People bugging you for money
 

Does anyone else have a problem with strangers coming up to you asking you for money on the street or in parking lots? I’m not talking about homeless people who truly need money, but regular people who probably just want to buy a pack of cigarettes and don’t feel like spending their own money. Maybe it’s because I look non-threatening, so people think I’m an easy target or something. I’m not a selfish person—I give money to the Salvation Army, American Cancer Society, the Boy Scouts who collect money outside the grocery store, etc. But when I give someone money, I like to think it’s for a good reason.

A couple of nights ago I had just gotten back from the store and I was getting out of my car in front of my apartment building. This guy happened to be walking along the sidewalk by my car and he stopped to tell me this long-winded story about how his car ran out of gas on the highway, and his kids were still in the car, and he just needed a few bucks to buy a gas can and some gas to put in it, etc.

I’m positive that every word coming out of this guy’s mouth was a load of bulls#%t, because he was talking really fast and nervously looking around and fidgeting while he was telling his story (a story which was full of holes also). But the thing is, he caught me just when I was getting out of my car in front of my building, which meant that he knew right then and there what I look like, where I live, and what my car looks like. He knew as well as I did that I was going to have to give him a couple of bucks no matter what, and that I wasn’t going to question his story. We both knew I didn’t want to run the risk of pissing him off and having him come back later and smash my windshield or slash my tires. Or even worse, try to break into my apartment.

It’s unfortunate enough that I happened to be parking my car right when this guy was walking by, but it pisses me off that he thought he could insult my intelligence by giving me this big long bulls#%t story. And then, after I gave him the money, he had the balls to ask me if I could give him a ride to the nearest gas station. I had to tell him, “Sorry, I don’t have time to give you a ride, but hopefully that money will help you out.” I had just given the guy some of my money and that still wasn’t good enough for him. And he thought I would be dumb enough to give him a ride somewhere? Isn’t that something every mother teaches her kids when they’re four years old—never get in a car with a stranger? Just a case of rotten timing, I guess.

I know just how you feel. I get hit up by bums a lot. I really just want to say, "I'm in college! My parents don't give me money! I'm as broke as you are!" What ticks me off the most are the creepy, goth high school kids who beg for money. Or one time, I was walking home from a restaurant with a take-out box. And the kid says, "Can I have that?" Uh, no! If I didn't want it, I would have left it at the restaurant! And he got all irate with me! I said, "I have NO money and this half a sandwich has to last me for the rest of the week!" Why do people think college kids are rich?

I live in the heart of the ghetto,
but it's a very nice apartment that
alot of reasonably well-off college
kids live in and i get hit up incessantly

I've been hit up by one guy about 8 times
each time he has a slightly different story
I gave him money the first time
He had blood all over his hands
and had scotch tape on his "cut"
because he said that's all he could find
so i was like damn he's for real
he was bleeding the following day
when he asked me for money...
the very next day!

since then he's either
1) bought a bike, or
2) stolen one

last time he begged
he told me a stranger loaned him the bike
he's not too bright

he's also started fist fights with my former roommate

we have a tally sheet of how many times my friends and i have been hit up, i'm winning but most of my friends are pretty close-6&7 or so

so....I hate getting hit up
I can barely afford my way
needless to say theirs as well

next time he asks you for money, say, "damn! i was about to ask you the same thing!"

LOL! That's great!

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Faced with the Divine, I was asked; "What one gift do you seek?"
I answered ever so meekly; "I seek Honor, Truth, Integrity, and Wisdom, yet those are four. How am I to choose?"
The answer came as a pounding whisper; "The four you seek are but one. I grant thee Compassion; for without it the four make none."
Author - me

Just tell them you don't have any cash on you..thats almost always true for me..I NEVER carry cash..when someone asks me for $$ I tell them that and they move on and leave me alone http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif

One time, this one guy asked me for money so that he could get a bus ride for his divorce trial. Yeah right, instead of giving him money, I told him that I would not only gladly drive him to court, but I could hook him up with a good divorce lawyer. He walked away. http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif

I figure maybe one day I'll be lost and yearn for 75 cents to take a bus home, so if someone asks me for money I'll help them out. That's not to say that I'll give money to some guy wanting to buy a playstation 2 or something.

Yep, me too. Before I had a cell phone, I was stuck to pay phone calling - which sucks up your money like hell. So, before you knew it, all my coins were sucked up. I'm soo grateful to that person who I asked 35 cents from - I was stuck in a horrible neighborhood that night.

I, too, live in a city full of beggars - San Francisco. But, lots of the homeless here look SO undernourished/horrible, etc. that I try to give them money whenever I can. Just in case, if the guy doesn't look TOO horribly well-off, I just pass them.

To alleviate the problem of giving them money, which they might in turn buy drugs with, you should give them food instead.



[This message has been edited by newbie (edited July 03, 2001).]

How many beggars are 9-5 beggars? I know when my dad had to go to UC Berkley for work, (works in southern Indiana) he said that the beggars were only on the street certain hours, and it seemed like many didn't work weekends. I bet a guy could make a pretty good living at it, even though I'm sure some really do need the money and aren't playing the blue collar role on the side. Dad said one guy was begging and a guy threw some change into his hat. The beggar takes it out and says, "wow thanks a nickel!" My dad stopped and gave him a piece of his mind for that. I mean, he was out begging for money and then complained because the guy didn't GIVE him what he wanted!

How many beggars are 9-5 beggars? I know when my dad had to go to UC Berkley for work, (works in southern Indiana) he said that the beggars were only on the street certain hours, and it seemed like many didn't work weekends. I bet a guy could make a pretty good living at it, even though I'm sure some really do need the money and aren't playing the blue collar role on the side. Dad said one guy was begging and a guy threw some change into his hat. The beggar takes it out and says, "wow thanks a nickel!" My dad stopped and gave him a piece of his mind for that. I mean, he was out begging for money and then complained because the guy didn't GIVE him what he wanted!

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Steve Corbin
Lambda Chi Alpha
Theta Kappa Chapter
Rose-Hulman Inst. of Tech.

That's true. It's sad though when you see a beggar who's a beggar 24/7. I always feel so sad/bad when it's raining hard out and a homeless guy is sleeping out. Yeah - Berkeley is full of beggars, too.

Hey dc1 - you go to CU-Boulder right? So you know about the "hill kids." Basically a bunch of zero growth initiatives have made Boulder so expensive to live in that any teenagers going to high school there can't be THAT poor. Regardless, a bunch of them like to sit on the hill near the university and hang out by the coffee shops then beg college students for money, food, whatever they're carrying, etc. It's soooo annoying. Mostly because you know they don't need it and are just going to get in their Pathfinder and go back to daddy's house. That being said - it's nice to give something to the homeless every once in a while. I figure they wouldn't be out there sacrificing their dignity if they didn't have to. Also, if someone obviously needs change for a bus or whatnot....

Veruca, is it true that Boulder is really pretty? I was just looking at brochures for CU-Boulder, and it's soooo amazing. Who knows - it just might be the picture http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/wink.gif, but it really looks nice!! Too bad my parents won't even let me apply out-of-state! http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/frown.gif

My bf and I ran into one of these dudes - said he was on a road trip from a college about 100 miles away and got separated from his friends. (I helpfully said "are you in a fraternity with a local chapter?") This whole story about he called all his friends at school, etc. Well to be blunt I think he was just stoned out of his mind and looking for his next fix. So we gave him some $$$ to make him go away.

As far as career beggars, there is one in downtown Pgh who totally pisses me off - she has two cats beside her to up the sympathy value. One of these days I hope the ASPCA comes and arrests her butt.

Dang!! You said that?! LOL. I know what you're saying b/c I'm a struggling college student, too. That happened to me one time outside a restaurant, but I just gave it to them b/c they looked hungry.

**I wonder if we live in the same city...**

Ordinarilly, I am tooooo dayum broke to have this problem....




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"If there is no struggle, there is no progress"--Frederick Douglass

I get hit up for money all of the time. And it's the same people you see out Mon-Friday like someone mentioned. I quit giving them money a couple years ago. I realized that :

A)I donate time & money to sheltersthat these people can go to (plus there are several soup kitchens/free church dinners around)

B)If I gave everyone that asked me for money $1 I'd probably spend $20 a week. That's my gas money.

My boyfriend gave me hell a few weeks ago because I told some guy I didn't have any cash, and every time we've been out since then someone has asked me for money. http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/rolleyes.gif Now he understands why I just don't give it out anymore. Although, if someone really is trying to make a phone call or catch a bus I will give them the $.35 http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif

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SilverTurtle

Phi Beta Fraternity: National Professional Association for the Creative & Performing Arts

LOL That is so true!! I rarely have any problems with them; they get out of my way when I'm walking by (which they don't always do for everybody) and have stopped asking me for money... I know that they do pester alot of people though... I guess we all have to have a hobbie, huh? http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/wink.gif

Newbie,
Boulder (and the CU campus) is beyond beautiful! Even if you can't go to school there, you should take a trip to see the area! www.colorado.edu take the photo tour of campus to see what its like!

I still don't give it to them because I have been hit up by the same guy twice in the past year. Last summer I was near George Washington U. and I gave him $2 to take the train to Virginia. As soon as I gave it to him he ran out of the station! Just this May this same guy approached me uptown and said he just ran out of gas and had to get to work in Virginia and needed to move his car right away because it was about to be towed... I laughed right in his face. I agree with Silver Turtle, I donate to these shelters enough to know that they eat very well.

A girl that used to go to my church was driving one day and saw a guy with a sign that said hungry and homeless, will work for food, or something like that. she drove down the road a ways and then stopped at mcdonalds, got him a big mac meal or something and took it back to him. he refused to take it, something to do with what mcdonalds spends money on or supports, and said that's why he was standing near burger king. talk about ungrateful!

Also, you know they all have signs that say "will work for food" has anyone ever tried to hire a guy with that sign? I would just like to know if they actually would work. it would be nice if they would, but i think most are just looking for handouts.

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Steve Corbin
Lambda Chi Alpha
Theta Kappa Chapter
Rose-Hulman Inst. of Tech.

dc1, I'm so envious that you go to CU-Boulder - it's SOOOO absolutely amazing-looking. Do you know if it's ever been called the most beautiful college campus? Thanks for the link http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/biggrin.gif!

Ya know, it's really sad b/c I highly doubt that anyone, unless desperate enough, would hire homeless people to work for them. I guess it's just an image thing.

You're probably right. I would probably do it for yardwork or something like that, but then you run into being worried about them then knowing where you live etc.

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Steve Corbin
Lambda Chi Alpha
Theta Kappa Chapter
Rose-Hulman Inst. of Tech.

Very true. I hate to admit it, but I would feel somewhat wary if a homeless person knew where I lived - b/c sometimes people can get pretty desperate sometimes, and desperate measures call for desperate acts occasionally!!!

bump.

I have a problem being hit up for money by the alumni association of the college that I just graduated from six months ago. I don't have a job. I just paid $100,000 for my education. No! You may not have a donation in my name. Why don't they give college grads some kind of grace period before they start calling for money.