Rude/Uneducated Kid

[chainedbarista]

exactly why i don't 'donate' to panhandlers; the one we can't seem to get rid of lives in a care home down the street, so he's just a problem, not in need.

as for that kid, i'd tell him to bugger off; if the little bastard wants money, do some chores or get it from mom or dad. the worst is that he didn't even really ask, more of a 'you got it, give it over' attitude-no manners, no thanks, nothing. so, for being an ill mannered twit, i'll raise you that attitude with a not so polite 'get lost/bent.'

[Antisocial_Worker]

I think the reason I gave that kid the money was partly because it caught me off guard to be asked that, and partly because it was only $.50. Fifty cents is meh-worthy if any amount ever was.

However, I will say that panhandling teenagers are a big problem -- or they were for a long time until the city cracked down -- in downtown Asheville. You could hardly go a block without someone begging for spare change. One time I did something I regret. When asked for change, I flipped a quarter over my shoulder at the offending teenager and it hit him in the head. I kept walking, but I realize how dumb a thing it was to do. For one, it was extremely rude, and for another if he'd been in a fighting mood he could have walloped me for that. Nowadays I just ignore panhandlers.

[chainedbarista]

that happened to me when i was walking into work; some teenaged twit asked me for some bus money...seriously, wtf? you're wearing a jersey that costs more than everything i'm currently wearing (top to bottom, including my boots) and you have the nerve to ask ME for money? get bent, pound sand AND drop dead, you worthless turd.

cruel, yes; i'm tired of seeing these spoiled brats who get things that are way overpriced, clothes, bikes, cells, etc., then want to beg change off of someone who earns a pittance? i don't think so, kid; get a damn job!

[rvdammit]

"Why yes, I do, thanks for asking." :walks away without giving over any money:

Then if the brat protests, you say, "You just asked me if I had the money. You didn't ask me if you could have it, and you certainly didn't say 'please'!"

Sometimes I can be incredibly evil.

OR

Scrounger "Any spare change?"
Me "Nope."

Change goes in the coin hoard, and mystically transforms into paper money at alter date.

[powerboy]

When they ask me, I usually tell them, yes, but I need it. And once, I had to ask a stranger for 25 cents, just so I can get a little stub saying that I can park in that parking lot.

Also, what I hate, is being asked if I have something, everytime, I get out of someplace. Once, my dad and I went to the mall for something, and we got asked. Ofcourse we didn't have no money on us, just our ATM cards, we got what we needed, went outside, and saw the panhanddler get into a brand new car. That pissed us both off.

[Dreamstalker]

Try the subway in nyc, only the tourists are stupid enough to give those people money. Of course most of them also have these sob stories about how unlucky they are and blah blah blah...

I got accosted by a bum in the Newark train station right as I get off the elevator from the platform. I give him the death stare, he tries to block my way and the cleaning guy runs over and starts yelling at him while I make my escape I could see the guy had a fair wad of bills in his hand, probably 'donations' from tourists who had never been to the big city before.

Once when I was much younger, I did need to ask a fellow bus passenger for the fare to get home It was late, I had no change on me at all and not even any singles (I had larger bills; at the time it didn't occur to me to buy something small and get change).

I'll gladly change bills for tourists on the T if I have the change on me which I usually do.

Save your money for charities. If you're really feeling so low on karma that you're considering giving money to a tramp then give to the local hospital, or something. I only give money to people on the street if they're holding an accordian, or possibly a saw and a violin-bow.

I give to a Spare Change (homeless-produced newspaper) vendor who we've known forever; we know he genuinely needs any extra money he can get and will put it to good use. Also to two street performers when I see them; one guy who has a paint-bucket drum set and another kid who has a trio of trained white rats (those two aren't homeless, but they add some interest to a boring commute).

[RecoveringKinkoid]

"I got accosted by a bum in the Newark train station right as I get off the elevator from the platform. I give him the death stare, he tries to block my way "

That wasn't a panhandler. That was a mugger.

Now, a homeless run paper sounds pretty interesting! I'd buy that! Heck, I might donate to help sponsor something like that.

[Rapscallion]

It's called the Big Issue over here. It's not run by homeless, but as far as I understand the system, the workers in the office donate their time, as do guest article writers etc. The selling is done by homeless or people in destitute conditions. They get to keep a percentage to sustain and better themselves, so they can train to get out of the crap.

There's probably more accurate information around - I'm working from memory and guesswork.

Rapscallion

[Tanasi]

I'm about 100 miles from HH across the mountains and we also have aggressive beggers. I've had to use the ATM downtown and been confronted right outside the ATM lobby. I told them to buzz off. I've also been eating at some outdoors tables in the same area and bums would come up asking for donations. Luckly the eatery manager ran them off. The city council is considering a begging ordinance. I say run them out of town and the problem will be solved. If they were truly hungry and was truly going to buy something to eat I wouldn't mind so much but be damned if I'm going to support their drinking/drugging habits.

As to HH's kid I would have said Yes and then stepped around him and went on my way. If you're gonna beg you can at least be polite.

[SuperDan]

Around Chicago you can find homeless selling their newspaper, called Street Wise. The spelling and grammar seem to lend credibility to it being a completely homeless produced paper.

There was an allegedly homeless person in the bar I reguarly hang out in one night. He drank soda and left his two coats and backpack on a table near the bar. He left and came back looking for somebody. After he stepped out of the bar the second time, the bartender asked me to make sure he actually exited the building (there is much more to that building than the bar, not much of it is locked off relative to the main lobby, and there have been people trying to find a place to sleep there before). I saw that he was headed down the stairs to the exit door, the bartender stepped out into the lobby herself and confirmed this, then we both went to the bar window and watched him drive off in his shiny new Mercedes.

[Dreamstalker]

This guy seemed like an incredibly pushy bum. I've run into packs of them before, usually congregating in areas where they know lots of tourists will be.

The Boston paper is called Spare Change. Very professionally done, interesting articles.

[XCashier]

This guy seemed like an incredibly pushy bum. I've run into packs of them before, usually congregating in areas where they know lots of tourists will be.

I've had problems with packs of pushy panhandlers at the post office and public library. (yay for alliteration!) Being a woman, sometimes with a child in tow, I must say it's rather unnerving to have three big guys moving towards you wanting money.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

Oh, man. That has not happened to me. But I swear if I am approached while I have my child in tow, someones' going to have a Real Problem on their hands.