Whenever I'm walking through down-town areas, I sometimes encounter people asking for money. Some of them ask for "just enough money to buy my bus ticket back to X" or money for "food." One even asked for change, bought me a sandwich with it, asked for a larger bill so he could return my money, then proceeded to run with the bill.
Long story short, and as callously as it sounds, I tend to avoid homeless folk or pan haldlers, even if I feel compassion toward them in theory. In practice, I do spend time with some at Craig's Doors, a local homeless shelter. At least the folks there are honest with their predicament and do not ask me for money.
What are your thoughts on homeless folk, pan handlers, and scammers? How do you interact with them?
Handling street pan-handlers?
Re: Handling street pan-handlers?
I generally say "Nah" and "But have a nice day". I see too many who basically pan-handle as a business and are out there in the same place every day. Sometimes they fight over who gets what corner. Many seem to have mental health and/or substance abuse issues. I don't like to feel like I might be feeding somebody's habit.
It's better to give or volunteer at a local shelter or soup kitchen for the most part. You get more bang for your buck/hour that way and the interaction is more genuine because it doesn't involve a phony story about a bus ticket or something.
Funny story: When I was younger, there used to be a guy who had this schtick where he would tell you about a dream he had where he met a handsome gentleman just like you and you gave him a five dollar bill. One of my friends had the best response. He said "That's funny, I had almost exactly the same dream and I met you right here. Except in my dream, you gave ME money." Even the panhandler had to laugh at that one.
It's better to give or volunteer at a local shelter or soup kitchen for the most part. You get more bang for your buck/hour that way and the interaction is more genuine because it doesn't involve a phony story about a bus ticket or something.
Funny story: When I was younger, there used to be a guy who had this schtick where he would tell you about a dream he had where he met a handsome gentleman just like you and you gave him a five dollar bill. One of my friends had the best response. He said "That's funny, I had almost exactly the same dream and I met you right here. Except in my dream, you gave ME money." Even the panhandler had to laugh at that one.
Re: Handling street pan-handlers?
My response to anyone asking for money is "Not today." with a smile and a shake of my head.
As if I would be willing any other day, but some mysterious (to them) and unusual circumstances keeps me from it just now.
As if I would be willing any other day, but some mysterious (to them) and unusual circumstances keeps me from it just now.
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jacob
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Re: Handling street pan-handlers?
I walk rather fast (4mph). My standard response is "No, sorry" or no/little response at all ("Nah" .. *shakes head*) w/o slowing down. Survey-takers get the same response. So if they want to engage, they have to start jogging ;-P
My reasoning is that apparently 80% of panhandlers are in the business of panhandling (if you're shameless, it pays much above minimum wage) and not actually homeless. It's just that panhandling apparently pays well enough for them to consider it an actual vocation. I have more than one Chicago observation to back this up: People who've been using the same story for years without getting anywhere. E.g. some guy arriving at 4p every day at the Damen brown line stop asking each and every person for a quarter since 2012. What's with that? Is that needy or just preying on naivity?
Same deal about that "script-beggars" on public transport. Some of these guys do the same script for years. "I just got out of prison. I don't want to deal drugs. I haven't eaten since yesterday (this from a 200 pound man---sorry ... basic physiology dictates that you're lying). If anyone wants to give me a job or a quarter ... " (and then you see the same person 2 years later saying exactly the same thing. There's a guy on my route who actually does the same spiel in English followed by Spanish ... how's s that for enterprising entrepreneurialism? BTW it works!
Makes me extremely cynical!!
PS: In terms of karma when I was young and naive I once gave almost $200 to someone who claimed (rightfully or not) that she was a refugee needing the money for an immigration court appearance. She promised to meet me at a designated spot and pay me back. She didn't. When I saw her again later on, she ran. ... So cynicism it is for me. If you want to save people directly, I suggest focusing on the shelters even if some folks are just using those as a source of cheap living while being full-time employees. That's not uncommon either. Yeah ...
PPS: You probably shouldn't be taking humanitarian advice from me as I've been burned too much.
My reasoning is that apparently 80% of panhandlers are in the business of panhandling (if you're shameless, it pays much above minimum wage) and not actually homeless. It's just that panhandling apparently pays well enough for them to consider it an actual vocation. I have more than one Chicago observation to back this up: People who've been using the same story for years without getting anywhere. E.g. some guy arriving at 4p every day at the Damen brown line stop asking each and every person for a quarter since 2012. What's with that? Is that needy or just preying on naivity?
Same deal about that "script-beggars" on public transport. Some of these guys do the same script for years. "I just got out of prison. I don't want to deal drugs. I haven't eaten since yesterday (this from a 200 pound man---sorry ... basic physiology dictates that you're lying). If anyone wants to give me a job or a quarter ... " (and then you see the same person 2 years later saying exactly the same thing. There's a guy on my route who actually does the same spiel in English followed by Spanish ... how's s that for enterprising entrepreneurialism? BTW it works!
Makes me extremely cynical!!
PS: In terms of karma when I was young and naive I once gave almost $200 to someone who claimed (rightfully or not) that she was a refugee needing the money for an immigration court appearance. She promised to meet me at a designated spot and pay me back. She didn't. When I saw her again later on, she ran. ... So cynicism it is for me. If you want to save people directly, I suggest focusing on the shelters even if some folks are just using those as a source of cheap living while being full-time employees. That's not uncommon either. Yeah ...
PPS: You probably shouldn't be taking humanitarian advice from me as I've been burned too much.
Re: Handling street pan-handlers?
I thought about it.jacob wrote: some folks are just using those as a source of cheap living while being full-time employees. That's not uncommon either.
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lost_the_path
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Re: Handling street pan-handlers?
I have two strategies. 1. I keep $5 in my pocket per week. The first person who asks, gets it. Let the universe sort out who deserves it or not. 2. Beyond that, I tend to put a card and my driver's license in my pocket when I shop. The answer is both literal and true, "I'm sorry, I have no cash on me."
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black_son_of_gray
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Re: Handling street pan-handlers?
I tend to be awkward as hell when someone approaches me walking down the street. At some point in the past, someone asked me for money and I quickly shot back, clearly taken off guard, "No thanks!". *cringe* Of course, this makes no sense because they aren't offering me anything, but it's effective! There really is no follow-up to a statement like that, and it's a bit confusing. So that is basically my standard response now, even though it is weird...
Re: Handling street pan-handlers?
Normally I refuse to give out direct cash to anyone unless for some strange reason I have like 50 cents in my pocket or something. I tend to spread the wealth through charities I'm aware of with the cash at random times throughout the year.
IN terms of panhandling it's not as common around me and most of them tend to camp out near Wal-Marts or Fast Food Places. I'm more than willing to see a sign and someone asking for money for food and buying them a 2 dollar meal instead of directly giving them the money. If they really were hungry or will be hungry later they got free food and my charity if they were simply asking for money for nefarious purposes I didn't actually help them acquire that.
I've always been happier to give someone a hamburger over a dollar. Same if they are asking for Bus fare I will walk with them to the bus ticket counter and directly buy the bus ticket.
IN terms of panhandling it's not as common around me and most of them tend to camp out near Wal-Marts or Fast Food Places. I'm more than willing to see a sign and someone asking for money for food and buying them a 2 dollar meal instead of directly giving them the money. If they really were hungry or will be hungry later they got free food and my charity if they were simply asking for money for nefarious purposes I didn't actually help them acquire that.
I've always been happier to give someone a hamburger over a dollar. Same if they are asking for Bus fare I will walk with them to the bus ticket counter and directly buy the bus ticket.
Re: Handling street pan-handlers?
No, Zalo. It's not callous. It's smart not to toss away your hard-earned money. If you want to make a difference, you can volunteer or make a financial contribution to a nonprofit that addresses hunger or homelessness. These groups receive donated food items or purchase in bulk from suppliers, so a dollar that you give to charity has a bigger impact than handing a dollar to panhandler claiming to be hungry.
In the SF Bay Area - and probably your area, as well - there are a ton of places that serve free meals to people who are down and out or homeless. I used to work at a nonprofit that operated soup kitchen. I ate there sometimes and the food wasn't half bad. The people who worked there were very compassionate and kind. They would pretend not to see when folks put leftovers in plastic containers, and sometimes they would hand out bags of sandwiches so there would be something to eat in the evening.
It might be different elsewhere, but food is available out here to pretty much anyone who needs it, if they're not entitled or picky. I would say that the vast majority of panhandlers do so to acquire money for cigarettes, drugs, or alcohol. While I don't pass judgement (because I would do the same in their shoes), I don't buy these things for myself so I'm certainly not going to pay for someone else's habit.
In the SF Bay Area - and probably your area, as well - there are a ton of places that serve free meals to people who are down and out or homeless. I used to work at a nonprofit that operated soup kitchen. I ate there sometimes and the food wasn't half bad. The people who worked there were very compassionate and kind. They would pretend not to see when folks put leftovers in plastic containers, and sometimes they would hand out bags of sandwiches so there would be something to eat in the evening.
It might be different elsewhere, but food is available out here to pretty much anyone who needs it, if they're not entitled or picky. I would say that the vast majority of panhandlers do so to acquire money for cigarettes, drugs, or alcohol. While I don't pass judgement (because I would do the same in their shoes), I don't buy these things for myself so I'm certainly not going to pay for someone else's habit.
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Cerberusss
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Re: Handling street pan-handlers?
I usually don't give anything to these professionals who stay at their spot. But couple of times, I saw a guy digging out the trash and gave him a tenner on the spot.
Also, there was this pan-handler in my college town who'd make up a rhyme on the spot.
It would be suited to the person he got his eye on. He'd spot a blonde and then make a limerick commenting on the sun shining in her hair, or some such romantic nonsense. I simply couldn't resist giving him money
And I remember a good one when on the train station in Shanghai. There was a guy without legs, and I gave him a hundred yuan (back then, it was about 30 US$). Some construction guys spotted that interaction and gave me a standing applause.
Also, there was this pan-handler in my college town who'd make up a rhyme on the spot.
It would be suited to the person he got his eye on. He'd spot a blonde and then make a limerick commenting on the sun shining in her hair, or some such romantic nonsense. I simply couldn't resist giving him money
And I remember a good one when on the train station in Shanghai. There was a guy without legs, and I gave him a hundred yuan (back then, it was about 30 US$). Some construction guys spotted that interaction and gave me a standing applause.
Re: Handling street pan-handlers?
Usually just say I don't have any cash/change.
The other day I got caught off guard when an older gentleman seated in front of a nice coffee shop asked if I spoke Spanish as I was passing him. I replied no, so in broken English he requested I buy him a sandwich. Bought him a breakfast sandwich ($5.50). For a little while after I was wondering if that guy really needed some help or if he was even cheaper than me and getting free, quality meals just by asking folks straight up if they would buy him food. He was not obviously homeless or ill, a bit ambiguous. Oh well.
The other day I got caught off guard when an older gentleman seated in front of a nice coffee shop asked if I spoke Spanish as I was passing him. I replied no, so in broken English he requested I buy him a sandwich. Bought him a breakfast sandwich ($5.50). For a little while after I was wondering if that guy really needed some help or if he was even cheaper than me and getting free, quality meals just by asking folks straight up if they would buy him food. He was not obviously homeless or ill, a bit ambiguous. Oh well.
Re: Handling street pan-handlers?
Good Morning, No.