Do you give money to panhandlers?

Do you give money to panhandlers?

  • Yes

    Votes: 16 23.5%
  • No

    Votes: 51 75.0%
  • Yes but not in my own 'hood

    Votes: 2 2.9%
  • Yes but only in my own 'hood

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Yes but only fake money

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • No but I give them booze

    Votes: 1 1.5%

  • Total voters
    68
In my home town, back in the UK, there was a well known dude who used to hang around some of the subways (no, not the sandwich shops) and beg (or panhandle ) for spare change. At 5 o'clock, when his shift ended, he would go to the boozer (pub) with his takings and the pi$$ it all up a wall several hours later.

Here in NZ, in a McDonald's car park, a guy came up to asking for money. I said no, but offered to buy him some food, which he declined and said he would just take the money. I told him politely that he would not be taking any money that day

So no, never give to panhandlers.
 
In my home town, back in the UK, there was a well known dude who used to hang around some of the subways (no, not the sandwich shops) and beg (or panhandle ) for spare change. At 5 o'clock, when his shift ended, he would go to the boozer (pub) with his takings and the pi$$ it all up a wall several hours later.

Here in NZ, in a McDonald's car park, a guy came up to asking for money. I said no, but offered to buy him some food, which he declined and said he would just take the money. I told him politely that he would not be taking any money that day

So no, never give to panhandlers.

When I was slightly younger and less world weary, I used to give a dollar. I almost never got a thank you or any sign of gratitude. One day at a fast food restaurant, someone asked for a dollar for something to eat. I bought him a modest meal. After he finished, he came over and thanked me. I told him someday when you are able, return the favor to the next guy. That's the difference between someone who can be helped and someone who is beyond help.
 
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We give what we can to our church food bank and clothing barn. The donations go to local residents and families in need. I do not give to random people on the street. Years ago my wife and I were leaving the local mall after Christmas shopping and a guy had a kettle set up collecting money for homeless veterans. If you put money in the pot, he gave you a paper poppy. I threw in some money and took the poppy.

My wife said I shouldn't have given him anything because there were so many scammers around. I said he looked legit and he was set up in front of the mall. As we discussed it, a cop car pulled up and talked to the guy and stuck him into the back of the patrol car. My wife sure got her moment from that. I remember thinking, "Couldn't the cops have shown up 10 minutes later?"

That soured me on giving money out on the street.
 
In DC, probably 80% are fakes. One across from where I work had on 800 buck Nikes and a cell phone.!

I realized that 30+ years ago when I lived in DC. I worked in Georgetown and they would prey on the tourists. I just ignored them. But this "homeless" dude with new (at the time $200 Nike Jordans) and a portable Sony Watchman TV (about $300 at the time) asked me for money--my response was "for what? f**king batteries?"

The most successful one in South Florida sign said, "I just want to catch a buzz".
I was shocked at the number of people, who gave him a buck.

I laughed and gave money to a guy holding a sign that said "Need money for beer"--hey--at least he was honest.

I went out to get some breakfast tacos in the local gas station taqueria and this sorry looking dude was standing outside and said he ran out of gas and needs some money to get home.

A cop friend of mine relayed a story of one of those cons. Guy used to park his car at the side of the road just off of a busy interchange and beg for money for gas, because he ran out and his car wouldn't run--he just needed a few bucks so he could walk down to the station a block away and get a can of gas to go home. After seeing this a few times, he stopped, demanded the keys, started the car and looked at the gas gauge showing 3/4 tank of gas in it--BUSTED!
 
There was a guy who used to hang out at a shopping center near where I live. Trouble was this sap had a bad memory. He'd had some hard luck story (fake) and I turned him down a few times. The last time he approached me I said "I'll give you the same no as the last few times you bugged me now go away"
 
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Tubed....that's the funniest GD thing I've seen in a long while. Thanks for posting that. I laughed so hard I hurt my back:D DG
 
This afternoon I went to the Mexican grocery store for fresh tortillas and I also bought a big strawberry and coconut sweet roll. Outside I encountered a beggar and I cut the sweet roll in half and gave one half to the guy, who was fulsome in his thanks.

Call me Martin.
 
Many years ago, I was living in Morocco where it is acceptable to beg. I qualified those to whom I would give money—who entertained me or seemed least offensive. Then one night I was having dinner with some Germans working in the area, and we all shared our panhandler stories. We got to the guy who was in charge (of the Germans), and he said that he gave a dirham (something akin to a dollar or euro) to anyone who asked. Everyone was surprised. His response stays with me more than twenty years later: "How can I judge who does or does not deserve money? One dirham is nothing to me."

Anyone who asks or even begs for a handout has debased him/herself enough to merit one dollar from me. I will not ask whether (s)he deserves anything because I am not the one to judge who deserves a small donation more or less than any other.
 
A young girl, crying, approached me as I pumped gas into my truck. She said she and her friend needed to get to a neighboring town but were almost out of gas. I had a couple/three dollar bills so I handed them to her. She promptly got in her car and drove off, no gas pumped! :mad:

Next time I'll pay the cashier myself!:)
 
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