You Think I am rich or something????

[Racket_Man]

I was on my way to work and had stopped at usual gas station to fill up before my shift. As a delivery driver I like to always have a full tank for my shift, casue ya never know how crazy a shift might get.

Now I am in my red roof pizza place uniform COMPLETE with a T-shirt with a large rendition of my company logo and full name emblazened on the front.

Two early unkempt 20 something's attempt a conversation. One tries to ask me to get $2. As I carry NO extra cash on me I told him "No can do".

AHHHHHH COME ONE MAN yous drivin a fine nice car like dat and can't afford to give me $2?

*** pause *****
I drive a 15 year old car with rust spots, a not so clean exterior and at the time had bird crap all over the outside (the birds had been gorging themselves on ripe purple grapes from vines that people have in their yards as fence covering)

***** resume play *****

I just gave the guy a look and walked away shaking my head as if to say "YOU do NOT even look like you have a job and you can see I work fast food and you think I have MONEY to just give away???".

[WishfulSpirit]

I'm guessing that's his schtick. Rehearsed and practiced to the point it's automatic when he's told no. Probably didn't even look at yr car.

[Kaylyn]

At his previous job, my husband had a guy come up to him a while back asking for a ride to wherever. Hubs said, "sorry man, I gotta get back, my wife's waiting on the car" as polite as can be expected when you've got your keys in your hand trying to get in the car and get home. Random guy said something to the tune of, "You ain't gotta be rude about it!" When...he wasn't rude? I wasn't there but I know him well enough that he wouldn't just snap at someone asking something like that. This isn't exactly the best city to snap at strangers approaching you in the parking lot next to your own car that could be tracked or followed if someone wanted to...my city's not as scary as some places, but we have enough craziness here that people are wary in situations like this.

Fast forward about a year later...almost the exact same situation happens. With the same guy as before. I think he's just conditioned to try to be aggressive about asking for a ride and to try to make the one being asked feel guilty if they DARE to turn him down, by accusing them of being rude and nasty whether they actually were or not. My husband worked really close to a Wal-Mart and the guy probably constantly tries to catch rides from the vicinity of Wal-Mart to wherever he needs to go.

-shrug- If the guy hadn't been so stereotypically "gangsta" and creepy to someone who was QUITE the opposite in appearance and attitude, he might have actually gotten the ride he needed. But nooo, anyone that was put off by his attitude was automatically racist and rude, rather than him being the problem. Couldn't have been that HE couldn't be bothered to ask respectfully and humbly, as he was the one in need, could it?

[Slave to the Phone]

I was loading my groceries into my car when a woman came up to me with a full shopping cart and asked me to give her a ride home because she had bought too much to take home on the bus. I didn't know her and quite frankly didn't think that her poor planning was my problem anyhow, so I told her no. She started crying and told me that if I was a good Christian, I would help her out. Tears and insults weren't enough to change my mind, so I just got in my car and drove away.

[Agent Paperclip]

I was loading my groceries into my car when a woman came up to me with a full shopping cart and asked me to give her a ride home because she had bought too much to take home on the bus.

I'm not saying you would do the following but nowadays I wouldn't be surprise if someone agree to take the woman to her home but as soon as she gets out of the car they drive off with her cart worth of groceries :P

Back to the topic:
I take the bus a lot and I lost count how many times strangers would ask me for bus fare either on the bus or at the bus stop. I never give them anything because half the time they just pocket it the other half are usually the ones getting on the bus but don't have enough and start asking people for money. I still do not help. It's not my fault they waited at the stop knowing they didn't have enough money in the first place

[An Haddock]

Turn the tables on them. You have someone approach and start to ask if they can have a dollar, as them first.

"Hey - do you have a..."
"Dude - can I borrow five bucks for gas? I promise I can pay you back next week."


I've done it a couple of times and they never know how to respond.

[HawaiianShirts]

AHHHHHH COME ONE MAN yous drivin a fine nice car like dat and can't afford to give me $2?

You know, I'm willing to help out if I can. I've given a few dollars to people who ask. Sometimes I know they're going to spend it on booze or drugs instead of the food or gas they claim to need, but I don't consider that my problem. Karma or God or Whatever will see I did something nice and won't hold me responsible for the recipient's behavior.

But how do people actually think that turning a request into an insult is going to improve their odds? Had a guy do that to me once, starting out semi-friendly and then devolving into demanding jerk mode.
Him: Hey, man. You smoke?.
Me: No, I don't.
Him: Can I bum a smoke off you?
Me: ... Sorry, I don't smoke. I don't have any cigarettes to give you.
Him: *attitude change* Oh, so that makes you better than me?
Me: It just means I have no cigarettes to give you.
Him: Oh, yeah, look at you. Mr. I-Don't-Smoke. You ain't gotta be a about it.
Me: Yep. I'm the . *leaves*

On the other hand, there was the guy walking through the grocery store parking lot one night, carrying a gas can. Very politely asked me if I had any gas money I could give him. I apologized and said I wasn't carrying any cash (I wasn't). He nodded, said, "God bless," and walked off to ask somebody else. I almost wanted to go find an ATM so I could get him some gas money.

[Kogarashi]

But how do people actually think that turning a request into an insult is going to improve their odds?

Seriously.

A friend and I were walking through town one evening when some people standing off to one side asked us if we had any spare change. I apologized and said we didn't carry cash on us, and the lady in the group immediately went off on us, yelling about how we just didn't want to give them any. My only thought to that was, "Well, yeah, not if you're going to scream at me like THAT." Thing is, I really DIDN'T have spare cash on me. Makes it easier to not spend it.

[bhskittykatt]

But how do people actually think that turning a request into an insult is going to improve their odds? Had a guy do that to me once, starting out semi-friendly and then devolving into demanding jerk mode.
Him: Hey, man. You smoke?.
Me: No, I don't.
<snip>

I had a similar encounter. I was picking up my newspapers to deliver (at 3:30am) when some guys asked me if they could bum a ciggy. I don't smoke, so I told them sorry I didn't have any. "Whatever, f**king bitch" was the reply I got.

[Kitten in the box]

One time I was heading home from the store with my cuz, and this lady asked me if I could spare a couple dollars so she can grab something to eat. I gave her the cash and she zipped away, bought a sandwich and scarfed it down. I thought she was going to eat the wrapper as well.. Lol. She muffled out a "thank you so much" between eating. I could tell she was starving.

Another time this heavier lady with her kid asked me for $5.00 I said I'd give her $1.00 this is what she said: "don't you have $5.00? How's about $4.50?" I kept saying no. By the end of the conversation I was a stupid white bitch. Then she asked me "help a sista out?" I told her (in bitch mode because I was pissed) "I AINT YOUR 'SISTA!' NOW PISS OFF!" She followed me for a bit threatening me with her kid in tow. I dropped my bags and td her to back off because I prefer not to beat her ass in front of her kid. She wisely backed off

[protege]

I take the bus a lot and I lost count how many times strangers would ask me for bus fare either on the bus or at the bus stop. I never give them anything because half the time they just pocket it the other half are usually the ones getting on the bus but don't have enough and start asking people for money. I still do not help. It's not my fault they waited at the stop knowing they didn't have enough money in the first place

Last month, I was somewhere in NYC's subway, when a guy started asking people for money since he "had somewhere to go." Really? You got into the subway (other side of the turnstiles/gates)...and you need money for a fare? Get lost. At least he backed off when the transit cops started looking his way

Even better, are the people who get on the trains, and try to panhandle. People on the trains are just wanting to get to work, go home, or if you're like me...to see the various sights. We're not going to waste our cash or time with you.

[Pagan]

She started crying and told me that if I was a good Christian, I would help her out.

Too bad, so sad, I'm not Christian.

[Brojekk]

Too bad, so sad, I'm not Christian.

LOL I was gonna say that too. You beat me to it. Not everyone is a christian.

[Aria]

Too bad, so sad, I'm not Christian.

If you were a good Wiccan you would help me out!!!

[Kogarashi]

Too bad, so sad, I'm not Christian.

And even good Christians don't carry cash around with them all the time. Why do people think the attempted guilt trip will work?