I have never been bothered by such! I would hate to live where that is going on!

Sue

Could you at least post your property? Fence it and put sticky bushes inside the fence? It is a touchy problem if you live in a area that has that problem, with so many people out of work, on drugs etc. Just sending good wishes.

Firstly, I feel empathy for them. Now, more than ever. The homeless and indigent are part of my daily landscape. But nobody likes to be practically accosted by anyone, even if they are in need. Often, while I am at the outdoor teller at the bank, there are one or two lurkers. If they approach me while I am at the teller, I will put up a hand and tell them "Back off". That is usually enough, but sometimes they will just wait until I am done and then approach me. I no longer give any of them money.

I even had one young man come to my door last year. He told us his name and a bit of his background. Wife kicked him out, etc. Sure, maybe he made up this story, but he was very convincing. There were real tears in his eyes. I explained that I was behind on several bills and could not give him any money, but I would be happy to share something from our pantry, mainly canned goods. He said that he didn't even have a can opener. I gave him one of ours. I made him wait outside while I pulled out enough cans to fill a grocery bag. It was quite heavy. He was moved to tears. I saw him struggling with the weight of it and told him to hold on, while I dug up an old backpack of my grandson's. I told him that I could spare enough canned goods to fill that backpack one more time and when he had used it all, he could come back - just once more. About 4 days later he returned. I wasn't home, but DH knew where the bag was and gave it to him.

I also personally know a woman who holds down a full time job at a convenience store, but is homeless. She can often be seen sleeping in her car outside the store. She has gone through periods of being flush enough to rent an apartment, then not having the money and living in her car.

I try not to judge people who are reduced to begging. Who knows, I could be in there shoes one day. A lot of days I feel as if I am one paycheck away from homeless.

And I know that many of the indigent are in need of psychological counseling, but have fallen through the cracks and just don't know how to deal with the stresses of life.

Sorry. I didn't mean to go on and on, but this subject always brings out deep feelings in me.

I used to give them a dollar or two until I realized that it probably wasn't a good idea. Now I just say " No I'm sorry I can't help you."

That would not be fun. I live in the 'wood and have never seen a panhandler.

So far that hasn't happened to me, but with the way things are going, thanks for the heads up as that makes me aware that it could. I remember Mom telling stories about the hoboes during the depression era. She said they would make 'signs/drawings' that only other hoboes understood in inconspicuous areas like near the bottom of a fencepost, letting others know if you were a 'giver' or not. She said her Mom was very much a giver so they got a lot of hoboes at their door.

I wouldn't want them coming to my door as I live alone, and I can't take that kind of chance.

Shirley

I don't see them in my town but I saw lots of panhandlers when I lived in CA. I just ignore them. If one came to my door here, I would call the police and they would be here quickly.

I live in a city which actually has an "aggressive panhandler" law because of the excessive begging that goes on here. Me? I ignore them...all of them.

We don't have any that I know of where we live now, however when we were first married, in the 70's, my husband was the manager of a fast food place in California. A guy came in and asked for a cup of coffee and my husband gave him one. Then he asked for food, my husband said no, so the guy said he'd lay on the floor and make a scene. My husband, then 23, didn't know what else to do but call the cops. They did come out.

I've not given to the pan-handlers that approach me at the ATM and I am very vocal and physically aggressive enough to make them back off.
I was waiting at a red light one afternoon when a man walked up to my driver side window stuck his hand inside the car and asked for change. I screamed as loud as I could, pulled my .38 from my holster and pointed it at him. He backed off and ran. there was a plain car police officer about 6 cars back who jumped out and stopped the man. He had been harassing and causing incidents all over the area approaching only women (many with children) in intersections and scaring them pretty badly. The police were happy to get him off the street.
I used to give a bit of money to the guys holding the "will work for food" signs but that stopped also when I saw one I had just given $2 came into the convenience store (I stopped at right after) and purchase a quart bottle of beer.
I give just not to singular persons anymore. I do make food donations to several food banks and homeless shelters and let the panhandler know where the nearest is. I also help a friend who fixes and donates bicycles and three wheeled bikes for the homeless and needy so they have a easier time getting around.

It seems we should help if we can it is just knowing when we should that is a problem.

The first consideration is always your own safety!!!! If you feel the slightest bit threatened move away and SCREAM!!!! If you can't scream get a whistle or air horn to make enough noise for someone to hear and help.

CT

It is really hard not to be cynical when you live in the downtown area of a large city. We see so many begging as a career and actually doing very well financially. Many make over a hundred a day. Newspapers have exposed those who fake disability to increase donations. Some use animals to gain sympathy. Fine except the dogs and cats are in jeopardy on busy street corners. They make more than I did befre retirement and pay no tax. It is not unusual to be solicited 6 times in a block. Driving is not better- the "sqeegie kids" harass you to wash your. At windows. My answer is to support food banks but I've stopped cash donations.

The St. Pete Times did a series of articles on the homeless not long ago. After reading them, there is no way on God's green earth I'll ever give a panhandler a dime.

One story in particular stayed with me. A woman was on her way to a meeting but saw a homeless woman with a sign "Need Food for for Kids" or something similar. She was running late, but something made her go back and talk to the woman who said she had 3 kids one girl with MS and two little boys. Said the lived in the woods not far. The woman gave her money so they'd have food.

To make a long story short, that kind woman felt so bad she that found an apartment for them, got some furnishings for it and paid the rent. Then she looked every day to find the homeless woman again. She was so happy when she finally did. Other people in the apartment building donated a TV, kitchen stuff and one man cooked dinner for the family the night they were to move in.

Bottom line--there was no family, no sick kids or any for that matter. The woman had the nerve to go over to the house with that nice lady and look the apartment over, meet the neighbors and eat watermelon. Borrowed $20 to go get her kids and poof--gone!!

Just makes me so mad!

I ignore them because I saw a documentary on TV one time about how much money they make. More than a job pays that's for sure. There are jobs out there, most just won't work. A large percentage are mentally ill, those concern me, but can't tell who is and who isn't.

You can't go anywhere here in CA without someone asking for money. It has been that way for as long as I have been here, for 32 years, and it has only gotten worse. And I wonder, do they really need it or is it a job. I'm sorry but I have become cynical over the years. I either ignore them or tell them no I don't have any extra money. And with DH being laid off for the last 8 months, that is true.
Clare

I used to always give a guy with a dog money at the freeway offramp. The dog got to me I guess. :( I always told him to make sure that the dog ate too and it always seemed healthy. I will give a bottle of cold water or a banana from my lunch box once in a while too. One man that used to hang at the 711 by my work always got a coffee or a hot chocolate every morning when I got my coffee. I felt that it was no big deal and it made him happy. It's funny that this subject has come up because I've been noticing the last few weeks on my route in Hollywood especially, how many more homeless there seem to be. I usually go by my gut or their appearance...... some you can just tell that they are hurting. I feel that even if I am a paycheck or two away from living under a freeway.....I have more at that moment then they do. Like I said tho, I go with my gut.
Things are tough.
Patti

I seldom see panhandlers. I sure wouldn't want them coming to my house. If they are at a stop sign and even if I meet one on the street in the city I try to give them something.

I forgot to mention we don't have them here on the streets I travel. We do have a lot of homeless here, have never seen one asking for money. Our city is well known as a good place to be in the winter time. I did see a lot of pan handlers in Vancouver and in Chicago when I visited there.

On my weekly visit to my father-in-law I would see a homeless man and his dog on the freeway off ramp with a sign "Any help you can give". The dog looked very thin, so one day I brought along some of my own dog's food/treats and gave it to the man. He had the nerve to yell at me saying how the heck was this supposed to help him. I reminded him of the old saying "Beggars can't be choosers", grabbed my food back and left. From then on I ignore anyone who asks.

As stated above, panhandlers are part of my everyday landscape. I have worked in a program that provides healthcare for homeless persons. I never give money and the regulars no longer ask. I have bought food and given it to a someone instead of giving them money. I serve on the board of a local food pantry. Some of those in need are extended family members. Many of us are only a few paychecks from hunger and homelessness.

They are on every corner here...I give to them sometimes,can't give to all.We had one guy ask for cigs once..we sid we didn't have any extra. He called us all kind of nasty,obscene names.
We have one that has come here y\twice and only asks for food,he looks very embarrassed and very hungary.We gave him money to go to get a meal...he headed right to Mickey D's.I felt good...

I found San Francisco rather refreshing. At least those asking for hand outs where honest. Signs often said - need drugs when I wake up etc.

Sorry for the sp errors in my previous post - I was using an iTouch. Won't do that again for long posts.

How about keeping lists (like on a business card) of shelters, food banks, churches, anywhere where there is organized help so when you are approached by a pan handler you can hand them a card with all the info on it.

I work for a social service (employment counsellor) and hear dreadful stories all the time. I tell them how and where they can find food, housing and clothing, and I can even help get them a JOB. Rarely do they take you up on it.

My dd (who is in highschool) told me once that when she and her friends want to go out for lunch and don't have enough money, they walk around looking for change. But they seem to find a ton of change and when they get enough they go out to lunch. I pay some other kid to cut the grass because she won't do it. Wouldn't cutting the grass be easier (and quicker!) and a more dignified way to earn a little money than scrounging for change in the gutters?

We're hoping that this isn't a glimpse into her future.

BJ

There is a guy who stands on a busy street corner by where I live holding a sign - "Why lie? I need a beer"

You know Rosemary, in re-reading this thread I had a thought of my younger brother who passed away in 1988 at 29 yrs.
About a year after he died I was still going to his house and watering the plants in the yard and a man came to the gate and asked if the guy was home that owned that jeep in the driveway. I told him that he had passed away some months ago and this guy seemed really upset about it. As we talked at the gate he told me of coming there and asking for anything....he was hungry. My baby brother took this man across the street to the restaurant and bought them both a meal and sat and really TALKED to him. (Joe never had a pot to pi$$ in but he still GAVE to a man he didn't know.)
That man said that Joe helped him so much that night and he had come back to tell him of his progress and thank him. Since that encounter with the man at the gate I've had a different view of the homeless. I'm still leary of some and I would not like to be approached at my home but then again I think of Joe. I'll still go with my gut I think and if I can and it feels right..... I will.
Patti

Pplantlady (Patti)--in the series the paper ran, the reporter talked to panhandlers who admitted dogs and wheelchairs were moneymakers for them. Some also used different signs for different occasions. One couple wasn't homeless because they made enough money to stay in a rundown motel every night.

I think it's a racket. Hey maybe I could enhance my Social Security check ;-)

There was an expose (supposed to be read as exposay, but I don't have a way to do the accent mark) in Dallas many years ago (where I'm from). In almost all of the cases, the people were making $700-800 a DAY where they would use the money for drugs. There are so many soup kitchens and food pantries that food is never the issue in Dallas. My brother-in-law needed some help with a project in his yard. He offered a guy with the "will work for food" sign a chance to come help. The guy turned him down. I give to food pantries, the postal service food drive, the food drives at school and Wal-mart along with school supply drives for the underprivileged, but no longer give out any cash. I have no job myself and we are loaded with expenses with helping our extended family. P.S. I have also had people approach me at the gas station asking for money for gas. One came up behind me while I was trying to get my daughter in the car - I told her to get in quick and I quickly got in and drove away. There are so many scammers these days.

There is a guy who stands on a busy street corner by where I live holding a sign - "Why lie? I need a beer"
LOL Now THAT one, I think I'd probably pull over and buy the guy a beer! Or give him a couple bucks. I respect honesty.

The worst panhandlers around here are governmental agencies, especially the d@mn school districts! The way they abuse children, pimping them out to feed their addictions is despicable. To say nothing of the cities and state.

There's a lot of good places I'll help out who help people, from local food shelves, to the modern day "soup kitchens" and especially the places that take donations and put people to work fixing things up and selling the stuff. I will never give to a panhandler. Several I've asked for something from them. I just tell them I was about to ask you the same buddy, I'm out of work, have ten kids and need an operation right away, couldn't you help out with something? 20 bucks? You can do a tenner can't you? LOOSE CHANGE????

When they hit me up at a retail store, I tell them to go to the service desk. That's what they're for.

One of the local stations did a report on a half dozen or so panhandlers they randomly chose and every one of them had a nice home. Standing on the corner was their occupation. After "work" they'd go clean up, hop in their cars, go out to eat or whatever. They watched and could see how much they were making. The crooks weren't too happy when they turned them in to the IRS!

In my part of the world, at least a 90% of the panhandlers are drug addicts or alcoholics.

If I give them money it will take longer for them to get real help to improve their situation.

Because of this, I think a more effective practice is to donate to an organization that helps the poor and homeless by feeding, clothing and finding housing.

If you watch Intervention or other drug documentaries you will hear how profitable panhandling can be.

When I lived in Philly there were some panhandlers who worked the same spot for years and years. It apparently worked for them. They weren't aggressive so while I wouldn't give them a dime, if they chose 'that job' to get by, that was their choice and it didn't really bother me that they were there. Most just asked for money and were polite to you whether you gave or not. Now, aggressive panhandlers who use lies, guilt and intimidation are another story. They tick me off.

I live straight in the downtown core, and panhandlers are everywhere, they are part of the landscape; they usually stick a paper cup out, and mumble about spare change. We give a large amount every year to an organization who sustains shelters and soup kitchens, I'd rather do that to help out my society.