Morning Metro: Root Beer Fest, the Fate of the ASO’s Season, and Chicago’s Plan to End Ped Deaths
Decatur Metro | September 26, 2012
- Decatur Root Beer Festival tix go on sale next month [LSOS]
- ASO lockout either extends or ends today [ArtsATL]
- Atlanta mayor proposes new panhandling law [ABC]
- Music Midtown comes of age [ArtsATL]
- Barilla pasta factory cures absentee problem [Planet Money]
- Chicago plans to end pedestrian deaths in 10 years [Chi Tribune]
Photo courtesy of Carl via Flickr
Latest from Decaturish
Re Chicago protecting pedestrians: Chicago has BLUE shadow people in their proposals. Walmart and the Ink & Elm need to replace their bland white shadow folks with these.
Re: the panhandling ordinance. For years I’ve spent quite a bit of time in the downtown Atlanta area (and in downtown Decatur, which has its share of panhandlers too) on an almost daily basis, and I have never been asked for money more than once by anyone. Nor has a panhandler ever touched me. Maybe my experience is unique. Still, I don’t see what this ordinance will accomplish or how it can be enforced.
I have spent a lot of time Downtown too and also have never been truly hassled by a panhandler. On the other hand, I have not felt like eating my lunch in Woodruff Park, no matter how nice the weather and music, because I felt that I would be approached and not have a relaxing lunch. After living in NYC, I’m pretty good at the stare-ahead-don’t-make-eye-contact, brisk walking method of avoiding panhandlers, but that doesn’t mean I enjoy being approached. It’s always seemed incongruous to me that Downtown has these nice friendly Ambassadors on segways but they are vastly outnumbered by panhandlers. It varies by area. Peachtree/Woodruff Park/Five Points: uncomfortable atmosphere and I doubt tourists would feel like hanging out there. Broad Street: more comfortable to eat, drink, hang out at sidewalk tables.
I don’t know what the answer is in terms of allowing people to work, live, and play Downtown without being panhandled constantly and yet also respect the rights of the people doing the panhandling. I have never had to panhandle but I truly believe that there but for the grace of God go any of us. We do not understand what biologic, mental, social, medical, genetic, family, economic events have brought them to the place they are. I’d like to believe that an ordinance will magically take care of this but I suspect that it’s not that simple.