Quote:
Originally Posted by Joaniesmom
We live at the northernmost part of The Villages. So we use Routes 42 and 441 very often. At the intersection of these roads and a few others, we daily see people standing in the center dividing lines, holding cardboard signs, asking for donations.
In Ohio this would be immediately stopped, but it seems to be allowed here.
My feeling is that it shouldn't be allowed here either. Or, if there are regulations, they should be enforced.
The people are a distraction to drivers and, if someone stops to make some kind of donation, they are holding up traffic behind them.
Surely there are agencies to help them. Maybe I'm wrong about that.
I was wondering what others think about this situation.
Thanks for your opinions.
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A Spruce Creek south Resident brought the highway panhandling to the attention of the Marion County Commissioners about a year ago. He did this after the McDonald's manager offered one panhandler a job but it the employment offer was turned down. Apparently, there's quite a bit of $$$ to be collected just standing in the highway. One panhandler in another Florida county, when he was denied the right to panhandle, sued the county (with the help of ACLU). He was awarded $10,000. Kinda' makes you want to grab a jar, make a sign and head out to the highway, no? Especially when you see the same people standing in the highway center, smoking cigarettes ($5-$6 a pack?) and talking on their cellphones.