Panhandling: Public nuisance or making a living?

[The Straight Story]

Panhandling: Public nuisance or making a living?


WOODLAND, CA -- A panhandling problem is plaguing an intersection in Woodland, but there's not much that can be done about it.

Fred Wehner sits at the intersection outside the Walmart on East Main Street in Woodland every morning, hoping the kindness of strangers will earn him a few bucks.

"I just do the best I know how," said Wehner. "Trying to survive. To be honest, it's hard to even make a living."

He says he makes about $15 a day by panhandling.

"When I do have money and I see them, I usually give them a dollar or something," said driver Amanda Young, who admits there's a guilt factor.

"I don't want to look like I'm snubbing them or anything," said Young. "They're people, too."

Other drivers call the panhandling at this intersection a hustle, accusing many panhandlers of "double-dipping" from both the social service system and strangers' donations.

http://www.news10.net/news/story.aspx?storyid=77747&catid=2

[The_Commonist]

1. Double dipping...

No doubt they're spending that extra $15 a day on champagne and hookers.
That's after the Single-malt and Porterhouse steaks from the "social service system."

I always keep change in my pocket, and I always give at least a quarter to every panhandler I encounter.
They get more if they are working for it, playing music or whatever, or if they are clearly in dire need.
And I live in New York City, so it's almost every day...

[Poll_Blind]

2. I live in Eugene, Oregon and there has been a big problem since the late 90's with...

..."spangers"(a portmanteau of "Spare any change?": People who continually approach you asking for either cigarettes or spare change. If one spends more than a few seconds really examining the dress, age, overall appearance and physical condition you realize they're just small-time hustling, playing the numbers game. Most of the people who are actually down on their luck/homeless wind up at places like the local mission.

However there's an entire fucking subclass of people who really abuse the shit out of the goodwill of others, where begging for money is more of a lifestyle choice or the result of being in a hopeless situation because of drugs or alcohol. If you think that it's absurd that someone would say that one could beg "as a lifestyle choice" come on down to my town and see it at work, 7 days a week (48 hours a day during July).

Not only do these "spangers" soak up quite a bit of money, the thing that pisses me off is there are a lot of people who really could use the money and the "spangers" are essentially grifting from those people who might otherwise be able to help legitimate homeless/poor folks.

There's even an entire fucking migration of these folks which come through town, as they travel up and down the West Coast and they hit Eugene hardest around July when the Oregon Country Fair is going on.

Meanwhile, the latina mother and her two girls, who is not about to be begging on a street corner and is struggling (in an epic sense) quietly to provide for her family goes almost entirely un-noticed.

Sorry, that was a rant.

PB

[Cal Carpenter]

3. Yeah, cuz the social service system is so helpful and easy to navigate

For fucks sake. Double dipping. :puke:

FACT: The average food stamp recipient runs out of food stamps 2 1/2 wks into the month.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

4. Why can't making a living also be a public nuisance?

Telemarketers are obviously making a living and also being a nuisance.

TV ads are annoying, but obviously of financial benefit to advertisers.


???

I don't get the false choice.

[Cleita]

5. Back in the sixties when pretty white kids dressed as hippies panhandled,

everyone thought it was cute. Nowadays, if it some down and out homeless person who could really use a handout, even if they buy a six pack with it, it's considered a nuisance. I have actually seen families, mom, dad and children panhandling. Are they a nuisance too? Or has our society broken down so much since Clinton destroyed the welfare program, that they are forced to rely on the charity of the passerby?

[Scout]

6. wonder how many got some tips from this site?

http://www.offrampbums.com/

[Obamanaut]

7. Public nuisance nt

[WeekendWarrior]

8. Well, it's hard to say

I think for some, it's obviously a way of making a living when they're down on their luck. Then there's a friend of mine who gave a buck to a pan handling old woman, only to see her picked up in brand new Mercedes by someone who was obviously her daughter a few minutes later.

I don't know what her circumstances were, but scenes like that make everyone doubt panhandlers. Which is a shame, because I'm sure the majority of them need the money.

What I do, if possible, is give them food.

[rox63]

9. It's both a nuisance and a way to make a living

Personally, I have a problem with people who approach my car at intersections looking for donations. And I include charities that do their fundraising that way.