Budapest police to crack down on "squeegee men"

The Budapest Police will deal more firmly with the "squeegee men" and other aggressive street merchants who have appeared in the city as the weather has gotten warmer, Traffic Department Head Tibor Szécsi told inforadio.hu.

Szécsi said that "unwanted service providers" like those who clean car windshields without first asking for permission, as well as beggars, distributors of commercial handbills and flower sellers are causing an increasing number of problems on the city's streets.

In addition to being a nuisance to drivers and pedestrians, the unregulated street merchants are also putting themselves in danger. As an example, Szécsi related the case of a flower seller who was killed in an accident last year.

After their first offense, such individuals receive a warning. After that, they can be issued fines or even taken into custody. Szécsi said the police are requesting that citizens inform the authorities of any such activity.

• Email
• Save to My Caboodle