[Sam Hill]

I've read multiple times that most panhandlers are not homeless, and yes, they can make hundreds per day. Homeless advocates around here urge the public NOT to give money to panhanders.

I can't walk or drive anywhere without encountering panhandlers all along the way. They're everywhere. Sometimes I have to walk through a group of them just to get to the dumpster in my alley, in which case I kindly demur and try to just get the heck out of there, then make sure the door closes behind me. It can be rather intimidating. These days everyone is talking about the so-called opioid crisis, but I can assure you the riff-raff in my alley (who live in a huge camp that has completely taken over the park a block down from me) are on some kind of uppers. They have plenty of energy and I hear them screaming and fighting often.

I don't give panhandlers money and I avoid eye-contact as I've found eye-contact makes them more aggressive. I might glance in their direction and say, "sorry; I don't carry cash," but I don't make actual eye contact. Quite frankly I'm sick of having to constantly deal with them, so my philosophy is, well... have you ever seen those signs in national parks that say "don't feed the bears?"