People hate those scoop-net-darting-through-traffic fundraisers. Hate. E-mail after e-mail, voice mail full three times, and not one saying, "Love those fundraisers where they yell at me from the center median, stick a scoop net in my car and beg for, almost demand, cash!"

The only person who defended the practice did so on the grounds that money is tight and nonprofits are struggling. But he agreed that the practice is off-putting and dangerous.

Some readers said that it is difficult to gauge the legitimacy of the fundraising effort if you're just driving by.

Others were irritated about the recognizable charities who do it and felt those big nonprofits surely have better ways of getting money than standing in the middle of the road.

And what many people say is the worst part about the roadside begging is the stink stare that comes with it:

"I feel like many of them adopt a certain attitude of entitlement: There is very little interaction with potential donors. I feel like I am expected to 'just put the money in already.' "

"The worst is when it's for a basketball/football/baseball team for 14- to 17-year-olds and they stand there, no smile, no nothing. Just that scoop net. What? Wash some cars!"

Parents wrote in to say they got stuck doing it for their kid's team and resented it the whole time. Others said it made them appreciate "old-fashioned" fundraisers all the more:

"That's why I respect youngsters who go door-to-door selling huli-huli chicken with uncle slowly following in his van. Hey, I'd rather pay $10 for one oily paper bag containing one-half of one burnt on the outside, uncooked on the inside chicken than drop 10 cents in one scoop net!"

"They don't understand what I mean when I yell at them to 'Go sell sweet bread, get off the medians.' It's after I give them a yell that I call 911 to report them as a traffic disturbance, and besides, its 'oama season now, and I cannot find scoop nets in Wal-Mart."

"When I was growing up on Maui, we used to fundraise by staying after school to soak chicken for huli huli, peel taro for kulolo, or pound the pavement selling cottage bread in Dream City. We worked and learned to appreciate what we got in return."

So what to do about it? The best way to discourage this kind of fundraising is just say no. Keep your window up and your eyes on the road. Or, as one caller suggested, look the scoop-net wielder square in the eye and say, "You like make money, come clean my yard!"

Lee Cataluna's column runs Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Reach her at 535-8172 or lcataluna@honoluluadvertiser.com.