Charity Collection People at Highway Intersections

[mightyace]

I'm sure I'm not the only one who has seen this.

You come up to a traffic light or stop sign and there are people by the side of the road or in the middle of it.  And, those people are there collecting for some charity, like a local volunteer fire department or some such.

(See http://www.tollroadsnews.com/node/4171 for some examples.)

Even if they have the blessing of local officials and are legit, I don't care for this practice.

First, the collection people put themselves at risk by being on/near the highway.  Second, like a toll booth, this can cause traffic backups at the intersection.  Third, it puts me in an uncomfortable position if I can't or don't want to contribute.  (The latter would be true if I was traveling and it was for a local fire department.)

Have any of you run into this?  If so, what is your opinion of it?

[agentsteel53]

or they have a cardboard sign and they're collecting for their own beer fund.  Either way, get a real job.

[BigMattFromTexas]

San Angelo used to have "Fill The Boot" or something like that and it was firefighters collecting money on two major roads.
But SA hasn't really had a problem with "panhandles" anymore

[Alex]

I've seen the "Fill the Boot" campaigns in Orange County, Florida. I've seen other charities conducting campaigns in Orlando, Fort Walton Beach, and other parts of Florida as well.

There are nicely dressed bible yellers on street corners in Pensacola. They don't want anything from drivers except their attention as they scream out about how many sins they have committed.

[FLRoads]

When I lived in Gainesville there use to be some church group that would stand EVERY weekend at the busiest intersections (Florida 24-Archer Rd/Florida 121-SW 34th St) and U.S. 441-SW 13th St/Florida 26-University Ave). There would be at least two standing in each direction, each one wearing an orange reflective vest and an ID card indicating "who" and "what" they represented. On several occasions I would have to sit and wait for people in front of me who were giving their donation, thus impeding on the progress of traffic. I found it very annoying to say the least. The only one that I would even consider giving to would be the "Fill the boot" collection.

[rawmustard]

I'm sure I'm not the only one who has seen this.

You come up to a traffic light or stop sign and there are people by the side of the road or in the middle of it.  And, those people are there collecting for some charity, like a local volunteer fire department or some such.

(See http://www.tollroadsnews.com/node/4171 for some examples.)

Even if they have the blessing of local officials and are legit, I don't care for this practice.

First, the collection people put themselves at risk by being on/near the highway.  Second, like a toll booth, this can cause traffic backups at the intersection.  Third, it puts me in an uncomfortable position if I can't or don't want to contribute.  (The latter would be true if I was traveling and it was for a local fire department.)

Have any of you run into this?  If so, what is your opinion of it?

It was especially disconcerting in suburban Louisville for their little thing (don't know the name off the top of my head), since several of those roads are two-lane with no shoulder.

[Bryant5493]

Yes, I hate that they do this. It obstructs traffic, as the folks don't always get back to the sidewalk or median before the lights go from red to green. One trouble spot in my area is Prinecton Lakes Parkway/Centre Parkway @ S.R. 6, near the Camp Creek MarketPlace.


Be well,

Bryant

[us44mt]

I agree that this is an annoying practice. I can remember long ago there was a collection where there was no light, just set up in the middle of US 6 and the hell with the rear end collisions. Fortunately, at least that practice has been outlawed.

[US71]

Memphis has churchs at various intersections either asking for donations or handing out propaganda.

[Hellfighter]

I hate when those people come in the middle of the intersection. I know they're doing it for good, but sometimes, I wonder when the idiot driver is going to hit them.

[bugo]

There are nicely dressed bible yellers on street corners in Pensacola. They don't want anything from drivers except their attention as they scream out about how many sins they have committed.

The bible thumpers sometimes set up shop at the corner of US 71 and AR 88 in downtown Mena.  A couple of times, the Ku Klux Klan has held rallies on this same corner (and gotten heckled relentlessly.)

In Tulsa, at I-44 and Peoria and I-44 and Lewis, you can often see beggars standing by the off ramp holding signs begging for money.  I always ignore them.  It makes me angry when somebody ahead of me stops to give them money when the light is green.  If you want to give them beer/drug money, do it in a way that doesn't impede traffic.

I despise this practice.  It should be made illegal pronto.

[bugo]

I hate when those people come in the middle of the intersection. I know they're doing it for good, but sometimes, I wonder when the idiot driver is going to hit them.

Sometimes it's not for a good cause.

[Hellfighter]

I hate when those people come in the middle of the intersection. I know they're doing it for good, but sometimes, I wonder when the idiot driver is going to hit them.

Sometimes it's not for a good cause.

Like, "I need to get a jet to reach god!".

[SSOWorld]

I came across some deranged guy in Chicago on McFetridge Dr (between Soldier Field and the Field Museum) who was in the middle of the street telling everyone that his sister was in a van behind them.  Suspicious in that if one to fall for it - that person might be dead.