Panhandlers seem to be at every freeway off-ramp and at every busy intersection around the Puget Sound, but do they contribute to congestion?

Kevin Worrell said that in White Center the panhandlers there hit the walk signal constantly in order to shorten the green light cycles for cars so they will have more time to work the line. He said they are intentionally backing up traffic to increase their take.

I have seen this happen at a lot of intersections too.

I came across Debbie, who works the Dravus off-ramp from 15th Avenue in Interbay, who hits the walk signal dozens of times each cycle. “After the last car goes down, you keep punching it,” she said.

But Debbie said she’s doing it to help drivers get where they’re going, not to give her more time to panhandle. I never once saw her going up to car windows or actively looking for cash.

“I just move the traffic faster,” she said.

I told her that light cycle doesn’t care how many times you press the light, once is enough to trigger the change, but she’s been doing this at this intersection for 15 years.

Debbie said she’s positive hitting the signal over and over works, and she believes she’s helping drivers. “I know I am. A lot of people appreciate it. I just don’t pay attention to the ones that don’t. I don’t care.”

Debbie, 53, said she lives up the street from the intersection. She said she can make decent money on good days or nothing on bad days. She just smiles and directs traffic.

“One guy, at 7 o’clock in the morning, gave me a $100 bill,” she said. “I thought it was a couple bucks and then ‘Wow.’ I looked down and thought ‘Oh my God I’m done for the day.'”

She’s out there 10-to-12 hours a day.

The City of Seattle said it’s not illegal for people to hit the walk signal but not walk. The police can arrest panhandlers if they walk out of the crosswalk or off the sidewalk.

From what I’ve seen, this behavior isn’t a huge contributor to overall congestion, but it can make you late by a minute or two.