[Huckleberry3911948]

the line is very thin between agreesive panhandling and strong arm robbery.

[krelithous]

Originally Posted by Cyborgt800

^^^^ He's updating his FB status...bragging about all of the suckers that funded his high for the night.

you forgot to say he was alson on twitter tweeting about who funded his high last night as well

[NLVgal]

I've had some interesting conversations with local panhandlers.

One asked me for a buck at a gas station because they had two hotdogs for a dollar. I gave him five and told him to grab a beer as well. He came back out with his hotdogs and beer and pointed out the lot he was sleeping in next to his job at Jack In The Box. He had an interesting story. The kid had made some bad decisions for sure, but he was working , and waiting for his first paycheck so he could get a weekly rental. He didn't ask me for anything else, he just wanted to talk once he some food in him. If I was sleeping in an empty lot, I'd want a beer too, which is why I told him to get one.

Another one I met was mildly retarded, and the person he was staying with would beat him up if he didn't bring home enough cash each day. That one was very sad. This is all several years ago.

It has gotten out of hand now, when you can't go to the grocery store without someone wearing nicer shoes than you are, hitting you up.

[TurboNerd]

I can't stand them. Mentally disabled or not, asking for money on the side of a busy street is not something that I want to condone by giving out change.

They must be making pretty decent money from doing it as well. Let's say every time the light turns red they make $.25. So 4 red lights would be $1. Depending upon the light timing, let's say that a light turns red every 2 minutes. That's 30 red lights per hour. Based on my assumption of an average of $.25/red light, that's about $7.50 per hour, which is just a little shy of minimum wage.

Yes, I'm bored.

[aggrofish]

I think you'd be way, way off at minimum wage.

[Cyborgt800]

Back in the early nineties, Paula Woodward, an investigative reporter in Denver set up a camera crew watching one of these guys. They assumed every bill handed over was a pne even though it could've been a five or higher. The bum got over $200 before calling it a day!

[NLVgal]

^^ which just goes to show you that people are kinder and more generous in spirit than most imagine. ( including you, so don't try to tell me otherwise)

I've known people who have become temporarily homeless. They were not panhandlers. I saw a guy yesterday who was out washing car windows for spare change. He looked like he was going to keel over from heat exhaustion. It's not a job, but at least he wasn't standing around in nice shoes holding a stupid , foldable sign.

[von949]

Originally Posted by NLVgal

but at least he wasn't standing around in nice shoes holding a stupid , foldable sign.

That's fine with me, if people get fooled, they get fooled but at least he wasn't coming through someone's living room window at night.

I'd rather see a thousand panhandlers than people breaking in homes or robbing stores.




(╯°□°）╯ ︵ ┻━┻

[ScoopLV]

Originally Posted by von949

I'd rather see a thousand panhandlers than people breaking in homes or robbing stores.

It's not like those are the only two options. Society acts like that's it, though. "I give them spare change so they don't become burglars."

[von949]

Originally Posted by ScoopLV

It's not like those are the only two options. Society acts like that's it, though. "I give them spare change so they don't become burglars."

But I don't give them spare change. I direct them all to the nearest food bank or shelter so if they turn that down then they are just lazy and the outcome will always be what is the easiest way to make a few bucks. Panhandle or commit a crime.

90% of these people have been in this position for long periodes of time and do not want long term help. In four years I have told one homeless lady about a foodbank close to her location. Her eyes lit up and she told me "God bless", must have been the best news she heard all week. The rest just tell me "thanks, I already know that", and keep it moving.

They just want the quick money. Do you know any other ways to make a quick buck or two?