Do you give money to bums?

Post by **Zaia** » 2006-01-30 05:52pm

When seemingly homeless people approach you for money, either when you're walking or in your car, do you give it to them? If they say they're hungry and want it for food, do you give them money or any food you might have on you? How much do you give them if you give money?

Post by **LadyTevar** » 2006-01-30 06:03pm

There's a couple guys in the neighborhood that I'd give a dollar to when I bump into them. They're the neighborhood drunks, harmless guys, really. But any bum that just comes up and asks? It depends on how polite s/he is, if s/he looks like they're trying to keep themselves clean, and if I have the change. The more polite they are, the better kept they are, the more willing I am to give them what I can.

Trytostaydead · Post by **Trytostaydead** » 2006-01-30 06:05pm

I only give money to bums if they're clearly crippled or old.

I remember I gave $5 to an old Indian woman without any arms, and she followed me all around crying and saying thank you.

Soontir C'boath · Post by **Soontir C'boath** » 2006-01-30 06:11pm

One in every ten times I take the subway in Manhattan, there will always be someone asking for food or change and most of the time I ignore them. Really, it depends on the person in question and if I have change to spare.

There is an old lady that sticks around Jackson Heights panhandling for money standing with two arm supports. I believe it's an act though as there's someone else nearby that does the same thing and if I remember right they're in league with each other.

The only people I really give money to are the musicians...well actually most of them are saxophonists which makes it a bit humurous from a trumpet player's standpoint.

Equinox2003 · Post by **Equinox2003** » 2006-01-30 06:19pm

I only give pocket change to beggars if they are women. Call me mean, but I have no sympathy for a grown man who chooses to stand around all day with his hand out. If nothing else the fool could go looking for cans and bottles to recycle. If a man chooses to just stand there all day, I'm certainly not giving them anything.
Women, now that's different. Then it is not so simple. A man could have taken off and left her, (and take his paycheck with him) and left not only her but kids behind. In that case I will give her a coin or two.
Leaving a check cashing shop years ago, one lady nearly jumped with shock when I gave her 31 cents. I never see them around town, it is when I go into bigger cities that I see beggars.

Raw Shark · Post by **Raw Shark** » 2006-01-30 06:36pm

I give exactly $1 to every panhandler or street performer I encounter who is, in my opinion, doing something truly original and funny. I call this the 'Fake Blind Guy Rule,' in honor of the man with the most chutzpah in Boston.

CaptainChewbacca · Post by **CaptainChewbacca** » 2006-01-30 06:39pm

If you look like a bum, I'll buy you food. A somewhat clean late-teens ager asked me for money while I was getting lunch for the office. I told him no and he went off on me. If you're young and healthy, you can damn sure get a job.

Faram · Post by **Faram** » 2006-01-30 06:41pm

I buy the magaszine "Situation Stockholm"

They buy it for 20 skr and sell it for 40 skr.

But the damn guitarrplayers and misc beggars in the subway, no way I hate the noice.

Bob the Gunslinger · Post by **Bob the Gunslinger** » 2006-01-30 06:43pm

I used to give money to the ones with the best sob story, but after half a decade in the bay area, they don't affect me anymore. Now I just give money to the most entertaining bums, like Jokemon, who tells dirty jokes for money, or the gutterpunks who's dogs do tricks on command.

Spanky The Dolphin · Post by **Spanky The Dolphin** » 2006-01-30 06:45pm

I've only done it about five times ever, on a random case, once a dollar coin I wanted to get rid off, the other times 25 cents at most.

Since I don't plan on ever doing it again, I say, no, I don't give anything.

Durandal · Post by **Durandal** » 2006-01-30 06:47pm

Never. You give those people an inch, and they'll take a yard. Plus, you literally have no idea what will provoke these people. If you give them food, they could just throw it back in your face and scream that they wanted cash (so they could buy liquor, obviously).

Just stroll along, don't make eye contact and pretend they're not there.

Post by **weemadando** » 2006-01-30 06:50pm

Considering that most bums in Hobart are either aggressive psycho druggies or people lying in doorways that smell as if they may or may not be dead I don't really bother.

Post by **Zaia** » 2006-01-30 07:06pm

Durandal wrote:Never. You give those people an inch, and they'll take a yard. Plus, you literally have no idea what will provoke these people. If you give them food, they could just throw it back in your face and scream that they wanted cash (so they could buy liquor, obviously).

That happened to one of my old housemates, actually. Someone asked her for $5 and she handed him an orange and he got incredibly angry and started chasing her down the street. If she hadn't been young and in shape, who knows what he would've done when he caught her. But he didn't, thankfully.

My other housemate sort of created a problem for us regarding bums. She gave one some money one time, and the bum followed my housemate home to our house. Since then (first time was a couple of weeks before Christmas), this woman has come to our house four times, banging so hard the walls of the house shook (she hit it like she was trying to break it down), and asked us for various amount of money which have increased over the number of visits. The last time she came by, she knocked on the door starting at about 11pm and didn't go away for over an hour. She kept yelling that all she wanted was $50 from each of us and to come in and sleep on our floor. We called the police, who came about 40 minutes after that, but by that time she had moved on.

So I don't give money out either.

chaoschristian · Post by **chaoschristian** » 2006-01-30 07:07pm

When I lived in DC I encountered folks who needed money all the time. I'd give em what I had and could spare.

One time I was physically assaulted by a guy because he asked and I said I didn't have any to give him. He took offense to this, grabbed me, called me a racist pig (funny, he was white and so am I) and punched me in the arm. Truth is I didn't have a single penny on me at the time, he more likely had more change on him than I did.

When I was a student I got the bright idea to follow and observe the local panhandlers to see what they were up to, and how they spent their day (lots of free time in college) So I identified about six, and casually followed them around a several block radius for several hours. Then once the rush hour had past they all converged with several others in a nearby park, pulled all of their earnings together and then split it out by some means I couldn't discern.

Then there was also a woman who used to hang out in front of my office building. When I saw her I would give her a buck, and on paydays I would give her five. The first time I did this she jumped up and started dancing around the street. Then I didn't see her for about 18 months. When I did see her again (same spot, leaving the office) her first comment to me was "My you got fat!" And when I didn't give her a buck and walked on past she jumped up and chased after me shouting "But it looks good on you honey!"

Now that we live in this small town, I don't see people asking for money on the street any more. But there is one old guy who roams the alleys with a wagon and I give him all of my recycling and scrap metal.

Ubiquitous · Post by **Ubiquitous** » 2006-01-30 07:13pm

Not at all. These people target students because they view us as a soft target, and indeed many students are. In reality, a lot of students are in a worse financial state than the beggers who are trying to get money off them.

aerius · Post by **aerius** » 2006-01-30 07:18pm

Durandal wrote:Never. You give those people an inch, and they'll take a yard. Plus, you literally have no idea what will provoke these people. If you give them food, they could just throw it back in your face and scream that they wanted cash (so they could buy liquor, obviously).

Just stroll along, don't make eye contact and pretend they're not there.

Exactly. Also, given the social support structure we have in Canada, there is little to no legitimate reason to be begging for money on the streets. My taxes go towards numerous support programs for the poor & homeless, and it's not my problem if the bums refuse to use said programs. Then there's the United Way and other charity groups who also help the homeless. If the vagrants are still out there it's by choice, and I feel no obligation to help them in any way.

Rogue 9 · Post by **Rogue 9** » 2006-01-30 08:09pm

I'll give food if I have it, or buy some if I'm feeling particularly generous. If I do not have it, no dice. If they get pissed because I didn't give them cash, they can fuck off; I'm not about to finance someone's drug habit.

Of course, I don't run into this very often, as I don't live in a large city.

Post by **Kuja** » 2006-01-30 08:12pm

Living in the suberbs as I do, I haven't seen a bum for a long time, except on TV. But no, I don't.

Ligier · Post by **Ligier** » 2006-01-30 08:12pm

With aerius on this one. There's plenty of charitable organisations and social programmes to help out.

The worst case I've had is this one bum asked for a couple of bucks. I thought, "Sure, why not?" Forked over a toonie and loonie, and proceeded upon my way (was going to the local watering hole). Lo and behold, not ten minutes later the same guy's there buyin' a beer. Ok, whatever, except he told me it was to get something to eat.

Knife · Post by **Knife** » 2006-01-30 08:15pm

No. I'll mention the 'Jesus Saves' or other dives for them to get a free meal. I don't like panhandlers, I've actually sat back and watch some make some good money. If all they wanted was food, most would only be out for an hour or so.

I'm also fairly cynical and don't believe them. I especially hate the 'vet needs money' scheme. Go to the VA or VFW or American Legion or any other system put in place. Yeesh.

(Edit) I've given money for people at bus stations and train stations for tickets to various places. Not bums though.

Balrog · Post by **Balrog** » 2006-01-30 08:26pm

No. Chances are they go out and buy drugs or other shit, and nothing good comes of that.

General Zod · Post by **General Zod** » 2006-01-30 08:28pm

No. There's plenty of resources for the homeless in my city, and as far as I'm concerned someone that sits around on a street corner all day asking for handouts is simply wasting their time instead of doing something productive, like trying to actually find work. As far as food, see the bit about plenty of resources.

Korvan · Post by **Korvan** » 2006-01-30 08:36pm

I don't give anything to panhandlers. As aerius pointed out, it's easy in Canada to get support. Plus, every dollar that I donate to a food bank goes at least 3 times as far than if I gave it to a bum. And that's assuming that they go and buy food from a supermarket.

Back in my university days, I took a trip to the city core on the weekend. I spent all my money and when I went to an ATM machine, my card broke. I managed to use a phone in a dept. store to call my sister to bus down with some extra bus fare.

It would be about an hour's wait, so I decided to rest my eyes while sitting back against a lamp post near the bus stop. (The bench was full). Before long it began to rain and I just hunkered down feeling a little sorry for myself, but too damn tired out to move. I heard something hit my pack which I had in front of me. Opening my eyes, I saw a quater lying there. I just left it there and closed my eyes again. By the time my sister arrived, I had about half the required fare. Damn, I must've looked pretty pathetic!

tharkûn · Post by **tharkûn** » 2006-01-30 08:44pm

In any major city there are bonifide charities which feed, cloth, and train the homeless far more efficiently than giving them money directly. Not only do you avoid them them using the money on booze and drugs, but you also allow purchases to be made in bulk which means more food and clothing.

Solauren · Post by **Solauren** » 2006-01-30 08:47pm

Very Very Very Very rarely.

There are 4 or 5 'local bums' where I work. Always the same ones, always smell bad, always just stand there with there hand out.

I ignore them.

The odd time someone comes up to me, is polite, and has a reasonable store (twice in the last 10 year), sure

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Do you give money to bums?

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Do you give money to bums?