If You See a Beggar, Do You Give Them Money?

[Warhammer]

I had taken my mother to a restaurant and we pull up at an intersection. There was a beggar at the intersection. My mother then says "She has two hands and two feet. Get a job." This bothered me though I didn't say anything because it's not worth the argument. It did cause me to reflect on times when I did pass beggars and not give yet feel guilty about it.

One could easily say by giving money, you are allowing guilt to make foolish decisions. That beggar could very well buy drugs or alcohol with that money. They could actually be scam artists. And that's a few dollar less that you have to do whatever you need to be doing. Small things do add up.

I was told one time by someone that regardless of the beggar's intentions, you'll never know what their situation truly so give if you feel the compulsion to give, do it. It's one thing to not give a f*** and more power to that person. They should stick to their convictions. But if I feel guilty and have a few dollars to spare, what am I really losing? I know that I hate asking for help. How far does someone have to fall to ask for dollars at an intersection?

So Hype, when you see a beggar on the side of the road or at an intersection, do you give them money? Why or why not?

 

[terry78]

Only if they are actually doing something to earn said money, like playing an instrument or whatever. There are like way too many of these dudes downtown chicago, literally every other corner so it's like if you help one you gotta help 'em all. I get quite a few of them probably have serious mental needs, but that's something we need to take care of on a national scale.

 

[Sundancer]

Only if they are actually doing something to earn said money, like playing an instrument or whatever.

I may give money to a busker, but I live in a major city so I don't give handouts to beggars too often.

I once had a beggar ask me for "anything" in a store parking lot. I told him I had spare bottled water (this is in Phoenix, hot city)

HIM: Is it mineral?

ME: Does it matter?

 

[Duke]

OK. About 2 weeks ago, I pull into a parking lot to stop by & grab some lunch. I see this old guy walking around the parking lot asking people for something, money I'd assume. He comes up to me, after I get off my vehicle & asks me if I have money to spare, (I don't because I carry a credit card, no cash on me) & I just tell the guy I can't help him. He gets annoyed at me & starts saying crap at me, so then I just tell the bozo to take a hike.



Sometimes, If I do have cash or spare change I do give them, If they're invalid, elderly, or really in need, not rude, demanding people, like the stooge I encountered.

 

[GR8GODZILLAGOD]

Sometimes.

 

[Greens]

I don't think I've ever given money to a homeless person. Not for any specific reason.

 

[Pink Ranger]

No, 100-times no. I don't care too much whether someone can work but doesn't; I'm not so high and mighty about that. I'm sure there are people who need the money for food (though there are many, many food programs where I live).

It's just that you don't pull out your wallet in a major metropolitan city street; you're just begging for trouble one way or the other.

 

[Teelie]

I haven't for two main reasons. One I never know if they are scamming. There are so many people who make an actual living begging off the streets and they live better than some middle class people do.

The other is I don't have any spare money to give someone else. If I can I'll donate to a charity or some such entity but I am not going to give money to someone who merely claims they are homeless.

 

[the last son]

Sometimes. If ever in the same situation I would hope someone would help.

 

[Mandon Knight]

Having worked for the Big Issue in their Head Office here in the UK, I have seen the impact first hand of homelessness and the cause & effect, it is not a choice to be homeless, there is always a reason behind it and often sad, debilatating reasons for that person being in that situation.

My answer is yes, if I can spare the time & change I will.

 

[Fallen Angel]

Yes and you can tell the genuine ones in need if you look close enough.

 

[Immortalfire]

Nope. I have however, bought someone in need a meal. I'm glad to do that.

They'll only drink or snort drugs if you give them money.

 

[Fallen Angel]

Nope. I have however, bought someone in need a meal. I'm glad to do that.

They'll only drink or snort drugs if you give them money.

Yeah, this too. better to give them food and drink that actual money in most cases. Some just want you to talk to them for a bit and I try an do that too.

 

[tjeepdrv]

Nope! I'm in Austin. They beg for money while standing outside of the homeless shelter and the food kitchens.

 

[Marvolo]

Cops in my area arrest and harrass beggars and homeless people. Go through their belongings with no warrant. And the dogs that some of the homeless people have with them are sent to the pound and put down. Its ****ing pathetic and infuriating. For thousands of years in human societies begging was allowed and protected as a right by governments. Yet in America, the most prosperous and wasteful country in the world, beggars and homeless people are arrested and harassed for being homeless, but the cities and states and federal government refuses to do much of anything to help them.

If someone asks me for help I will help. Unfortunately I dont carry cash much at all anymore, but Id be more than happy to go to a store or restaurant and get them a drink and something to eat if they need it.

 

[terry78]

Oh, I did tell one guy sorry i dont have any cash, and I **** you not he basically outed himself by saying he has a Square account. 😒

 

[Kyle]

NYC. I'm tight on money myself, so no. However, if it's a kid, teen, or someone who is also in their twenties then I sometimes give money. The younger, the more sympathy I feel. Older, seems to be more psychological or addiction issues which money wouldn't necessarily help whereas younger it comes off more as being hurt by the foster system or parental abandonment (many kids are homeless due to being LGBT and kicked out of their home still for instance).

 

[Reek]

Depends on the beggar... Some woman came up to me the other day.. looking like **** and asked for a dollar... she had walked a few miles, apparently... I had the extra money so I gave her $3.00 .. she went into the gas station and bought a 24 oz beer. so I don't know if I will be doing that again.

 

[Victarion]

Only beggar I've run into was outside a strip joint downtown. I was broke (someone covered my entry fee) and didn't have any spare change. I would be more like to give em food, water, and umbrella blanket or some such if I passed one on the road.

 

[Guts]

Back in the summer there was a guy that was selling chips, candy, water, and pop on the street. A begger was honest and asked the man for some money so he could buy a cigarette. The street vendor told the begger "I'll give you some money if you let me light your beard on fire".

 

[Kyle]

Back in the summer there was a guy that was selling chips, candy, water, and pop on the street. A begger was honest and asked the man for some money so he could buy a cigarette. The street vendor told the begger "I'll give you some money if you let me light your beard on fire".

Why did I read that in Heath Ledger's Joker voice?

 

[MessiahDecoy123]

The danger is making this a black and white issue.

Don't let scammers turn your heart into stone.

I see alot of young guys asking for money so started looking at the homeless in general as con artists.

Then I was with my father in law. He pointed out a man was eating out trash can after trash can.

I was in a daze of disgust and shock.

It only became apparent later that this was a test I had failed.

This only happened a couple days ago but I still regret not taking the man into the grocery store and buying him anything he wanted.

Sometimes the difference between right and wrong is so obvious it hurts.

 

[terry78]

Yeah, the issue is that if you live in a large city the odds of about half of them being fakes is pretty high. If someone suckers you, hey....karma will get them I guess.

 

[Kyle]

It only became apparent later that this was a test I had failed.

I've failed this too. Only at night. I'm still new to the city. It's weird. I never thought I'd look out my window at the dead of night and see people walking by with store carts filled or homeless people stooping on my buildings front steps blaring music at 3 am (looked online and somehow homeless people have access to good technology? Unsure how... but they looked as greasy as the homeless villains in the first Batman film). I will also say I took pictures of them for Facebook, it's just still... I grew in a small town lol, it's new.

That second pair basically looked like these guys:

Spoiler

I'm only one floor above the steps, so I could basically see them with good detail.

 

[TheComicbookKid]

They are always at the same spots. The other day the dude stopped begging and sat sown on a crate to eat some KFC. And I don't mean an old messy bag. Like brand new.

It's suspicious.