Poll: Have you noticed more beggers lately?

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FelixDeCat

FelixDeCat

Lifer
Aug 4, 2000
31,235
2,779
126
I used to give to beggers occasionally because they used to be few and far between. But now its just ridiculous. Everyone and their dog is begging now.

These arent your typical pathetic types either - able bodied, well dressed, clean, sometimes with cars or cell phones. Its making me sick!

People beg from me now at least once a week. Mostly at the gas station, but also at convenience stores or car washes. If anyone looks at me, walks towards me, starts to speak, starts off with "Exscuse me sir could..."; I automatically say "no." and repeat it. Some are starting to get aggressive and I have to threaten to call the cops or be rude for them to back off.

Have you noticed more and more beggers lately?

 
D

DaShen

Lifer
Dec 1, 2000
10,710
1
0
Yes, Houston has a lot of them since Katrina. And I work in CJ, so we get a lot of hooligans roaming the area. I come to work pretty early too, so I see some of these people "preparing" for the work crowd to come in. They usually have phones and walkmans, some even get dropped off by car.

It kind of makes me mad, but then I realize how sad their internal lives must be. They may be making a lot of cash and living "free and easy", but that is no way to live your life using other people like that. It will only hurt yourself in the end.

**EDIT**
That being said. I don't offer them money anymore after figuring that about half of them aren't really homeless. If I have food on me though, I may offer food and see how they react. If they are the type who only want money, I never offer to them again. You can usually tell who are the swindlers because they don't show up on rainy or bad weather days. :roll:

Of course every once in a while, I will see a homeless guy shivering on the street, and I might offer him some money, or I will go into a fast food place and pick up a meal and coffee, but otherwise, I have become pretty jaded.
 
D

Descartes

Lifer
Oct 10, 1999
13,968
2
0
I have at least half a dozen people ask me for money on any given day in Atlanta in the downtown/midtown area.
 
lokiju

lokiju

Lifer
May 29, 2003
18,526
5
0
Not more, but I've had that before where someone is nicely dressed or not dressed like a bum at least and ask for money just so they can get home or buy gas or whatever then you see then go next door and get a beer with the money other suckers gave them.

I don't give handouts ever, I don't care how good a story they have.

 
D

DaShen

Lifer
Dec 1, 2000
10,710
1
0
Originally posted by: lokiju
Not more, but I've had that before where someone is nicely dressed or not dressed like a bum at least and ask for money just so they can get home or buy gas or whatever then you see then go next door and get a beer with the money other suckers gave them.

I don't give handouts ever, I don't care how good a story they have.
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Yeah, that is why I very rarely give out money. I did once but that is because the homeless guy wasn't begging for money, it was a really cold night, and he was trying to stay warm in a small park in the area. I ended up going to Burger King, getting a full meal, and a coffee, and giving him that with $10 so maybe he could try to get out of the cold. I eneded up missing my bus though. ;) Go figure.

But usually I won't bother giving handouts anymore. Like I said, working in CJ and being around so many swindlers has jaded me a lot.
 
alkemyst

alkemyst

No Lifer
Feb 13, 2001
83,769
19
81
We get a lot of them here in S. Florida, wouldn't call any of them well dressed...but many have cars and cells.

A common theme is "I just came in from out of town and" "my atm card is lost/not working/ran out of cash and" "I need to get gas/my kid something to eat/medicine for my child/wife/mother/etc".

We have a couple that have signs "Just want money for beer and cigarettes".

It's getting out of hand though; almost every intersection has a panhandler at each median, every store by or at a bus stop have several using "need money for the bus" line, these usually approach you pretty fast and act panicked saying quick just give me 50 cents or a buck (something usually pretty low), I am a little short and my bus is going to be here any second.

I hardly ever carry cash, so I just state sorry I don't have cash on me...if they press I will just tell them I bought my groceries with my debit card dumb@ss.
 
P

Pacemaker

Golden Member
Jul 13, 2001
1,184
2
0
Sadly depending on where you live you can make more than actually working begging. It's sad to think that some people are taking advantage of nice people and could actually be earning more money per day than the people giving them the money.

http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mbegprofit.html

Even so it doesn't stop me from giving people my pocket change. If even 1/10 actually need it than it's worth it. (although I was annoyed the day I got asked for change at the gas station and the McDonalds down the road in the same trip)
 
C

chambersc

Diamond Member
Feb 11, 2005
6,247
0
0
Originally posted by: alkemyst
We get a lot of them here in S. Florida, wouldn't call any of them well dressed...but many have cars and cells.

A common theme is "I just came in from out of town and" "my atm card is lost/not working/ran out of cash and" "I need to get gas/my kid something to eat/medicine for my child/wife/mother/etc".

We have a couple that have signs "Just want money for beer and cigarettes".

It's getting out of hand though; almost every intersection has a panhandler at each median, every store by or at a bus stop have several using "need money for the bus" line, these usually approach you pretty fast and act panicked saying quick just give me 50 cents or a buck (something usually pretty low), I am a little short and my bus is going to be here any second.

I hardly ever carry cash, so I just state sorry I don't have cash on me...if they press I will just tell them I bought my groceries with my debit card dumb@ss.
Click to expand...

This is one of the primary reasons that I don't carry cash on me. Cards can be cancelled in the blink of an eye...cash is gone once it's gone.
 
J

Jack Ryan

Golden Member
Jun 11, 2004
1,353
0
0
Yes, and more and more in front of stores. Then you also have the cub scouts or whatever begging to buy their stupid popcorn in front of a grocery store by me.

STOP BEGGING.
 
D

DaShen

Lifer
Dec 1, 2000
10,710
1
0
Originally posted by: Syringer
Only place I go with beggars is San Francisco, and I haven't noticed any increase..
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Too far on the West coast. Southwest has had a large amount of them come in. :(
 
K

kenji4life

Senior member
Jun 20, 2006
218
0
0
One time on the max (lightrail) some annoying guy (white trashyish) came up to me and gf and started rapping (he wasn't very good) then he wanted some money. i offered some change to get him out of my face and he acted insulted.. so i got pissed and got in his face. he left us alone.

usually when I see really pathetic cases like old men with no legs who look like Veterans (I know what a real vet looks like) I'll give them food if I have any in the car. No cash ever.
 
yllus

yllus

Elite Member & Lifer
Aug 20, 2000
20,577
432
126
I got rather irritated with a lady friend for giving a beggar change outside a subway station here in Toronto. We have way too many.
 
shortylickens

shortylickens

No Lifer
Jul 15, 2003
80,287
17,082
136
I just moved so I cant say I have seen more or less in my new home.
I can say that many of them dont look like real beggers, (the kind found in NY or other major cities). Many of them look like they eat well and got a good nights sleep before hitting the corner.

As such, I am less inclined to help them out.
 
R

Riverhound777

Diamond Member
Aug 13, 2003
3,360
61
91
Saw one the other day with a starbucks coffee and an MP3 player... yeah he really needed the money.
 
C

chambersc

Diamond Member
Feb 11, 2005
6,247
0
0
Originally posted by: Jack Ryan
Yes, and more and more in front of stores. Then you also have the cub scouts or whatever begging to buy their stupid popcorn in front of a grocery store by me.

STOP BEGGING.
Click to expand...

I agree.
 
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