Panhandlers

[gotbeer]

Man confronts panhandler after seeing her in new car

[Amazing Larry]

Sucker. If I ever give panhandlers money I at least make them dance first.

 

You'd be surprised how often they'll do it.

[Vegas Halo Fan]

When I lived in Oklahoma City, one of the television stations staked out one of the more notorious panhandlers who usually set up at the same major intersection. One of their producers drove by in a car and handed the guy a $20 bill, allegedly so that he could get something to eat. There was a film crew posted nearby. The guy got into a new Jeep Grand Cherokee and went straight to the nearest liquor store. He came out with a bag that appeared to have a case of beer in it.

[wopphil]

None of these guys are hungry. Ever. If they were, they'd set up shop in front of a McDonald's with a sign saying "hungry, please buy me a burger." And in less than five minutes, they'd have enough food to last an entire day.

Don't give these guys money, it just feeds the addiction.

Edited October 7, 2014 by wopphil

[Brandon]

Even though it's not right, I kind of give props when people can pull one over like this.

 

We moved into a new area and there is this younger looking dude that looks like he dresses down to play the part that has the same line about $2 for food. First time I ran into him I gave him $5 (I like to pay it forward) and thought it was a one time deal....plus it was 106 that day so I thought anyone sitting in that heat all day deserved a couple bucks. Now I see the dude often running the same game, lines are dialed in. One of these days I am going to see what he drives. I just give him props for going with an out of the bed/bed head look with some slippers.

[Lou]

If the person really looks despondent and that they need it, i have no problem tossing in some money. As for the guy buying booze (or whatever) it really doesn't matter to me. It's not like these people are one square meal away from turning it around. Let them numb themselves if that's what they want to do

[Tank]

i always prefer to buy them some food instead of just giving them money, but that's not always possible.

[deepdrive]

I just use examples like the op's to very seldom give anything.

I don't judge much because I think it would be better if I put a little more effort out to discern who is a scammer and who is legit. Probably worth it to take a chance on some of them. Then again, I put money in tip jars at some of the food places I go to. I know some of them need it ( I've heard at Coldstone you can even get them to dance for it - or is that sing? Not sure, never been there. I could never ask another person to do something like that anyhow. I avoid companies that try to humiliate there employees for their customers enjoyment).

[Hollyw00d]

A homeless guy approached me in Santa Ana and flat out said he didn't want to lie and needed some money for a beer. I chuckled and gave him a dollar for his honesty.

Edited October 7, 2014 by Hollyw00d

[Hollyw00d]

It always disgusts me to see the ones that just clearly looking for suckers and aren't really needy in anyway. Especially when they use their kids to get sympathy.

many times I've seen a woman walking around the shopping center near me with kid, begging for money. She got thrown out of one of the shops one time, and the bitch drove away in a Mercedes.

[wopphil]

Two stories: I once had a bum ask me to spare some money so he could buy lunch. I said "are you hungry?" He said "yes." We happened to be standing right in front of a sidewalk restaurant, so I said "come with me, I'll buy you lunch," and I stepped toward the restaurant. The bum replied "oh, I had wanted McDonald's." Of course, there was no McDonald's in site.

Another time I was parked across the street from a bum who hangs out at the 4th Street offramp at the 5 freeway in Santa Ana. The guy started walking away from his post along the ramp, and walked into the bushes (out of site from the ramp traffic). He had to make a call on his cell phone.

[AngelsLongBall]

There was a story that Kevin and Bean talked about a couple years ago. Said that less than 10% of homeless people are actively trying to get off the streets. An LAPD officer called in and said there are available services that can help individuals and families get back on their feet, get housing, training, etc. he said that most of the people who are homeless want to be homeless

[TobiasFunke]

One time on 2nd street in Pomona this guy came up to my group and told us this completely realistic story about how he got pulled over, his car was towed by Pomona PD and he needed to get back to L.A. so he needed a few bucks for a Metrolink ticket. Super believable so we all gave him money. About a month later and he came up to me telling me a different crazy totally believable story for money. I told him the last story he told and he shrugged it off just asking for money. I wasn't even mad. Like Brandon said, he bamboozled me so good I gave him props.

[Brandon]

It always disgusts me to see the ones that just clearly looking for suckers and aren't really needy in anyway. Especially when they use their kids to get sympathy.

many times I've seen a woman walking around the shopping center near me with kid, begging for money. She got thrown out of one of the shops one time, and the bitch drove away in a Mercedes.

 

I see these often in this new area. It's the same area where I mentioned the story above, but you see people in fresh new clothes and new baseball hats holding signs for money.

 

The other day I saw a whole family on the corner. Fresh new and clean clothes holding their kids up. Mom and dad with that look on their face while these poor kids are just bored and standing there.

[Adam]

I've helped a couple panhandlers. I gave the first guy a set of golfclubs. The second person, I gave some electronics devices and social security cards. 

[Brandon]

One time on 2nd street in Pomona this guy came up to my group and told us this completely realistic story about how he got pulled over, his car was towed by Pomona PD and he needed to get back to L.A. so he needed a few bucks for a Metrolink ticket. Super believable so we all gave him money. About a month later and he came up to me telling me a different crazy totally believable story for money. I told him the last story he told and he shrugged it off just asking for money. I wasn't even mad. Like Brandon said, he bamboozled me so good I gave him props.

 

These stories get pretty crazy.

 

I go to a prominent poker site and aside from improvement you get random degen stories, pros going on to discuss beefs or issues like outing other pros on gambling debts, etc. Recently a thread was started and just got crazy.

 

It was recently the WSOP in Vegas and some dude started a thread about possibly being scammed at the airport and told the whole story. I don't know how or why, but these dudes always dissect everything and get to the bottom of it. Long story short is the story actually made national news because it was one of the long time members of the site who was scamming everyone........it would be like Adam or Blarg scamming people at Angels games. The dude was a good poker player and great site contributor, but had a gambling sickness and started preying on randoms at the airport with some story about needing to fly home. Dude being a prominent poker site member finally comes out and not only admits it, but it turns into some full blown inside scoop, background, and just a long ass Q&A that I think is still ongoing with the site. Dude became fully open and honest about everything. Kind of a trip. 

[Tank]

I've helped a couple panhandlers. I gave the first guy a set of golfclubs. The second person, I gave some electronics devices and social security cards. 

 

pretty darn generous of you. you should have thrown in some legit looking birth certificates, too.

 

 

p.s. i just mailed ethan a complete set of all 65 disney cartoon length movies (including sequels) on DVD. enjoy!

[deepdrive]

Ethan? Is that some homeless guy Adam gave a laptop to?

[Ray McKigney]

There are always one or two outside of the local 7-11. A couple of months ago, I was walking out of the store and the guy says, "Can you help me out, man?" I paid with my card in the store, but happened to have some change in my pocket (probably around 70 or 80 cents). So I go to hand it to the guy, and when he sees it is change, he says, "No thanks, bro. Only interested in the kind that folds." I think I responded with something like, "Are you serious?" And the guy actually said, "Not interested in chump change, man." Weird stuff going on out there these days. 

Edited October 9, 2014 by Ray McKigney

[mp170.6]

Unless mental illness is involved, it's hard to have much sympathy for homeless folks. California has an abundance of services and programs to get homeless off the streets, and people are usually generous enough to make up whatever necessities are not covered. 

 

I befriended two homeless men (brothers) a few years ago.  One is disabled and gets SSI of about $1000 per month.  Both brothers get EBT (food stamps) from Sacramento.  I keep telling them, leave expensive Southern California and you can rent apartments for $500/month.  Nope, they don't like that idea.  I asked why the non-disabled brother doesn't work.  His response?  "F*ck work!"  I prodded a little further and he's afraid to work a normal job because he owes the IRS a lot of money.  He also claims the lack of a permanent address prevents him from getting hired. 

 

Fine.  There are plenty of one time or part-time gigs on Craigslist that pay under the table.  Anywhere from minimum wage to $20/hour for general labor types of work.  He has no interest in doing this either.  The moral of the story is that both of them are rather comfortable as homeless people and have no desire to change. 

[TobiasFunke]

Well in their defense, change already backfired on them in the last two elections. Amirite MP??

[deepdrive]

There are always one or two outside of the local 7-11. A couple of months ago, I was walking out of the store and the guy says, "Can you help me out, man?" I paid with my card in the store, but happened to have some change in my pocket (probably around 70 or 80 cents). So I go to hand it to the guy, and when he sees it is change, he says, "No thanks, bro. Only interested in the kind that folds." I think I responded with something like, "Are you serious?" And the guy actually said, "Not interested in chump change, man." Weird stuff going on out there these days. 

The other day I received 3 cents in change at a food place I go to. I put it in my pocket instead of the tip cup just because I didn't want to piss the lady off.

[wopphil]

There are always one or two outside of the local 7-11. A couple of months ago, I was walking out of the store and the guy says, "Can you help me out, man?" I paid with my card in the store, but happened to have some change in my pocket (probably around 70 or 80 cents). So I go to hand it to the guy, and when he sees it is change, he says, "No thanks, bro. Only interested in the kind that folds." I think I responded with something like, "Are you serious?" And the guy actually said, "Not interested in chump change, man." Weird stuff going on out there these days.

Wow. I am sure that will motivate you to want to help out again next time.

[wopphil]

And for the record, the best bums are in San Diego. They are the most creative and the most driven. I actually saw one that had made a professional looking sign that had colored lights that flashed "please help." There was another one that used to hang out at the In-N-Out on Rosecrans. He also had a really nice looking sign that said "Down-N-Out" with the same yellow logo. I really liked that bum.

[DowningRules]

What is perhaps worse then the street corner panhandler is the total ass face who sits in their car all during the red light, then, when the light turns green, they zip there safe little window down and hand over some green to the panhandler while the seconds tick away on that green light you're about to miss.