How do you handle street people asking for money?

[Dawico]

I yell stranger danger and draw my firearm when they start their approach.

I have not technically been asked in years because I beat them to the punch.

 

[Chili Palmer2]

I love the "DONT FEED THE ANIMALS" response. Someone needs to make a bumper/window sticker of this with a stick figure beggar with the red circle & slant line. The group that really gets to me are the young Hipsters that are too cool to work. I see them later at a hip coffee shop or Torchys while I'm working. If I saw one my kids doing this I think I would beat them to death with their cardboard sign, Torchy taco...……..

 

[diesel1959]

I love the "DONT FEED THE ANIMALS" response. Someone needs to make a bumper/window sticker of this with a stick figure beggar with the red circle & slant line. The group that really gets to me are the young Hipsters that are too cool to work. I see them later at a hip coffee shop or Torchys while I'm working. If I saw one my kids doing this I think I would beat them to death with their cardboard sign, Torchy taco...……..

I can't stand Torchy's. If there's no table service, then you're not getting my business. I'm willing to wait in line at a Whataburger, but I'm not gonna do it for my fix of Messican food. There are perfectly wonderful taquerias all over Houston, so PhuckTorchy'sTacos.

 

[Moonpie]

NO! Don't even ask.

 

[Chili Palmer2]

You do have to be on alert because when a homeless camp on our work property gets busted up, knives, needles and handguns are often found. Funny how they want us to be trusting of them but can't trust those that camp with them. I agree that a solution(s) needs to be found but nobody want a homeless shelter in their neighborhood nor do businesses want them in their areas. The city counsel will take in all the revenue they can but not address the problems they have created. It will always pain me when I see what has become of Austin, a child of Texas.

 

[Kar98]

Panhandling is hardly confined to Austin.

 

[Dad_Roman]

Why in the heck would I allow some mentally unstable person to just walk up to me? Some may find my actions rude.....don't care...my safety trumps their feelings..

Im the same way. Just say no.

BUT....if you approach mamma, my demeanor changes from 0-100 in one second and rude doesnt even began to describe what happens.

Decades ago there used to be what we called "beggars". Folks down on their luck askin for change on the corner etc. Nowadays its an organized business. I can show you at least one location in Houston that I visited when I was installing CATV. They had about 6 units at the storage building place with all the walls knocked out. Picnic tables to organize folks, room for about 50, signs hanging on all the walls (gimme money signs on cardboard) , and a cage for check in and check out with those little airport busses runnin folks in and out to their locations.

Ta hell with all that.

.

 

[pronstar]

We spent 5 years in Santa Cruz. That bastion of Liberal success has a massive homeless population. There wasn't anywhere in that beach "paradise" we didn't have to deal with aggressive panhandlers, bums and Greenpeace (actually, the GreenPeacers were some of the worst).

https://patch.com/california/santacruz/2017-homeless-census-shows-increase

The rule is simple: Don't feed the animals.


The more free stuff you provide, the more they will arrive and the worse it will get. I work in Austin, and the crap I see all over the place reminds me of why I don't live in a Liberal City. It's disgusting.

I avoid places with bums; but when I have to deal with one I try to stay polite, keep a safe distance, and just say "Sorry" and keep moving along. I am sorry that I can't help them.. but I simply can't.... I've seen what being "kind" does to a city.

One of the fun things you get to deal with when you support homelessness and drug addiction:
http://takebacksantacruz.org/needles-in-public-spaces/

Now, I think there should be help and facilities for people that want to get OFF the streets, get clean and get help for any mental issues they may have.. I have no sympathy for those that just want to live on the street and beg; that is their choice, and I won't support it.

Where I love (not on Austin) when I see beggars, I call the Police, an so far they've taken care of the problem in pretty short order.

Similar story, wife and I lived 5 houses from the sand in Belmont Shores (Long Beach).

Lots of folks I talk to don’t understand why we’d ever move from there. But we literally got tired of the panhandlers, bums and thieves.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[FireInTheWire]

I don't carry cash on me. Only plastic. So, I just say "Sorry I don't have any cash."

If they ask for food. I'll get them something. I don't mind buying someone a meal.

 

[Mowingmaniac 24/7]

"Get the hell away from me" said in a loud startling voice as they approach.

I worked in downtown Houston and did this a number of times, particularly when walking to "Treebeards Restaurant" as this area was rife with bums.....

Could I just possibly mis-understand their approach?

Don't care......and mostly likely I'm right and if not, still don't care....

I don't owe some smelly tramp an audience.

That's my response.

If some 'hobo/bum/beggar' looking shitbird is approaching my personal space they'll quickly know I not interested in their company.

For gawd's sake don't engage these zombies.

Some, may be interviewing you for a mugging.

One instance, a bud and I were walking to lunch and a beggar actually had the temerity to put his hand on my friends shoulder and demand 50 cents.

My bud, a most casper milqtoast, looking guy, small frame 150 lbss or so, hit the bum so fast and hard it was mind boggling. The bum crashed to the pavement and stayed there. We kept walking...

Turns out my friend was a boxing champ in college.

Until then, I never knew his boxing background as he is a quiet, rather introspective, glasses wearing, timid looking guy.

Not so.......

 

[Chili Palmer2]

If a person sincerely asks for food because he's hungry then lunch/dinner is on me at the nearby takeout place. I've heard some great life stories but it's still all about personal choices of that person, just not mine.

 

[ZX9RCAM]

When I see them walking up I grab my knife, hit the button, and start cleaning my fingernails.

 

[Mowingmaniac 24/7]

ZX9RCAM,

Great idea!

I like your approach.

I/the world, doesn't owe a bum a meal or anything else.

Few of these cretins are there because life screwed them over.

Though, given my hard view towards these sub-humans, I've given them money, (no, they don't get to ride with me, yuck, to a restaurant, screw that) but only when they don't try to put the bite on me.

I initiate my charity or they don't get any. You can see they're in need, (almost always due to their own life of bad, stupid decisions) but only when they don't ask, do I give......I absolutely detest beggars. They don't get the time of day from me.

But, my method of charity is so very odd......

So what, it's mine to give....or not....

 

[Byrd666]

IF they are honest, like the one guy I saw quite a few years ago that had a sign that read, "NEED BEER MONEY", I stopped and asked how much he had, and how much he needed, then donated appropriately. Even gave him a lift, him in the bed of the truck, to the corner store a mile or two up the road. Never saw him again.

Other than that, it's a simple head shake no, or a clearly stated "NO".

 

[Renegade]

Hell's Kitchen Refugee here, and on the street, the answer is always NO.

 

[Mowingmaniac 24/7]

Byrdd666,

Your story reminds of the time coming out of Spec's downtown with a drinking buddy.

We'd loaded up on booze.

As soon as we exited the door 2 other guys looked at us and said, "we'd like to get drunk too", but we're broke.

Their simultaneous declaration was so entertaining my bud and I said, c'mon, come into the store and we proceeded to buy them a case of beer.

We were delighted.

They were delighted!

It was good!

I think if memory serves, I was about 25 and filled with beer and vinegar....

 

[Orbie]

I don’t even allow them enough time to beg. Anyone that approaches me immediately receives, “NOT INTERESTED!” and I move away quickly. They get the point.

 

[BRD@66]

I've not been bothered often enough to have an S.O.P.
But my wife, left in the car at a Stop-&-Rob, at night, in a small W. TX town while I paid for the gas inside was approached by a man. She turned on the dome light & spin-checked the cylinder of a .38. He turned & left.

 

[bigwheel]

View attachment 163116

Thought I was the only one who kept that type of stuff on hand for pesky pan handlers. lol. I have bling sting. Got it for Christmas a few years ago. Prob need a new batch.

 

[MTA]