Panhandling

Esper

Esper

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    Panhandling is when people ask for money in the street. There are other terms: begging, "aggressive" panhandling, and so on. Sometimes it is done with signs or by individuals actively asking passersby for money. It can also include, depending on your definition, some forms of street performance.

    What do you think of it? Is it appropriate for people to ask for money in public? Should there be restrictions on how or when it can be done? What are your feelings when you see someone doing this?
     
    I don't think it's inappropriate in itself - it's part of people doing "whatever they want". Most panhandlers don't harass anyways, so there's nothing wrong with that either. I haven't given any money to them, and they haven't hurt me or scared me, so our relationship is pretty good. It really boils down to a case-by-case, because sometimes the person who's panhandling is really pushy or the person being panhandled is really acquiescent. Where I live I don't see too much of it where it does happen so it isn't really interrupting economic activity so that's good... but as long as they're not getting in the way of people I'm fine with it.
     
    I've seen many people in San Antonio (where I used to live) dress up as homeless people and ask for money even though they weren't homeless. This is all they did each and every day, from sun up to sun down. My mother once commented on it, seeing those people generally get about $5-10 per minute, calculate that to an hour, and to ten hours per day, seven days per week, for an entire year. She said that, if push came to shove, she'd quit her job and start doing that instead - since she'd quickly get rich on it.


    I love it when people show their talents on the street - playing music, doing puppet shows, etc. But it's those people that fake being homeless and get rich off of it that disgust. Then again, I can't blame them: society made them this way, doing whatever they can to get money.
     
    Where I've been most people ignore panhandlers so it seems really unlikely that they could make much money doing it. Granted, I don't stand around and take notes on how much they're taking in, but I don't think it could be all that much.

    I gave $5 to a man standing on the corner with a cardboard sign this morning (hence my reason for making the thread) and he seemed a little confused at first like he didn't really believe me or was surprised by it. That, to me, says that he's not used to getting money. Could have been a scam, but then I'm just out $5. Seems like a small loss compared to the possibility that I was helping someone who may have really needed it.
     
    Scarf said:
    Where I've been most people ignore panhandlers so it seems really unlikely that they could make much money doing it. Granted, I don't stand around and take notes on how much they're taking in, but I don't think it could be all that much.

    I gave $5 to a man standing on the corner with a cardboard sign this morning (hence my reason for making the thread) and he seemed a little confused at first like he didn't really believe me or was surprised by it. That, to me, says that he's not used to getting money. Could have been a scam, but then I'm just out $5. Seems like a small loss compared to the possibility that I was helping someone who may have really needed it.
    Click to expand...

    Maybe so, maybe not. A lot of guys outside the mall my dad works at tend to panhandle him for a cigarette. They are homeless guys who he often overhears bragging about how they make almost $200 a day. I don't give my money to people on the street, I give my money to those I know are struggling, or to charities like Children in Need.

    In Italy homwless men disguize themselves as old grandmothers with a hood over their face and looking down walking with a cane so you don't notice they are actually healthy guys. It's such a con.

    In grade 11 religion class we needed to listen to some homeless girl's story and I had absolutely no pity on her because she was on the streets due to her own stubbornness, pride, and stupidity. Not to mention selfishness (chucking a child to her parents to look after while she ran away to Toronto to have escapades with men.)

    Not all homeless are like that, but those are some of the reasons I don't give to beggars on the street.
     
    The people doing that are the people I have no sympathy for. They're not doing anything to get out of that situation but begging for some help from other people. I don't have a problem with helping out people - even strangers, I think that's beautiful - but the people I've seen do that around where I live don't show any ambition or effort at improving their lives, so I'm not going to help them if they can't help themselves. The people who are living in homeless shelters working their asses off at full time jobs pulling overtime as much as they can to get out of that place and in a happy point in their lives are the people who deserve my charity.
     
    I will happily donate my spare change to street performers.
    But I've had knives pulled on me more than once for not having any spare change by seemingly homeless panhandlers.
    I've also been stabbed once, luckily my attempts at dodging the blade saved me serious injury. I tend to pseudo-stereotype people based on what clothing they wear, it's accurate to a degree. I instantly don't trust anyone wearing a brown jumper with junners, for reasons above.

    By the way if someone has a knife, get the **** out of there! It's not worth defending yourself and bleeding out on the street, I've made that mistake.
     
    Fakers panhandling. The thought alone would make anyone mad. It makes me mad because it not only causes people to distrust anyone or everyone on the street, but it also robs the actual homeless of any spare change they could have used. Some could be disabled and may have that as their only source of income, yet the panhandlers faking an injury as well as apathy from the people will screw him over.

    If anyone asks nicely, I can usually spare a few coins. It's a case-by-case scenario, and it's always hard to tell if the person is being honest. We can't trust our own judgment sometimes.
     
    There's a big problem with "fake panhandling" in Grand Rapids, where I live. Several news stations have done reports on it and a radio station host stood next to a guy who had a sign claiming to be a homeless vet (he was neither) with a sign that said "THIS GUY IS LYING." I also recall some bigger name publication making a stink about people in GR being "anti-panhandling" without knowing crap about the issue, which really ticked me off.

    I think panhandling is fine so long as people aren't aggressive about it and they don't make claims that are outright untrue.
     
    In Seattle, if they are panhandling, then they do not need the money. We have organizations that actually take the money they get in donations and buy food, clothing, and provide shelter to people in need. It's widely known here that if you do want to help someone, give the money to one of our local charities, not the person on the streets.

    We also have a culture of buskers, people who perform on the sidewalk for donations, they at least provide something in exchange and often sell CDs or DVDs of their talents as well. They are also some of the coolest people you'll meet on the streets and most are not homeless, it's just a way for them to try to make their artistic talents profitable.

    Most of those begging on the streets are either looking for drug money, or not in need at all. Not to say that other cities are the same, FYI, some cities probably do leave their needy to the streets to beg for scraps. Seattle may suck as a whole, but at least we do care for the needy well.
     
    There are a number of panhandlers in Florida. However, they've never harassed me, except for one case:

    I was in a McDonald's, walking outside to my car.

    "Hey, man. Lemme get a dollar."
    "Sorry, bro. I haven't any money."
    "C'mon, man. I saw you buy that."
    "I don't have any to spare."
    "Tch. Lemme get that burger then."
    "No, I'm eating this."
    "C'mon, I'm hungry."
    "I said no."
    "Man, f--- you!" Then he proceeded to stab me with his sharpened nail on his thumb.

    Then he took my burger.


    Other than that, I've had a generally positive experience with them. Need a favor? Find a panhandler. Most of them want to work, so they'd be more than happy to do some odd job for a meal or something.

    And, I've also had an ex-homeless buy me a phone and a meal since I gave him about $40 over the course of a couple years. He had gotten a job and a home and all. So, he thanked me back.
     
    Around here, there are people who pretend to be broke in order to get money. Sometimes they're stupid enough to ask the same person more than once, using the same story (i.e. no money for gas), in the same place. That itself is just obnoxious. If you legitimately are in a bad place and you need the money, then I think that it's fine for them to ask for help. However, if it's purely laziness, then no.
    As for giving people like that money, the way I see it, though, either you're going to waste $5, or you're going to pay for a meal for someone who needs it. If the person legitimately seems like they need it, then I'd say that the benefit outweighs the risk.
     
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