Beggar on the Train (again) and I finally have had enough

[Mental_Mouse]

For deaf or otherwise disabled panhandlers, their situation may be even uglier than you imagine:

Back when I lived in NYC, there were a lot of deaf-mute panhandlers, who even had little cards explaining they were deaf. Except, it eventually turned out they were in fact slaves, being forced to panhandle for the profit of a small ring of human traffickers. (Remember, they couldn't tell anyone, and they were clearly not trained in sign language.)

[WishfulSpirit]

Yikes. If I see him again I'll write him a note asking if he's ok and if someone is controlling him. I think he understands written English. If anyone wants to know, the phone number for the United States Human Trafficking Resource center is 1 (888) 373-7888. I've written that in the back of the journal I always have with me. They can also be reached by texting "HELP" or "INFO" to 233733.

[protege]

Because it's starting to warm up here in PA, I've noticed that the beggars have started to come out of the woodwork. There were a few outside Sunday's Penguins game, and I've been approached a few times when leaving work or at the gas station. Most of the ones outside the sporting events are harmless. They'll just sit on the concrete blocks with their signs, and leave everyone alone. Too many cops around for them to get aggressive.

Not so at the gas station. These people are just scammers. They're always pestering people for cash to "get their car fixed" or bus fare "to get to (some town miles away in the opposite direction from the direction they claim to be traveling). They always claim to have children or animals and there's never a vehicle present.

[mjr]

Not so at the gas station. These people are just scammers. They're always pestering people for cash to "get their car fixed" or bus fare "to get to (some town miles away in the opposite direction from the direction they claim to be traveling). They always claim to have children or animals and there's never a vehicle present.

I actually ran into this coming back from lunch one day. I told the guy no.

Though I did read a story of someone (may have been on this forum) talking about how some panhandler came up to them, and the individual told the panhandler that they'd help them -- if they could come up with an original story the individual hadn't heard before. The panhandler walked away.

[April]

OMG look at all the Colorado people!! It just makes me excited haha, that I may have run into some people and never known it. Although I don't visit Denver very often (the traffic makes me anxious) sometimes we head up to visit one thing or another. I haven't been to the 16th street mall in years though, I didn't realize how bad it had gotten

[taxguykarl]

Except, it eventually turned out they were in fact slaves, being forced to panhandle for the profit of a small ring of human traffickers. (Remember, they couldn't tell anyone, and they were clearly not trained in sign language.)

I recall that gang operating in Chicago in the mid '90's.

[lvsssycat]

I've lived in central Colorado for 13 years and have never been to the 16th street mall.

Now I know why.

Read the other day that they are getting a Tarjay.

[laborcat]

The panhandlers are bad in my part of town. Going down Smithville towards Linden you can find them 1) at the light at Tuttle 2) at the front entrance to Kroger 3&4) both off ramps from 35 5,6&7) three corners of Smithville at Linden. It's ridiculous and it interferes with traffic but there's not much the police can do right now.

[WishfulSpirit]

Denver has helpfully passed laws that criminalize homelessness. Sleeping on the street is now "urban camping" and you can be arrested for that. Which pisses me off. Though some of our police force do use that law as a way to get people who might otherwise freeze or die of heat stroke into a climate-controlled environment. Being in jail sucks but it beats being six feet under. Plus the legal penalties for urban camping are less harsh than "disorderly conduct," which was the "let's keep this guy from freezing to death" charge the cops used to use.

As far as I know (based on experience) the Mall is about the only place beggars can work, unless they're just standing on a street corner with a sign and not obstructing traffic. It's literally the only place I've been approached other than in or near transit. Even with transit it doesn't happen often. I get a request about once every 2 weeks, usually for fare (I give them a pass if I have an extra). At the Mall you'll be asked several times in 15 minutes.