Perhaps I've just had a bad experience of buskers, a lot of them that I've heard are just terrible, & just stand strumming a battered old guitar & mumbling a few unintelligble words. I call that no better than begging. Yes I have heard the odd 1 or 2 performers who are very good, but just why are they out there with a case in front of them that has been primed with money if they aren't begging, no matter how well they perform. If they are just out there to improve their performance they shouldn't feel that they have to extract cash from people.

If we as dancers collect cash every single penny goes to charity. It was something that we decided to do a long time ago, as we felt that we didn't want to beg money from people just to go into our own pockets.

And yes I have given money to street performers if I think they are
putting on a good show.

Unfortunately what one person thinks is a good show another will think is rubbish. Yes I do agree that if people stand & watch for half an hour then condemn something they are being rather stupid, but as you say people should have the freedom to chose. Why should they be expected to pay if the perfomer(s) are not begging for the money, just playing to improve their performance, or to get across their love of the music? They should just go out & do it.