well...I guess it depends on whether they are clever or not!

Today, on my way to the store, I passed 3 within 4 blocks, standing in the median of a busy street (Rockville Pike, in Montgomery County, MD.,north of Wash DC) They held signs that said "homeless"...or variants thereof. They all looked able to work, but how am I to judge? I usually do NOT give randomly to people holding signs when I would block traffic to do so.. 'Sometimes' I do when walking, if I can size things up...but once in DC I gave some change to a youngish guy in DC with a sad story...and 2 hrs later, was approached by the same guy, who was now reeling and mumbling on whatever he had bought with earlier handouts.....kinda makes me reluctant.