I can’t say how it is for you, but as far as I am concerned putting an end to the street pan handling has been a long time coming.
Other than the city’s feral cat problem, I would rank street pan handling at the top of my pet peeves. It’s not so much what they are about as it is the fact that driving in my car is nearly the only time I have peace and quiet and don’t have to worry about someone or something nipping at my heels, knocking on my door, or calling/texting me for a donation or a better this or better that service.
Yes, you read that right, texting. How I keep getting text message ads on my phone I can’t begin to understand. And yet, it happens. The best thing is I can simply delete them, but why am I getting them at all? I mean, after all I am on the Federal No Call list. At least City Council is taking a step to reduce, if not eliminate, the practice.
The new ordinance addresses handing out handbills, leaflets and other forms of local propaganda, but it also includes people begging for change. I suppose in some way we have only ourselves to blame. For years, a number of organizations would hit those high-traffic intersections (can you say Temple and Conduit?) and solicit donations for good causes. But most of the more reputable concerns have taken to moving to even better areas, such as outside WalMart, Sam’s Club, and Target. At least there the traffic flow is people and not automobiles.
Now, in all likelihood, many of those who are begging at the intersections would not be allowed to beg at the store fronts. After all, some of the bigger stores have even stopped the Girl Scouts from selling their cookies there. And, as we all know, the Girl Scout program is scorned throughout the US. No one likes their cookies anyway, except for the thin mints.
The truth is, there are numbers of organizations out there collecting “donations” for this group, or that place, or the other organization. It’s not so much that I am against pan handling or begging, but at some point a person needs a rest from that. It’s an everyday occurrence. When I was in Florida on vacation last week there was a guy sitting in the median with a sign, “will work for food.” He was there literally all day. No one offered him a job, but I wonder how many people gave him a dollar or two? Something must have been happening, because he was there every time I drove by.
And it’s not that begging doesn’t pay. I read a story in a magazine a number of years ago about a woman who was working as a legal assistant in New York City. Everyday around three, she would step into the bathroom, don some older clothes and jeans with holes in them, and head out to her favorite begging spot. Turns out, she made more money begging than she did working as a legal assistant. One of the hiring agreements was to allow her time off to pursue her “second job.”
It’s not like this is something new. When I lived in Italy back in the mid-70s, the streets were littered with beggars. Mostly, they were gypsies and it wasn’t unusual to see two or three women with children strategically placed along Via Mazzini, the main shopping street in Verona. They would sit with a small child and set out a box with some coins in it. Occasionally, they would ask for money, and sometimes they would pinch the children to make them cry. That’s not a stretch of my imagination. At the end of the session, they would collect whatever offering appeared in their box and cut through the alleys and move on to another spot.
But even in Italy, the beggars had sense enough to stay out of the streets. If you haven’t been to Italy before, then you probably wouldn’t understand, but it’s very easy to get a foot run over even when you are not in the street.
For the record, I’m not against raising money for a good cause, but I would rather not be approached in the middle of the road when I am trying to get somewhere. And, ultimately, who’s to say whether that cause is good or not? Be that as it may, don’t expect any gratuity when you see me barreling through that intersection. A fine of $15 isn’t very much, even with court costs it only jumps to $61. Probably, it’s enough to keep those people off the street. If not, I suggest raising the fine considerably.
Council will have the last say Sept. 13.
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