Out at work

We started going out in the street last week. If you look at our first presentation (previous post) you can see a picture of the form we're using. For a bigger version, go here:
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/atSLLvZDgaPZxaeMfRKRqg?authkey=Gv1sRgCKGhkqHu6PL7qQE&feat=directlink

You'll notice that there are fields for recording information about informal vendors and beggars. We decided to add that in to make things more comprehensive. We will be looking at where they are, at what time, how many items they have (if any) and what those items are. That way, we can start determining if there are any patterns or network behavior among them. So far, there seems to definitely be communication between them, and a few have preferred spots, so we'll hopefully get some good data.

Going through the streets can be difficult. Some store owners are very touchy about people taking pictures of their store and writing things, thinking that we are spies from other stores trying to steal prices. Hopefully, this won't end up being a major hindrance.