Machines dispensing free drinks after natural disasters increasing

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14 Comments

noborito at 07:55 AM JST - 30th April

gone in about 2 minutes with hording women pushing that button like there is no tomorrow. just look how they act at weddings when the cake is brought out. a swarm of bees.
gaijintraveller at 08:15 AM JST - 30th April

The may be free with the beverage company shouldering the cost, but I do not believe they are doing this without getting something in return. Who is paying for the machines? Or are the drinks companies supplying old machines that they would otherwise scrap? Will the drinks be kept cold until a disaster happens?

Actually, I suspect the machines will sell drinks until there is a disaster. Then, and only then, will they dispense free drinks. Could this just be a ploy to install more machines nationwide knowing only a few will ever be used for a disaster? After all, emergency tanks of water would be cheaper.
USAkuma at 08:29 AM JST - 30th April

I suspect that these machines will only last until a group of junior high boys figure out that they can get free drinks if they unplug the machine or rock it enough to imitate an earthquake. then the machines will be removed.
Himajin at 08:56 AM JST - 30th April

Each machine is equipped with built-in batteries that start to function through a simple operation by a station staffer so that passengers can just take a can or bottle of water or juice.

Each machine installed at the stations can store up to about 600 bottles. The idea is that such machines will bring relief to people if water supply trucks are unable to operate due to cuts in water supplies.

The agreement signed between the Kyoto city office and the beverage maker called for the latter to shoulder the cost of the free drinks. In addition, the transportation bureau will earn about 60 million yen a year as its share of sales of drinks from the machines, which operate as ordinary dispensers in normal times.
Bento at 09:03 AM JST - 30th April

well done gaijintraveller you can read, it tells us this much in the article..they are doing it because all they have to do in return for permission to site at known gathering points(hot sites for dispensers)is supply the 600 bottles during a disaster all the rest can be charged for..they will not even have to restock..well i mean the roads were blocked or the trucks disappeared down a crack..the list of excuses is enormous.
bdiego at 09:54 AM JST - 30th April

Well on the other hand if the power goes out, the drinks would pretty much have to be dispensed soon on battery power or sit without power and bought by nobody. The drinks themselves don't cost that much wholesale.

But if you want to paint this as part of the evil corporation's petty scheming machinations, go ahead. It just makes more sense that they're doing it because they might as well.
gogogo at 10:48 AM JST - 30th April

1 person standing in line presses the button twice say "the other one is for my husband"... riot ensues
Mark_McCracken at 11:35 AM JST - 30th April

There was free food after the Kobe earthquake. People were orderly - stood in line. I don't see much reason to believe riots would ensue with these vending machines.
jonnyboy at 12:54 PM JST - 30th April

good idea. i hope it works in practice
bdiego at 09:29 AM JST - 1st May

Good point, when I had friends from China meet me in Japan they were amazed that people were willing to stand in line to do things like board a bus. In China everyone bunches at the door and it's every man for himself to get in. Lately, they even have a "stand in line" day once a month to teach people to stand in line.

Point is this is more likely to work in Japan than other countries.

Even in the US, newspaper stands work this way for decades. We don't have an epidemic of people stealing dozens of newspapers, most people aren't that petty. I imagine if it happens the person was demented to begin with.
LFRAgain at 01:09 PM JST - 1st May

Despite some of the more obvious drawbacks, this is a great example of the kind of civic spirit of cooperation that advanced societies with the will and means can exhibit. Kudos to the cities that are adopting this program.
BigRobu at 04:34 PM JST - 1st May

they should do this with the beer machines too. everyone needs a cold one after a natural disaster. oooh, how about free smokes too?
KnowBetter at 06:20 AM JST - 3rd May

Chances are the machines will hold the "emergncy reserve seperately from the "sellable stock". Also, the station master will most likely need to use a key to turn the machine over to emergency mode.

You can't all be that negative when someone comes up with a good idea. No wait maybe you can because all you have to do is look at your home countries and see that this would never fly because your mindset would block it.
Fadamor at 01:13 PM JST - 3rd May

I agree with KnowBetter. If the point is lifesaving liquid, the emergency stock will be plain bottled water. I don't see teenagers vandalizing a machine just for a generic bottle of water.

Also, the article states the machine doesn't automatically go into "emergency mode". A designated person near the site places the machine in emergency mode via a switch that's probably key-operated.