Panhandlers

[Hoosierhawkeye]

Not talking about the people at the side of the road with signs, talking about the people who walk up to you when you are out in public and start asking you for money.

Really getting tired of this. . . seems like every other day someone is walking up to me if I'm out to eat or shopping or at a gas station and asking me for cash. Just yesterday some guy walks up to the passenger side of my vehicle at a drive thru and leans in the window asking for money. Freaks me out, rolled up the window and locked the car doors. If my kids have been with me I might have slammed on the gas and ran over his feet while getting away.

Honestly I don't even buy that they need help either. On several occasions I've watched a car pull into a place, some person get out of the car and then immediately go up to random strangers asking them for money. Looked almost like they where being dropped off for work.

Anyone else live where this is a problem? How do you deal with it.

I'm all for helping the homeless and the poor, but I'd rather give my money to a food bank or a homeless shelter. Seems foolish to hand out money to a random stranger.

 

[CuttyDoesIt]

I live in downtown San Diego where there is a lot. I call them the smart ones because San Diego has the best climate to be homeless.

I used to be like you, all afraid of them but they are harmless. You really just gotta be a dick to them and not even acknowledge they exist. Dont look, dont make eye contact, etc

 

[Hoosierhawkeye]

I live in downtown San Diego where there is a lot. I call them the smart ones because San Diego has the best climate to be homeless.

I used to be like you, all afraid of them but they are harmless. You really just gotta be a dick to them and not even acknowledge they exist. Dont look, dont make eye contact, etc

Usually they don't freak me out that much, but walking up to my car at a drive thru, leaning up against it and sticking your head in crosses a line.

And honestly I don't really think many of them are homeless. They are usually too clean looking for that. Their clothes too nice. I've seen some homeless around here too, they are usually the people pushing shopping carts with everything they own. These people are always cleaner looking then them.

Honestly they don't even try as hard at acting as the people on the side of the road. One guy with a sign on the side of the road was pretty cleaver and lead up against a crutch like he was crippled. Seriously felt sorry for him and thought he was legit, til on the way back when I guess he decided that his shift was over and he picked up his crutch and walked off.

 

[ICWestfan]

San Francisco has the brashest bums I have ever seen. They'd just come up to you and and say "give me some change" or "give me a smoke." Really disconcerting until you told them to take a hike.

I noticed a ton of bums while in Chicago. However they mostly sat on the sidewalk and jiggled a plastic cup with change in it, which I was happy to add to.

 

[rocketclone]

Tax free dollars........nothing better......Miami they always tried to clean your windows and you always turned the window wipers on and that chased them away

 

[St. Louis Hawk]

There are "pros" in STL who work the same blocks all the time.

The best way to address the issue I have found is to offer to buy them a meal. Most say no thanks - they just want the cash. I've had 2 take me up on the free meal last year.

We also have a good homeless shelter that works hard to transition people back to work. They have a culinary training program where they provide training and shelter with the hope to get the homeless into a starting job in professional kitchens (who also volunteer to take on graduates). For donations to the shelter, they gave you cards that you could give to a homeless person redeemable for a free meal in the restaurant they operated with the trainees.

 

[stout1]

I came for a thread to complain about people from the Florida panhandle.

I am leaving disappointed.

 

[fredjr82]

How "Christian" of you Hoosier. You can see how Jesus was so annoyed with the beggars.

 

[Hoosierhawkeye]

Tax free dollars........nothing better......Miami they always tried to clean your windows and you always turned the window wipers on and that chased them away

I've always seen that in the movies but never had that done to me.

 

[hawkguy77]

I was a little frightened when three of them got verbally intimidating in Daytona Beach this summer. I just kept walking and they did not pursue me. I also had a bad experience in Chicago a few years back.

 

[Hoosierhawkeye]

How "Christian" of you Hoosier. You can see how Jesus was so annoyed with the beggars.

I'd rather give my time and money to charitable organizations that actually help real homeless people. Not a person who goes around hounding people for cash that looks nothing like a homeless person.

 

[fredjr82]

Not a person who goes around hounding people for cash that looks nothing like a homeless person.

 

[CuttyDoesIt]

I'd rather give my time and money to charitable organizations that actually help real homeless people. Not a person who goes around hounding people for cash that looks nothing like a homeless person.

Oh yes. John 3:16 says "you should make a judgement in 5 seconds based on how homeless you think the guy is"

 

[Hoosierhawkeye]

The most quoted bible verse people people who are not Christians and also the one that they never understand or more accurately do not want to understand.

 

[Hoosierhawkeye]

Oh yes. John 3:16 says "you should make a judgement in 5 seconds based on how homeless you think the guy is"

There is nothing that says you should just drop all your ability to judge a situation.

Seeming as there is a soup kitchen and the homeless shelter maybe one mile from where he was.

 

[fredjr82]

The most quoted bible verse people people who are not Christians and also the one that they never understand or more accurately do not want to understand.

 

[Hoosierhawkeye]

Actually he wants obedience. . . Which often leads to both spiritual fruit and others calling you a religious nut.

 

[fredjr82]

Actually he wants obedience. . . Which often leads to both spiritual fruit and others calling you a religious nut.

 

[Chuck C]

They're not panhandlers, but all I could think of when reading this thread was this clip from Airplane.

 

[Hoosierhawkeye]

There is honestly little point to even discussing this with you. I honestly don't understand why you can't get over it and move on. Why is every other thread an opportunity for you to attack my religious beliefs?

Oh wait because they are somehow scary and a threat to society even though you don't even know what I believe and can't state what beliefs I hold that are so threatening?

 

[naturalmwa]

Oh yes. John 3:16 says "you should make a judgement in 5 seconds based on how homeless you think the guy is"

Why the about face? Didn't you post here that you should be a dick to these sorts and ignore them?

 

[fredjr82]

There is honestly little point to even discussing this with you. I honestly don't understand why you can't get over it and move on. Why is every other thread an opportunity for you to attack my religious beliefs?

Oh wait because they are somehow scary and a threat to society even though you don't even know what I believe and can't state what beliefs I hold that are so threatening?

 

[herecomethehawkeyes]

KGAN did a feature on the guys on the side of the road asking for money at some of the different intersections in cedar rapids. They followed one guy to his home.

 

[Hoosierhawkeye]

KGAN did a feature on the guys on the side of the road asking for money at some of the different intersections in cedar rapids. They followed one guy to his home.

I've seen those things too. Plus not to mention the number of times I've seen them get out of cars like they where being dropped of for work and start asking strangers for money.

One guy that was particularly crafty/dickish got dropped off outside an Outback as the shift was changing and chased down waiters and waitresses that where leaving their shift who due to cash tips could not deny that they where carrying cash on them.

 

[Big_Palooka]

I was living in Phoenix, AZ in 1987 88 and there was a news story that came out about some of the panhandlers. A reporter got one to talk and he said that he cleared (if my memory serves me correctly) about $80,000 a year from begging. This was 1988....$80,000 tax free dollars. At first I thought there was no way that could be true. Then one day at a red light, I saw a couple of cars hand a guy some bills, I thought there is probably at least $5 from just this red light. If he got 1 or 2 cars from each red light, he could easily earn a few hundred a day just during rush hour.

 

[swagsurfer02]

How "Christian" of you Hoosier. You can see how Jesus was so annoyed with the beggars.

Maybe Hoosier only had a $20. Jesus can always make change happen!

 

[stevenpatrick]

Not talking about the people at the side of the road with signs, talking about the people who walk up to you when you are out in public and start asking you for money.

Really getting tired of this. . . seems like every other day someone is walking up to me if I'm out to eat or shopping or at a gas station and asking me for cash. Just yesterday some guy walks up to the passenger side of my vehicle at a drive thru and leans in the window asking for money. Freaks me out, rolled up the window and locked the car doors. If my kids have been with me I might have slammed on the gas and ran over his feet while getting away.

Honestly I don't even buy that they need help either. On several occasions I've watched a car pull into a place, some person get out of the car and then immediately go up to random strangers asking them for money. Looked almost like they where being dropped off for work.

Anyone else live where this is a problem? How do you deal with it.

I'm all for helping the homeless and the poor, but I'd rather give my money to a food bank or a homeless shelter. Seems foolish to hand out money to a random stranger.

Hoosier, where do you live that this happens? I thought you were in rural Indiana?

 

[thewop]

I always tell myself: These guys wouldn't choose to do this if they could do something else.

Yet, I know there are many out there who do fairly well simply begging. Here's my rule of thumb:

If they do something, I'll give them something. For instance, if they're singing and dancing, I'll toss some change or $1 in their bucket. If they're not doing anything (just asking for $), no cash from me. I wouldn't give the window washing guy anything, he's mugging you. The guy standing on the side of the road playing music is playing you music whether you pay him or not, it's on you to pay if you wish, and I'm cool with that.

 

[Hoosierhawkeye]

Hoosier, where do you live that this happens? I thought you were in rural Indiana?

Oh I see the confusion. I work in South Bend, IN which has a metro area population of 317,000.

However I live about 5 to 8 miles outside of the city and the area that I live is really rural.

 

[Hoosierhawkeye]

I always tell myself: These guys wouldn't choose to do this if they could do something else.

Yet, I know there are many out there who do fairly well simply begging. Here's my rule of thumb:

If they do something, I'll give them something. For instance, if they're singing and dancing, I'll toss some change or $1 in their bucket. If they're not doing anything (just asking for $), no cash from me. I wouldn't give the window washing guy anything, he's mugging you. The guy standing on the side of the road playing music is playing you music whether you pay him or not, it's on you to pay if you wish, and I'm cool with that.

I've never actually seen one do anything here. I've seen ones while traveling that will play music. But here you have 2 kinds. Ones that sit at the side of the road with a sign and ones that chase people down in public parking lots asking for money.

 

[thewop]

I've never actually seen one do anything here. I've seen ones while traveling that will play music. But here you have 2 kinds. Ones that sit at the side of the road with a sign and ones that chase people down in public parking lots asking for money.

those kind would get no money from me.

 

[stevenpatrick]

It seems like the ones that get accosted the most by panhandlers on the streets are also the ones that give out the "chump" vibe. The people I know that bitch about bad panhandler experiences, both in this thread and in real life, certainly have the vibe of being a sucker and an easy mark.

 

[Hoosierhawkeye]

It seems like the ones that get accosted the most by panhandlers on the streets are also the ones that give out the "chump" vibe. The people I know that bitch about bad panhandler experiences, both in this thread and in real life, certainly have the vibe of being a sucker and an easy mark.

Don't know if I give off a vibe but I stopped giving money to these guys a long time ago.

 

[stevenpatrick]

Don't know if I give off a vibe but I stopped giving money to these guys a long time ago.

Ha. Of course you gave them money.

 

[LifelongHawk]

Honestly I don't even buy that they need help either

I don't really think many of them are homeless. They are usually too clean looking for that.

looks nothing like a homeless person.

there is a soup kitchen and the homeless shelter maybe one mile from where he was

You honestly don't see a problem with any of this Mr. Hoosier? You reach conclusion about persons you know nothing about based upon your interpretation of their appearance.
You project malfeasance onto a person you know nothing about because you have seen it in others (oh, and your claim about the # of times you have seen a beggar dropped off like he/she is going to work is obvious bs).
You have no idea if the person even knows where the soup kitchen/shelters are, much less if they have mental/physical disabilities making it a challenge to get there, yet are free to ridicule and ignore their putative needs because YOU know where the soup kitchen is located.
And yes, since you repeatedly trumpet your religion when it is convenient and meanwhile seemingly ignore Jesus' teachings about judging and helping the poor you come across as a hypocrite.
At the very very very least, next time you see a beggar judge them for something other than not being dirty enough and/or your knowledge of services that may be available a mile away. Look at them as one of (what you believe to be your) God's children and don't ASSUME they are lying cheating scum as you currently are doing. Maybe if you look at them as a person you will find a good reason to ignore their needs and ridicule them, but then again maybe you will actually do (what you believe to be your) God's work and help someone in need.

 

[ThorneStockton]

I'll take one of three approaches: Don't acknowledge, a "good luck" or some story about losing my rent at the casino or strip club. That said I haven't found the bums to be overly ambitious which is fine by me.

 

[CuttyDoesIt]

Why the about face? Didn't you post here that you should be a dick to these sorts and ignore them?

This isnt Iowa, man. You dont wave to every car that passes by no matter if you know them or not.

 

[Hoosierhawkeye]

You honestly don't see a problem with any of this Mr. Hoosier? You reach conclusion about persons you know nothing about based upon your interpretation of their appearance.
You project malfeasance onto a person you know nothing about because you have seen it in others (oh, and your claim about the # of times you have seen a beggar dropped off like he/she is going to work is obvious bs).
You have no idea if the person even knows where the soup kitchen/shelters are, much less if they have mental/physical disabilities making it a challenge to get there, yet are free to ridicule and ignore their putative needs because YOU know where the soup kitchen is located.
And yes, since you repeatedly trumpet your religion when it is convenient and meanwhile seemingly ignore Jesus' teachings about judging and helping the poor you come across as a hypocrite.
At the very very very least, next time you see a beggar judge them for something other than not being dirty enough and/or your knowledge of services that may be available a mile away. Look at them as one of (what you believe to be your) God's children and don't ASSUME they are lying cheating scum as you currently are doing. Maybe if you look at them as a person you will find a good reason to ignore their needs and ridicule them, but then again maybe you will actually do (what you believe to be your) God's work and help someone in need.

Again someone who mis-uses the do not judge phrase. . . It doesn't mean what you think it means.

It doesn't mean that one should allow themselves to get swindled. If it will make you feel better I can give them directions to the place if you like.

And I don't trumpet my religion. . . I'm honest about it. But I don't think it makes me better then anyone else.

 

[naturalmwa]

This isnt Iowa, man. You dont wave to every car that passes by no matter if you know them or not.

Sure, that was your original position. But inbetween you dipped into Christrionics to express we did need to help everyone. I guess you can take the boy out of Iowa, but you can't take the Iowa out of the boy.

 

[LifelongHawk]

Again someone who mis-uses the do not judge phrase. . . It doesn't mean what you think it means.

It doesn't mean that one should allow themselves to get swindled. If it will make you feel better I can give them directions to the place if you like.
.

That would be great if you give them directions (taking it at face value even though the offer is likely another lie), but be careful because with actual human contact you might just find a person in need through no fault of their own.

Whether you call it judging or not, you believe you have the ability to know what is in the heart, not to mention circumstance, of another person that asks for help based upon his lack of being dirty and the actions of others. HE'S CLEAN, HES A SWINDLER!

Jim Baaker was a fraud and his collection plate looks just like all the others, so using your standard I can conclude that your church is a fraud. Looks the same, was a fraud somewhere else, voila!, you are getting swindled. Sucker.