PDT 1/2 : Best place to panhandle

[El Diablo]

hanster,

I would consider subways and other similar public transit spots to be a separate category.

[hanster]

If that's the case, it'd be subway > busy intersection then.

Also, I forgot to mention gas stations. That would be a pretty good place to start, especially with the "my car needs $5 for gas to get to my aunt's house" stories.

[Elevens]

I have to go with the busy intersections. If you're stopped at a red light and you see someone knocking on windows asking for money (whether it be for charity or begging), you have a few extra moments to feel unnecessary guilt, because you're often unable to move past the person quickly. You have to sit there and potentially look like a cold-hearted ass, rather than moving on and forgetting about it. This usually results in "donations".

EDIT: Although, a subway has a helluva lot more people, so this is probably even better, regardless of the prolonged guilt trip.

[Starzinger]

Anywhere with alot of students? They might not have alot of money, but they do seem to have easier to part with them than alot of richer people. At least here in sweden, students give more to charities than any other group

[Porcupine]

I think busy intersections, because your targets are stuck right by you waiting for the light. Also, people are used to the idea of panhandlers at intersections and everyone has seen someone hand money out of the car window.

Is knocking on the car windows that common? Around here they don't really approach the cars unless someone holds money out of their window. That said, I think knocking on the windows would really increase your take. Recently, I gave money to some tweaker that surprised me at my car window - partly because it was a girl, but also because she was "right on top of me" and harder to ignore.

[AZK]

side note:

How many of you dump the change when going to starbucks? I do this frequently.

[Pyromaniac]

it's a good point that's been made that Starbucks might seem like a good spot until you realize the tip jar is sucking away your profits.

...and how easy is it to say "oops sorry I put my change in the tip jar" even if you didn't...

Also,

[ QUOTE ]
Assume that we're talking averages here, so given panhandlers of all types, where is the best average take?

[/ QUOTE ]

should we factor in "average time before you get chased off"? cities differ, of course, but I'm thinking again, that while Starbucks seems like a sweet spot to stake out, that a lot of places are going to run you off of the sidewalk before it has a chance to be profitable.

side note of my own: what if you're panhandling for a charitable cause? What's the best spot to be a bellringer for the salvation army, this time of year? I always see one outside a Sam's Club - and while people wheel a ton of stuff out of there, most of them, I'm thinking, have paid w/ a check or plastic and have no leftover change from the transaction. and again, it's a lot easier to blow by the guy when you're pushing a full cart of stuff and have both hands tied up anyway.

best place: I'm thinking busy intersection. You have a new set of possible donators every time the light changes, and that's more than the turnover of a starbucks. also, people have to sit there and wait and get uncomfortable--they can't keep just walking past you. And, finally, when someone *does* hand something out the window, it's usually some green, not change. so when someone does give, you get more.