Should panhandling be illegal?

[Shane W]

I'm glad this passed. I live near ATL and go there often, and I'm really fucking sick of getting swarmed whenever I'm in Little Five Points or other areas... and they get RUDE, and they follow you continually begging.

Fuck that. IF you are doing something- making something, maybe even reciting a song or something, I'll give you a few bucks. But don't come up and fucking tell me you have gonnorhhea, okay? I don't care. LEave me alone.

This does harm to businesses.

The constructive homeless folks that will sit and talk to you, that make little things to sell, that help you park, etc, I have no problem tipping. But whining with a cup gets you no where. I didn't get my fucking money for free. You getting in my face about not giving you any won't earn you ANY points with me.

[Brian Defferding]

I'm glad this passed. I live near ATL and go there often, and I'm really fucking sick of getting swarmed whenever I'm in Little Five Points or other areas... and they get RUDE, and they follow you continually begging.

Fuck that. IF you are doing something- making something, maybe even reciting a song or something, I'll give you a few bucks. But don't come up and fucking tell me you have gonnorhhea, okay? I don't care. LEave me alone.

This does harm to businesses.

The constructive homeless folks that will sit and talk to you, that make little things to sell, that help you park, etc, I have no problem tipping. But whining with a cup gets you no where. I didn't get my fucking money for free. You getting in my face about not giving you any won't earn you ANY points with me.

Gwyllgi, I love ya girl but you make this libertarian shake his head in shame.

I know they are annoying. Who wants to be panhandled by homeless alcoholics or druggies when you're on your way to your car? But we can't ban something for the sole reason of it being annoying. If that was the case, I'd like to ban broccoli, MTV and road construction.

I think there are ways that a ban can be avoided while deterring panhandlers. For instance, one option is maybe the Home Depot cofounder talking with city officials in working out a deal where he can buy out the sidewalk and/or roads surrounding the aquarium? That way it would be private property and they could kick out all bums they please. Furthermore, because the sidewalk and surrounding property would become private it would be slashed from the city budget meaning less need for taxes.

Of course this is just one idea of many. A ban is a lazy, easy way out of problems.

[gwyllgi]

Just telling the truth. I get sick of creepy men stalking me down the roadway begging for money and telling me how bad their life is. I don't even CARRY cash most of the time, when I do, it's bills like twenties, and I'm sorry, I'm not giving a homeless guy who's done nothing but freka me out telling me about his fucking illnesses 20 bucks for liquor.

Which is what most of them need it for anyway.

NOW, IF someone asks me for a few dollars for alcohol, I will give it to 'em if I have it. I had one guy say that to me, "look, I'l lbe honest. I just need something to drink. That's all." and I did give him some change, because he was honest. I hate sob stories.

I've bought a few food, and half of them have thrown the food away. So fuck them.

[xyzzy]

It's First Amendment, man! It's asking somebody for change! That does not infract upon anyone's liberties and it's free speech.

Businesses practice this all the time! At least the bums out there will only ask for a dollar or two, while many businesses will screw you over for hundreds of dollars.

I'd need to read the actual law, but right now I just don't see it. There have been several similar laws passed here in the Bay Area against "aggressive panhandling" that ban actions which I think fall clearly in the harassment category.

[WAKKAJAWAKKA]

Just telling the truth. I get sick of creepy men stalking me down the roadway begging for money and telling me how bad their life is. I don't even CARRY cash most of the time, when I do, it's bills like twenties, and I'm sorry, I'm not giving a homeless guy who's done nothing but freka me out telling me about his fucking illnesses 20 bucks for liquor.

Which is what most of them need it for anyway.

NOW, IF someone asks me for a few dollars for alcohol, I will give it to 'em if I have it. I had one guy say that to me, "look, I'l lbe honest. I just need something to drink. That's all." and I did give him some change, because he was honest. I hate sob stories.

I've bought a few food, and half of them have thrown the food away. So fuck them.

Last Month A Guy Asked Me For Cash Outside A Burger King As I Was Going In. On The Way Out I Bought Him A Whopper, He Looked At Me Like I Handed Him A Handful Of Dogshit, And Just Threw It On The Ground.

Wayno.

[gwyllgi]

Gwyllgi, I love ya girl but you make this libertarian shake his head in shame.

I know they are annoying. Who wants to be panhandled by homeless alcoholics or druggies when you're on your way to your car? But we can't ban something for the sole reason of it being annoying. If that was the case, I'd like to ban broccoli, MTV and road construction.

I think there are ways that a ban can be avoided while deterring panhandlers. For instance, one option is maybe the Home Depot cofounder talking with city officials in working out a deal where he can buy out the sidewalk and/or roads surrounding the aquarium? That way it would be private property and they could kick out all bums they please. Furthermore, because the sidewalk and surrounding property would become private it would be slashed from the city budget meaning less need for taxes.

Of course this is just one idea of many. A ban is a lazy, easy way out of problems.

The bums around here panhandle on private property until they're kicked out. They aren't going to give a fuck about it being private property. I am really sick of telling them, hey, I don't have money, and the next time they see my five minutes later they're running up to me and begging AGAIN.

I have no problem with someone asking for change in exchange for something. No problem at all. But this outright gimme money i gotta see my son he's in another state my wife left me i have thrush i'm going to die i need to see my son while the asshole has crack burns on his lips? No. I don't feel sorry for half of these people. I really don't.

What a good portion of them need is rehab, a shower, and some good food. I've already said I don't mind springing for a hamburger for a dude down on his luck.

We had a big problem here in ATL with people dressing up as homeless people and panhandling. They'd make hundreds of dollars at their little part time job.

[Smokinblues]

It's First Amendment, man! It's asking somebody for change! That does not infract upon anyone's liberties and it's free speech.

Businesses practice this all the time! At least the bums out there will only ask for a dollar or two, while many businesses will screw you over for hundreds of dollars.

it's not first amendment. nuisance laws and ordinances are passed all the time.

and this day and age, you don't know whetehr you're only being asked for a dollar or if you're about to get mugged or attacked or whatever.

[William Satterwhite]

The ordinance also makes it a crime citywide to panhandle at night or near public phones or ATMs. Violators would get a warning on the first offense, referral to a resource center on the second offense, and a possible one-month jail term on further offenses.

I don't really like the idea of creating a new law banning panhandling but this seems very fair to me. Having had some experience with them, I know the resource centers downtown offer enough services to help get homeless folks off of the streets if they want to get off the streets. I know from experience that a lot of the homeless people this law will affect are already using the resource center's to get free meals and stuff but not using their job referal and training programs.

As for why it only applies to certain parts of the city, I think it's threefold- One, that's where most of the panhandling is already going on anyway, two, Georgia State University is in the heart of this area and its not good when students are the main ones continually getting hassled on their way to class and three, its been mentioned that the sectioning off combats the argument that the ban is unconstitutional.

[Brian Defferding]

The bums around here panhandle on private property until they're kicked out. They aren't going to give a fuck about it being private property. I am really sick of telling them, hey, I don't have money, and the next time they see my five minutes later they're running up to me and begging AGAIN.

I have no problem with someone asking for change in exchange for something. No problem at all. But this outright gimme money i gotta see my son he's in another state my wife left me i have thrush i'm going to die i need to see my son while the asshole has crack burns on his lips? No. I don't feel sorry for half of these people. I really don't.

What a good portion of them need is rehab, a shower, and some good food. I've already said I don't mind springing for a hamburger for a dude down on his luck.

We had a big problem here in ATL with people dressing up as homeless people and panhandling. They'd make hundreds of dollars at their little part time job.

You're right - they wouldn't give a fuck about private property. But if the Home Depot co-founder is serious about getting the panhandlers out of the area of his aquarium, then he'll put the money down to enforce it; even if that means having rent-a-cops every 20 feet to make sure no bums are there.

[Brian Defferding]

it's not first amendment. nuisance laws and ordinances are passed all the time.

and this day and age, you don't know whetehr you're only being asked for a dollar or if you're about to get mugged or attacked or whatever.

Forcing someone physically in a situation is wrong and illegal. That I have no issue with.

Asking someone for change - it's just words.