An elderly woman in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania was recently arrested for intentionally obstructing an Uber Eats delivery robot operated by Uber in the vicinity of Reading Terminal Market on Wednesday, October 14th. The 78-year-old retired University of Pennsylvania professor, Carolyn Marvin, stood in front of the robot and prevented it from moving forward.
Philadelphia police responded to the incident after receiving a report and found the woman repeatedly ignoring orders to move out of the way, leading to her arrest on charges of disorderly conduct.
In an interview with ABC13, Marvin stated that she believes the robots are taking away jobs from human delivery workers, so whenever she sees them, she stands in their way to protest their presence.
Marvin argued that publicly protesting against delivery robots on sidewalks is protected under the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, and she plans to use this as grounds to challenge the detention.
This is not the first time Marvin has obstructed delivery robots. She had previously gained some local fame for her actions.
Witness Ashley Baldwin, a resident of West Philadelphia, recalled encountering Marvin blocking a robot and initially expressing concern for her well-being. Marvin’s response to Baldwin’s inquiry was, “No, I have to stop it, they are taking over the world.”
Marvin mentioned that whenever she blocks a robot, passersby are curious and gather around, allowing her to engage in discussions about “what is really happening.” She believes that having such conversations in public spaces is a positive thing.
Opinions about Marvin’s actions have been mixed, with some arguing that it is unfair to disrupt customers placing orders. In response, Marvin emphasized that the focus should be on the broader issue of robots replacing human jobs.
Despite receiving violation notices from law enforcement, Marvin stated that she will continue to protest.
Delivery robots have become a common sight on the streets of downtown Philadelphia, sparking various forms of opposition. Earlier this year, one delivery robot was overturned in the city center.
Uber Eats delivery robots in Philadelphia are operated by the autonomous driving technology startup Avride, which was launched locally in March of this year.
These robots currently operate through platforms like Uber Eats and DoorDash in at least 10 cities, including Los Angeles, Miami, and others.