外卖骑手的时间被谁“偷”走了？

Core Viewpoint - The claim that delivery platforms are "stealing time" from riders has been debunked, but issues related to timing rules and declining income are genuine concerns for delivery riders [1][4][6]. Group 1: Timing Rules and Delivery Pressure - A viral video claimed that a countdown of "1 minute" on the Taobao Flash Purchase app only equated to 42 seconds in real time, but this was proven to be a hoax [1][2]. - The current mainstream platforms use a "total time flat rate" timing rule, where the countdown starts from the moment an order is placed, encompassing the time taken by the merchant to prepare the food, the rider to pick it up, and the delivery itself [4][5][6]. - Many riders express concerns that the compressed timing creates a "psychological urgency," pressuring them to work beyond their limits, which raises safety risks [2][6]. Group 2: Rider Income and Workload - The number of delivery riders has increased significantly, with Meituan reporting a rise from 4.7 million in 2020 to 7.45 million in 2023, while Ele.me has over 4 million active riders [6]. - Despite the increase in riders, the average payment per order has decreased from approximately 8 yuan in 2020 to around 6 yuan now, leading to financial strain on riders [6][7]. - Riders report that the time constraints imposed by the platforms have reduced their delivery efficiency, with many stating they can only complete three to four orders in the time they previously managed seven to eight [6][7]. Group 3: Rider Demands and Platform Response - Riders are calling for a separation of the time allocated for food preparation and delivery, arguing that they should only be responsible for the time they can control [7]. - Complaints have been widespread regarding the timing system, which often starts the countdown before the merchant has even begun preparing the order, leaving riders with insufficient time for delivery [7].