Lately, a lot of my friends have been talking about the TV series *Going Against the Flow*. Since I’m a food delivery driver myself, I thought I’d share my own thoughts on it, as well as the differences between the show and the real-life delivery experience.
Real-Life Food Delivery Situations vs. Dramatic Portrayals
Time Pressure:The show’s portrayal of “system timeouts” is very realistic. The platform uses an algorithm to assign a “reasonable” delivery time to each order, and this time frame can sometimes be extremely tight.
The Allure of Bonus Systems:There’s a scene in the show where the main character works overtime for the bonus, which feels very realistic. To some extent, the platform’s bonus system “encourages” delivery riders to work overtime.
Interaction with guests:Most of the time, interactions between delivery drivers and customers are brief—just picking up and delivering the food. But every now and then, you come across a really odd customer.
My thoughts:This show has good intentions—it aims to raise awareness about the hardships of being a food delivery rider. But I think what it fails to show is the mutual support network among delivery riders. I’ve met many fellow delivery riders through my club, and we share information with each other—like which restaurants serve food quickly or which stretches of road have speed cameras. This kind of peer support isn’t depicted in the show.
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