Collections

Last time I was on the train, the friendly, automated voice came over the speaker, "Soliciting charity on the subway is illegal. We ask you not to give. Please help us keep an orderly subway, and have a nice day." Or something to that effect.

It struck me that if they were serious about stopping begging in the subway, the MTA would consider setting up an alternative for people right there in the subway station. They could have little "donation hubs" where people could slip their loose change into a permanent bin and the money could be distributed to shelters or other charities benefiting the homeless.

If people knew they could make a difference while it was on their minds, they would be less likely to give to panhandlers on the subways themselves, thus discouraging panhandling as a whole.

An alternate collections measure (if they could find someone to design the software) would be to allow riders the option of tacking on 50 cents or a dollar to their metro card purchase at the kiosks. This could be done for every, say, 100 transactions per machine so that every time you refilled your card you wouldn't be bombarded with charity advertising. But it would give everybody a chance to do something for the homeless without encouraging subway panhandling.


Speaking as a New Yorker, though, and despite the unpleasantness I associate with subway panhandling, it's kind of comforting in a strange way to know that the City hasn't been completely sanitized. Maybe NIMBY will eventually move back to the suburbs where it belongs.