Agressive Panhandlers are back in Downtown Detroit

[Honky Tonk]

This teenager was lucky people around her got involved.

https://newyork.cbslocal.com/2021/10...ns-restaurant/

[Richard]

I had a woman follow me for a block when I was going to my parked vehicle after a trip to Eastern Market awhile ago. She decided to put her body between my car & me essentially blocking me from getting in my vehicle. My husband broke down & gave her 2 dollars which got her to leave.

I tried the speaking a foreign language trick to. It didn't work as readily as it did for Gistok. I still got followed in this parking lot rambling Polish while a woman followed me around until I got in my car.

Panhandlers are all over not just downtown. I've had several instances where I've been accosted in parking lots in Dearborn [[not Fairlane). Lots of them stand on intersections in Dearborn/Downriver these days. One works the corner of Southfield & Outer Drive on the Allen Park border holding a doll trying to convince you it's an actual baby. You can't always tell who truly is in need and who's playing a game. You have to make a judgement call & hope there are no repercussions.

I would have never paid them the $2 just for them to go away,that is why they use the intimidation tactic.

I remember many years ago,I was running a quick lube in a dense downtown city,a biker gang used to bring stolen corvettes in for an oil change before running them out to Cali.

The biker was standing next to the sidewalk and a pan handler asked him for some money,biker said no,the guy took a few steps and turned around and asked again,the biker said nothing,just punched to guy in the nose.

The guy came in the shop,face was all bloody and wanted to use the restroom,he was shocked that he punched in the nose,I asked him,what part of no did you not understand?

I deal with them all the time,they are very adept at sizing you up in seconds and knowing how much pressure to apply,I just use eye contact and give a look of,not in the mood to be *ucked with,no words are necessary.

I do not know if one is a female how they should react,some do have emotional issues,the panhandlers,not the women,and you do not know what can trigger them off.

I think a stern NO thank you should be sufficient,if they keep pressing,mace them.

They know the boundaries and when they cross them it is on them,nobody should feel intimidated walking down the street,and nobody should allow them to prey even more so on the women folk,I would never stand for it and I would hope others would not also if they see it happening.

In Fla,speak to a panhandler in a different language,you will be lucky not to get stabbed,because foreigner tourists always carry excess cash.

An aggressive panhandler getting in-between somebody and their car door?

99.9% know better then that,as they would have a short lived career.

Honestly,you should have called the police on her,if your husband had not been there or it was another woman on their own it could have ended another way.

[smallferret]

I donate regularly to Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries on Seward near Woodward, they do great work.

I donate too. That’s one fine organization.

[stasu1213]

I wondered if the ACLU had gotten involved and told the city that panhandle have rights and are being g violated by security running them away. It might be a matter of time when one of them harm someone or someone seriously harming them.

[Richard]

I wondered if the ACLU had gotten involved and told the city that panhandle have rights and are being g violated by security running them away. It might be a matter of time when one of them harm someone or someone seriously harming them.

They did in 2013

Panhandlers have a constitutional right to panhandle it appears.

They do address aggressive panhandling different,my guess would be sense the ACLU has their teeth into it,it is handled with kid gloves by the police,I do not believe it trumps your right to be able to have free movement.

While it is true that courts have upheld “aggressive begging” ordinances that are narrowly tailored to protect the public from actual harm and still allow peaceful panhandling in public places, the cities and townships receiving letters from the ACLU of Michigan fall short of that requirement.

https://www.aclumich.org/en/press-re...anhandling-are