Beggars - how do you treat them?

[Ave07]

There is no reason to be a beggar here.

I just ignore them or say I don't have any cash to spare.

[Tyrgannus]

It is really not my place to discern fake homeless, homeless by choice, or legitimately down on their luck. I tend to give a dollar if I have one on me.

[Shinra1]

Most of the people in Cambridge who are homeless are so due to their deliberate choices, drug dependency, crime, been thrown out due to the aforementioned issues in hostels, ect.

As such, while i try to respect them as human beings, i know that if given any money they'll spend it on the following.

1) Booze
2) Cigs
3) Drugs

I once gave a homeless bloke my sub, he was fairly thankful, and also gave his dog a tin of dog food; But i'd never give him money, i just wouldn't trust him i'm afraid.

Why do you care if they spend it on booze or drugs?


You sound like my father who gave me a long lecture on why I shouldn't give homeless people change because they'll just spend it on the stuff that placed them in that situation in the first place. When I asked him how giving nothing is better than giving something he just gave me a look and that was that.


Even if they can get high for an hour or two that's a small comfort. Lots of celebrities/rich people are drug/alcohol addicts they just hide it because they can buy a everlasting stash. Life is not fair.


I feel for the homeless. I even gave a homeless man my umbrella once.

[sweepdeepsPL]

If I have food to spare I will give it willingly and without forethought. No money, money is too powerful. Food everyone needs.

[truckboattruck]

like the man harassing people in a hooters parking lot?
i give him nothing, as he clearly wants to catch people unaware

a person with car trouble who needs help?
help them every chance you get, you never know when you might need help yourself

the world is full of liars, empathy is exploited

[Skeppio]

I have Jeeves beat them soundly with my peasant-beating cane.

Lucky I hadn't started drinking my soup yet, because your post made me burst into laughter.

To answer the question, I generally give them a portion of the change in my wallet, so the amount differs. Only coins though, I tend not to carry larger amounts of money with me aside from the amount I need for public transport. I only see homeless people in the city (around Melbourne's CBD) though, which isn't often since I live outside the suburbs and I work in a town further into rural territory.

[Archangel Tyrael]

I never give them anything.
They have assistance (more than enough) from our state if they need it.

[LongTimeCreeper]

If it's anywhere near my job, I call the cops. Can't stand that scum bothering my employees and patients. And I really hate when I see people give them money. Its like feeding the wildlife. If you do, they just keep coming back.

[Shinra1]

If it's anywhere near my job, I call the cops. Can't stand that scum bothering my employees and patients. And I really hate when I see people give them money. Its like feeding the wildlife. If you do, they just keep coming back.

I hope you never become homeless because I'd be offering you my sandwich after spitting in it.

[AeneasBK]

I have Jeeves beat them soundly with my peasant-beating cane.

Jeeves is the footman, not the butler I presume... ?

[Hooked]

like the man harassing people in a hooters parking lot?
i give him nothing, as he clearly wants to catch people unaware

a person with car trouble who needs help?
help them every chance you get, you never know when you might need help yourself

the world is full of liars, empathy is exploited

I see them a lot in supermarket parking lots trying to catch single women and old ladies who are about to get into their cars. I am particularly rude to them when I notice this.

[spanishninja]

I treat them like human beings.

I treat them like human beings too, by believing that a grown-ass person doesn't need other people providing a living for him.

[Wells]

The whole "giving them money just means it gets blown on drugs and booze" doesn't really stand up to actual research.

http://www.vox.com/2014/6/26/5845258...food-it-worked
http://www.vox.com/2014/6/5/5783086/...great-cure-for

[Hooked]

I hope you never become homeless because I'd be offering you my sandwich after spitting in it.

Well you at least know the correct way of feeding them.

[oplawlz]

the world is full of liars, empathy is exploited

Only if you give with some sort of expectations. I've never met or heard of a homeless person who was living a better life than me, helping them out does not put me at a disadvantage.

[Shinra1]

The whole "giving them money just means it gets blown on drugs and booze" doesn't really stand up to actual research.

http://www.vox.com/2014/6/26/5845258...food-it-worked
http://www.vox.com/2014/6/5/5783086/...great-cure-for

Exactly most people are using it as a convenient excuse not to give it a pound or a dollar or what have you to someone in a bad spot. Empathy is what separates us from the animals.

[LongTimeCreeper]

I hope you never become homeless because I'd be offering you my sandwich after spitting in it.

Same here, thats actually a goal of mine, to not become a leech on society.

Also, most of the "homeless" around here aren't homeless. They're just beggars.

[AeneasBK]

I make a point of not ignoring them; they get ignored by 99% of the people walking past them. Even if most of the time I'm saying "Sorry, can't help "

[vindicatorx]

I ignore them

[Sinndra]

straight beggers? yah i treat them like i treat begging in WoW, get a job and you wont have to beg anymore (go do a quest in WoW).

Street Performers? i dont consider that begging since they generally perform for a tip. meaning it isnt required that i give them money. although most street performances are really good, so i give a couple of dollars.