Had pulled in for a pit stop off the highway.

While waiting I kinda scan around like we always do and take notice of one of those annoying pan-handlers you see places alongside the road. He's about 25 yards away doing his pan-handler thing holding a sign.

I kinda keep my eye on him a bit and after a few minutes another grungy pan-handler walks up to him and they talk briefly. The first / original pan-handler then takes a roll of cash out and peels off a few bills for the second bum. The second bum then walks away.

Was this a pay-off of some kind? I did not see any transaction other than the cash - IOW I don't think the second guy gave him any drugs. Just kinda weird. Maybe they are a team.

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Maybe 2nd bum is the intern/gofer of the group...getting drinks/cigs?

I know that in Albuquerque not too long ago they found that they basically were all organized and working specific corners as a team and there were people getting a cut to organize everything. Basically like a pimp for panhandlers.

Maybe the first one payed "rent" to the second one.

Kind of like "Hey bud, if you don't pay me a little sump'n-sump'n, I'll set up shop on this here claim and we can both make 1/2 as much."

They are organized here. I saw a van drop off a couple and pick up the one that was on the corner. I see these “shift” changes every once in awhile.

I was downtown at one of the missions in Portland and saw a van picking up homeless people. I asked one of the guys in the program what that was about. He told me that they would drive these people to use their food stamp money and give them cash for drugs. Portland is popular for the mild temps and great state “benefits”.

Just passed an ordinance here - You give them money, you can get a ticket and hefty fine. They take money, same drill.

Juan and Gomez were working separate street corners in Tucson begging for money.

Juan made just enough money to support his wife and 6 kids.

Gomez made hundreds of dollars each day, drove a new Audi and lived in an expensive home in NW Pima County with his young wife.

Juan's held the usual home made sign begging for a couple of bucks.

Gomez sign read: "I need just $10 to get my family back to Mexico".

quote:

Maybe they are a team.

That's my guess.

quote:

Originally posted by bushmasterM4:
I know that in Albuquerque not too long ago they found that they basically were all organized and working specific corners as a team and there were people getting a cut to organize everything. Basically like a pimp for panhandlers.

I tell my wife, they have franchises to set up shop on different spots. It sure looks that way to me.

I've also seen: groups taking turns or, worse, one lone girl and a dog standing on the spot while the others are hanging out nearby in the shade.

I wonder if they have a guild?

quote:

Originally posted by Rey HRH:

quote:

Originally posted by bushmasterM4:
I know that in Albuquerque not too long ago they found that they basically were all organized and working specific corners as a team and there were people getting a cut to organize everything. Basically like a pimp for panhandlers.

I tell my wife, they have franchises to set up shop on different spots. It sure looks that way to me.

I've also seen: groups taking turns or, worse, one lone girl and a dog standing on the spot while the others are hanging out nearby in the shade.

Subcontractor?

Franchise fees?

Unionized and shop steward was collecting the union dues.

There's a guy here who at least sells bottle of water and is not just asking for a handout to buy smokes.

I think they were both on the same Fantasy Panhandling Team.....

They do run franchises, and the guy driving the van usually makes rounds (I've seen them bring drinks) and take a cut. Every two to three hours they rotate posts. There's a "bum post" on the street outside my office. The van drops him off, the handler comes about 2 hours later with a coffee and takes a cut, an hour or so after that another bum comes and they rotate in a huge, several block circle. About 3pm the van comes and starts picking them up.

If morons didn't give them money at every single traffic light we wouldn't have panhandlers.

Everytime I'm stopped at a traffic light with a panhandler. I see at least one driver if not 2 give them a bill. Can't see if it's a dollar or more.

I first saw this kind of thing in S.Asia 30+ years ago. They are organized. In Colombo, Sri Lanka, vans would drop children off at corners all over the city, then pick them up at night. Some worked with cripples, lepers, the blind... it was a large scale operation, the begging business. This seems similar.

In India, poor families will actually blind their young daughters so that they can beg on the street and bring in income.

Bum #2 may have been paying bum #1 for the bet he lost the night before.

I used to give until I found out they make more money than I do and don’t pay taxes. One was dumb enough to allow himself to be interviewed.