Fact checking panhandlers

[RiverRat1]

A long time ago there was a woman in Austin at Braker Lane/I35. This lady had one leg amputated way up at the hip. Her sign read "I'm On My Last Leg". She always got a buck or two!



This past Saturday, we stopped at a gas station in Jarrell. When I got out of the car, I noticed a guy sitting on his front bumber at the row of gas pumps next to me. I went in the store and did my business. When I came back out the guy was still sitting on his car. Just as I was getting in my car he says, "Got any spare change for gas?". I was already half in my car, so I said to my wife, "That guy wants to know if you have any spare change for gas!". She reaches in her purse and pulls out a $20 bill. I asked her if she was crazy, and she just rolled her eyes and said "Give it to him!". I handed it to him and he acted like he was going to faint or something. He then went in the store. My wife was going in as I he was coming out. He thanked her profusely, then told her he was getting $10 worth of gas and going to eat in the restaurant next to the store. The guy seemed genuine (not like most of them), so we figured we helped him out. For all I know, he might have gone back in as soon as we left and bought beer???



For the most part, I agree with RiverRat1, that giving these folks money usually just perpetuates the problem, but for some reason, I also get the feeling that this guy really needed and appreciated the help. I usually never give a person on the street money. I give my money to the church and other places where I know it will go towards helping someone.

Bisch

To be clear I was talking about professional bums. Sounds like that guy wasn't asking every person for money with a made up speech. Maybe he was but in my mind someone who is broke but not begging/bugging/harassing for money is 100% different than the POS's making a living out of it.

[Bill]

Fact checking panhandlers

There was a guy in San Jose with a sign "Give me a dollar or I'll vote for Trump". In the highest income zip code in SJ we have multiple, large homeless camps.

On my 3d archery quiver I have a beads, leather and Texas star thing I gave a homeless guy $5 for in Austin 15 years ago. When I looked into his eyes it was almost that I could feel his shame that life had gotten to this point. It's a reminder of something my Dad said once when I was a kid and saw a guy panhandling.

"The difference between him and us is how many paychecks money I have in the bank saved for an emergency"


..... the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

[sir shovelhands]

Most frustrating one to me was I was at subway with two of my friends. As I wasn't hungry I didn't bring my wallet, so I was the only one without food. Some guy comes and, zeroes in on me and starts asking for money. I tell him I have none, assuming he'd just ask my friends... I get the "come on man, just a dollar". Finally after this back and forth for a minute I pull out my pockets to show there's nothing in them and tell him "I don't have a ****ing dime on me, now seriously, leave me alone". Now he starts saying "why you gotta be like that man, why you gotta be like that?"

He did not like my expletive/thread filled reply and got the hell out of dodge.

[Smart]

1990....Living in Austin, Texas working for Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf tournament at Barton Creek during the tournament in operations. My director and I had made a trip to get something for the setup and were at a stoplight when a guy had a sign that said "Out of work...Need Help." Director rolled down the window and told the guy he needed a laborer at the golf tournament for two weeks and he'd pay him $8/hour for 50-60 hours per week cash money. The guy looked at him and said, "no thanks....I can make more here on this corner in a day." I was just floored. Ever since that day, I do not give out cash to beggars, period....I have turned down many a folks at gas stations/restaurants that I ended up finding out later they were scammers due to repeat attempts with the same story. If they are hungry, I offer to buy them food. If they accept then I know they are somewhat legit and I helped. Other than that, I just tell them to move along. .

[Texifornia]

When they ask if I can spare some change, I reply with...I was just about to ask you the same thing.

[Bear82]

I saw a sign a couple weeks ago that said they needed money for Marijuana research. Nearly wanted to give him money for being somewhat honest.

[Chew]

After you pay the cashier at HEB hands you the receipt and says "You saved $17.50 today!" My wife doesn't like it when I say back..No, I'm pretty sure I just spend $147

I do the same thing. They say it like "if we keep up these crazy savings for our customers, we are gonna go out of business".

[Stoof]

I will not support anyone's alcohol or meth problem. But I do keep extra water, granola bars and fruit in the truck with me and will hand those out. I have gotten to know a few guy's and gal's that hang out on the intersections around my office by seeing them every day. They are genuinely mental cases and I feel bad for them.

[Playa]

I had a lady at walmart ask me for $80 once..no sob story...no sign...just straight up tell me she needed $80 and I was to give it to her...
After about 3-5 minutes of me telling her off..and letting her know how hard I work for my money, and what I do to support my family...my wife yanks on my collar and says 'will you just pay the cashier so we can leave?'

That made me laugh

[Hollywood]

I wish Austin would pass a law against panhandling, I personally don't like feeling guilty & being hassled at every intersection.
Had a coworker of mine stop to pick one up & get his help with laying a PVC water line one day years ago. He told him ( hop in & we will go get you something to eat ) the guy says ( naw man, I can't go with you, I'll lose my spot ) He was beyond PIZZed.
I later found out he had spent a few years strung out on drugs & homeless himself.

[Charles]

I don't give to individual panhandlers. If you feel the need to help donate your time, money to a Shelter or Church.

[Bisch]

I wish Austin would pass a law against panhandling, I personally don't like feeling guilty & being hassled at every intersection.
Had a coworker of mine stop to pick one up & get his help with laying a PVC water line one day years ago. He told him ( hop in & we will go get you something to eat ) the guy says ( naw man, I can't go with you, I'll lose my spot ) He was beyond PIZZed.
I later found out he had spent a few years strung out on drugs & homeless himself.

Why in the world would you feel guilty???? 99% of these guys on the street are just scamming you for drug/booze money!

Bisch

[sqiggy]

Ole Juan and Pedro both stood on different corners of the same street. Both holding signs needing money.
Now Juan lived in a big 2 story house, big beautiful yard, brand new car and truck in the driveway, all the latest big boy toys, well, you get the picture.
Pedro on the other hand, lived in a run down house, didn't keep grass in his yard cause he couldn't even afford a push mower and had one truck barely running.
So one day, Pedro asked Juan how he was getting so much money to have all the nice things. He said "Well, it's all in the sign"! Pedro said, "I have a sign too, but I don't get half of what you get. Why is that?"
Juan said, "Well, what does your sign say?''
Pedro says, "Me have big family and me no worky. Have kids to feed!"
"What does your sign say, Juan?''
Juan holds up his sign and it reads:
I need Ten more dollars to get back to Mexico!!!

[xman59]

one approached me next to a sonic a few years ago, I told him walk over there and I will buy you a meal,, "why not just give me the money ", I told him I do not give money , if your hungry I will feed you, he walked over and started ordering, but when he got to the large chocolate shake, I stopped him,,, you can have water ..... he started cussing me,, I let them bring his order out and then I cuffed him and he got to eat in jail.... I am so nice I even gave him a room to stay in with a real bed and toilet, !!!!!!!!

[crawdaddct]

Last time I visited Dallas, they had a lot of professional beggars/panhandlers everywhere. Guys working both sides of the street. In Houston, most the guys I come in contact with live down town and are really homeless. They sleep on the curb every night. I don't mind helping those guys, a lot of mental health issues going unaddressed in our country. Especially veterans.

I know they are going to buy beer or whatever, but all I can control is me. I do my part, what ever they do is on them. I told a guy one day I didn't have any cash. He responded I take visa or MasterCard. Cracked me up.

One day while I was leaving work a guy approaches me. He is like "why you got your head down, you have a job and are going home to a family. What I would not do to trade places for one day. You want to?" I said "no way dude im good." He said "Ok, well how about five dollars for some beer, wouldn't you want a beer if you were me?" I just laughed and gave him a five.