"Crying Amtrak Girl" scam

[Eric S]

Crying Girl is in the New York Times today!

http://www.nytimes.c...ing.html?ref=us

I'm surprised that there is no law against panhandling there. It used to be illegal in our town when I was growing up.

Courts have routinely ruled that "panhandling" cannot be banned. The First Amendment free speech protections apply to "can you spare a dime?" the same as they would to any other speech. Communities can, however, ban "aggressive panhandling" and many have done so.

No but it can be restricted just as any other First Amendment activity can and private property owners are free to ban panhandling on their property as they deem fit.

True. I should have been more specific in my response. Governments cannot ban "panhandling" (so long as panhandling is just defined as the speech) but can ban "aggressive panhandling" (harassing, threatening, etc.). And, as you mention, private property owners can restrict speech and actions on their property as they see fit.

 

[mucomix]

I just booked a trip on the CZ late OCT to Davis from Omaha I will look for her. Im a hard ass any way. I will report what I see. The last time we where in Davis we liked the town. So this time we will stay in Davis and run into San Francisco & SAC on the C.C. to site see. May rent a car and drive south to the gold country. We love the Redwoods. But we could go for something new this time.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Maybe you can't ban panhandling over free speech considerations, although with today's Supreme Court who knows if that's still the case. At any rate you apparently can ban financial transactions between motorists and pedestrians on city streets. That pretty much kills most panhandling in vehicle-centric cities, does it not? Gainesville, Fla. was apparently the first to figure this out back in July of 2007.

 

[Eric S]

Maybe you can't ban panhandling over free speech considerations, although with today's Supreme Court who knows if that's still the case. At any rate you apparently can ban financial transactions between motorists and pedestrians on city streets. That pretty much kills most panhandling in vehicle-centric cities, does it not? Gainesville, Fla. was apparently the first to figure this out back in July of 2007.

That probably is true. But in this particular case ("Crying Girl" in Davis), most stories seem to indicate she approaches people in parking lots, at the train station, or on sidewalks, not walking up people in cars on public streets.