I bet ipods are great for ignoring homeless people

[Cain]

I went down to San Diego for a day, heart of the city, and the amount of homelessness slightly surprised me. Beggars were every where asking for change. One poor woman -- clearly crazy -- was screaming at the traffic from the sidewalk. Pedestrians steered clear of her.

Anyway, it's been a long while since I've been to Europe, and I wondered if the problem was as bad in major European cities. I don't recall seeing nearly as much homlessness in London, Paris, etc., but even my memory is at times imperfect.

One anecdote. I separated from the group to check out the Scientology center. For some reason the others were not interested in obtaining valuable, potentially life-changing literature. On the way there I was accosted by a man who came uncomfortable close and extended his arm. Yes, he was black. Yes, I took a step back. He quickly put his hands up, "whoa, hold up. I'm not going to hurt you. Calm down, brother." Then he says, "you look like a good person" and all this other nonsense that wasn't true. After the compliments he tells me how he needs to eat and there's a place on the corner where he can get Chinese food for three dollars. I said I sympathized with his situation, but could not help. He persisted. I then looked him over, and he was wearing (clean) basketball shorts and a matching tank top (bright yellow), and his sneakers looked nicer than mine. His teeth were in relatively good condition and he seemed healthy. I asked why he deserves money more than other guys who are only asking for change.

His answer was essentially that he wasn't a chump (not his word). He keeps his clothes clean because he said he works. He offered to let me only pay him two dollars. Me laughing: "Ah, so now this is an auction of sorts." In the beginning I did have a quarter that I will roll over my knuckles to pass the time. I had initially offered this to him in a bid to leave me alone, but he wanted bills and quickly dismissed the quarter, almost as a sign of disrespect. As I walked away he shouted out "How about that quarter?" Because of this instructive and memorable encounter, I flipped it to him. He laughed as he chased it down (I wonder if he said "sucker" to himself). Worst of all, the Scientology center was closed. I wondered if they would have been as pushy and annoying. I like their symbol.

[Lurker]

While I don't live in a city with a large homeless population it does have the street people begging.

As a yded in the wool liberal, I always used to give money to beggars, some change her, a bill there and so on. I didn't care if they used it for food like they said or for a drink. What did I care? I was just spreading the wealth. This persisted for about 10 years. But lately, I have stopped. I just got tired of it. Now I just say "no" and keep walking. Did my heart dry up? I don't know. I just no longer have the patience for them that I used to have.

Please kill me if you ever hear me say, "Megadittos Rush".

Lurker

[Darth Rotor]

Please kill me if you ever hear me say, "Megadittos Rush".
Lurker
And me as well, even though I am not a dyed in the wool liberal. ;)

DR

[BPSCG]

While I don't live in a city with a large homeless population it does have the street people begging.

As a yded in the wool liberal, I always used to give money to beggars, some change her, a bill there and so on. I didn't care if they used it for food like they said or for a drink. What did I care? I was just spreading the wealth. This persisted for about 10 years. But lately, I have stopped. I just got tired of it. Now I just say "no" and keep walking. Did my heart dry up? I don't know. I just no longer have the patience for them that I used to have.

Please kill me if you ever hear me say, "Megadittos Rush".

LurkerDang, Lurker. First you stake out the same ground as I do on the issue of whether people should pay their taxes or not.

Then you start thinking maybe a Mexican border wall is not necessarily a bad idea.

Now this.

Next you'll be demanding a nuclear power plant be built in your neighborhood and we conquer and colonize Iran so you can get cheap gas for your Hummer.

Careful, dude, else ImaginalDisc is gonna start calling you a disgusting knee-jerk right-wing reactionary.

:yikes:

[Tony]

Did you see the "Night of the Living Homeless" SouthPark ep? Funny *****.

The first time I went to Amsterdam, that amount of bums present was somewhat overwhelming. I wasn't giving them change so much to help them out, but to make them go away. Most of them were pretty nice though, if annoying. At one time, I was using an ATM machine and this rotted teeth, smelly black dude comes up to me, very rudely I might add, and starts speaking at me in Dutch. I could tell he was fiending for a fix by his manner. When he realized I didn't speak Dutch, he started demanding money in English. His smell, rudeness and the fact that I was at the ATM when he accosted me freaked me out so I was pretty forceful that he wasn't going to get any money and that he go away. When I went back to Amsterdam two years later, I was shocked that there were almost no bums. I got asked for change maybe 3 times during my 10-day stay. The contrast from two years before was striking and the city was a much more pleasent and beautiful place because of it.

[Tony]

As a yded in the wool liberal, I always used to give money to beggars, some change her, a bill there and so on. I didn't care if they used it for food like they said or for a drink. What did I care? I was just spreading the wealth. This persisted for about 10 years. But lately, I have stopped. I just got tired of it. Now I just say "no" and keep walking. Did my heart dry up? I don't know. I just no longer have the patience for them that I used to have.


I don't think tolerance or intolerance for bums necessarily reflects your politics. Sometimes, you simply get tired of the harassment.

[strathmeyer]

In Pittsburgh we also have an equal number of my car broke down/I need gas/I need bus money/hey look I actually have a gas can in my hands people. I just tell them that I'm sorry but I've already given a hundred dollars to help people fix their car this week and just don't have any more to spare.

Headphones do wonders. So does walking with a purpose and not stopping just because somebody talks at you, but wait for them to actually approach you like a normal human being would.

[Tony]

As a yded in the wool liberal, I always used to give money to beggars, some change her, a bill there and so on. I didn't care if they used it for food like they said or for a drink. What did I care? I was just spreading the wealth. This persisted for about 10 years. But lately, I have stopped. I just got tired of it. Now I just say "no" and keep walking. Did my heart dry up? I don't know. I just no longer have the patience for them that I used to have.


I don't think tolerance or intolerance for bums necessarily reflects your politics. Sometimes, you simply get tired of the harassment.

[Tony]

As a yded in the wool liberal, I always used to give money to beggars, some change her, a bill there and so on. I didn't care if they used it for food like they said or for a drink. What did I care? I was just spreading the wealth. This persisted for about 10 years. But lately, I have stopped. I just got tired of it. Now I just say "no" and keep walking. Did my heart dry up? I don't know. I just no longer have the patience for them that I used to have.


I don't think tolerance or intolerance for bums necessarily reflects your politics. Sometimes, you simply get tired of the harassment.

[Cain]

Hmmm... for some reason I never thought to wonder if he needed the money for something other than food. In terms of politics, I'm a socialist and I've probably given no more than one dollar to the homeless in my lifetime. I think it's a wasteful half-measure. If there was some concerted effort, then that would different.

Anyway, central question: Is it as bad in Europe? I understand that being homeless in southern California is relatively good because we have decent weather.

Also, I encountered a white liberal girl who wanted me to help save the environment. Unfortunately she was cute so I was dumb enough to act against my better judgment and stop to talk to her. For just 30 dollars a month -- which is only one dollar a day -- I could help stick it to the oil companies and get us moving toward clean, renewable energy. This was a different kind of begging. This stuff is easier to ignore in a group because one ******* is all too happy to tell the person to **** off.

[noblecaboose]

I left San Francisco because I got tired of stepping over people to get from my car to my apartment. Every 20 feet or so there is some guy asking for change. Sometimes they get agressive, "You got any change? How 'bout five dollars? How bout twenty? Come on..." Sometimes, especially if they are selling "Street Sheet" (the official newspaper of the hobo) I will give some change, but typically I just put up my "city face" and ignore them. However, I am not heartless. If I have leftovers from a restaurant, I will place them on top of the public trash can, as opposed to inside. It is usually gone within 10 seconds. I have also given bananas, bagels, vitamins, blankets and sandwiches to beggars with signs that say "Hungry." I figure, if I give them money, it goes to alcohol or drugs. If I give them food, at least they'll eat it without getting sick.
That's my take anyway.
Or something.

[pgwenthold]

Headphones do wonders. So does walking with a purpose and not stopping just because somebody talks at you, but wait for them to actually approach you like a normal human being would.

Mumbling to yourself with occasion outbursts of vulgarity can work, too.

I don't think the bums even want to mess with a crazy person.

[The Central Scrutinizer]

Next time a homeless person asks for $3 so they can get a meal at the chinese restaurant, offer to take them there and buy it for them.

Then watch how fast they refuse your offer.

[ImaginalDisc]

Careful, dude, else ImaginalDisc is gonna start calling you a disgusting knee-jerk right-wing reactionary.

:yikes:

In order to know what my political views are you'd first need to join us in the Twenty-First Century.

[Just thinking]

Hmmm... for some reason I never thought to wonder if he needed the money for something other than food.

So easily solved ... if there is an eating establishment nearby (e.g.; delicatessen, Mc Donalds, etc.) simply offer to take them there and ask them what they would like to have, offering to pay for it. If they refuse, you can feel good about not giving money to some lying bum. If they go with you, you've helped out someone truly in need. (This is for those who are of the help-them-out persuasion.)

Also, I encountered a white liberal girl who wanted me to help save the environment. Unfortunately she was cute so I was dumb enough to act against my better judgment and stop to talk to her. For just 30 dollars a month -- which is only one dollar a day -- I could help stick it to the oil companies and get us moving toward clean, renewable energy. This was a different kind of begging. This stuff is easier to ignore in a group because one ******* is all too happy to tell the person to **** off.

Simply tell her you drive a fuel efficient vehicle -- if that doesn't register with a "Good for you, keep it up -- have a great day" reply but instead follows with more rhetoric, then you know it's more than what she's pretending to be. In other words, "I want your money in my pocket".

[Ausmerican]

If a beggar calls out to you or you see them approahing you a good method is to simply wait until they are about to speak and then ask them "Hey buddy you don't have five bucks I can borrow do you?" Confounds em every time.

On a more cruel note, wait until they ask and then say "Sure, you got change for a hundred? No? Sorry then, can't help ya.""

[Quinn]

I left San Francisco because I got tired of stepping over people to get from my car to my apartment.

So you moved to... Oakland???

I lived in the Bay Area from 2000 to 2003, first in Oakland and then in SF. The homeless problem was bad in both places, but SF had at least some decent neighborhoods where I wouldn't get accosted every 20 feet, and where I could still (somewhat) afford to live. I never found any such area in Oakland. Is it different now?

[slingblade]

We don't have a lot of money, but we know how it feels to be hungry. If we see a "will work for food" sign, we almost always run down to a fast-food joint, get a bag of cheap burgers, and drop it off to the guy on the way home. So far, no one has ever been ungrateful, and some even take off the wrappers first, before they eat.

[Puppycow]

In Tokyo I've only been accosted by a beggar once or twice that I can recall since I've been living here.
If I made a top ten list about what I like about Japan that would be one item. No tipping and hordes of hot chicks would also be on the list.

[Puppycow]

In Tokyo I've only been accosted by a beggar once or twice that I can recall since I've been living here.
If I made a top ten list about what I like about Japan that would be one item. No tipping and hordes of hot chicks would also be on the list.

[Puppycow]

In Tokyo I've only been accosted by a beggar once or twice that I can recall since I've been living here.
If I made a top ten list about what I like about Japan that would be one item. No tipping and hordes of hot chicks would also be on the list.

[TragicMonkey]

I don't mind the people just asking for change. What bugs me is the deaf (and, undoubtedly, "deaf") people who try to hand you a card and sell you stickers or some damn thing. I don't want to read cards, I don't want to buy stickers. Stop pretending it's a commercial transaction. Have some pride! If you must beg, beg! Don't try to dress it up like something it's not.

[Puppycow]

Argh. My browser kept hanging up as I tried to post this morning. I had to leave for work and I couldn't get the page to load. Apparantly it resulted in 3 identical posts. Now I can't even delete the superfluous ones.

[ARubberChickenWithAPulley]

In Tokyo I've only been accosted by a beggar once or twice that I can recall since I've been living here.
If I made a top ten list about what I like about Japan that would be one item. No tipping and hordes of hot chicks would also be on the list.

Haha. True, most of the homeless population tends to cluster together in the big "tent cities" instead of wandering the streets and begging. Homeless people and panhandlers are quite common in Seoul, though. Usually they sit on the steps of subway stations (or nearby the exit) with their heads down holding out their hat. I've also seen quite a few guys who are either amputees or good at faking it, with cut-up inner tubes hanging from their legs. They lay on their stomachs on a little cart and push themselves around, and have a boombox playing some old music. It's quite strange.

I had a homeless guy knock on my door a few months ago. He was an older man, and he told me (in English) that he had come from Busan and couldn't find a job, and that he was sick. I gave him 5,000 won (the equivalent of about 5 bucks). It's enough for a meal. He seemed genuinely grateful, and kept saying "God bless you," and almost looked like he was going to cry. I suppose he could have been a good actor, though. Who knows.

[WildCat]

Argh. My browser kept hanging up as I tried to post this morning. I had to leave for work and I couldn't get the page to load. Apparantly it resulted in 3 identical posts. Now I can't even delete the superfluous ones.
It's not your browser, it's this forum which seems to have these fits quite often.

I used to give money to bums, I rarely do any more because I feel I'm just enabling them. There's a long story I have about our party at Diversey Harbor during the Chicago Air and Water show last year, but I'll sum it up as short and sweet as I can.

1. Bums start hanging around our party.
2. Do-gooder guest from the suburbs gives them a hamburger.
3. Emboldened bums start demanding more, beer to be specific.
4. I tell them in no uncertain terms they are not welcome and that they'd better shove off.
5. Bums go away, only to return later and sit under a tree watching us like a pride of lions eyes a herd of zebra.
6. This alarms me and my friend Ted, who fortunately also happens to be a Chicago police officer.
7. Ted confronts them, I provide backup. Bums aren't impressed by the badge, but decide they don't weant to fight us (and it had become a shoving match by that point) and leave.
8. Less than an hour later, bums return and act VERY aggressive.
9. Ted calls police, amazing how fast they show up on an "officer needs assistance" call.
10. Bums spend the rest of the night in jail, we get good and drunk.

Moral of the story: don't give bums a damn thing.

[Darth Rotor]

Moral of the story: don't give bums a damn thing.

Yep. Funny how bleeding hearts don't "get" that.

DR

[Puppycow]

Moral of the story: don't give bums a damn thing.

Yep. That's my policy too.

[quixotecoyote]

On a more cruel note, wait until they ask and then say "Sure, you got change for a hundred? No? Sorry then, can't help ya.""


The winning question to: 'The best way to get mugged'

[malbui]

Random anecdote: a while ago I was waiting for someone at the main station in Zurich when someone came up to me. Old story: just arrived, couldn't find luggage, needed cash to phone family. So I gave him a phone card with about CHF10 of credit on it and pointed him towards the row of public phones. The reaction? Card thrown on floor, followed by spittle, Malbui likened to female genitalia. Last time I try to help.

[Kerberos]

The winning question to: 'The best way to get mugged'

I don't know how things are in the US, but in Denmark you generally don't get mugged in broad daylight on a crowded street which is where most of the begging takes place. Not that there is muhc begging per see. There is a good deal of charitable causes asking for monthly donations and some homeless people selling a newspaper.

[Vitnir]

What I noticed when I visited San Francisco in 2002 was the number of people who were in general "out of luck", that is something you don't see much in Sweden. The amount of beggars may be about the same if you compare SF with Stockholm, in addition to our own alcoholics there are pros coming in from the rest of EU.
About giving money, I rather give money to the Salvation Army than directly to the beggars in spite of being an atheist.

[UnrepentantSinner]

Back in the spring, after getting off work, I stopped by this convenience store I'd been going to for years to get some beer. There was this guy recognized as a homeless guy I'd ignored in the past but the only parking space was right near where he was loitering. I knew what was going to happen so I steeled my psyche, pushed my "there but for the grace of God go I" sentiment into a closet and went to buy my brewskis.

Walking out with two cases of Natty I saw the guy notice me and his eyes lit up like it was Christmas and I was Santa. He said something marginally intelligable to me as I avoided him and went around to the back of the Aztek. He followed around on my drivers side and approached still talking. I just told him sorry and I couldn't help him. Got in a drove away.

I've never been back to that store again.

For a while afterwards I wondered if I had been a bit cold hearted. I could easily have opened one of the cases and poped a couple out for the guy. Sometimes though, I think I could also have brained him with a case and if the box opened, pelted him into submission with cans so my just saying "sorry" and driving off was the nicer of my options.

[Lurker]

Dang, Lurker. First you stake out the same ground as I do on the issue of whether people should pay their taxes or not.

Then you start thinking maybe a Mexican border wall is not necessarily a bad idea.

Now this.

Next you'll be demanding a nuclear power plant be built in your neighborhood and we conquer and colonize Iran so you can get cheap gas for your Hummer.

Careful, dude, else ImaginalDisc is gonna start calling you a disgusting knee-jerk right-wing reactionary.

:yikes:

I feel so dirty. Don't tell my fellow liberals that I also support nuclear power and drilling in ANWR. They'd throw me out of the club. :)

Lurker

[UnrepentantSinner]

I feel so dirty. Don't tell my fellow liberals that I also support nuclear power...

Right on man! It's time to put Three Mile Island in the history books...

...and drilling in ANWR.

What?!?! Are you crazy...

Oh, sorry, I'm a moderate so nevermind...

:)

[Lurker]

Oh, sorry, I'm a moderate so nevermind...

:)

Moderate? You're either liberal or you're conservacrazy. There is no in between.

Lurker

[strathmeyer]

Argh. My browser kept hanging up as I tried to post this morning. I had to leave for work and I couldn't get the page to load. Apparantly it resulted in 3 identical posts. Now I can't even delete the superfluous ones.

I assure you this is the forum software/host's fault and not yours. If you make a post and it hangs it probably went through; copy your reply from the box and reload the thread to check. I had the same problem the same time as Tony's double post.

[LostAngeles]

We don't have a lot of money, but we know how it feels to be hungry. If we see a "will work for food" sign, we almost always run down to a fast-food joint, get a bag of cheap burgers, and drop it off to the guy on the way home. So far, no one has ever been ungrateful, and some even take off the wrappers first, before they eat.

If I can spare the few bucks, I try to go and get a sandwich or something for them instead of change. I'd rather feed them then give them a pocket full of pennies.

And since I pretty much live off my check card and my change is for bus fare or some sort, I rarely have change.

[Art Vandelay]

I don't mind the people just asking for change. What bugs me is the deaf (and, undoubtedly, "deaf") people who try to hand you a card and sell you stickers or some damn thing. I don't want to read cards, I don't want to buy stickers. Stop pretending it's a commercial transaction. Have some pride! If you must beg, beg! Don't try to dress it up like something it's not.And they spell "Deaf" with a capital D, like they're proud of their alleged deafness at the same time they're playing for sympathy. I'm tempted to pop a balloon right behind their ears to see if they jump. And they give hand the stuff like they're gifts, so then you have to either pay for them, or give them back.

Random anecdote: a while ago I was waiting for someone at the main station in Zurich when someone came up to me. Old story: just arrived, couldn't find luggage, needed cash to phone family.Is there no collect calling in Europe?

I feel so dirty. Don't tell my fellow liberals that I also support nuclear power and drilling in ANWR. They'd throw me out of the club. :)

LurkerI oppose drilling in ANWR. Not because I'm against environmental damage. I just want other countries to have to deal with it.

I assure you this is the forum software/host's fault and not yours. If you make a post and it hangs it probably went through; copy your reply from the box and reload the thread to check. I had the same problem the same time as Tony's double post.You can also right-click the thread title up at the top. A few times, I've opened a new window with the thought that I could press the back button, but then both windows post.

Also, always press ctrl-a, ctrl-c before pressing "submit" or "preview". That way, your post will be put into your buffer.

So easily solved ... if there is an eating establishment nearby (e.g.; delicatessen, Mc Donalds, etc.)If there's a supermarket nearby, go there. I don't like paying five bucks for a salad for myself, let alone for a homeless person.

This stuff is easier to ignore in a group because one ******* is all too happy to tell the person to **** off.Unless you're with a bunch of bleeding hearts, in which case you have to stand around being uncomfortable while everyone but you chips in.

[Octavo]

As you might imagine, in South Africa this is quite a large problem. Luckily we have a fairly good work ethic and most beggars at least make an effort to "earn" any small change.

Many sell the "Big Issue" (I think they have something similar in the UK), others act as parking guards who will guide you in and out of parkings and make sure no one messes with your car (an exceptionally useful service here and one most people gladly pay a couple of rand for - R1 is about USD 0.14c).

Others craft beaded flowers or keyrings which the try to sell and the most desperate carry black bags with them and will take your in car trash for small change or food.

[BPSCG]

I don't mind the people just asking for change. What bugs me is the deaf (and, undoubtedly, "deaf") people who try to hand you a card The couple of times they've done it to me, it was a card with the deaf alphabet on it. I finger-spelled "N-O" and walked away.

The deaf alphabet is not at all hard to learn - at least twenty of the letters are intuitive. For example, using your right hand:
C - hold your hand in the shape of a C (looks like a backwards C to you)
M - three center fingers over the thumb
N - same as M, but with only index and middle finger
O - see if you can guess
W - see if you can guess



http://www.inquiry.net/images/thb066b.gif

[luchog]

If I can spare the few bucks, I try to go and get a sandwich or something for them instead of change. I'd rather feed them then give them a pocket full of pennies.

And since I pretty much live off my check card and my change is for bus fare or some sort, I rarely have change.

OB:completely off topic, I <3 your Yamamayaa icon. :)

There are pretty much four main types of beggars here: 1) The truly homeless, almost invariably mentally ill, who aren't able to do much to help themselves out. 2) Professional beggars, many of whom have decent apartments and cars (a huge number claim to be Vietnam vets, most aren't. 3) The garden-variety winos, junkies, crackheads, and other drug abuses who could have managed to get themselves together if they weren't strung out or wasted all the time (a substantial number of winos are Native Americans and Hispanics). 4) Stupid street kids who actually have good upper-middle-class homes in Microsoft-land, which they either go home to at night, or ran away from because their parents wouldn't let them bum around the house smoking pot and screwing whoever they happened to bring home that day (I've known some of these kids personally).

2 and 4 will generally refuse to accept food, demand cash, and ignore anyone who tries to buy them food. Some of them will even become belligerant and abusive if you try and give them food instead of money, but that's rare. 4 are often cheerfully up-front about wanting money for booze and/or drugs, and are frequently amusing. 3 will almost never accept food, and can get extremely abusive and demanding if they're badly in need of their drug of choice, or drunk. 1 are as unpredictable as one would expect of untreated serious mental illness.

2 are almost always the ones who have some sort of gimmick. Needing gas, needing bus fare, needing change for the phone, etc. One guy I've encountered a few times walks around with an old beat-up oil filter claiming that he had a problem with a lube joint, and it fell off, so he needs money for a new filter and oil. I believed him the first time. Not the subsequent times. I've seen quite a few of them around town pretty reliably for years, always using the same stories and gimmicks.

One of the funniest things I've ever seen was a friend (who has since passed on) who lost his leg to diabetes complications, and was not very tolerant of porofessional beggars, get accosted by one of our more belligerant streetcorner fixtures. He demanded, not requested, but demanded money; at which point my friend told him to get off his ass and get a job. At that, the beggar and the woman with him started screaming at my friend, telling them that he deserved to get money because he'd lost his leg (and yes, he clearly had). My friend then pulled of his artificial leg and told them to go to hell (and the beggars started freaking out). (Note: I am not normally unsympathetic to the homeless, but this guy wasn't actually homeless, he was a professional beggar, and one of the more problematic ones.)

A local tv station did an undercover bit on the city homeless a while back, concentrating on the "regulars", the guys who everyone knew because they'd been around so long. Most of them averaged a higher monthly income than I made working full time at a bit more than minimum wage (which, of course, was entirely tax-free.)

With only two exceptions, none of the guys claiming to be Vietnam vets had ever served in the military, and one of those was actually a Korean War vet (he said he claimed Vietnam, because no one remembered Korea). There was a lot of hidden video of "disabled" guys climbing out of their wheelchairs and getting into nice cars. A few were traced to decent apartments in the city (about like the one I was living in at the time). One of those was a guy who I passed every day on the way to work. He wasn't around very long after that show aired.

An interesting project was started a while back. A large shelter was built in one of the less upscale/trendy, but still decent, parts of town. Unlike other shelters, it didn't prohibit alcohol use on the premises (though it did ban illegal drugs), or have any overly-restrictive requirements. They do have reasonable rules -- no violence, no criminal activities, a nominal room fee, must keep reasonably clean. They do have alcoholism counselors on staff, but again, don't prohibit alcohol use. And they provide food and help applying for government assistance programs. Among the residents of the shelter, alcoholism rates have fallen considerably, and the residents are healthier and less problematic for the city. Their quality of life has improved considerably.

When the shelter was planned, many people, myself included, didn't think it would work well due to their policy on alcohol use. Most of us just saw it as a way to warehouse an "eyesore" and not have to deal with actually doing anything useful. Fortunately, that concern turned out to be wrong. To be fair, this city has had a pretty bad track record when it comes to its homeless problem. They've made it very difficult to open shelters in the most useful areas, and typically respond to complaints about homeless people by local businesses and residents by sending in cops to roust them and shove them into some other, poorer, part of town. In the decade and a half that I've been working and living in the city, all they've really done is circulate them between downtown, Chinatown, and a couple other adjacent neighborhoods. When there's been an important political event, such as a visiting President/VP or a major conference like the WTO, they've gotten really nasty about shoving them out of sight where they won't ruin our oh-so-trendy yuppie image.

Businesses in the district complained bitterly about the new shelter before it went up (this city is famous for it's NIMBYism), one still does frequently; but it's worked out so well that no one really listens to them anymore.

[Psi Baba]

In Pittsburgh we also have an equal number of my car broke down/I need gas/I need bus money/hey look I actually have a gas can in my hands people. I just tell them that I'm sorry but I've already given a hundred dollars to help people fix their car this week and just don't have any more to spare.
Strathmeyer, do you remember the more colorful characters like Driving Man (I used to see him on Liberty near 10th St.); The Sparrow Lady ("the world will end in three days"); the polite beggar who salutes everybody and says, "God Bless You" even if you don't give him anything; and how about Lansberry (died in 1999) with his sandwich boards? You're right though, I also run into the "I need to get home" story mostly. Although anyone walking around downtown Pittsburgh with a gas can clearly has never been downtown before. :D

[strathmeyer]

No, I started school here in 1999 and try not to remember beggars. The only one I really remember is sombrero man. Sadly, I cannot find the link to the webpage for Pittsburgh beggar trading cards.

[shuize]

Just out of curiosity, has anyone ever asked the bums who claim to have been in the military any of the following questions?

What branch?

What unit?

What MOS?

[WildCat]

I don't mind the people just asking for change. What bugs me is the deaf (and, undoubtedly, "deaf") people who try to hand you a card and sell you stickers or some damn thing. I don't want to read cards, I don't want to buy stickers. Stop pretending it's a commercial transaction. Have some pride! If you must beg, beg! Don't try to dress it up like something it's not.
The sad thing is, some of these people are actually victims of human trafficking. They busted a ring of them a few years ago here, turned out the deaf were from a part of Mexico that used a completely different form of sign language (so they could not communicate with people here using sign language) smuggled into the US on the pretense of landing a job. Once here, their passports would be taken away and they were sent out on trains and buses hawking those pins, ribbons, etc. The smugglers would keep all the proceeds as payment for the trip here, plus an interest rate so high they could never hope to pay back the "debt".

Tried to find more info on this, only found this for now: http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/VA-news/VA-Pilot/issues/1997/vp970728/07280051.htm

[WildCat]

No, I started school here in 1999 and try not to remember beggars. The only one I really remember is sombrero man. Sadly, I cannot find the link to the webpage for Pittsburgh beggar trading cards.
There was a guy who worked the Armitage off-ramp from the Kennedy for years. His sign would read "Please help, burned leg" and he had his pant leg hiked up so you could see the horrific burn. But it never healed! This went on for at least 3 years, all I can think is that this guy was intentionally burning his leg to keep the sympathy and $$ coming.

[PrincessIneffabelle]

I got pan-handled this morning for the very first time. I was at the drive-thru waiting to order my morning coffee. This guy came up and knocked on my window! He was clean, well-dressed, and very polite. He said he was out of gas and needed to get to the next town. I frowned shook my head "no" and he just went on to the other cars. When I got up to the window, I told the cashier about it. She laughed and said, "He's out there again, huh?" and called the manager over.

I live in a quiet suburb, so we don't really get street beggars. Occasionally there's a guy with a "disabled vet" or a "laid off, need to feed family" sign on the interstate exit ramp. A few months ago, I saw a shabbily-dressed man carring a folding chair and a cardboard sign get out of a very, very nice shiny new truck in the WalMart parking lot. He trotted over to a grassy spot near the parking lot exit and set up his chair and sign. The sign said "Disabled vet, any donations appreciated".

The guy this morning was so up-close and personal. It was a little disturbing. How do you guys handle it?

[slingblade]

3) The garden-variety winos, junkies, crackheads, and other drug abuses who could have managed to get themselves together if they weren't strung out or wasted all the time (a substantial number of winos are Native Americans and Hispanics).

I'm curious: why did you feel the need to point out the ethnicity of just the one group?

[ImaginalDisc]

I'm curious: why did you feel the need to point out the ethnicity of just the one group?

Because white people never become alcoholics, of course!

[BPSCG]

Most of them averaged a higher monthly income than I made working full time at a bit more than minimum wage (which, of course, was entirely tax-free.)
It's not tax-free.
Tax-free means you are not legally required to pay tax on the income. Proceeds from begging do not qualify.
"Tax evasion" is the correct term for what he's doing.

[Beerina]

If a beggar calls out to you or you see them approahing you a good method is to simply wait until they are about to speak and then ask them "Hey buddy you don't have five bucks I can borrow do you?" Confounds em every time.

On a more cruel note, wait until they ask and then say "Sure, you got change for a hundred? No? Sorry then, can't help ya.""

Unless I looked like your current avatar, I probably wouldn't go around advertising I had hundred dollar bills on me. :jaw-dropp :)

[TragicMonkey]

Unless I looked like your current avatar, I probably wouldn't go around advertising I had hundred dollar bills on me. :jaw-dropp :)

I can't imagine many people would dare to confront your avatar either. Those things are creepy as hell. "What will appeal to children?" "Aliens?" "Fetuses?" "Muppets?" "Great ideas--let's combine them." Shudder. I'll take my chances with the horns.

[The Painter]

I always give to them. You never know, one of them could be Jesus.