TUSTIN : Traffic Safety Measure Targets Panhandling

Complaints by motorists who have been asked for money near automated teller machines and on public roadways have prompted city officials to enact a new law aimed at panhandlers, street vendors and other solicitors.

Under the traffic safety measure, which will go into effect Dec. 7, it will be illegal to solicit contributions, business or employment from motor vehicle occupants in the public right-of-way or in private commercial parking areas.

The justification for the new law is that solicitors tend to distract drivers, impede traffic flow and create safety hazards. Violators could be charged with an infraction or a misdemeanor under the City Code. The law, which is based on legislation enacted by Agoura Hills, received final approval this month by a unanimous vote of the City Council.

City Councilman Jim Potts introduced the measure after hearing from women at a public forum who said they had been frightened by panhandlers while they were shopping with their children.

“Our residents have been complaining that people solicit them in the shopping centers, especially around the ATMs,” Potts said. “And they wanted us to do something about it.”

There have also been problems with panhandlers and vendors who solicit motorists by standing in median strips and on the side of the road holding signs, Potts said.