My work went from air-conditioned offices to delivering food on a bike. The culture shock is significant | David Rayfield

"Then he caught wind of my colourful language and turned back to get in my face. He was a skinhead in a bad mood. Accusing me of being in his way, he told me I was lucky he didn't do more damage. I paused mid-reply. This was the moment I realised he was ready to go to hell tonight, and the only thing he wanted to take with him was me."

"When you deliver for companies like Uber Eats, no two shifts are the same. I'd say 80% of my deliveries are fast food a combination of McDonald's, KFC, Hungry Jacks and coffee. Lots of coffee. My new workplace couldn't be more different than the grey blur of an office, surrounded by the same walls and same people week after week. The culture shock of going from comfy chairs and morning teas to trying not to get killed in traffic was significant."

The narrator was punched from behind while waiting on a bike and initially assumed a bird had flown into him. The attacker returned after hearing expletives, confronted him as a skinhead, accused him of being in the way and threatened further violence. After four redundancies and months of unsuccessful job applications, the narrator sold an Xbox to fund a mountain bike and began delivering for Uber Eats to cover bills. About 80% of deliveries are fast food and coffee. The work provided a strong sense of independence but involved isolation from colleagues and constant exposure to traffic danger. Sign-up required only a phone and a thermal bag.

Read at www.theguardian.com