Social problems are evident in the city, as it is quite common to see gangs of unemployed youths, misfits or other groups of peo~e "hanging out" at Flinders Street Station, and other parts of the city.
Also, there are some eccentric and conspicuous individuals who are often seen wandering the streets, such as: drunks, derelicts, homeless, loners, punks, bohemians, prostitutes, protesters and compulsive obsessive "cash for can" collectors.
Although begging is not a serious problem in Melbourne, I have been frequently stopped by beggars and asked for money. Usually by youths requesting nothing more than loose change to pay for a fare home or something to eat.
On Friday nights, the Hare Krishna's play "click clack" instruments and chant in a familiar beat and dance around the city streets. Followers of the Church of Scientology eagerly hand out complimentary leaflets for "free personality assessments" and "free I.Q. tests". In the Bourke Street Mall, there is sometimes a fanatical bible basher speaking forcefully at the top of his voice and preaching religion to the pedestrians passing by. flowever he fails to recruit any new followers because the public appear to be disinterested and too preoccupied to notice.