A lot of that was easing of anti panhandling legislation at the local level around central Iowa.
What’s happening to Des Moines?
- Thread starter ClonesTwenty1
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A lot of that was easing of anti panhandling legislation at the local level around central Iowa.
I was once on my way to the ISU career fair coming from Omaha. I’m driving down 80, and I see an orange DOT truck pulled off to the side. As I drive by, I look over and see a large gentlemen leaning against a fence post taking a deuce.
Oh, and he was facing away from me, so I got the full experience.
I imagine you could get fired for something like that. And he wasn’t trying to obscure himself at all. I assumed it was some sort of emergency.
Can always tell who hasn’t traveled much.
$20 snow shovels from Ace, or Lowe's, or Menard's. Spring, Summer, Fall... a rake.
Unlimited earning potential.
Unlimited earning potential.
In St. Louis for a Farm Bureau trip. A man started following us and eventually walking beside us trying to help us back to our hotel near the arch. We were about two blocks away from the hotel at this point and we knew where we were going. He also told us of some places to stop by before we went home. Of course when he was done he asked for money. I gave him a dollar as he wasn't being a douche and seemed to be legitimately trying to be helpful also he was only "helping" for less than 2 minutes. I felt he earned a dollar, but not much more as it was also clear he was trying to take advantage of tourists. Also a dollar for two minutes of "work" is pretty good money. If we had been struggling to find our way and he helped us find our way I would have given more. I am more likely to give people money that are willing do do something to earn it instead of just asking for handouts.
I was sure to be aware of my surroundings as this was happening as I know people like to do this to distract people while their partner comes in to pick pocket you.
I was sure to be aware of my surroundings as this was happening as I know people like to do this to distract people while their partner comes in to pick pocket you.
there have been homeless people in Des Moines forever. I remember seeing them sleeping/lounging in the skywalk as a kid in the 80's.
Why it’s best to always have some ones and fives for tip money or whatever in the pocket opposite your money clip or wallet. That way you only show about 10-20 bucks and not a couple hundred when you grab money to hand out.
Yep, and his co-horts at the other ramps and the Broadway/Hubbell intersection. There's a group of them.
And no enforcement. I also see a lot of cars being driven around without license plates. This picture isn't in Iowa but I thought it was pretty funny:
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So I can't tell if you are being serious or sarcastic, but I want to look at the scenario you have layed out seriously.
The person in question has managed to aquire a snow shovel. It is January in Des Moines, and snow is predicted overnight. Our hard-on-his-luck entrepreneur has spent the night at one of the shelters downtown, and is ready to tackle some driveways.
First he has to reach a neighborhood with driveways that need shoveling. Presumably he doesn't have a car, so he is limited to either walking or reliant on a bus. The bus won't be an option if he has a cart with his personal belongings. Regardless, he will either be spending money on bus fair or walking an hour+ through snow before he has shoveled a single driveway.
Now that our hero has reached a neighborhood with some driveways that need clearing, he has to begin knocking on doors to see if anyone will take him up on his services. So what is a fair price? $10 for a 1 car driveway, $20 for a 2 car? Would you pay that? But also, are the residents of the home interested? Most homeowners I know either are willing to clear the snow on their own, or already have snow removal services arranged. Are they even home to begin with?
All that to finally get one taker. One driveway, and 30 minutes to an hour later, our well intentioned protagonist is moving on to the next house. He made $20 but has endeavored for at least 3 hours between travel, knocking on doors, and doing the work. At best he has made below minimum wage, and still needs to travel back, and find shelter again for the night.
To make matters worse, in the time it has taken him to do the first driveway, there are now fewer driveways to be cleared as neighborhood residents have ventured out to clear what is theirs, or private plows have done in 5 minutes what our homeless person did in an hour.
Still, he marches on. Let's say he gets 5 takers, makes $100. He still has to eat, and travel, so that cuts into his earnings, but hey it's a profit! So he just has to do it again tomorrow...as long as it snows. Which, over the last 10 years, Des Moines has averaged 11.3 days of snowfall annually. At best, our hypothetical figure is looking at $1100 in an average winter.
That won't get this man a home. That might keep him fed and clothes, but it won't alleviate his basic needs of shelter.
Claiming that someone can make enough money to live by shoveling driveways and mowing lawns is an ignorant and out of touch view point. It doesn't comport with the reality of life in America in 2021.
But if you think I am thinking about this the wrong way, why don't you do me a favor? Bend down, grab tight onto your shoelace, and pull up as hard as you can. And once you have been able to lift yourself off the ground, get back to me.
I give no dimes to panhandlers. I will give money to the homeless guy that slept all night on High St in front of the dive bar with pissed stained pants on.
I just went to Austin this past weekend, its a bad situation there. They have huge amount of "tent cities" under the overpass of the highway and they are laying everywhere in the streets around the 6th street area. Just a really sad situation all around.
Hey, sometimes the breakfast burrito wins...sometimes you win. I suspect he simply was complying with the eternal statement...never trust a fart.
In your scenario it's not about earning a living, it's about earning enough money for some food. When you are homeless and have nothing, you need to start somewhere and it will likely be very difficult to dig out of the hole. Now, Imagine a landscaping company sees this person, or someone on the bus you speak of takes notice of this down on his luck guy with a snow shovel getting ready for a long day for not much pay and before long he has a job, and subsequently a place to live and slowly is able to get back on his feet. Meanwhile the guy back at his homeless camp is still on the corner asking strangers for money.
You can sit on the street corner begging and feeling sorry for yourself, or you can go out and try and earn something. Unfortunately, the sitting on the corner begging is the easy route. Who would want to go out and work to earn money when people will just give it to you for nothing?
Being homeless would suck, but way too often it is a result of people simply not caring and expecting the world to take care of their problems.
