INDIANAPOLIS -- A woman carjacked by a man holding a will work for food" sign at an interstate off ramp Wednesday said she knew by the look in his eyes that she had to get away.

Indianapolis police Sgt. Matt Mount said the incident happened at 7 a.m. at the off ramp from Interstate 65 north at Keystone Avenue, on the city's south side.

Shanisha Davis, 31, said she had taken the exit ramp to Keystone and saw a man with a cardboard sign.

Davis told officers that she rolled down the window to give him some money when he pulled a knife and climbed into her car, pushing her into the passenger seat.

"I gave him $5. I guess that wasn't good enough," she said. "He relinquished a knife on me and jumped in my car and told me (expletive), you're going with me."

Davis she asked the man where he was taking her before trying to grab him, leading him to use the knife to cut her hand.

Davis said she then pushed the passenger door open and climbed out of the car as he drove away.

"The look in his eyes, I knew I had to get away," she said.

Davis went to a nearby Speedway gas station, where she called police.

The man was last seen northbound on I-65 in Davis' car -- a dark green 2000 Chrysler Concorde with Indiana license plate No. JV4179.

The man was described as white, between the ages of 40 and 50, about 5 feet 10 inches tall with a scruffy salt-and-pepper beard. He was wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and blue jeans.

Davis, a stay-at-home mother of three, said she often gives money to panhandlers. Other motorists in the area said they see them all hours of the day.

"Some don't bother you," said one motorist. "Others, they come up and knock on your windows. They stand in front of you and are just way too aggressive."

Indianapolis officials have been considering toughening solicitation laws in an attempt to curb interstate ramp panhandlers.

Indianapolis' City-County Council has a proposed ordinance on Monday night's agenda that would prohibit anyone from using a sign to solicit money, food or work within 50 feet of any intersection that has a traffic light or stop sign.

Motorists 6News' Julie Pursley encountered Wednesday morning said they'd be in favor of that ordinance.

"I think they should pass a law, an ordinance, to stop panhandlers from being on these interstates at all," said motorist Joseph Bowles.

"They need to do something about it before sombody gets hurt. This lady got lucky," said driver Harry Dempsey.

Davis was cut on the finger, but was otherwise not injured.