In which I get scammed at the bus stop.

[XCashier]

I admit that I feel differently about street performers than I do about straight out beggars. If you entertain me, whether it's song, dance, magic tricks, or whatever, I'll support that: you're working for your supper, not just wandering around with your hand out.

Exactly. They're working, thus earning their money. Especially if they're good; some famous artists like Woody Guthrie, Gerry Rafferty and Tracy Chapman started by busking.

[Water]

You have a good heart, Wishful, and I won't fault that, but it's time to get your smarts engaged there, too. In my experience, anyone asking for anything on the street is a scam artist. This is a percentage nearing 100 so close as to not be worth mentioning. The truly needy either know where to go to get help and don't need you giving them stuff in the street or they're too proud to beg in the street for what they need.

Trust me. I had a guy approach me for gas money saying he forgot his wallet only to find out later that he was a scammer by my university's police department. Another guy approached me begging for $7 b/c he was stranded 111 miles away from home and that his dad wasn't answering his phone. Yeah, right . Unless he received the remaining $231 for a taxi or $65 for Greyhound and a taxi ride to the nearest Greyhound terminal, I'm calling him a "scammer".

[seigus]

My view on panhandlers is a little skewed, as this is my uncle:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leslie_Cochran

I remember Leslie well.

[dendawg]

I got scammed like that too. A woman asked everyone for $2 for bus fare. I gave her $5, saying that's the smallest bill that I got and I didn't have any change. She said "That's OK!" and darted off. WTH?

You were seriously expecting change back??

[Seshat]

Sadly, the places which are supposed to help those down on their luck are ineffective here: or at least, they have been for me.

And yes, buskers/street performers are a very different thing from panhandlers. Here, they need to get a licence, which they audition for. The audition simply determines that the performer is actually skilled enough to entertain.

[bainsidhe]

I've been approached a few times at gas stations. A couple times I used the excuse that sorry, I don't carry cash. The response was "That's okay, you can charge it to your card!".

Um, no thank you.

[Seshat]

Heh. I realised that should I be in such dire need that I'd be asking for food on the streets, there are things I'd have to refuse. A tuna sandwich, for instance. Or a bag of knockoff cheezels.

No point in being miserable AND having hives, just to make things worse. Although if I were starving ... <shrug>. I don't know what I'd choose.


.... although it occurs to me that the Hare Krishna temple offers free food and heavily discounted food as part of their spiritual practice. Vegetarian, so no problem to me for seafood, though I would have to ask about annatto.

And the temple would also be one place to find information on help getting back on one's feet.


Anyway: there's another option for those of you who want to provide genuine help to people, but don't want to be ripped off. Check to see if there's a Krishna temple in your area, and be ready to give people the address.

[jedimaster91]

When I was in college, I attended classes at the downtown campus. There was a homeless shelter not far and the old hotel across the street got converted into a Women and Children's center. Needless to say, I got approached for money on a nearly daily basis. Which I thought was kinda funny because college students are notoriously poor. Especially at a community college with a lot of non-traditional students just trying to get a degree (usually healthcare related) so they can get a better paying job.

There are also a few of the busier intersections in town that regularly have groups standing there with money buckets. And it drives me crazy. For one, it's dangerous. People around here drive like maniacs and these are major thoroughfares with high speed limits. Secondly, if you really want money for your basketball camp (or whatever the cause du jour is), do something to earn it. Have a car wash, a bake sale, mow lawns, babysit, get a summer job, whatever. Don't just stand there with your hand out. One club I belong to does bake sales during fish fry season at one of the masonic lodges. Our record is $600-something for a Saturday. In air conditioned comfort and free lunch.

[EvilEmpryss]

Needless to say, I got approached for money on a nearly daily basis. Which I thought was kinda funny because college students are notoriously poor. Especially at a community college with a lot of non-traditional students just trying to get a degree (usually healthcare related) so they can get a better paying job.

You've also got a bunch of idealistic kids who aren't used to handling their own money and aren't as worldly, making them easier targets than your typical adult.

[WishfulSpirit]

Have a car wash, a bake sale, mow lawns, babysit, get a summer job, whatever.

Interesting fact from fundraising days. You tend to get more from a FREE car wash. Charge $10 and people will pay that and only that. Do it for free and they'll hand you a $20.

[mjr]

Interesting fact from fundraising days. You tend to get more from a FREE car wash. Charge $10 and people will pay that and only that. Do it for free and they'll hand you a $20.

Unfortunately, you'll get those who take FREE literally...and just show up so a 17 year old cheerleader in a bikini top and hotpants will wash his car...

I had some guy try to scam me with the whole "broke down car, family staying in a hotel nearby, just need some money for lunch" thing.

He basically hit a lot of the red flags. I told him no.

Though I did help out a guy on my way to the office one day. Something about him...I don't know. Just felt like he actually needed the help. Bought the guy breakfast (he did, after all, ask for food).

[notalwaysright]

I never have cash, so when asked for money I just tell the truth. I don't think I've ever been asked for anything but money. I don't even know what I'd do if someone asked for food, because I'd be expecting them to ask for money and I'd be all disconcerted. I generally carry a granola bar with me, so it wouldn't really hurt to give that.

I've had the gas station "I ran out of gas, my phone's broken, I just need a couple bucks to get to my friend's house!" Where my dad lives is not a great area and the grocery store parking lot is prime spot to get hit up for cash. When I'm able to donate, I generally give to shelters with rehab programs... Okay, that and pet shelters.

[Lovecats]

I was in downtown Chicago going to a women's conference with a couple of other ladies (one of whom was my minister's wife). We were walking back to our hotel (this was about 15-20 yrs ago) and this guy asked us for money for food. My minister's wife, who worked downtown Chicago, offered to go across the street to McD's and buy him dinner but he didn't want that. She just told him that she knew that he was going into the bar he was standing in front of. He stopped bothering us after that.

[foxytales]

This past winter, My daughter (with my new granddaughter in a snuggli-type carrier) and I were walking to the grocery store (I am disabled and thus can't drive--so I was on my scooter--Stephy, though an adult, has never gotten her driver's license) We were waiting at a crosswalk to cross a major thoroughfare and a man with his teenaged companion (i figured it was his son) were also waiting and we chit chatted waiting for the light to change. When it did, the man asked us if we were able to spare a few minutes and get them some food. We have an unfortunately large homeless population here in Florida. For once, we actually WERE able to help out. We went to the 7-11 right across the street-they stopped outside--we asked them to come in and choose what they wanted. I was beyond shocked when we were politely refused and told "just whatever you can spare" (turns out they had asked other customers in the parking lot and the management had shooed them away about an hour earlier--common practice, even though they never asked for money from anyone) We ended up getting them each a HOT sandwich (yes, even in central Florida is was freaking COLD in December, especially after dark) a salad, bottled tea and a bag of chips to share. When we came back out, you'd think we had just offered them banquet service at the Ritz. The man had tears in his eyes and the boy looked ready to bawl, himself (he MIGHT have been 15). The man had expected we'd get them a cold sandwich to share, but thanked us over and over as his son (i assume) tore into the food like he hadn't seen any in days.
I am rarely able to help out in any financial way--and usually, I would have passed right by..it was just something about them..all we gave them was a simple meal that cost us like $10 and some simple conversation--treated them like human beings. To them, it was something huge. All I did--was give them what they asked for. Everyone has to eat, right?
That still turns over in my head, months later. Had he asked for money, I probably would have told him (truthfully) that I had no cash and kept on going....and they would have been hungry for another night.

[Dreamstalker]

There are a few panhandlers I've come to know on my trips downtown, genuinely nice intelligent people (nothing quite like a discussion on society and economics with a homeless guy on "Boston's Rodeo Drive" ) who just got screwed by various circumstances. Some of them just want to talk and be recognized as a human by someone. I'll always give them a few bucks or extra food if I have it.

I used to know a kid who was decently well-off but would go panhandling in a college area (he could look the part; not too neat but not too scruffy) if he wanted extra spending money. Made some pretty good money at it during tourist season.