IMHO, there's a lot of difference between a panhandler, who is just asking for money, and someone who is "busking"--i.e., playing an instrument or doing an act and taking donations for it. It's more common in Europe because in this country there are laws against it in a lot of places. Too bad, because the wide variety of talent on the street is one of the things that makes European cities so interesting. We do have quite a few in downtown Portland, which is one of the things that gives our city something of a European feel.

In quite a few cases, there was more talent among the buskers than in the indoor concerts for which I had to buy an expensive ticket! Needless to say, I did and still do donate to the buskers.