Get your stories straight!

[Jules Of All Trades]

I don't post much...but this one just happens to hit a nerve since I had an experience of my own just a few days ago.

I took my oldest (14) to the pediatrician for bronchitis, and on the way home we stopped at the Chik-Fil-A drive thru for lunch to take home. There was a man on the corner with a "will work for lunch - not looking for a handout" sign, and my son practically begged me to give him money because he felt sorry for him.

I explained why I wouldn't give him cash (same reasons as most others on here), but that I'd be happy to get him a sandwich and drink from the drive thru and my son could hand it to him as we passed his corner again. He was thrilled that we were helping.

So we grab our lunch and a chicken sandwich combo for the man and my smiling proud son rolls his window down at the light to hand it to him. He started to tell the man what we bought for him, when the guy meandered up to the car , snatched the bag and drink, and barked at my son "I have sugar diabetes and can't eat any of this shit!!!!" without even knowing what was in the bag. He threw the bag and drink on the ground (covering the side of my truck in tea). I rolled up the window and hauled ass out of there while he continued his tirade.

My son was disheartened to say the least. He's a bright kid and understands that not all people begging for food really want food, but he was so disappointed that trying to do the "right" thing came back to bite us like that.

Me on the other hand....I wanted to get out of the car and beat that guy's ass. Not only for making my son feel the way he did, but with 3 kids of my own and 2 foster kids, lunch out was a rare treat and that was $7 I couldn't afford to waste. Asshole.

[Flying Grype]

I am reminded of one of the Sherlock Holmes stories where the"missing person" they were trying to find was a well-to-do businessman whose wife knew only that he went downtown to work every morning and had no idea what he actually did for a living: turned out he was a professional panhandler.

"The Man with the Twisted Lip".

I've given food to street people several times and they've always been happy to have it. (Once I had bought a big box of tangerines before Christmas, and I didn't finish them before I went home, so I was on my way to the bus station with a dozen tiny oranges in my coat pockets and gave them to a guy in the subway.) I've never gone out of my way to buy something for someone, though.

I work next door to a Salvation Army shelter so if people on this street ask me for money I generally don't give it to them. If they need food or a coffee or something they can get it there. But I rarely carry cash anyways, so if I tell them I don't have cash it's usually true.

[Mikkel]

"The Man with the Twisted Lip".

And here it is.

[NorthernZel]

I only give cash to Big Issue sellers (Big Issue, or "Hus Forbi" as it's called over here, is a monthly newspaper focusing on homelessness and poverty, and is sold by either present or former homeless people who earn commission on the paper as an alternative to begging/panhandling).

[Beckpatton]

Years ago whilst working as assistant manager at a London pub just off Bond St, a very well dressed older gentleman came in and started asking my patrons for change.

Wanting to make sure everything was alright, and that my patrons weren't being bothered I walked over to this man to see what was going on.. perhaps he had lost his wallet and needed tube fare? Who knows? he certainly didnt look like the regular beggars we had in the area..

Anyway, after politely asking him if I could help, he immediately turned to me and in the snottiest, snootiest tone said that 'No you can't help me, you're low class. What makes you think that someone like you could help me?'

I was gobsmacked to say the least, but that lasted all of 2 seconds before I replied "Well I may be low class, but I'm not the one in here begging for change! You're not exactly high class there yourself mister!'

He proceeded to call me nasty names and tell me where to go, while I physically pushed him out of my pub, much to the amusement of my regulars... they thought it was funny that the sweet young girl they knew had no problem putting her hands on a 60+ man and throwing him into the street!

As for normal begging situations, I might hand over some coins if they are in my pocket, (which they rarely are) but I never get my purse out for anyone.... for all I know that's what they really want! Plus, the begging problem was so bad in central London at that time, that even if I gave 1 pound to everyone who asked me for change on the way to work, I wouldn't have had any money for myself.. would have been homeless right along with them. I would put change in a cap or something of someone I would see actually sleeping in a doorway in the dead of winter.... but not if they asked for it during the day.... Especially when a local beggar was beaten to death at the station near work, and the papers reported that he, his wife and three children lived in some fancy house in a nice part of London.... That was an eye opener let me tell you!

[fireheart]

I only give cash to Big Issue sellers (Big Issue, or "Hus Forbi" as it's called over here, is a monthly newspaper focusing on homelessness and poverty, and is sold by either present or former homeless people who earn commission on the paper as an alternative to begging/panhandling).

THey have it here as well. Usually sold by homeless people though down here. And it has cut down on the "got any spare change" panhandlers a LOT. I don't even see them anymore with the rare exception of one guy:

On the day I went to sit my learner's test at the TransportSA (it's the SA equivelent of a DMV in the US), there was a guy sitting outside, asking people for spare change for a bus ticket. People didn't give him any. Neither did I. Although, I realised two things: 1) the guy looked somewhat like a boozehound and 2) he was panhandling outside government property. So vindictive little me wandered in and told the lady at the counter about the guy outside. One quick call to mall security and he was gone. (this was part of a mall complex which consists of the mall itself as well as an office tower providing a bunch of services, two fast food joints, a workwear store (i.e. for those on building sites and all that), a hardware store, a liquor outlet and the TransportSA building.

[plan9au]

On the day I went to sit my learner's test at the TransportSA (it's the SA equivelent of a DMV in the US), there was a guy sitting outside, asking people for spare change for a bus ticket. People didn't give him any. Neither did I. Although, I realised two things: 1) the guy looked somewhat like a boozehound and 2) he was panhandling outside government property. So vindictive little me wandered in and told the lady at the counter about the guy outside. One quick call to mall security and he was gone. (this was part of a mall complex which consists of the mall itself as well as an office tower providing a bunch of services, two fast food joints, a workwear store (i.e. for those on building sites and all that), a hardware store, a liquor outlet and the TransportSA building.

I live in the same city as you so im sure we know the same Pan handlers....There is one guy i see in the Mall all the time picking food outta the bin to eat, always the wrapped or bagged stuff (or wanders throught the fast food places grabbing food left on tables before the clean up gets there) he has never asked for money or food, i normally give him food if i see him, he's always really grateful...The other good story was a guy who asked for some money for food, and who happily followed me to the pizza place i ws having lunch at, ordered the cheapest pizza on the menu (i said order what you want) thanked me and wandered off with his pizza happy as a clam.

Of course there is the guy who bailed me up asking for money for food (always introduces himself and offers to shake your hand, wont let go the whole time he begs either) since i had just been paid i only had $50's on me but since we were near a deli i said if your hungry ill buy you a pie or something....No he needed some money so he could buy some food, but if i wanted to go to the bank they could break the note for me and he'll wait here for me to come back, i said that wasnt an option and offered again to buy him some food, No he needed some money, if i gave him a 50 he would go and get change and bring it back, Not bloody likely, i said no and said it was me buying food or nothing. Only to get this response

"Lend me $50 and ill pay you back in a week"

At that stage i told him to "piss off, i wasnt going to waste any more time with him"

[MergedLoki]

I don't tend to give money to panhandlers simple reason being...

read up on the 'toronto, shaky lady' story.

a few y ears back a woman who for all appearances had some kind of 'palsy' disability (hence the shaking) would well.. beg for change.

turns out she was making more off people's goodwill than the people giving her the money (had an apartment, a big screen plasma tv. etc. etc.) apparently pulled in an avg. of $2500/week. (and thats no taxes folks so thats allll profit).

and she looked like yoru classic dishevled homeless/down on their luck person.

so, sorry to those who TRULY need my $1 or whatever. but scamming losers like ms lady o shakes ruin my goodwill for all.

[Dreamstalker]

(Big Issue, or "Hus Forbi" as it's called over here, is a monthly newspaper focusing on homelessness and poverty, and is sold by either present or former homeless people who earn commission on the paper as an alternative to begging/panhandling).

We have a similar paper here (Spare Change). Mom and I are actually very good friends with one vendor (known him since I was a pup). He filled me in on how the paper works; only one vendor allowed every couple blocks, all need to wear photo badges identifying them as vendors, etc.

Unfortunately some of the legit vendors have problems with Random Homeless Guys stealing the papers (which they have paid for), hawking them and pocketing the cash Very few people know about the official vendor badges so most will just give the imposters the money out of habit.

I'm leaving Newbury Comics last week and what do I run into but four guys in the space of 20 feet all selling the paper (which of these things doesn't belong...). One actually tried to remove my headphones (touch me and say goodbye to that appendage).

No he needed some money, if i gave him a 50 he would go and get change and bring it back

That's a common tactic here as well, typically it starts with "anything you can spare, how about a 5 or 10, can you do a 20. I have change if you have a 20 or 50, if you only wanna do 5 I can give you change", talking at an auctioneer's pace all the while. I suspect a lot of their marks hand over some cash just to get rid of them. Mom calls it the bum's version of the quick-change scam.

And she wonders why I don't dress uber-nice if I don't need to...I'm more likely to get hit up for money if I look like I have some.

[fireheart]

I live in the same city as you so im sure we know the same Pan handlers....There is one guy i see in the Mall all the time picking food outta the bin to eat, always the wrapped or bagged stuff (or wanders throught the fast food places grabbing food left on tables before the clean up gets there) he has never asked for money or food, i normally give him food if i see him, he's always really grateful...The other good story was a guy who asked for some money for food, and who happily followed me to the pizza place i ws having lunch at, ordered the cheapest pizza on the menu (i said order what you want) thanked me and wandered off with his pizza happy as a clam.

That was my first and so far last encounter with a panhandler.

I need to get out more.

[Primer]

I keep saying that one of these days I'm going to set up on a corner near my school with a sign that says. "<School> Math Professor, Trying to make ends meet." I wonder how much I could make before my bosses have me shut down.

[RetailWorkhorse]

I keep saying that one of these days I'm going to set up on a corner near my school with a sign that says. "<School> Math Professor, Trying to make ends meet." I wonder how much I could make before my bosses have me shut down.

I say do it. When asked, say you're conducting a psychological experiment. Or since you're a math Professor (I'm tryin real hard not to just call ya "Professah"), make it odds. Such and such amount of people in a given area will contribute such and such amount, that kinda thing.

[Bandit]

When I was working downtown in one of the largest cities in my country, I'd always be accosted by the beggers asking for money for food.

I'd always offer to take them to the nearest fast-food joint and buy them anything they wanted.

Only one out of about 50 ever took me up on the offer. That was an interesting experience to say the least. Interesting guy to talk to - and I think I was one of the few in a long time to treat him as a human.

The funniest one had to be the begger in Chicago who was doing the food beg deal. In front of a liquor store. With a McDonald's across the street.

B

[smileyeagle1021]

Oh, the people that beg in Salt Lake either love me or hate me depending on how legit they are. There have been several times that someone has said they needed money for the bus so I've handed over a bus token (not redeemable for cash) or a day pass that I no longer needed. The ones outside of McDonalds etc I'll invite to come in with me and add whatever they want to my order. To date only one person has taken me up on the offer to go into McDonalds with me though...

[jedimaster91]

My college is not far from a shelter. In fact, there was a hotel that the local mission bought that was right across the street from the school. Panhandling 101 should say you don't ask college students for money.