In Dallas, panhandling from the median might soon get you a $500 ticket

dallasnews.com

10 points·breckenedge··9 comments

Real question is if this will also affect fire department and other various fundraising groups that do the same exact thing.

In my experience the fundraisers are much better about not disrupting traffic. They clear out of the traffic paths before the light changes, the panhandlers often wait until the change to clear out.

Nonetheless they'd be breaking the law as well - why would they not be subject to the standards?

Just seems like a natural externality that i doubt the town council people will see coming.

I'm pretty sure it's illegal to panhandle in California within 500 feet of a freeway offramp, but I've never seen it enforced.

Good. I don't like panhandlers in general but when they go into traffic it becomes a hazard and disrupts the flow of traffic. Panhandle in the parking lots and the like, not the street!

Personally I prefer it at the highway offramp intersections. Being in my car I don't have to do nearly as much threat analysis. In parking lots/gas stations I'm on foot and there's much more possibility for unwanted interactions.

Women would generally strongly prefer being in their vehicle for these interactions.

I wish it was illegal everywhere

Yea I get calls all the time from some sheriff in the country asking me for money for sheriffs.

Political panhandling, unfortunately, has been granted exceptionally strong constitutional protections :(

Reply on news.ycombinator.com