Part II: Intersection Begging - A problem, or just a Laredo tradition?

So, city council thinks this orange vest, and a few cones makes one safe when standing in the middle of the busiest intersections in Laredo.  And now they pretend if you wear one of these you should be allowed to be an "authorized panhandler" and if you do not you will be the dreaded, unsafe, "un-authorized panhandler," subjecting both the giver and givee to police ticketing.

No matter what city council, or city staff says, I have not heard of a panhandler being hit by a car in the act of panhandling.  I just cannot remember reading such an article.  Maybe it has happened, but I just don't recall it.  So, if it is sooooooo dangerous, where's the mangled bodies city council.  Where are the facts.  Laredoans let elected officials get away with far too much anecdotal information than they should.  Let's see the statistics that back up your claims on panhandling being dangerous city council.

At what point do we wise up and say, HEY, no more authorized or un-authorized panhandling period.  That would be a perfect ending to the whole issue.  Just stop it all together and go after the giver, not the givee, and things will get better, not stop, but get better.