Forums
Home > General Discussion > Organized Panhandling?
-
This might fall in the mind your own business department, but over the last couple months I’ve noticed some young guys panhandling at the intersection of Glebe and Fairfax in Ballston. Thing is, it seems kind of fishy. These kids stand on opposite corners and seem to know each other. They don’t seem destitute b/c they seem perfectly able-bodied enough to get a job flipping burgers, cutting grass, or washing dishes like I did at that age, and they have newish clothes as well (one had on a Nike shirt recently with a slogan that came out this year, and one kid today had a U of TX polo shirt that looked like it just came out of the box). They seem well prepared with backpacks full of whatever you need to get through a day of panhandling- drinks, signs, whatever. They also don’t seem particularly earnest about it- like they don’t really care if they get money or not. Also, the other day I saw an older guy who obviously knew them talking to one of the kids on the corner. I can’t imagine anyone would panhandle for fun, so anyone know what’s up with this? Legit family who’s dad is making them panhandle? Occupiers doing organized panhandling to get by instead of working? Students doing some kind of social research experiment? Cult? Or is panhandling actually more profitable than a summer job these days?
Awful. I'd be curious to see what happens after rush hour, if they get picked up or hop on a bus etc. There are some urban outdoorsmen that like to pander in front of the ABC store on Quincy St and at 9:01pm one of them hopped in a SUV passenger seat and drove off.
The older guy that usually stands in the median looking for donations from NB Glebe traffic is actually a nice guy, used to do real estate in rural MD before the market fell out.
call the cops – its illegal and dangerous (they could get hit or cause accidents by people paying attention to them instead of traffic, and thats not even the safest of intersections either.): http://law.justia.com/codes/vi…..2-931.html
they should be doing something more productive anyway.
I've read that in many larger city areas, you can make more panhandling than you can at a minimum wage job. Perhaps it's that? What worries me is the hopefully unlikely chance that the kids are being forced into doing it – almost like they're being “pimped.” It's probably unlikely that's the case, but I've unfortunately heard of that occurring before too.
Harkin said:
This might fall in the mind your own business department, but over the last couple months I've noticed some young guys panhandling at the intersection of Glebe and Fairfax in Ballston. Thing is, it seems kind of fishy. These kids stand on opposite corners and seem to know each other. They don't seem destitute b/c they seem perfectly able-bodied enough to get a job flipping burgers, cutting grass, or washing dishes like I did at that age, and they have newish clothes as well (one had on a Nike shirt recently with a slogan that came out this year, and one kid today had a U of TX polo shirt that looked like it just came out of the box). They seem well prepared with backpacks full of whatever you need to get through a day of panhandling- drinks, signs, whatever. They also don't seem particularly earnest about it- like they don't really care if they get money or not. Also, the other day I saw an older guy who obviously knew them talking to one of the kids on the corner. I can't imagine anyone would panhandle for fun, so anyone know what's up with this? Legit family who's dad is making them panhandle? Occupiers doing organized panhandling to get by instead of working? Students doing some kind of social research experiment? Cult? Or is panhandling actually more profitable than a summer job these days?
It wouldn't surprise me if they were college kids doing a study in panhandling.
Wait until we become like 1980s NYC, where not just panhandling, but they become window washers…. They still have that in MOntreal. If you don't pay, you get your winshield wiper torn off.
Rick- I think I know which guy you’re talking about but that’s not the one I saw talking with one of the kids. He seems like someone that is legitimately homeless and short on options whereas these kids don’t.
Not trying to generalize, but people with criminal records could have difficultly getting the minimum wage work that has been described in the thread.
And per the panhandlers, I've noticed this happening myself, as I drive in and out of the exit frequently throughout the day. I've seen the older man distribute signs, food and water to the others that are there.
Can't wait for them to discover Tysons Corner.
redstang423 said:
I've read that in many larger city areas, you can make more panhandling than you can at a minimum wage job. Perhaps it's that? What worries me is the hopefully unlikely chance that the kids are being forced into doing it – almost like they're being “pimped.” It's probably unlikely that's the case, but I've unfortunately heard of that occurring before too.
Think about it, if they get one dollar per light cycle thats $60 an hour. Tax-free. Even half that would be better than some full-time entry level jobs, minus health insurance.
Rick said:
redstang423 said:
I've read that in many larger city areas, you can make more panhandling than you can at a minimum wage job. Perhaps it's that? What worries me is the hopefully unlikely chance that the kids are being forced into doing it – almost like they're being “pimped.” It's probably unlikely that's the case, but I've unfortunately heard of that occurring before too.
Think about it, if they get one dollar per light cycle thats $60 an hour. Tax-free. Even half that would be better than some full-time entry level jobs, minus health insurance.
The light cycle there is longer than one minute. But, you definitely have a good point.
Rick said:
redstang423 said:
I've read that in many larger city areas, you can make more panhandling than you can at a minimum wage job. Perhaps it's that? What worries me is the hopefully unlikely chance that the kids are being forced into doing it – almost like they're being “pimped.” It's probably unlikely that's the case, but I've unfortunately heard of that occurring before too.
Think about it, if they get one dollar per light cycle thats $60 an hour. Tax-free. Even half that would be better than some full-time entry level jobs, minus health insurance.
Exactly. Even at half that rate as you say, I'd be willing to wager it's more than MOST entry level jobs (again, minus benefits), and even many experienced jobs. $30/hr works out to a little over $62k per year. $62k take home works out to a ballpark of $97k taxed salary. Granted, I'm not sure people who choose panhandling necessarily can make that rate throughout the day or work 40 hrs per week, but still a pretty crazy thought. Given that VA minimum wage is $7.25, it doesn't take much to see how easily you could make more by panhandling.
There's a couple of folks at the Lee Highway/Washington Blvd off ramp from 66E. Nice enough folks, but they have professional signs. Makes me wonder…
I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of the panhandlers around Arlington make better than minimum wage.
Almost every time I'm stopped at a light with someone panhandling I see someone give them a dollar. I could see how they are making $10-15 dollars per hour easily.
Some of these folks are out there day in and day out so it is working out well enough for them to keep doing it.
1RLI said:
There's a couple of folks at the Lee Highway/Washington Blvd off ramp from 66E. Nice enough folks, but they have professional signs. Makes me wonder…
Henry's Color (under Caribbean Grill) made them and has handed them out to the Lee & Glebe and Lee & 66 crowd.
Rick said:
1RLI said:
There's a couple of folks at the Lee Highway/Washington Blvd off ramp from 66E. Nice enough folks, but they have professional signs. Makes me wonder…
Henry's Color (under Caribbean Grill) made them and has handed them out to the Lee & Glebe and Lee & 66 crowd.
This sounds like a bad precedent.
If they want to help those people out… help get them off the street. Don't print them signs that keep them on the street.
You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
