honestly vote for cheap easy delivery to merchants first. That being said bikes are important, but not necessarily at the expense of intra-city logistics.
What's so categorically terrible about this? If it's cold you wear warmer clothes, if it's icy you put on studded tires. The point is if you actually wanted to get rid of cars in city centers it would be absolutely doable.
By having more than one bike. If we assume 2 km median distance from the re-loading zone to the shop then each bike can easily make 2-3 round trips an hour.
By the way, why is it so important that deliveries get done within an hour?
