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Kensington Avenue Versus BackPage
[QUOTE=Davey1965;1204768]Backpage has picked up where craiglist left off.[/QUOTE]Contrary to popular belief, the motivating factor on the avenue is not drugs. You can get drugs anywhere in the city, pretty much. Streetwalker don't stay in this area because of the drugs, they are there because of us. Street Walkers don't come down to Kensington Avenue to get drugs. They come down to make money. Money is the motivating factor. Mongers are the underlying reason why StreetWalkers come to Kensington Avenue. Addicts go where the drugs are and StreetWalkers go where the johns are. If mongers stop coming down to the avenue, the girls will stop coming down. Right now there seems to be a movement away from the avenue and towards BackPage.
[QUOTE=Pdiddy77;1219357]…even the standard K rate of 40. [/QUOTE]There seems to be a lot of budget minded girls advertising on BackPage at close to street rates. That is, if as suggested in another thread, the street rate has risen. If the standard (or average) rate on the avenue is now, as suggested, $40, then the bargain rate of $60 being offered by many girls on BackPage is not far from the mark. (Expect an upsell.)
To date I have never dated a girl directly from BackPage, CraigsList or any other online service. When it comes to online StreetWalkers I am of the same mind as Davey1965. Why pay more for something I can get for less? [u](An online StreetWalker is not the same as an online Escort.)[/u] I don't date from BackPage but I do peruse the ads from time to time. (I am still looking for Maylea and I check in on Aundrea and the family for new comers.) I have noted that a few familiar faces that have been missing from the avenue are now offering discounts on BackPage. I have also noticed that there are more girls posting Northeast, NorthPhilly, WestPhilly, and Germantown as their location. In the past, the Airport and Center City were the primary locations.
The trend towards Internet StreetWalkers has been growing, especially with the advent of the smart phone. Now the average independent girl or pimp with a cell phone can update their ad. And, since Backpage does not allow nude or explicit photos, the need for good quality pictures have been replaced with ladies holding a camera at arm length and taking their own pictures.
Of cause there are still plenty of pitfalls, scams and bullcrap to go around. That for me has always been the problem with BackPage, CraigsList and similar online services. Call me old fashion, but, I still prefer face to face shopping. I like the control I get when doing a street pickup. It is hard to be taken in by a bait and switch on the street. I also like that I make the choice of location. Also, IMHO, it seems like LE is willing to spend more money raiding Internet type services than street action. Much of the LE action we see on the avenue is just part of their daily routine. LE on the avenue would just as soon as stop you for bad tags, running a stop sign or making an illegal U-turn, as they would for you picking up a known Street Walker. What we often see on the streets is just the Warrant Unit making its bi-weekly trip. In fact, if you are caught picking-up a girl and you say nothing incriminating, you might get off with a warning. On the other hand, LE spends a lot more money, time and effort on Massage parlors, Airport stings and strip Club bust. And if you get caught in the room with a girl you have some explaining to do, in front of a judge. My point is; when it comes to LE, one (BackPage dates) is just as bad as the other (Street Dates).
In short, if we are to keep Kensington Avenue the joy it has been in recent years; don't give in to the lore of the BackPage cheapee. Besides; the $40 standard is a myth. There are a lot of cheaper deals on the avenue.
JMHO.
CookyJar