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Domino’s Pizza delivery driver battles Typhoon Jebi in Japan, video goes viral 【Video】

Oona McGee Sep 6, 2018
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These clips show a worker’s valiant attempts to stay upright in strong winds is no match for the force of Mother Nature.

Earlier this week, Japan braced itself for the arrival of Typhoon Jebi. As the strongest typhoon to hit the mainland in 25 years, winds of up to 180 kilometres (111 miles) per hour were recorded, and evacuation advisories were issued for more than one million people in parts of Hyogo, Kyoto, Osaka, Nara, Ehime, Kagawa, and Wakayama prefectures, which lay directly under the path of the storm.

Those who weren’t being advised to evacuate were told to leave work early and stay indoors, and while most people followed these safety warnings, it soon became apparent that there was one unfortunate worker outside braving the elements, and they appeared to be trying to deliver pizza.

▼ Not in a car, mind you, but on a lightweight scooter.

この前にも、同じドミノピザさんが風で倒れてました。 pic.twitter.com/7c785g8qa6

— キタケン(93.5) (@pur305) September 4, 2018

Twitter user @pur305 filmed the following video, which showed that it was a Domino’s Pizza delivery driver who was caught outside in the wind and rain. Filmed in Osaka, one of the areas hit hardest by the typhoon, this nail-biting video shows just how intense the battle was between rider and the storm.

さすがにこの台風での配達は無謀です。@dominos_JP pic.twitter.com/x1YOCnoKWp

— キタケン(93.5) (@pur305) September 4, 2018

As @pur305 mentions in the tweet, it’s incredibly irresponsible for a driver to be making deliveries in a typhoon, and many Twitter users were quick to voice their agreement. One fellow user also filmed the scene from the same apartment block, with a video that shows the scooter rider wasn’t the only one struggling in the vicinity.

同じマンションの人やったとゆう奇跡 pic.twitter.com/NIqtMy9Qde

— いしだつ@カタナ250 (@ishidatsu) September 4, 2018

Even more frightening is this clip, filmed on the same day in Osaka. While it’s not clear whether or not this was the same delivery driver, the battle was equally, if not more, intense.

According to the video’s uploader, the driver was unharmed and managed to take refuge inside the apartment block after this was filmed. It was a frighteningly close call though, as the driver managed to stumble out of the way just as the scooter was picked up and pummelled by the wind.

While some Twitter users wondered whether or not the pizzas actually made it to their intended destinations, most expressed their sympathy for the driver and their anger at the company who allowed the driver to make deliveries in such dangerous conditions.

“Who would let someone deliver pizza on a scooter in the middle of a typhoon? Surely employee safety is a company obligation.”
“All these companies care about is money, not people.”
“They should simply stop taking delivery orders in situations like this.”
“The driver showed such a sense of responsibility. I’m so glad he wasn’t hurt.”
“Who would call to get a pizza delivered in those weather conditions? They’re just as bad as the company.”

While it’s disappointing to see that Domino’s allowed their drivers to set out on their scooters during the powerful typhoon, it’s true there was a customer at the end of the transaction who was responsible for starting the process in the first place.

The takeaway from the story here is that when hunger strikes during a typhoon, it’s best to think twice before ordering a delivery. It’s people out there making the deliveries, not self-driving delivery cars, after all.

Source: Hachima Kikou
Featured image: Twitter/@pur305

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