Waikiki street performers getting arrested

[Rob Tucker]

I was sorry to read this today. Police have been arresting Waikiki street performers. It bothers me in a couple ways.

First I appreciate the entrepreneur spirit and young people who can figure out a way to make a marginal living should have the freedom to do so. It is a modern form of the traveling minstrels of yore. I did some busking in London and Paris in the 60's so I do identify with them. A quote from the story:

One sidewalk artist bemoans what he sees as a misuse of police resources.

"It's like they've got nothing better to do," he says. "They've got prostitutes. They've got drug dealers. We're entertainers!"

Secondly kids find it all delightful and this makes Waikiki a family friendly place. What we want and need are families traveling here and enjoying themselves.

If there were pick pockets or harassment's or drug dealing it would be another matter. I have taken my family to Waikiki and the kids always enjoy the street performers. It is a good thing.

Here's the story:

http://www.starbulletin.com/news/hawaiin...kdown.html

Assume the best and ask questions.

Punaweb moderator

[missydog1]

That is a shame.
When I visited Dublin, street performance was thriving, and was clearly part of the show, certainly added to my visit.
I wouldn't mind if they got the hookers off the street. I don't care if there's prostitution but the street scene part of it is tacky and not great for kids to see.
But that won't happen.
This is stupid.

[Fishboy]

Rob,
Have you been to Waikiki lately? Like you, I'm all for the entrepreneurial spirit of American free enterprise, but the number of street performers has gone well past the few who play a guitar, offer a photo with their parrot, or innocent things like that. Maybe it's an artifact of the economic downturn, but there are significant numbers of panhandlers and aggressive performers on the streets now.

We were there for a week in late August and I'll attest that, like the article states, the sidewalk in the vicinity of the International Marketplace is a carnival atmosphere with performers. It's not necessarily family friendly, either. We've always enjoyed the guys who paint themselves with silver and go through a robot routine while perched on a small pedestal by the roadside, but there are some who take up the entire sidewalk and become aggressive about your putting money in their pot. We saw that lady doing the psychic readings, and I have to admit she was out of the way and not blocking the sidewalk. On the other hand, there was a troupe of about six guys who were doing gymnastics and martial arts demonstrations who were jumping and romping over the entire width.



Aloha pumehana,
Brian and Mary
Lynnwood, WA\Discovery Harbour

[Rob Tucker]

I understand. I've seen such things too. It is a failure on the part of city government. As stated in the article the performers would be happy to be licensed and limits and locations placed upon them. The city does nothing except harass when they want to and ignore when they want to.

License them.

[oink]

It's probably a case of the police responding to complaints from the merchants who own or rent the area stores and stalls. They may feel the street vendors are detracting from their business. They may also feel some of the vendors are unfair competition in that the regular merchants pay the full gamut of license fees and taxes along with the other expenses associated with a normal merchant such as morgage or rent, sales tax, property taxes, taxes on inventory, electric, sewer etc. If I was one of the merchants I would want them gone too, unless I thought they were actually increasing my business. It's the merchants who pay to have the area patrolled and kept clean, along with all the other services their taxes and fees support. Why should they have to now subsidize street vendors who have none of that overhead.

Pua`a
S. FL
Big Islander to be.

[Devany]

Chicago dealt with this in a very good way. For $50 a year, street performers get a license. They must register with the city and if they get complaints their license can be revoked. They are only allowed to perform in certain areas too, but there are plenty of venues, just not at store entrances etc. They have to wear or display their license at all times. It has worked for the last ten years, but then Chicago is the city that works.

BTW, the fees charged for the license go to a homeless fund that takes people off the streets in the winter.

Aloha au i Hawai`i,
devany

www.myhawaiianhome.blogspot.com
www.eastbaypotters.blogspot.com

[Bullwinkle]

OK being the devils advocate ... we pay 10$ a square foot for our boardwalk lease.... We have an established "image" and "product identity" at our location (60 year history)

The performer out front is now greeting my clients in his bunny suit - In essence the street performer is mucking with my guests....hmmmmmm Taking advantage of a location I developed and paid (paying) for ..... He / she is not into the location for 25k a month like I am , why should he care about preserving and nurturing my biz......

I like the little furry guys as a rule. However (there is that however again) I have seen some in several locations get heavy handed in extracting cash. They tend to prey on unsuspecting tourists .. "expected posing fees" - there in lies the problem

Street performers need a good set of rules and fair regulations and enforcement like the rest of us in business - and they need to follow them - All it takes is one speed freak to make a mess- and no one is having any fun

Just like the hookers ... one ordinance fits all - grin

Aloha

edit = extra word removed

[Greg]

Back in the day there was a guy in Avalon who had a life size cardboard Ronald Reagon and would charge $10 or so to take a poleroid shot of you standing next to him.

Evil Democrat that I am, I had my companion walk by Reagon and suddenly turn to face me across the street. My 200 mm telephoto was already aimed and focused.

I thought the guy was going to chase me all the way to the Chi Chi club with our cardboard President in tow.........[}]

punatoons

[Bullwinkle]

ahhhhhhhhh wednesday nights at the chi chi.......