I have no idea what a ‘professional panhandler’ is, but if standing on a traffic island inhaling fumes all day and having abuse and sometimes trash hurled at you, hoping no one jumps the island and runs you over, asking people for money makes you a living, good for you I guess. Not the way I would do it.
If I waste my money on a professional, I feel like I got ripped off. I may no longer trust the people truly in need or be less likely to help. I AM less likely. These people are a scourge.
A professional panhandler is exactly what it sounds like - people who turn it into a “job”. They’re scam artists. My city’s newspapers have done profiles on a few over the years, and those “professionals” tend to be quite comfortable. Again, relatively few but tend to be high profile, more active at their “sales pitch”. If you see a homeless person NOT trying to panhandle, they are much more likely legitimately in need
Why would it be all day? A key spot at rush hour or lunch hits the crowd, and someone outgoing and personable will make that pay. I’d even say that if you do see someone all day they are much more likely to be legit. Maybe even if you see someone with “sales skills”, you need to be cautious
If in an hour they get 4 five dollar donations, that’s $20/hr. Think about how many cars you see stop to donate each light change. If you think it’s not lucrative you’re being disingenuous.
Another way to look at it. That McDonald’s right there is hiring, and this guy stands outside panhandling all day. He’s already there, why not get a job at the McD’s? Market pressure, there’s more to be made with way less effort standing on the median making people feel bad.
Panhandling needs to be made to be a waste of time for people. It’s dangerous, abusive, and an annoyance.
ALTERNATIVELY, social programs need to be expanded greatly in order to actually help people so that panhandling isn’t even necessary in the first place.
I have no idea what a ‘professional panhandler’ is, but if standing on a traffic island inhaling fumes all day and having abuse and sometimes trash hurled at you, hoping no one jumps the island and runs you over, asking people for money makes you a living, good for you I guess. Not the way I would do it.
If I waste my money on a professional, I feel like I got ripped off. I may no longer trust the people truly in need or be less likely to help. I AM less likely. These people are a scourge.
A professional panhandler is exactly what it sounds like - people who turn it into a “job”. They’re scam artists. My city’s newspapers have done profiles on a few over the years, and those “professionals” tend to be quite comfortable. Again, relatively few but tend to be high profile, more active at their “sales pitch”. If you see a homeless person NOT trying to panhandle, they are much more likely legitimately in need
I question how comfortable you possibly could be doing that all day.
Why would it be all day? A key spot at rush hour or lunch hits the crowd, and someone outgoing and personable will make that pay. I’d even say that if you do see someone all day they are much more likely to be legit. Maybe even if you see someone with “sales skills”, you need to be cautious
I would be very surprised if you earned much more than a full time minimum wage job doing it for a few hours a day.
If in an hour they get 4 five dollar donations, that’s $20/hr. Think about how many cars you see stop to donate each light change. If you think it’s not lucrative you’re being disingenuous.
Another way to look at it. That McDonald’s right there is hiring, and this guy stands outside panhandling all day. He’s already there, why not get a job at the McD’s? Market pressure, there’s more to be made with way less effort standing on the median making people feel bad.
Panhandling needs to be made to be a waste of time for people. It’s dangerous, abusive, and an annoyance.
ALTERNATIVELY, social programs need to be expanded greatly in order to actually help people so that panhandling isn’t even necessary in the first place.