They know it’s illegal. In their minds it’s BitTorrent illegal, taking advantage of a good that already exists at (perceived) minimal additional cost to the provider. They know it’s a harsh world with dangerous people, so they become adept at knives and picky about their drugs of choice — alcohol, tobacco, whatever.

I talked to the parent of one traveler we’ll call “Boxcar Betty” who shared these observations: “Cops, etc refer to them as ‘crusty punks’ or ‘crusties’, especially in NYC; Betty didn’t know nor like that term. When I was in Monterey, I was at a Starbucks and I saw 2 men, probably in their 30s, but they looked like they were in their late 40s, one sitting outside, the other chatted with him and then came inside. There was a coffee sitting on the counter ready for a customer. The baristas kept picking it up, reading off a name and no one came up for it. The man watched a minute then scooped up the coffee and went outside. On my way out, I stopped and asked, “Do you travel?” They seemed startled at first that I knew what I was talking about and then somewhat amused when I mentioned Betty traveled and that I was ok with it. They explained that they were no homebums, they worked for everything. I laughed and said, “Like that coffee?” He smiled and said, “Hey, I watched a long time, she was nowhere!” They told me that ‘homebums’ beg and give nothing in return, that travelers would never take advantage of the religious people by saying, “God bless” on a sign or writing a picture of a cross on one, that travelers will do chores, heavy labor (he did carpentry), that they prefer to work for their money, just had no need for what we think is necessary like a stable job, clean bathrooms of our own, stability.”

Another observer, Ben, was more dismissive: “In Portland, it was aggressive panhandling, able bodied kids with dogs dropping out of normative society. Not your grandfather’s nice hobos.”

They know it is a dumb way to die.

Railroads, city and school officials, public safety experts, and others want the practice to stop, for obvious reasons. Physical danger, drug use, truancy, spreading of infectious diseases, the mess from camps, and more.