How low will people go

Its all too common.  A few months while i was eating my neighborhood Mexican restaurant I saw the same thing.  I watched a mom with a baby for about 20 minutes asking for money. About a dozen cars stopped and gave her cash. I am guessing she made $30 in 20 mins.

I first instinct when I saw the pair was to give some cash because I felt sorry for them.  But after watching her in a short time frame it was evident she was making pretty good money.

Panhandlers, all types I can handle its when they involve kids that just really pisses me off.
One guy a while back in Berkeley a while back ask me for some change this is about 5years ago.I told him ill give him some if he honest and answer my question. So I dropped whatever I had in my pocket and asked him whats is average take.he says on a bad day 60-70 and on a good day 70-100.
When it doesn't involve kids im not judgemental.I had a guy in the city in front of a 711 ask me for 27cents so he can get a beer he was short. I told him come inside and I bought him his beer then he turn around and hands me the change in his hand I told him keep it.shit like that I can deal with.its when you bring little kids out in the elements and try to pray on people's emotions that just rips me.

This is such a varied and complex problem you just can't shoehorn people into one car agora of "panhandler" or "homeless" and we aren't going to solve the worlds problems here.

Like most of you I don't give to beggars. Unless, that is, they entertain me. The last guy I gave $5 to had a sign "Donations for Barak Obama's LSD enema."

Maybe I'm a dick, but I almost always will give money to people who are trying to entertain...  musicians, good or bad.  There's a guy at the Fremont BART station who plays classical violin beautifully.  But you don't have to be good...  I'd give to someone banging two sticks together.  Very seldom do I give to people who just expect donations for just being there...  although sometimes I'll buy food for people when it's obvious they are living outside and have the lost, not-all-there-mentally look.

I've heard 20% is a good goal for charity.  I've got a long way to go to reach that.  I'm so selfish, but like a lot of you I'm so cynical that it's hard to give without being resentful, and that's not embracing the spirit of what charity is.

There is a local couple that will ask to clean all the windows of your car for a dollar. At least they put some effort into trying to work for there donation. Its the ones that just start cleaning your windows with out asking who irk me.

I to don't mind donating  on occasion. For me personally it is redemption for all the wrong things I did as a teenager.  . If someone doesn't agree, sorry its just my way.

Alex

For whatever reason, I generally don't give cash to those who solicit it on the street. However, maybe six months ago, my girlfriend and I were sitting at a table alongside the curb at our favorite Mexican place. Theres a bus stop nearby, and this older gentleman with a couple duffel bags gets off and kinda looks around to get his bearings. While he doesn't look like someone you'd stereotypically identify as homeless, he looked like he'd seen better days long ago. He made his way down the sidewalk and lingered in front of the restaurant for a few minutes. He finally came up and said "I'm sorry to bother you ..." Long story short, he's homeless and trying to get to Portland to live with his son but he's short on cash for food, lodging, bus ticket for the final leg, etc. I told him that I didn't have any cash (small white lie) but I'd get him some food if he wanted to grab a table. He  stood there kinda puzzled and said "Really ? You'd do that ?" He sat down a few tables over and I gave the waiter $20 and told him to cut the guy off at $16 in food and drink and to keep the extra $4 as a tip. When we left, he gave us a big thank you s he worked his way through a plate of enchiladas and a bottled Coke. Who knows - maybe he scammed us, or maybe that helped get him on his way to a better situation. The optimist in me hopes for the latter.

This, however, is the one that really pisses me off. I'm at Home Depot about a year ago loading stuff into the back of my truck and as I turn around, there's a child thats appeared out of nowhere standing next to my cart. He's maybe eight years old and, from all appearances, all by himself. He says hello, and I reply and then ask if he's ok and where his parents are. He goes "my family and I are driving to Chico to live with my aunt but we ran out of gas, and um, uh, oh yeah, our car is breaking too and we have to get it fixed to keep going. Can I have some money ?" He keeps looking back to a car about two rows over with a man and a woman sitting in the front seat and a little girl playing in the bark in the median. I was absolutely FLOORED !!! If there's ever a time when "low life piece of shit" works as a descriptor, this kids parents took the cake. I was at a loss for how to handle it, so I told the kid that I didn't have any money, offered him a granola bar that I had in the truck, told him that it wasn't safe to be talking to strangers and to tell his parents that I was calling the police because I was concerned for his safety. Insane.

For whatever reason, I generally don't give cash to those who solicit it on the street. However, maybe six months ago, my girlfriend and I were sitting at a table alongside the curb at our favorite Mexican place. Theres a bus stop nearby, and this older gentleman with a couple duffel bags gets off and kinda looks around to get his bearings. While he doesn't look like someone you'd stereotypically identify as homeless, he looked like he'd seen better days long ago. He made his way down the sidewalk and lingered in front of the restaurant for a few minutes. He finally came up and said "I'm sorry to bother you ..." Long story short, he's homeless and trying to get to Portland to live with his son but he's short on cash for food, lodging, bus ticket for the final leg, etc. I told him that I didn't have any cash (small white lie) but I'd get him some food if he wanted to grab a table. He  stood there kinda puzzled and said "Really ? You'd do that ?" He sat down a few tables over and I gave the waiter $20 and told him to cut the guy off at $16 in food and drink and to keep the extra $4 as a tip. When we left, he gave us a big thank you s he worked his way through a plate of enchiladas and a bottled Coke. Who knows - maybe he scammed us, or maybe that helped get him on his way to a better situation. The optimist in me hopes for the latter.

This, however, is the one that really pisses me off. I'm at Home Depot about a year ago loading stuff into the back of my truck and as I turn around, there's a child thats appeared out of nowhere standing next to my cart. He's maybe eight years old and, from all appearances, all by himself. He says hello, and I reply and then ask if he's ok and where his parents are. He goes "my family and I are driving to Chico to live with my aunt but we ran out of gas, and um, uh, oh yeah, our car is breaking too and we have to get it fixed to keep going. Can I have some money ?" He keeps looking back to a car about two rows over with a man and a woman sitting in the front seat and a little girl playing in the bark in the median. I was absolutely FLOORED !!! If there's ever a time when "low life piece of shit" works as a descriptor, this kids parents took the cake. I was at a loss for how to handle it, so I told the kid that I didn't have any money, offered him a granola bar that I had in the truck, told him that it wasn't safe to be talking to strangers and to tell his parents that I was calling the police because I was concerned for his safety. Insane.

Yeah thats the kinda shit im talking about.

Barcelona, Spain..

  were walking the stone pathways, ( my wife and I ) with our luggage at the end of our journey to our VRBO apartment… we just make it into the restaurant that manages the apt. and sit down with a wonderful greating from the hostess …

 Just then, this man, in his 40's, in a "disheveled suit", not from homelessness, but from some type of scuffle I would guess…   

He rushes into the restaurant like he just ran a marathon asking if we can help him...

  He speaks wonderful english with a spanish hint and gives a story as a business man who sells sun glasses. He states he was just robbed and waives around a police ticket, (that looks a little old…) that he just gave a report to the police about. He further explains that his wallet and suitcase full of sunglasses were stolen and needs bus fair to get up to his "coastal house…" and to give him our info to send the money back…  and our choice of sunglasses that he will send by e-mail.

The Hostess gives him 5 Euro and I give him 10, but no personal info, as I'm still not sure what is going on…

I just navigated from USA to Spain to an Apartment in Barcelona… little out of sorts…  so he leaves…  and I ask the Hostess if he was a scammer…?

she said yes and showed us our apt…

Now that's Entertainment!!!

I also deliver in the Bay Area. I think I saw the same woman and baby. I wish we could have a place for people like that to go where they could do something positive to earn some cash for the day. Sign up and remove graffiti or pick up trash etc. Money is so much more valuable when you have to work to earn it. I had a well dressed guy with a decent car approach me at an Arco in Vacaville. He said he needed gas money to get home to Sacramento. One of the rare times I agreed to help. I said I would pay to put some gas in his tank. All of a sudden he didn't need gas any more, his family was hungry. I didn't think they were going to starve to death on the drive to Sacramento and I said no. I hate being lied to. I wondered if they really thought it was ok to beg so they didn't have to wait a half hour to eat or if that was a lie also. 

  On another similiar note,,, I just found this

   " You can find those sharks that have fallen on hard times picking up scraps around fish cleaning stations. They'll do anything for a few bucks..."

 

Maybe I'm a dick, but I almost always will give money to people who are trying to entertain...  musicians, good or bad.  There's a guy at the Fremont BART station who plays classical violin beautifully.  But you don't have to be good...  I'd give to someone banging two sticks together.  Very seldom do I give to people who just expect donations for just being there...  although sometimes I'll buy food for people when it's obvious they are living outside and have the lost, not-all-there-mentally look.

I've heard 20% is a good goal for charity.  I've got a long way to go to reach that.  I'm so selfish, but like a lot of you I'm so cynical that it's hard to give without being resentful, and that's not embracing the spirit of what charity is.

i ALWAYS give to the entertainers....but i'll never reach that 20%, that i promise. 

I'm wondering if you people notice the thing I noticed here in the south land, Not to sound Racist, But I never see any Oriental panhandlers. And hardly see Hispanic. Most seem white. That has been my observation. I wonder if it is a cultural thing. 

 My change ain't spare.

But a clever sign or if your making people smile. Thats worth something to me...

Its not uncommon in some 3rd world counties for the first born to have his limbs broken and left to heal twisted and become the major breadwinner of the family. Morocco was big on this., when their were tourists.