What do you do when homeless people approach you (in your car)?

[DeadlyDynasty]

I was stopped at a red in So. Miami earlier today and a homeless guy was walking down the row of cars with a change bucket. I watched as some people gave change, others pretended to be on a cellphone, and others were changing the radio station or trying to act preoccupied. I gave the guy a handful of change and he answered back with the usual "god bless you sir." Admittedly, I'm sometimes the other guy who pretends he's not there (especially if I run into the same person twice in one day). I became numb to them when I lived in D.C....New York Avenue was bum central (might still be for all I know), and I'd rarely give change. I no longer feel guilty or fulfilled by my decisions. How about yous?

[InRareForm]

I always try to give a water or bag of chips instead of money. They will probably just spend it on liqour. I usually have snacks in my car lol

[mrsmaalox]

If I have any change in my console I'll hand it over, if not, oh well, better luck next time.

[DeadlyDynasty]

I always try to give a water or bag of chips instead of money. They will probably just spend it on liqour. I usually have snacks in my car lol

I've never understood why people (not attacking you, personally) are condescending in their attitudes that "I'm not gonna give them money cause they'll just buy liquor or drugs with it." Shit, what other options are there but to drown your sorrows in the bottle? If they don't have a friend or family hook-up to get them back on their feet, then they're pretty much up shit's creek w/o a paddle.

[Frenzy]

I rarely give change. I no longer feel guilty or fulfilled by my decisions.
This.

Some bum hangs out at my local car wash. How can you not have change at a car wash?

[Viva Las Espuelas]

If the sign says they're hungry, I buy them food. That's pretty much all I do.

[AZLouis]

I shake my head no and they get the point or I tell them I will not give them any change.

My money goes to legitimate sources to help the underprivileged.

[BlackSwordsMan]

yell rape and finger my hiney

[CosmicCowboy]

Most of them aren't homeless. My office is downtown right in the middle of moocher central with several "hot" corners nearby.

There is a public parking lot under the freeway near these intersections. (My office is right at 10 and 35 Downtown) I watch these guys drive in, park, put on their "scruffy" clothes and then "go to work". I don't give any of them shit. I do, however, make regular donations to the Salvation Army which is the most effective organization in the country dealing with the homeless despite not getting a penny from the government.

[SA210]

I'll give a few bucks if I can.

[CosmicCowboy]

Oh, and if you want to get rid of them just pull out a camera. It works every time. They will hide their faces and run...

[SourCandy]

Oh, and if you want to get rid of them just pull out a camera. It works every time. They will hide their faces and run...

I read bumming for money can earn you 100$-150$ for a 8hr day.

[YoungB]

I read bumming for money can earn you 100$-150$ for a 8hr day.

I read that the most successful panhandlers earn six figure salaries, no joke.

[CosmicCowboy]

I read bumming for money can earn you 100$-150$ for a 8hr day.

I'd say that's on the low end, and it's all CASH. They also typically are getting checks/lone star card, etc. from the government because they are "low income".

[Glenn Holland]

fucking pathetic. these people are ripping you off even worse than the crooked educators in this society.

[slacker77]

You know what's the worst time for a homeless guy to ask you if you have any change?..When you're on your way to the coinstar..

[Glenn Holland]

<3 coinstar

[BRHornet45]

sons I usually keep a few random job applications in my car for places who are ALWAYS hiring like McDonalds, Burger King, construction companies, car washes, etc. and I will hand that to them along with a dollar.

[koriwhat]

fuck 'em!

[Chachachango]

I tell them to do the macarena or the chicken dance for me then I give them fifty cents. Most of the time I just drive off.

[DeadlyDynasty]

Oh, and if you want to get rid of them just pull out a camera. It works every time. They will hide their faces and run...

:lmao

This is the first time a post has legitimately made me lol on ST in over a month. You have a go-to defense against bums? That is f'ing priceless :rollin

[ChuckD]

This.

Some bum hangs out at my local car wash. How can you not have change at a car wash?

Strangely enough, both the stall car washes that I use, in completely different parts of town, have tokens. Now if he wants one to run through the stall and give himself a hobo shower, I'd give him a token or two.

[Fpoonsie]

Shoot on sight.

[baseline bum]

I have seen panhandlers driving new Benz's. I have also seen panhandlers that have pimps who take the collected money. When you see a homeless person who isn't mentally ill, you're often looking at a faker.

[YoungB]

I can't seem to find the article but there was one a couple years back about guys who would park their Mercedes around the corner and fake as you just said, and earned well over 100,000 per year. It's crazy.

[The Reckoning]

one time i gave a crackhead .75 in downtown corpus at a stoplight, and she started pounding on my window because she wanted 5 fucking dollars.

last time ive ever given money to a homeless person. i live in austin now, and i dont even acknowledge the worthless piece of shits who have dogs to lure in people. i feel bad for the dogs. i even had a dude ask me to buy him a beer because he was having jitters from coming down.

if you dont give them money, they start insulting you or taunting you about your girl, etc.

[KapitanTutan]

i tell them to go away

[Creepn]

This is what you do, it works. When pulling up to a stop light, stop about 2 or 3 car lengths behind a car. The homeless man has to walk a ways to your car and hopefully the light will turn green by the time he gets to your hood. If the light is still red and he is getting close to your window, start driving up to the car in front of you so you can pass him up. 9 times out of 10, he doesn't double back, he just goes to the next car. BOOYA!

[Moocher]

I hate people who....nevermind.

[scampers]

There's no guarantee I'm not giving money to one of the Mercedes guys, so they get jack from me. The Salvy gets all of my donations, clothing, etc. I usually just ignore them. I did have one guy start pounding on my window and yelling, so I brought my cell phone up like I was taking a video. Like some other person here said, he just took off.

[symple19]

If approached on the street or in my car, I'm an asshole to them, every time. I never give handouts.

My special christmas wish is that every bum on earth be thrown into a giant hole, doused with gasoline, and set on fire. It should be a televised event

[Satan]

fuck 'em!

+1 Love this thread!

[Das Texan]

I think I"m going to start handing out the address for Haven for Hope, a bus schedule and bus pass.

[ChuckD]

Most of them aren't homeless. My office is downtown right in the middle of moocher central with several "hot" corners nearby.

There is a public parking lot under the freeway near these intersections. (My office is right at 10 and 35 Downtown) I watch these guys drive in, park, put on their "scruffy" clothes and then "go to work". I don't give any of them shit. I do, however, make regular donations to the Salvation Army which is the most effective organization in the country dealing with the homeless despite not getting a penny from the government.


Oh, and if you want to get rid of them just pull out a camera. It works every time. They will hide their faces and run...

Why are you so anti-Capitalist?

[TDMVPDPOY]

I read bumming for money can earn you 100$-150$ for a 8hr day.

tax free cash in hard

then there are a few who cant get onto welfare or too good for that shit, so they go begging or play someshit on the street to earn easy money...

if you goto asia, some of these beggers work in groups and pay their pimp/boss to operate on the corner or buzy street...you see them come in vans and shit, its all organized and shit.

sourcandy...when can i tap that? :wakeup

[mrsmaalox]

one time i gave a crackhead .75 in downtown corpus at a stoplight, and she started pounding on my window because she wanted 5 fucking dollars.

last time ive ever given money to a homeless person. i live in austin now, and i dont even acknowledge the worthless piece of shits who have dogs to lure in people. i feel bad for the dogs. i even had a dude ask me to buy him a beer because he was having jitters from coming down.

if you dont give them money, they start insulting you or taunting you about your girl, etc.

They must pull that shit with guys only, because in all the cities I've lived and as many times I've waved them off, not one has ever persisted or become indignant with me. But yea, if it ever does happen, it'll be the last time any one will recieve change from me or my kids; and my kids are a pretty easy mark for those guys.

[Bukefal]

There are a lot of Gypsy's in the Balkans who send their little children to beg on the streets all day at traffic lights and restaurants for example. I used to give them something from time to time, but once someone on the streets asked me for money and I gave it to him and after that there was a phone ringing and next thing I see is the begger pulling a f*cking blackberry out of his jacket. Since then I don't give anymore.

They start to get more and more rude every year. They come to your car and start washing it before you even got the time to tell him if you want it or not and then they ask for money because they washed your car. But you did not want them to wash the car in the first place.

Now I usually just tell them to go away and not touch the car. Many times they still touch it and start washing the windshield. So I turn my wipers on, then they go away.

[DMC]

I read that the most successful panhandlers earn six figure salaries, no joke.
They are called politicians.

If I saw a beggar approaching me IN MY CAR I would probably wonder how they hell they got my car.

[YoungB]

sourcandy...when can i tap that? :wakeup

How mature :rolleyes

[Bender]

I thought I read somewhere recently that san antonio was considering some kind law regarding the panhandlers hanging out on busy intersections...

[Dr. Gonzo]

I laugh at them and the burn a $20 right in front of them.

[KapitanTutan]

My special christmas wish is that every bum on earth be thrown into a giant hole, doused with gasoline, and set on fire. It should be a televised event

you know you'd go straight to hell when you die right?

[Satan]

you know you'd go straight to hell when you die right?

From what I've read in this thread many are already on their way. :tu

[silverblk mystix]

Lived in Hollywood for many years and hollywood,ca. is the homeless capital of the usa...

So I am pretty hardened to all the tricks, scams, guilt-trips that they will use.

Having said that, it isn't about the homeless guy as it is about me...or you..or any poster here.

If you examine this...it comes down to why or why not we are giving or not giving...giving to assuage our guilt?...giving to make OURSELVES feel better?
not giving and justifying why we don't give? not giving and recounting some bad experience with a professional scammer to justify it again?

It is really all about you and I.


After all of that...I sometimes give for no reason at all...and I sometimes DON'T give for no reason at all. Not from guilt...not from some superior attitude...etc...

and when I DO give...I just randomly do it...and I tell myself that I am no better for having done it--and no worse...

When I am pressed by an aggressive panhandler...I just look at him straight in the eye and I say, ``I DON'T GIVE MONEY AWAY!''

If he persists...I just repeat it again and again.

[Soul_Patch]

I have lately taken to ignoring these folks. I was in Las Vegas a few years back at a stop light on Tropicana going over that bridge toward the strip. Had a guy panhandling with a freaking blackberry on his belt. I laughed my ass off at that one.

Usually i have my son with me, and id rather not risk leaving he window and/or door open at an intersection. I'd hate to have to murder a bum that was trying to commandeer my car with my son in the back.

[Cry Havoc]

I have lately taken to ignoring these folks. I was in Las Vegas a few years back at a stop light on Tropicana going over that bridge toward the strip. Had a guy panhandling with a freaking blackberry on his belt. I laughed my ass off at that one.

Usually i have my son with me, and id rather not risk leaving he window and/or door open at an intersection. I'd hate to have to murder a bum that was trying to commandeer my car with my son in the back.

A lot of homeless people are getting cell phones now, actually. It allows them to be contacted if they ever apply for a job, and if they do have any family, it allows for the minimum of communications. Don't know how they afford it, but I read it online a couple years ago that it's an increasing phenomenon.

[JoeChalupa]

If it is a new face I am more likely to give but if it is the same face I see every time I'm at the same corner I don't.

[howbouthemspurs]

You see, what you do is motion him to come over to your car and very slowly open the window while staring into his eyes with no emotion at all. When he gets closer, hand him the the burger king cup that has been sitting in the cup holder for the past couple of days and then grab your water gun that you filled with Dr pepper this morning and spray him in the face and then drive off. Remember to time the stop light correctly or the panhandler might try to get into your car and kill you.

[ididnotnothat]

I just look straight ahead.

[hater]

this is me when this situation arises

d1JBrdbsVm0

[bus driver]

i have my own money problems and cant worry about helping out other people's money problems.
shit I cant even get fin aid :bang :bang
more loans :pctoss :pctoss

[Blake]

You see, what you do is motion him to come over to your car and very slowly open the window while staring into his eyes with no emotion at all. When he gets closer, hand him the the burger king cup that has been sitting in the cup holder for the past couple of days and then grab your water gun that you filled with Dr pepper this morning and spray him in the face and then drive off. Remember to time the stop light correctly or the panhandler might try to get into your car and kill you.

instead of DP, next time try something scented like old pickle juice. It'll give him something to smell as he drives off in his mercedes at the end of the day.

[Blake]

i have my own money problems and cant worry about helping out other people's money problems.
shit I cant even get fin aid :bang :bang
more loans :pctoss :pctoss

I've heard that approaching people in their cars can make you anywhere from $100-$150 or more per day.

[bus driver]

I've heard that approaching people in their cars can make you anywhere from $100-$150 or more per day.

good point....on my way to scope out a corner

[Soul_Patch]

A lot of homeless people are getting cell phones now, actually. It allows them to be contacted if they ever apply for a job, and if they do have any family, it allows for the minimum of communications. Don't know how they afford it, but I read it online a couple years ago that it's an increasing phenomenon.

Big difference in a cell phone and a Blackberry (back when they were still 200+ dollars, with the data plan and what not...

Hell, we (wife and i) make above average money and i canceled my smart phone because i thought it was too expensive. Maybe i should be the one with my donation cup...then i could afford a blackberry!

[RandomGuy]

Most of them aren't homeless. My office is downtown right in the middle of moocher central with several "hot" corners nearby.

There is a public parking lot under the freeway near these intersections. (My office is right at 10 and 35 Downtown) I watch these guys drive in, park, put on their "scruffy" clothes and then "go to work". I don't give any of them shit. I do, however, make regular donations to the Salvation Army which is the most effective organization in the country dealing with the homeless despite not getting a penny from the government.

Yup. My wife has also witnessed this at one point.

There might be some genuine need there, but even so, you can go someplace to get help.

I think of people at these corners to be the RW version of the scammers that hawk diet pills through spam emails.

[DarkReign]

A lot of homeless people are getting cell phones now, actually. It allows them to be contacted if they ever apply for a job, and if they do have any family, it allows for the minimum of communications. Don't know how they afford it, but I read it online a couple years ago that it's an increasing phenomenon.

Apparently, cellphones and data plans are now provided by government assistance.

I wouldnt believe it if I hadnt seen it with my own eyes, but yeah, that could be why bums have cellphones. Because we the taxpayer pay for them to have it.

Guy I work with, his brother died and his brother's wife is a degenerate with 2 kids. The guy I work with did the right thing and took the kids in after their father's death. Stand up move, I say.

As it were, turns out everything is basically free for these kids so long as you do not adopt them. The oldest is 17, gets a check every month from the government (father's SS and her own), a new car w/paid insurance, a cellphone, a separate check to his custodians for food and shelter and free university education basically anywhere she wants to go in state.

All at taxpayers expense.

[Viva Las Espuelas]

As it were, turns out everything is basically free for these kids so long as you do not adopt them. The oldest is 17, gets a check every month from the government (father's SS and her own), a new car w/paid insurance, a cellphone, a separate check to his custodians for food and shelter and free university education basically anywhere she wants to go in state.

All at taxpayers expense.
What?! Are you serious?

[mrsmaalox]

A lot of homeless people are getting cell phones now, actually. It allows them to be contacted if they ever apply for a job, and if they do have any family, it allows for the minimum of communications. Don't know how they afford it, but I read it online a couple years ago that it's an increasing phenomenon.

Well the Tracfone site lists at least 6 phones for under $25, and most include a free air time card for up to 60 min. The cards are sold anywhere for about $25 also. Pretty cheap.

[CosmicCowboy]

What?! Are you serious?

He's in Michigan but it's basically the same in Texas except for the new car...even if you adopt them...

[brock_lobster]

Normally, I just turn up the jazz on my stereo system and ignore them. That simple.

[symple19]

you know you'd go straight to hell when you die right?

God is dead

and no one cares

if there is a hell

i'll see you there

[Nathan Explosion]

I don't carry cash so I never have any change. It sucks when I have food in the car and they ask, but 99% of the time, I'm taking food back to my kids. As sorry as I can feel for some of them, I'm going to feed my kids before I feed myself, let alone someone on the street.

[jack sommerset]

I give them some money if I have some on me. I really don't see many homeless people. Occasionally I will have someone walk up to me at a gas station and tell me he/she ran out of gas and they are trying to get home to see their parents. They have driven 800 miles so they can spend some time with their dying mother. As bad luck would have it they were jacked about 300 miles earlier while on the way to the hospital where the doctor said he/she needs to get there as fast as possible. They don't know how long she will have to hold on. So of course I give them some money. That shit can happen to anyone.