So I'm at the lights at 16th ave and 68 st, light turns green I go with the rest of the traffic when out of the blue a guy comes out of nowhere and the pickup in front of me bumps him, jams on his brakes and I come within a foot of rear ending the truck. this is friken hwy #1 with 3 lanes and this guys was in the middle lane, there's no way it can be legal to panhandle like this can it?
The Following User Says Thank You to Snuffleupagus For This Useful Post:
Definitely frustrating, but the bigger issue here is what do you expect the police to do. Write a ticket? Not sure that's going to be very effective since the guy clearly can't and won't pay it. So what, arrest him?
there's no way it can be legal to panhandle like this can it?
Panhandling is restricted in Calgary, but not illegal. There is an Act that governs when, where and how. This page has an overview, and a link to the Act itself: http://www.calgary.ca/CSPS/ABS/Pages...nhandling.aspx
Having them wander in traffic is a bigger issue, and a big problem on its own.
The problem is, as btimbit pointed out, there's precious little that can actually be done about it that is an effective deterrent. Police go and move the person on? Person (or another one) comes back. Police give a fine? If person can pay, they generally won't anyhow. Police 'sit' at one intersection that is popular with them? They go to another. Police probably get over 100 calls a day about people panhandling in and around various places (especially intersections) but there is, honestly, precious little that they can effectively DO about it.
I'm not angry at the panhandlers doing it, or the cops for not stopping them. I'm angry at the idiot drivers who keep giving them money. If no one rewarded them for wandering into traffic, they wouldn't do it. What I would like to see the cops do is start fining the drivers who give beggars money at intersections, and make it a very public crackdown. That's how you get this crap to stop
The Following 43 Users Say Thank You to Hemi-Cuda For This Useful Post:
Panhandling is restricted in Calgary, but not illegal. There is an Act that governs when, where and how. This page has an overview, and a link to the Act itself: http://www.calgary.ca/CSPS/ABS/Pages...nhandling.aspx
Having them wander in traffic is a bigger issue, and a big problem on its own.
The problem is, as btimbit pointed out, there's precious little that can actually be done about it that is an effective deterrent. Police go and move the person on? Person (or another one) comes back. Police give a fine? If person can pay, they generally won't anyhow. Police 'sit' at one intersection that is popular with them? They go to another. Police probably get over 100 calls a day about people panhandling in and around various places (especially intersections) but there is, honestly, precious little that they can effectively DO about it.
From your link:
Panhandling is not allowed within 10 metres of the entrance to a bank, an automated teller machine, a transit stop or pedestrian walkway (pedestrian walkways include +15, or any below or above grade walkway, but not a sidewalk).
Panhandling is not allowed between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m.
A panhandler cannot solicit money from an occupant in a motor vehicle.
I'm told there's at least 3 different panhandlers that work that intersection on both sides from noon to midnight just about every day and have been breaking these laws for at least 2 years. the police likely see these people a hundred times a day.
Since I would rather not see or read about one of these people getting run over how about this idea, put up a sign.
"No Panhandling at this intersection, paying a panhandler will also result in fines"
The Following User Says Thank You to Snuffleupagus For This Useful Post:
I'm told there's at least 3 different panhandlers that work that intersection on both sides from noon to midnight just about every day and have been breaking these laws for at least 2 years. the police likely see these people a hundred times a day.
Yup. There's two that I've seen around for a year or more, too. I call one of them the "hat flipping guy", because he walks between the lanes flipping his hat onto his head. They aren't uncommon. They aren't unknown.
I'd be surprised if the panhandlers didn't know the 'rules' themselves. But it's a bylaw infraction/fine...which amounts to a "who cares slap on the wrist" at the best of times. It clearly doesn't deter them.
Quote:
Since I would rather not see or read about one of these people getting run over how about this idea, put up a sign.
"No Panhandling at this intersection, paying a panhandler will also result in fines"
Hm, I can't see this going anywhere good at all. I can already see headlines about ''the man' telling citizens who they can and can't give their own money to'...on top of folks complaining about having cops sit at intersections...which would cause the problem to dry up...at that intersection. We don't have enough cops to sit at every intersection this happens at, and we sure as heck have a LOT of better things for cops to be doing than sitting at intersections.
Unfortunately, the homeless issue in Canada is likely to get worse before it gets better. A major influx of opiates coming with a not so hot economy is a bad combination.
If you're going to fix a problem you might as well fix it permanently right? Are you thinking public hanging? Perhaps auctioning off the rights to be in the firing squad? Dusting off Ol' Sparky?
__________________ The Beatings Shall Continue Until Morale Improves!
This Post Has Been Distilled for the Eradication of Seemingly Incurable Sadness.
The World Ends when you're dead. Until then, you've got more punishment in store. - Flames Fans
If you thought this season would have a happy ending, you haven't been paying attention.
Panhandling is not allowed within 10 metres of the entrance to a bank, an automated teller machine, a transit stop or pedestrian walkway (pedestrian walkways include +15, or any below or above grade walkway, but not a sidewalk).
Panhandling is not allowed between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m.
A panhandler cannot solicit money from an occupant in a motor vehicle.
I'm told there's at least 3 different panhandlers that work that intersection on both sides from noon to midnight just about every day and have been breaking these laws for at least 2 years. the police likely see these people a hundred times a day.
Since I would rather not see or read about one of these people getting run over how about this idea, put up a sign.
"No Panhandling at this intersection, paying a panhandler will also result in fines"
Bizarre rules. I didn't know begging how hours of operations to it.
10 meters / 30 feet - I'm sure the homeless are good surveyors for distances.
It's not an easy issue to solve. I could see it now - 'Sir - I'm giving you a ticket for giving money to the poor.' I guess you need to deter people from doing it or it will keep happening.
Need to think outside the box a bit. Require the homeless to join the military or something.
Bizarre rules. I didn't know begging how hours of operations to it.
10 meters / 30 feet - I'm sure the homeless are good surveyors for distances.
It's not an easy issue to solve. I could see it now - 'Sir - I'm giving you a ticket for giving money to the poor.' I guess you need to deter people from doing it or it will keep happening.
Need to think outside the box a bit. Require the homeless to join the military or something.
Ohhh.....I think I'd pay money to see that.
__________________ The Beatings Shall Continue Until Morale Improves!
This Post Has Been Distilled for the Eradication of Seemingly Incurable Sadness.
The World Ends when you're dead. Until then, you've got more punishment in store. - Flames Fans
If you thought this season would have a happy ending, you haven't been paying attention.
It's not an easy issue to solve. I could see it now - 'Sir - I'm giving you a ticket for giving money to the poor.' I guess you need to deter people from doing it or it will keep happening.
Need to think outside the box a bit. Require the homeless to join the military or something.
Taking your attention from the road to your wallet etc. Could be construed as distracted driving could it not? Start handing out tickets based on that and highly publicize the campaign. As mentioned by other posters if we cut off the money source the panhandlers don5 have a reason to stay.
The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to Lubicon For This Useful Post:
I am curious. How much do panhandlers make in a typical day?
Some of them do pretty well from what I have read but a lot of them are people in pretty bad situations that are hungry. I don't give them money at intersections because I feel it's dangerous but they hang out on my morning coffee walk to McDonalds or Tim Hortons so I usually give them a few bucks as I can't get over the guilt of not helping out those that may need it.
It is possible to do something about this, but it takes a lot of police manpower and effort.
Almost 10 years ago, this was a real bad problem at 17th Ave and 14th ST SW. Busy intersection, low speeds for traffic, lots of waiting during afternoon rush hour. It got to the point that there were different people or event groups of two or three people 'controlling' each side of 14th Street, hanging out either in front of the McDonalds, or on the south side of 17th west of 14th. As a result, there started to be community pressure to have the authorities do something about this. I lived in Bankview at this time, and started to see not just pennies (which the panhandlers distained) and food packaging on the sidewalks, but the occasional ticket, which the panhandlers would call 'asswipe' when the cops gave them out. Eventually, I think the 'regulars' got picked up for not paying these tickets, then didn't come back after spending some time in remand.
So it can get cleaned up, at least in one area for a specific time period. As a long term solution...don't give them any $. If everybody does that, they will stop doing it.
__________________
"The Oilers are like a buffet with one tray of off-brand mac-and-cheese and the rest of it is weird Jell-O."
Greg Wyshynski, ESPN
Dear police,please do something about panhandlers
