Should delivery riders be allowed to walk around indoors with their faces covered? Stomper flags security concern
Walk into almost any shopping mall these days, and chances are you will see food delivery riders walking around with their motorcycle helmets on, visors down and faces completely covered.
That is the observation made by Stomper Jason, who noted that the identities of these riders remain obscured, thus leading to safety concerns.
“It makes me wonder: is this really a good practice from a security standpoint?” he questioned.
The Stomper acknowledged that motorcyclists are required to wear helmets while riding on the road, but not after they have parked.
He added: “I understand the convenience factor — delivery riders are often rushing for time, and removing and putting on their helmets every time could be a hassle.
However, Jason feels that convenience should not come at the expense of basic security and accountability.
“Shopping malls are private premises, and individual mall operators have their own rules on whether riders must remove their helmets or at least lift their visors while indoors,” he said.
“This raises a legitimate question: should riders be allowed to walk around crowded public spaces with their helmets on and visors down?”
Jason raised his concerns:
- CCTV footage becomes less useful for identification: If a crime, theft or dispute occurs, how effectively can security personnel identify the person involved when their entire face is covered? CCTV footage may capture someone’s movements and clothing, but a full-face helmet makes facial identification much more difficult.
- Potential loopholes in delivery account verification: This could make unauthorised account sharing harder to detect. If a dispute or incident occurs, the lack of visible facial features could also complicate subsequent identification.
Better to be safe at the expense of convenience, says Stomper
The Stomper clarified that he was not targeting delivery riders or questioning their integrity.
“They work hard, and the time pressures they face are real,” he said. “But security and accountability matter too, especially in crowded shopping malls where large numbers of people gather.”
Jason asked if it would be unreasonable for shopping malls to require delivery riders to remove their helmets or, at the very least, lift their visors while indoors.
“It’s a small inconvenience that could make identification easier and give shoppers, tenants and mall operators greater peace of mind,” he added.
Asked what sparked him to share his thoughts and observations, Jason told Stomp on Oct 28 that this is something he has been wondering about.
“The irony is that there are so many CCTVs and police cameras installed to enhance public safety and security,” he explained. “Yet, at the same time, we have people walking around malls completely covered from head to toe (with helmets and masks on, visors down, in arm sleeves and long pants).”
The Stomper feels that identifying individuals — should the need arises — can be challenging in such cases.
“Doesn’t this defeat the purpose of cameras to some extent?” he stated.
“More importantly, could this potentially create a security concern when people cannot be easily identified, even in places equipped with surveillance cameras?”
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