Walking to and from your car at a retail store. While you are at the gas pump. Even as you wait in the drive-through line at a fast-food place.
You see them coming. And you know what's next.
A sob story. A request for a handout. Maybe you say yes and get a word of thanks. Maybe you say no and they move on. Sometimes, though, they get aggressive.
Panhandlers. There seems to be a lot of them here in the Twin Cities. They seem to be everywhere.
Some are in genuine need. Some are taking advantage of our innate compassion. We see discussions about the pros and cons of giving to panhandlers on social media. That's a personal decision we each must make.
From what we've seen, most local residents are generous and want to help those who are down and out. But they do not like to be bothered or harassed. And they don't like to be lied to. They don't mind giving, but they do not want to be "taken."
The situation came to a head recently on a local Facebook group. One posted a photo of a panhandler in a local store parking lot. Before you knew it, there were more than 200 posts from those who had been approached by this person at various locations in and around Texarkana. Apparently this individual uses a variety of stories to cadge money, including claims of homelessness or a need to get to some distant city to see family.
As it turns out, some posters knew this person has a home and a vehicle. Some even posted photos of the house. Apparently panhandling is more like a job for this person than a necessity.
That's the kind of thing that makes folks mad.
Panhandling isn't illegal in the Lone Star State, but Texarkana, Texas, has an ordinance that regulates the practice. And the Texas-side police announced on their Facebook page Thursday they were cracking down.
In Arkansas, the state anti-loitering law was used against panhandlers. The law defined loitering to include someone who "lingers or remains in a public place or on the premises of another for the purpose of begging."
The American Civil Liberties Union challenged the law on behalf of a homeless veteran and another man and succeeded in having the prohibition against panhandling thrown out by a federal judge in late November.
Apparently begging for money is "free speech" and while it can be regulated to some extent, it can't be totally prohibited.
As far as we know, the Arkansas side has no specific ordinance to deal with panhandlers. We know the police have a lot more pressing things to deal with. So we don't think the two Texarkanas should crack down too hard on panhandlers who behave and show respect for others. But for those who take things too far-or violate the existing law on the Texas side-then there should be consequences, especially if they refuse to change their ways.