Well, it’s not made upon my hometown, and in the few other places I have talked to Hobos and panhandlers, there seems to be something similar in many places. Btw, some panhandlers do quite well. I met a guy back in the 00s that did web design in the early morning at the coffee shop I used to frequent, and in the afternoon he panhandled. He paid $50(us) a day for “his” corner, sat down there in torn up army surplus gear and a rusty propane tank, and his scruffy looking dog, with a sign that said “need money for gas and beer”. He told me that his nightly rake was between 100 and 300 after his “rent”.
There is literally no such thing as a superhobo, that is a complete fabrication.
The ocean of difference between “I’ve heard of some folks getting shook down” and “If you see someone panhandling they are likely part of an organized network” is incredibly vast. It is to take one small observation and extrapolate it into a pure fantasy. It is quite literally made up. It kind of sounds like you were told and then credulously believed an urban legend.
Source: Have been homeless, panhandled, and decades of work in homeless outreach. I have worked with folks in day shelters, night shelters, street corners, large encampments, etc. for many, many years and what you have written is patently untrue.
Ok, well, maybe it’s different from where you have been. But I’m pretty sure there is no global conspiracy to make me believe this, and it has been directly explained to me by people that were in the life, so to speak.
Of course, the term “superhobo” is a farcical literary confabulation, I’m sure nobody actually calls them “superhobos”
My exposure comes from Fairbanks in the 00s, Santo Domingo, Delhi, someplace in California near LA can’t remember. Figured it must be common?
I still don’t know which was his side hustle.