Arts & Humanities Hobos asking for money

[muttweed]

There isn't a time I can walk around in the city (Melbourne) without coming across a homeless man/woman asking for some change.

I am an emotional and sensitive sucker that gives in every time. I feel good doing it and wouldn't be able to deal with the guilt afterwards. A dollar or two is huge for them, and why not give some spare change to make the world a better place.

I don't like seeing people rejecting the homeless, but then again they have their reasons.

Thoughts on the topic? Would you give some change or not?

 

[J_Moore]

I do sometimes, but one shouldn't.

 

[cramdogs]

I think I'm a heartless bastard.

The problem for me is sometimes its hard to know if they truely do need the money for a feed, or if it goes straight into ciggies, grog or just a bum getting a small day's income to top up his dole payments. I hate being jibbed. But if I knew thye seriously needed a few dollars to get by I'd be much more giving.

Overseas there are a lot more. I've been targeted many times as a tourist.

 

[Doctor Feel]

Never. It can cause far more trouble than it's worth. If I wanted to give a hobo something, it would be time in the form of working at a shelter or something more constructive like that. Alas, I will never do that either however.

 

[Igloo]

I think I'm a heartless bastard.

The problem for me is sometimes its hard to know if they truely do need the money for a feed, or if it goes straight into ciggies, grog or just a bum getting a small day's income to top up his dole payments. I hate being jibbed. But I knew thye seriously needed a few dollars to get by I'd be much more giving.

Im the same.

I used to, sometimes, but not after I gave one $2 because he said he needed to catch the bus, and it was the only coin I had. Then 5 mins later I saw him walk out of maccas with a cheeseburger.

Never again.

 

[xXJawsaXx]

What cramdogs said basically, it also depends on the manner in which they do it, I mean if they are pestering me there is no way I will give them anything, although I do give money to the various buskers around the city, because I am a musician myself, and I am a sucker for those kinds of people... Unless they are god awful of course

 

[muttweed]

Yeah, if they're not going to put it to good use that's the only way I won't do it.

I was in Sydney and I saw a man sitting in front of a window, his clothes ripped, beard soaked in his slobber and the most dirty feet I've ever seen. I would have given him some $ if it weren't for him having a pack of Horizon Purple 50s in hand, smoking his ass off and holding his ripped fedora hat out expecting people to throw him some change. Had no pity for him.

I saw a homeless man in front of Maccas being harassed by some teenage boys. I pissed them off and got him a Happy Meal. Felt so good.

 

[WCErevival]

I dont understand how you can get to the point of living like that in Australia.

 

[red+black]

You could always acquiesce then get bashed:

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/br...-food-for-beggar/story-e6frf7jx-1226239802267

I always have my guard up if anyone ever approaches me, I'm ready to throw down. Anyone asking for a cigarette is likely to want to mug or bash me, so I keep that in mind. Luckily not many people ever approach me cos I give the stray dogs a menacing look before they get the chance. And I try to keep out of harm's way, watch where I walk.

To me, it's a fine line between a beggar who needs food or money and someone who could potentially assault me.

 

[prankmonkey]

i'd rather give them food or something of substance rather than money. who knows what they would do with the money. plus professional begging is on the rise

 

[xXJawsaXx]

i'd rather give them food or something of substance rather than money. who knows what they would do with the money. plus professional begging is on the rise

Oh god, why don't people just get a real job? Although that did remind me of the Simpsons episode where Homer pretends to be a hobo so he can get money

 

[cramdogs]

If anyone has been to the Eiffel tower in Paris, whilst crowds of people line up for hours in a long queue, in amoungst the people there are these women who, without speaking, hand you a piece of paper with a message written in english. It essentally spells out a sad story of their life and in desperation requests money.

Not only are they trying to get some cash, but as you're reading the message, diverts your attention to be more susceptible to be pick-pocketed by someone working with them.

After a second women come up with the exact same message, I told her about her other friend said no very quickly.

 

[Underdog]

If I have loose change in my pocket I will.

Whether they buy a cheeseburger or beer doesn't concern me. Hell, if I was in their position I'd do the same.

 

[Happy_Neale]

I once had someone ask me for money, then when I said I didn't have any asked me to come up to his apartment and help fix his iPod.

Freaked me out good.

 

[muttweed]

I once had someone ask me for money, then when I said I didn't have any asked me to come up to his apartment and help fix his iPod.

Freaked me out good.

What the ****? He was probably going to assault you, iPod my ass.

What did you do?

 

[standingroomonly]

Tell them to get ****ed. Undeserving junkie pieces of shit. Give Your spare change to a busker who is at least making an attempt to contribute to society.

 

[muttweed]

Tell them to get ****ed. Undeserving junkie pieces of shit. Give Your spare change to a busker who is at least making an attempt to contribute to society.

What if they can't afford a guitar etc?

Then again, they could just pull a Mr Bean.

 

[Total_Juddshanks]

There's a great quote from Hannibal, when a bum is asked if she will use the money to buy food, and her response is "No, I'll buy booze. I can find food. Can't find booze"

Put simply, you can survive on the minimum social security payments here. Not live well, but you can scrape by. What you can't do, is drink, smoke and do drugs, which is basically the only reason people cant make it through to dole day

if you want to exercise pity, go to a third world country where people, through no fault or frailty of their own, can starve to death.

What you

 

[Eagle Empire]

The last time I gave a beggar some money was many months ago. I saw him early during the next day, vomiting on the sidewalk.

On one occasion, a man near a busy train station, not homeless, asked me for money to buy a train ticket. I asked him to show me what money he had. He gave it to me after I offered to purchase the ticket for him myself and he was genuinely appreciative.

Most beggars on the street claim they need money for short-term accommodation.

 

[CrippsonBlue]

I once had someone ask me for money, then when I said I didn't have any asked me to come up to his apartment and help fix his iPod

Was waiting at a bus stop to go to uni once and had a guy ask me to go back to his place and piss in a bottle for $100.

He was trying to get a job in the mines apparently and wasn't confident of passing a drug test.

I'd like to say my reaction was similar to yours, but truth is I scored a free ride to uni, a few smokes for my troubles, and my wallet was a couple notes heavier.

 

[Eagle Empire]

i'd rather give them food or something of substance rather than money. who knows what they would do with the money. plus professional begging is on the rise

[youtube]WKlh_NsvyJ4[/youtube]

 

[richskee]

I dont understand how you can get to the point of living like that in Australia.

Quite easily I imagine. All it takes is a up bringing in the flats with a couple of smacked up oldies for parents and your halfway there.

 

[Asgardian]

Give money to a hobo asking for it, no way in hell

 

[TheStinger]

Professional begging is quite the thing in Europe. In Berlin, go anywhere near the TV Tower in Alexanderplatz and you will be approached by an Armenian (I think) woman with child in tow (sometimes a couple of them) and a piece of paper. On one side their pitch is written in German and on the other side it is English. I am sure they have other cards for other languages as well.

I was told to ignore them as they are part of a "gang" and a lot of the money goes back to the higher ups in the gypsy group and the people you give the money to receive very little of it.

And then on about my third day in Berlin I was in the train station at Alexanderplatz and saw one woman standing in front of about ten other gypsy's and all the children, yelling at them in Armenian. I must have been standing watching them for a fair bit while I was waiting to get served at the tuck shop I was at, because the person behind me said something in German to me.

I turned around and said Ich kein sprechen sie deutsch. Either I got it wrong or she understood me, because she switched to English anyway and said "I think they are in trouble. Not making enough money."

I said yeah and shook my head. I said "is that why Germans don't give them any money? Because they are scammers?" He said absolutely.

Hey when in Rome (or Berlin) do as the locals do.

 

[sabre_ac]

Never, I don't presume all the money they get goes to drugs, but I do presume a charity is going to spend the money more wisely.

I donate money to red cross pretty regularly, probably could do it a bit more though