Beggars

[lumberjim]

Do you give spare change to beggars? How often do you find yourself in the position of deciding whether or not to give? Do you have a strong opinion about it?


multi choice poll .....read all the answers before you submit your votes.

[HungLikeJesus]

I only give them money if they don't ask for it.

[Bullitt]

I don't normally give directly to beggars. Instead I give to support institutions like Goodwill, AMVETS, The Red Cross, Salvation Army, etc. I believe greatly in the impact of and value of voluntary societies and their services to the needy public. That said, I also do not live in an urban area at the moment so I am not encountering beggars on a regular basis right now.

[classicman]

I remember a recent visit to Philly with my sons where we were asked for money right outside a McDonalds. I refused him and we continued to go in and have lunch. My son asked if we could buy him lunch instead of giving him money he would probably waste. We did and he was most grateful for a warm meal.
Things your damn kids think of - eh?

[Nirvana]

Originally Posted by classicman

I remember a recent visit to Philly with my sons where we were asked for money right outside a McDonalds. I refused him and we continued to go in and have lunch. My son asked if we could buy him lunch instead of giving him money he would probably waste. We did and he was most grateful for a warm meal.
Things your damn kids think of - eh?

Your children must have very good parents!

[classicman]

Originally Posted by Nirvana

Your children must have very good parents!

Thanks, thats very nice of you to say.

[Undertoad]

True story, there was this one guy who announced that he was the joke-telling beggar. He wanted to give something in return for your donation, so he had jokes. He said

"Who was the first carpenter."

who.

"Eve. She made Adam's banana stand."

I gave the guy all the change in my pocket.

[lumberjim]

i gave a guy a chic fil a sandwich tonight

[Aliantha]

Begging is illegal here, so we really don't see it other than the odd smoke bummer at the bus stop or drunk late at night.

We have a lot of charities which we give to though as often as we see them.

[smoothmoniker]

I make frequent trips with my wife to the LA wholesale flower mart, early in the morning. Every time, I load up my pocket with singles to hand out. I usually ask street people to give us a hand with loading the van, or schlepping things back and forth from the warehouse.

[SquidGirl]

Last time I was in Edinburgh, Scotland, I was waiting for the public transit coach when a guy kept hovering around, asking us to move. He was picking up the cigarette butts off the ground, from under our feet, and using the remains to make his own ciggy's. When I got back to my friends house I told them because I had never seen it before and they said it's actually pretty common due to the high cost of cigarettes. I thought he was a beggar and I was pretty close to just taking him to the damn store and buying him a pack myself (and I'm a non-smoker).

I've also heard stories of beggars in NY making a killing on the streets who have a pretty high incomes so at the end of the day they would walk around the corner and get into their new sports car. I don't know if that ones true....

[sugarpop]

Originally Posted by SquidGirl

Last time I was in Edinburgh, Scotland, I was waiting for the public transit coach when a guy kept hovering around, asking us to move. He was picking up the cigarette butts off the ground, from under our feet, and using the remains to make his own ciggy's. When I got back to my friends house I told them because I had never seen it before and they said it's actually pretty common due to the high cost of cigarettes. I thought he was a beggar and I was pretty close to just taking him to the damn store and buying him a pack myself (and I'm a non-smoker).

I've also heard stories of beggars in NY making a killing on the streets who have a pretty high incomes so at the end of the day they would walk around the corner and get into their new sports car. I don't know if that ones true....

My sister lived in Manhattan for a few years, and yes, that is true. A begger was asking my mom for money once when we visited, and there was a cop on the street who came over and warned her about him. Apparently he was a millionaire (this was back in the early 80s) who begged in his spare time. go figure, huh?

I don't see too many beggers where I live now (Savannah GA), but when I lived in Los Angeles, they were everywhere. I would never give money to someone who was young and obviously capable of working. I used my judgement. There were certain people around Venice to whom I always gave money. There was this Veitnam Vet who hung out by the library or the post office. I always gave him a few bucks or would bring him some food. There was this little lady who hung at the same place, I usually gave her money as well. I NEVER would buy alcohol for them, but many times if I was headed into the store, I would ask what they liked and I would buy it for them. A burrito, or an an apple or banana. Young kids with attitude, I handed out advice, like get a job. I understand some of those people, especially kids, choose to live on the streets. They squat in houses, so they have no rent or bills to pay. I'm not going to support them when they are capable of working, and they are, they just like being underground. People who were willing to do something for change, like wash your car windows, I would generally give them some money. I never, ever just completely ignored them though. I always looked them in the eye, and tried to treat them with respect. Not all street people are there by choice. And I think they really appreciate it when you take the time to talk to them, and don't just pretend they aren't there. And sometimes I simply didn't have the money to spare. At first it make me feel guilty to not give them money, but I got over it pretty quick, especially when they give you attitude if you don't give them anything.

[ZenGum]

I have met quite a few beggars in Australia, in city centers in the evening usually. If I am walking through such a place I often have a few coins - $1 or $2 - in my pocket so if I do choose to give, I don't have to dig out my wallet.

I was approached by beggars several time in Japan. The weird thing was the gesture for "money" is to make a circle (representing a coin) with the thumb and forefinger, much like our "ok" gesture, but done in front of the stomach with the palm upwards. The "gimme money" gesture is to move this backwards and forwards gently.

I was quite taken aback, at first.

I always gave to ones who could ask me in English. They might be useful later on.

And on recycling nights I would sometimes leave several coins stacked neatly (to show it was on purpose) in a place where the homeless recycling scavengers would see it. It was always gone the next day.

[slang]

If the beggars are polite or entertaining in some way, like UTs example, I'll give them something. Most often not what they would like but something.

Most of the beggars that I encounter are outside the US. That will surely change in the coming months as we see the screws tighten here, but anyway....

An American beggar will demand $5 if I offer them $2. Twenty if I offer five and so on. If they aren't satisfied they carry on which doesn't help their cause. I all but quit giving money and instead give food outside McDo or a grocery store.

The Filipino beggars are pretty easy to please with just a few pesos and a few minutes of my attention.

The older pinoys are those that get my sympathy. Most of the time we buy extra at the burger shack or grocery store and hand a small number of items out to people.

They are always thankful and appreciate what we give. Contrast that with the Americans that seem to gravitate to me and are never satisfied and rarely polite.

[Trilby]

While my sis and I were in NOLA we ran into quite a few beggars. We always offered to buy them a sandwich (like fast food, whatever) but no money. They NEVER wanted the sandwich so we never gave them anything.