Homeless People w/ Signs

[Warhammer]

So I was driving on the highway and turned off on an exit ramp. I see this homeless guy with a sign. There was this truck in front of me at a red light and if I would have driven all the way up behind him, the homeless guy would have been right next to my window. So I made sure to stop far enough behind the truck so the homeless guy was out of my sight. As I did this, the homeless guy started walking toward my car then just tried to let the other people behind me see his sign. I was so focused on not making eye contact with this guy that I didn't even get to read his sign.

In my head, I thought two things:

- Should I give this man a couple dollars only to have that lingering assumption in the back of my head that he'd just go and buy a 40 instead of actually buying food?
- Damn, I feel bad and guilty because I am treating this guy like he doesn't even exist...

I've heard stories about people's encounters with homeless people. Sometimes, these homeless people truly are grateful for the money they received. I heard from my friend's sister that one time, she gave a homeless man a meal from McDonald's and he threw it back at her and cursed at her because he wanted money instead (obviously, to buy a 40 or some drugs). Whenever I see homeless people on the street, I sometimes think that I wish I was so rich that I could literally pick him up and help him get back on his feet.

What sucks is that you don't really know why these people were homeless to begin with. For example, I volunteered at a homeless shelter one time and I discovered a tragic situation: some people became homeless because they were in so much debt from education, they couldn't pay it all back. Some people are homeless due to poor decisions they made in their lives (which can range from so many things like gambling, etc). Some homeless people are junkies. Homeless people and why they are homeless to begin with is a mixed bag.

Pretty much, my question is this:

- How do you all feel about homeless people on the sides of roads and highways begging for money?
- Have you ever given these people money or food?

And about certain homeless people with funny signs or jokes, remember what Chris Rock said. "If a homeless person has a funny sign, he hasn't been homeless that long. A REAL homeless person is too hungry to be funny."

 

[Thebumwhowalks]

It's simple for me, I don't give them money for those very same reasons(drugs, booze), I only buy them food.
I don't drive, but wouldn't give them money in that situation, as i would have to give them money, if i had food in the car i'd give them that.
If they need money for bus fare etc, i pay them on the bus or buy a ticket for them.
but sometimes that is a bad idea as they will spend other money they get on drugs instead of a bus/train ticket.

and as for the Chris Rock quote, that is just a glib comment, not some profound truth, people use humour to keep themselves sane when they are going through desperate times that could drive them crazy, I have found it invaluable myself. What it sounds like is that Chis Rock does not have a frickin clue what it's like to almost go crazy due to desperate circumsatnces in his life, and so can sit back in perfect health and make glib comments about others he has no real insight into.

 

[terry78]

My question is, where the hell did they get the money to buy a sharpie to make the sign?

 

[Schlosser85]

My ex has the rule that he will only buy them food, not money, because you never know whether the money will go to food or drugs.

 

[Morg]

some of those 'homeless' can be pros, heck one reporter caught a homeless driving away in a beemer! Seen a few so call homeless around here and when I point out he could make some bucks picking up the pop cans he gave me the finger. Past couple years he still has the same sign and only pops up around holidays time
Seen plenty of 'homeless' in Vegas and oddly enough they all have cell phone so they can be alerted when the cops pop up
Only place I give money are shelters and such, never any of the people begging

 

[terry78]

Haha, my sister did tell me one time she saw a guy that had a sign saying hungry, so she gave him a candy bar, and he was like, "you got some change too?"

 

[Figs]

some of those 'homeless' can be pros, heck one reporter caught a homeless driving away in a beemer! Seen a few so call homeless around here and when I point out he could make some bucks picking up the pop cans he gave me the finger. Past couple years he still has the same sign and only pops up around holidays time
Seen plenty of 'homeless' in Vegas and oddly enough they all have cell phone so they can be alerted when the cops pop up
Only place I give money are shelters and such, never any of the people begging

Yeah, one of my friends witnessed something similar in San Francisco. Would see a guy near where she worked every day who had a sign. She followed him and he packed up his wheelchair and got into a BMW.

One of these days just out of boredom, I'm going to find one of these types and stand next to them with a sign saying something like "This man is a fraud".

 

[Immortalfire]

They'll only drink if you give em money.

Thus I donate to shelters and homeless ministries in my area.

 

[B.A. Baracus]

They'll only drink if you give em money.

Thus I donate to shelters and homeless ministries in my area.

Yes they probably will spend it on drink, and i'm sure most do. But these are people living alone on the streets, having lost pretty much everyone and everything. They want to drink to forget all that, maybe get away from the grim reality they face everyday?

I'm gonna asume you've never been there, and asuming that, can you really say you'd be different?

 

[Schlosser85]

Yes they probably will spend it on drink, and i'm sure most do. But these are people living alone on the streets, having lost pretty much everyone and everything. They want to drink to forget all that, maybe get away from the grim reality they face everyday?

I'm gonna asume you've never been there, and asuming that, can you really say you'd be different?

I've never been there, and I can't say I wouldn't want to drink it all away, but enabling someone's alcohol abuse is not a productive way of helping them.

 

[doih]

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/95216/a_homeless_man_blows_100000_of_free.html?cat=9

I used to work in a major urban hospital. Helping people who constantly **** up starts grating on you really quickly. Some homeless looking guy comes in in a drug induced coma and so many different people get involved on the case and countless money/timet are spent on the guy. Then soon as he can stand, he's out the door and ****ing high again.

Then you get the ****ing college kids who come in time and again completely drunk/high off their ****ing asses and say they're all apologetic...then 24 hours later when the withdrawals set in, it's a completely different story. **** this ****.

One of my uncles is homeless. A long time ago he lived with us for a bit. He did nothing to help out around the house, complained about the food, etc. Yes, nobody wants to be a bum, but people simply have no self control and desire to fix their problem. the minority of homeless people who are there out of blind chance and are willing to work their way back up will do so by their own efforts.

If you're a liberal, you can go ahead and blame the rich and greedy for not raising the minimum wage. If you're a conservative, go ahead and blame government entitlements for making them dependent. I blame the person for not having the self-respect to make a lifestyle independent of the support of others.

 

[B.A. Baracus]

I've never been there, and I can't say I wouldn't want to drink it all away, but enabling someone's alcohol abuse is not a productive way of helping them.

I'm sure its not, but we cannot begin to fathom what these people are going through or have been through. I'm sure if we were in the same position i'm sure most of us would do the same.

Feeling cold, alone, hungry & feeling worthless every day, i can't imagine theres much light at the end of that tunnel. I'm Alchohol takes them away from that, even if for a short while.

Is it helping them in the long term? No. Is it doing more harm than good? possibly. But as i said, we cannot fathom what these people are going through or have been through so its there choice if it makes them feel even the smallest bit better.

 

[B.A. Baracus]

I blame the person for not having the self-respect to make a lifestyle independent of the support of others.

I'm so glad the world is not full of people like you. What a narrow minded view of of people and the world.

 

[terry78]

But you got those guys that have been on the street for literally years, and have yet to change up their habits. I've been working in Chicago for the past four years, and the same bum that was on a certain corner I pass every day has been there since I started back in 2007. I don't know what his deal is, but it seems weird is all.

 

[B.A. Baracus]

But you got those guys that have been on the street for literally years, and have yet to change up their habits. I've been working in Chicago for the past four years, and the same bum that was on a certain corner I pass every day has been there since I started back in 2007. I don't know what his deal is, but it seems weird is all.

Yeah theres certainly the few that actually enjoy living the streets (i saw a documentary a few years ago about these people), then of course theres the people who pretend to be homeless to get money from passers by (one in the UK was recently in court, made around £70 per day)

But then theres those who through no fault of there own, maybe they were dealt a bad card are on the streets (some people have mothers who will chuck out the oldest child on the streets when they get a new stepdad) and they should be helped, sadly we live in a world where people are often too quick to judge or turn a blind eye. The rich get richer.....

 

[doih]

I'm so glad the world is not full of people like you. What a narrow minded view of of people and the world.

when you accumulate 1/10th the experiences I described in the previous post, come back to me and tell me what you just said.

 

[The Squirrel]

I've seen homeless people who were better dressed than I am. Seriously, I saw this one guy wearing this amazing aviator jacket. And I've given people money only for them to go right past the restaurant they said they wanted to eat at. It's very hard for me to not think of these negatives whenever I see a homeless person asking for a buck.

 

[Manic]

One time I was approached by this teenager who claimed he and his younger brothers were homeless and they needed money for a place to stay for the night. This kid had a fresh haircut, $100 shoes on, $60 jeans, and an earring.

At least dress the part if you're pretending to be homeless. You can't be a fly hobo.

 

[terry78]

They know their prey. If you look naive or like a bleeding heart, they'll come right up to you. i have a constant scowl on my face so they don't try it as often as they used to.

 

[PyroChamber]

The ones I know for sure that aren't really homeless are the ones I hate.

There's this one guy I see once in a while who looks like Big Pun, but not as big. He walks around looking like he's running **** as if he's gonna scare someone into giving money to him.

Then there's this one young white guy he has a sign that says "girlfriend kidnapped by ninjas, need money for karate lessons"; it's like c'mon dude, really?

 

[Morg]

Then there's this one young white guy he has a sign that says "girlfriend kidnapped by ninjas, need money for karate lessons"; it's like c'mon dude, really?

saw a dude with that sign in Vegas, told him he needs to be original and not copy something off the internet

 

[Abaddon]

I generally avoid giving them money.

Last summer I saw a young guy with a sign that read something like: "Need money for weed." He had some change in his cup.

 

[Immortalfire]

I generally avoid giving them money.

Last summer I saw a young guy with a sign that read something like: "Need money for weed." He had some change in his cup.

At least he's honest.

 

[JINoside]

I used to give money and I've even bought food once but its weird when you see people asking money for the bus one week and you see the same person the next week asking again for the same thing. I would usually offer to buy them food but that's when they would walk away. I just try to avoid them altogether....

They know their prey. If you look naive or like a bleeding heart, they'll come right up to you. i have a constant scowl on my face so they don't try it as often as they used to.

This definitely works....

 

[Abaddon]

I also remember seeing a guy claiming to have lost his job asking around a park one day. He seemed earnest and I felt really bad, but I told him I couldn't spare anything and he seemed to understand. Earlier that day I saw a guy tell some woman to go get a job after she asked him for money. It's hard to read them because even the well dressed people can be addicts.

A few times Ive been approached by the recently released ex-cons who need some help. This one guy spent about 5 minutes telling me his story and about how he was involved in church, and how he was getting a good vibe from me, but I really had no money to give him. He seemed pissed.

They know their prey. If you look naive or like a bleeding heart, they'll come right up to you. i have a constant scowl on my face so they don't try it as often as they used to.

This is true.