The Shanghai lockdown has led to a hard life for a homeless delivery man. With the Coronavirus pandemic still raging, delivery passengers have become essential in ensuring that Shanghai residents receive their much-needed food and supplies. Despite being in a strict blockade for weeks, the population of 25 million still relies on these invisible labor forces of 20,000. However, these delivery passengers face a lack of shelter and security, making their job even more challenging. In the midst of this chaos, two delivery passengers share their stories with the BBC.
As the demand for supplies continues to rise, I deliver throughout the day, tirelessly. But when night falls, I am left searching for a place to sleep, with no home to call my own.
I left my apartment on April 8 and I have not been back from. The Shanghai government allows delivery passengers to go and enter their residential compounds. But the compounds insist on enforcing their own policies, and most do not allow riders to return to their own homes. There are hotels that are open, but not many are open to us. You know, those blue sets for Covid tests. When I left home, the compound managers asked me to help them buy supplies and, in return, they offered me the blue tent to sleep at night. I left all my things there.
But one day the store had disappeared. I couldn't find my things. The managers said it was not their business. Security guards said they didn't know where my things were going. Sleeping under a bridge naturally comes to delivery riders: You can block wind and rain. I usually fall asleep immediately after bedtime, I feel so tired by then!
One day I forgot to pay attention to the weather forecast. It was raining strongly and had taken all the space under the bridge. I found an ATM room to sleep. It was a pretty good place, nobody else was close. My only hope was that the police did not appear and kick me.
But after two nights, around 2 in the morning, the police in patrol saw me and chased me away. They said I should go to a homeless shelter. But I have tried and it is not open. No one was there, not even the security guards.
Image source, supplied to the legend of Bbcimage, a delivery man with which the BBC spoke sought refuge in this ATM room
At first I survived in instantaneous noodles Dry. Later, a group of delivery passengers found a restaurant that opened secretly and now we are going there to buy food. The police usually ignore it. We need a place to eat, right? Some stores also have an outdoor space where there are electric plugs. We sneak out to load our phones.
There was a story in which a delivery pilot died in the streets after getting into a crash. Of course I worry that it happens to me too. But I have been very careful. I'm always very slow. If you had an accident in a remote area, it would be extremely dangerous. The biggest problem is whether your scooter breaks and there is no place to solve it. You can't work anymore.
Many people saw news reports saying that delivery passengers can earn up to 10,000 yuan per day ($ 1,500; £ 1,200). Since then, many have asked me how to become one. My advice is usually: "Don't become a pilot."
In Shanghai, the salary we won as runners is quite a lot
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