Are you suspicious of people who stand on street corners or near freeway ramps/exits holding signs that say "hungry" or "starving" or "out of work, any $ will help" etc.?

Sometimes they look rather healthy and well fed. Sometimes I see couples or people with their dogs. I dunno....I'd think you would go down to the aid office and the food bank if you were really that needy. In the back of my mind I envision these folk making loads of cash at the end of the day then hopping into their GMC Yukon. I sound like a cynic don't I?

DesireeNevermind said:

Are you suspicious of people who stand on street corners or near freeway ramps/exits holding signs that say "hungry" or "starving" or "out of work, any $ will help" etc.?

Sometimes they look rather healthy and well fed. Sometimes I see couples or people with their dogs. I dunno....I'd think you would go down to the aid office and the food bank if you were really that needy. In the back of my mind I envision these folk making loads of cash at the end of the day then hopping into their GMC Yukon. I sound like a cynic don't I?

You don't sound like a cynic...I have actually seen a couple do this and then get into their very new looking Tahoe.

Man...isn't this considered panhandling? I thought that shit was illegal.

We saw a guy on the side of the road the other day holding a "HUNGRY PLEASE HELP" sign.

Behind him was one of those camping chairs, and it was stacked with food!

Including a big jar of GOURMET NUTS!

WTF, at least hide that shit!

PunkMistress said:

We saw a guy on the side of the road the other day holding a "HUNGRY PLEASE HELP" sign.

Behind him was one of those camping chairs, and it was stacked with food!

Including a big jar of GOURMET NUTS!

WTF, at least hide that shit!

you should have held up a sign that sad "EAT YO FOOD, DUMBASS!"

BklynBabe said:

PunkMistress said:

We saw a guy on the side of the road the other day holding a "HUNGRY PLEASE HELP" sign.

Behind him was one of those camping chairs, and it was stacked with food!

Including a big jar of GOURMET NUTS!

WTF, at least hide that shit!

you should have held up a sign that sad "EAT YO FOOD, DUMBASS!"

you don't get that in England, at least not in my day.

in America, they're just drunks 99% of the time, are they not?

whistle said:

you don't get that in England, at least not in my day.

in America, they're just drunks 99% of the time, are they not?

You're thinking of the bums.

They're different from the panhandlers.

Sometimes.

DesireeNevermind said:

Are you suspicious of people who stand on street corners or near freeway ramps/exits holding signs that say "hungry" or "starving" or "out of work, any $ will help" etc.?

Sometimes they look rather healthy and well fed. Sometimes I see couples or people with their dogs. I dunno....I'd think you would go down to the aid office and the food bank if you were really that needy. In the back of my mind I envision these folk making loads of cash at the end of the day then hopping into their GMC Yukon. I sound like a cynic don't I?

This stuff happens. Five years back, this woman in NYC made the news because she was panhandling for years, and she would go back to her upper east side apartment. If you are a New Yorker, then you know that you've got to have money to live there. The authorities were watching her for awhile.

PunkMistress said:

whistle said:

you don't get that in England, at least not in my day.

in America, they're just drunks 99% of the time, are they not?

You're thinking of the bums.

i would much rather think about some lovely bums.

hang on, you mean tramps, right?

i think i should do another British/American English thread.

or perhaps not.

whistle said:

PunkMistress said:

You're thinking of the bums.

i would much rather think about some lovely bums.

hang on, you mean tramps, right?

i think i should do another British/American English thread.

or perhaps not.

That depends.

Have you ever sucked on a fag?

PunkMistress said:

whistle said:

i would much rather think about some lovely bums.

hang on, you mean tramps, right?

i think i should do another British/American English thread.

or perhaps not.

That depends.

Have you ever sucked on a fag?

chance would be a fine thing.

(that means 'if only...' if you're confused)

whistle said:

PunkMistress said:

That depends.

Have you ever sucked on a fag?

chance would be a fine thing.

(that means 'if only...' if you're confused)

Horses for courses.

PunkMistress said:

whistle said:

i would much rather think about some lovely bums.

hang on, you mean tramps, right?

i think i should do another British/American English thread.

or perhaps not.

That depends.

Have you ever sucked on a fag?

OOH! OOH!

Yesterday I gave a woman a few dollar bills in the parking lot of the supermarket. She had a little sign that said she had 3 children who were hungry. Maybe it was bullshit, but I had the couple bucks in my wallet and I am fortunate and blessed in my life so fuck it...

[Edited 9/22/10 19:23pm]

I know this one guy who is retired military, he begs for money and gets it. At the end of the day he gets in his truck that is parked 3 blocks away and goes home.

I don't give money to any of them... but I vastly prefer the honest signs... "Need money for beer" etc.

PunkMistress said:

whistle said:

you don't get that in England, at least not in my day.

in America, they're just drunks 99% of the time, are they not?

You're thinking of the bums.

They're different from the panhandlers.

Sometimes.

No, I think a lot of the time. Not just drunks, though, but homeless as well. There is a difference between being homeless, or extremely poor and panhandling for profit. The difference is pretty apparent here in the Bay Area. And often it's the people wearing hundreds of dollars of designer clothes and shoes who are MUCH more aggressive with their tactics. Like, it's not OK for you to have somebody stand inside watching how much change I get, walk outside and tell your partner before both of you harass me to give you money because you know I have it in my pocket. It's my money, fuck off. This has happened to me multiple times. I don't give anybody money anymore. If it legitimately looks like they need food I'll offer to buy them a sandwich, or whatever. Especially if there's kids with them. You'd be surprised how often they turn this down. Not always, but often.

shiloh66 said:

I don't give money to any of them... but I vastly prefer the honest signs... "Need money for beer" etc.

That used to be cute in the Bay Area, but now all the rude ass gutter punks do it so much that it's become annoying. Plus, they really don't look like they're using it for beer. More like heroin.

johnart said:

Yesterday I gave a woman a few dollar bills in the parking lot of the supermarket. She had a little sign that said she had 3 children who were hungry. Maybe it was bullshit, but I had the couple bucks in my wallet and I am fortunate and blessed in my life so fuck it...

If iyou feel comfortable about it that's really all that matters. Nobody REALLY knows what they do with the money after you've handed it over. But in the Bay Area there's an estimated 40,000 plus LEGITIMATELY homeless people. I guarantee you there's more than that panhandling, and not ALL homeless people panhandle. It used to just be something you'd see in certain neighborhoods of large cities. Now it's everywhere and it's worn a lot of people down. I'd rather give them some of my groceries, or buy them something. I just can't do the cash thing anymore.

A guy in my area had a sign that said "looking for a job" and it included his phone # and the type of profession he was looking for. It worked; someone offered him a job and he was able to get things back on track. It made national news.

Cerebus said:

johnart said:

Yesterday I gave a woman a few dollar bills in the parking lot of the supermarket. She had a little sign that said she had 3 children who were hungry. Maybe it was bullshit, but I had the couple bucks in my wallet and I am fortunate and blessed in my life so fuck it...

If iyou feel comfortable about it that's really all that matters. Nobody REALLY knows what they do with the money after you've handed it over. But in the Bay Area there's an estimated 40,000 plus LEGITIMATELY homeless people. I guarantee you there's more than that panhandling, and not ALL homeless people panhandle. It used to just be something you'd see in certain neighborhoods of large cities. Now it's everywhere and it's worn a lot of people down. I'd rather give them some of my groceries, or buy them something. I just can't do the cash thing anymore.

Oh I totally hear you on that.

I rather a woman falsely begging for supposedly hungry children swindle a few bucks out of me than me pass on someone who's legitimately in need. It's partly a selfish thing when you think about it, I guess. I want good karma. It's foolish sometimes but I can't help it.

JuliePurplehead said:

A guy in my area had a sign that said "looking for a job" and it included his phone # and the type of profession he was looking for. It worked; someone offered him a job and he was able to get things back on track. It made national news.

That's awesome.

johnart said:

Cerebus said:

If iyou feel comfortable about it that's really all that matters. Nobody REALLY knows what they do with the money after you've handed it over. But in the Bay Area there's an estimated 40,000 plus LEGITIMATELY homeless people. I guarantee you there's more than that panhandling, and not ALL homeless people panhandle. It used to just be something you'd see in certain neighborhoods of large cities. Now it's everywhere and it's worn a lot of people down. I'd rather give them some of my groceries, or buy them something. I just can't do the cash thing anymore.

Oh I totally hear you on that.

I rather a woman falsely begging for supposedly hungry children swindle a few bucks out of me than me pass on someone who's legitimately in need. It's partly a selfish thing when you think about it, I guess. I want good karma. It's foolish sometimes but I can't help it.

Pay it forward, brother. If that's the most foolish thing you do this month week, you're probably doin' alright! I'm not hatin' on good karma, either. I could use some myself.

[Edited 9/23/10 11:58am]

I had a woman ask me for money at a gas station the other day. She said she ran out of gas right there in the parking lot, her car was sitting there with a gas can on top. I gave her a couple bucks on the way into the gas station and my buddy gave her a couple bucks on the way out. As soon as she got the money from my friend she walked over to her car, started it and drove away. I guess she had received enough to go buy her drugs or something. That is the last time I give money to anybody.

Hmmm considering the pics below, it is quite obvious who is truly malnutritioned and in dire straits and need of our help!

[img:$uid]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v97/PanthaGirl/panhandlers-full.jpg[/img:$uid]

[img:$uid]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v97/PanthaGirl/africa_poverty-383x480.png[/img:$uid]

Thank you...That is all.

johnart said:

Yesterday I gave a woman a few dollar bills in the parking lot of the supermarket. She had a little sign that said she had 3 children who were hungry. Maybe it was bullshit, but I had the couple bucks in my wallet and I am fortunate and blessed in my life so fuck it...

That happened to Sweetie and me on Michigan Avenue last week. A guy standing outside the 900 Shops with his son. Sweetie gave him 5 bucks and said to me (out of earshot), "I wouldn't - but I just can't stand it when I see a kid involved... "

JuliePurplehead said:

A guy in my area had a sign that said "looking for a job" and it included his phone # and the type of profession he was looking for. It worked; someone offered him a job and he was able to get things back on track. It made national news.

there was a nice looking kid... well, he was in his 20's, out with a sign that said, "would rather have work" He looked like a nice guy who was just having a hard time finding a decent job so I gave him money and an iced tea cuz it was so hot out that day! Am I a sucker... Probably, but it made me feel good!

there was a report a while back about a guy in NYC who made a lot of $$$ by doing this. it was estimated he made somewhere in hundreds of thousands by the end of the year!!!

i might have to rethink my profession. LOL.

sometimes i wonder... if you have time to make these signs, don't you have time to fill out a job application??

i rarely give out money. but i'm known to stop whatever i'm doing and by someone a meal. that's one of the things i just can't stand in this world; seeing people hungry. i watched a man digging through trash for food next to a coffee shop full of people, and not a single person acknowledged him.

I've stopped giving money to folk who ask. I've been duped so many times and it pisses me the fuck off! Example: Guy has a bicyle and asks me for money so he can ride the metro. He said his bike was broken and he couldn't ride it and didn't have money for the train. I gave him a dollar. The next week, I saw him again. He approached me and asked me for money. I looked at him and said, "Oh. You've got a nice little hustle going on here. You gave me the same cock-and-bull story about that bike last week. You need to have a better memory, son! Step!" All he could do was slither away.

Another time this well-dressed woman approached me in my car while I was stopped at a traffic light. She said her car was broken down and she needed a few dollars to pay a tow truck. I gave her a dollar. The very next day at the very same traffice light, she approached me again. When she went into her spiel, I looked at her and said, "You got me with that story yesterday. You will not get me again, sistah!"

At the gas station. I'm pumping gas and this guy drives up next to me and asks me for $2. He said he's out of cash and gas and has to get to his mother's house to take her to the doctor. Dude is driving a black Charger and dressed nicely, so I figure he's just short a few bucks and just needs a hand. I gave him the deuce and dude peels rubber and hauls ass out of the gas station. Didn't pump ere gallon. After that I vowed, I"M DONE! I won't give nary a quarter!