KTLA 5 is reporting that a West Hollywood resident is calling out accessibility failures after a food delivery robot collided with his mobility scooter — a moment he captured on video that has now gone viral with over 20 million views across TikTok and Instagram.
Mark Chaney, a local therapist and disability advocate with cerebral palsy, said the incident occurred on September 13 near the West Hollywood Sheriff’s Station. He was returning home from a medical procedure when a Serve Robotics delivery robot allegedly swerved into his path multiple times before stopping directly in front of him, causing a minor collision.
=Watch the video: TikTok | Instagram
Though the impact didn’t cause injury, Chaney said it left him frustrated and concerned. “If I had been on crutches that day, I would have fallen,” he told KTLA 5.
In a response shared with KTLA, Serve Robotics denied that the robot reversed or behaved erratically, stating that it made an abrupt stop to avoid collision and that predicting human motion is a complex process.
Serve Robotics says it is now “fast-tracking” the formation of an Accessibility Council to gather feedback from disability advocates.
As the use of delivery robots expands in West Hollywood and across Los Angeles, Chaney hopes the viral moment drives real change, not just PR fixes.
WEHOonline reached out to Mr. Chaney Saturday with requests for comment.
Have you watch the video? Man collided with robot not the other way around.
If the guy is telling the truth, then why has the post been taken down on both TikTok and Instagram? I’ve walked past those little robots many times and they stop, and then keep going once you’ve passed them. They stop at intersections when the light is red and they go when the light is green. I smell something fishy about this.
Was hilarious that the scooter guy collides into the robot from behind and then tries to make a big deal out of it. Turned real quick in the comments…
One of these clipped my dogs leg. I was so mad I kicked it over. It was heavy but I did it. They need eyes on top and bottom!
I’m not one to worry about these robotic drivers on our sidewalks. Then one day I had a “ok I’ll go right & robot went right. Then I’ll step left, the robot followed” I wasn’t terrified, but it was an almost empty sidewalk, and for a robot try to think what a human might do in response to a robot’s processing what is an annoying but rare kinda of thing between humans (usually two kind and considerate living to avoid incidents for everyone’s betterment. it’s kinda annoying, but this robot went on a spiral. Had it been crowded, night time,… Read more »
I thought those delivery robots knew how to avoid obstacles?
What I don’t understand is why the bicycle lobbies and our city council majority are insisting that bicyclists have their own protected bike lanes that no one else can use.
And yet, pedestrians who are often older adults and people with disabilities MUST share sidewalks with both delivery robots and scooters, Isn’t their safety just as important as the bicyclists’ safety? I just don’t think it’s fair.
Serve Robotics, which makes these delivery robots, has even admitted and apologized that the robots are faulty, and that rather than avoiding pedestrians, they often impede their progress.
I’m surprised WeHo Council Members are not designing a lane for delivery robots on Fountain
I’m sure that’s the first thought they had.