Increasing Homeless Population all over the Phoenix Metro Area (Scottsdale: home, pharmacy)

[AZ_Rookie]

Originally Posted by BIG CATS

Clearly you dont spend much time here.

They are absolutely everywhere. Ive seen them in Carefree, all the way down to Ahwatukee.

nope, not yet (to spending much time there)... only while house hunting - but full time in a couple days.

I don't doubt they are around - but I'm positive it's nothing like SoCal. The small comparative percentage is probably why I haven't noticed... or possibly just not in the areas I've been spending time in.

[azriverfan.]

Originally Posted by BIG CATS

Clearly you dont spend much time here.

They are absolutely everywhere. Ive seen them in Carefree, all the way down to Ahwatukee.

The way you know you have a problem with the homeless is when you leave in the middle of the night and you have people crossing the street hallucinating on drugs approaching your car for handouts or worse trying to get hit by your car. In Florida, that was a legitimate threat. If I had to leave in the middle of the night to go the hospital, you had people walking around aimlessly on the streets and they were doped up and would almost want you to hit them with your car. It made leaving your home after midnight truly dangerous. You would be at a light about to make a left on a green, and some homeless guy would come into the intersection and try to block your path asking for money. You don't see anything like that here.

This is another one of those "Arizona problems" where locals think they have a legitimate problem like other cities and they don't. It still cracks me when people think we have bad traffic.

[BIG CATS]

Originally Posted by azriverfan.

The way you know you have a problem with the homeless is when you leave in the middle of the night and you have people crossing the street hallucinating on drugs approaching your car for handouts or worse trying to get hit by your car. In Florida, that was a legitimate threat. If I had to leave in the middle of the night to go the hospital, you had people walking around aimlessly on the streets and they were doped up and would almost want you to hit them with your car. It made leaving your home after midnight truly dangerous. You would be at a light about to make a left on a green, and some homeless guy would come into the intersection and try to block your path asking for money. You don't see anything like that here.

This is another one of those "Arizona problems" where locals think they have a legitimate problem like other cities and they don't. It still cracks me when people think we have bad traffic.

Sounds bad. The worst Ive had here was a homeless guy begging in the median for money. It was a dual left turn lane, and unfortunately I was on the inside lane closest to him. I was in the Jeep with the doors off, and he came by asking for change. I ignored him but then he started yelling at me for ignoring him. I had the radio on and up loud so I couldnt hear his exact words, but he was riled up. He started walking back towards the front of the line, and must have noticed me turning down my radio or something, because he started heading back towards me. Luckily the light turned green and as I started to move, he shouted something and was reaching for me. He actually ended up almost getting hit by the sideview mirror as I passed. Frickin psycho!

[AZ_Rookie]

^^^ maybe he was trying to get you to turn the radio down.

[YAZ]

I've been approached while pumping gas, and almost regularly while exiting a certain convenience store chain that shall remain nameless.


The pros always hit you up as you leave, and the amateurs tend to beg as you're entering. Had one fella wearing a polo shirt with a chain restaurant logo on it. He kept pointing to the logo and explaining that he had a job.

[Java Jolt]

Originally Posted by AZ_Rookie

indeed they are everywhere in SoCal - EVERYWHERE!

I rarely see them when I'm in AZ... granted, it hasn't been full time yet, but most places I've been have no pan handlers... I think I saw one at the off ramp of 101 (not sure what town) and I was surprised...

Overall the ratio is FAR less in Phoenix than SoCal... I hope it stays that way - but with some of the bleeding hearts I see on this forum - it won't surprise me when the shysters multiply and take advantage of the naivety here.

They're all over the place but the heaviest concentration seems to be in the denser areas like Tempe and central Phoenix.

They naturally choose the higher traffic areas to pull their scams, you don't see them as much in the suburbs.

[Java Jolt]

Originally Posted by azriverfan.

The way you know you have a problem with the homeless is when you leave in the middle of the night and you have people crossing the street hallucinating on drugs approaching your car for handouts or worse trying to get hit by your car. In Florida, that was a legitimate threat. If I had to leave in the middle of the night to go the hospital, you had people walking around aimlessly on the streets and they were doped up and would almost want you to hit them with your car. It made leaving your home after midnight truly dangerous. You would be at a light about to make a left on a green, and some homeless guy would come into the intersection and try to block your path asking for money. You don't see anything like that here.

This is another one of those "Arizona problems" where locals think they have a legitimate problem like other cities and they don't. It still cracks me when people think we have bad traffic.

There is a problem with homelessness but most of these people aren't homeless, they're just panhandlers who aren't as poor or hungry as they make themselves out to be.

We have congested traffic too, just not as bad as some cities but claiming Phoenix doesn't have bad traffic at all is a lie.

[Valley Native]

Originally Posted by YAZ

The pros always hit you up as you leave, and the amateurs tend to beg as you're entering. Had one fella wearing a polo shirt with a chain restaurant logo on it. He kept pointing to the logo and explaining that he had a job.

And it's usually the same ol' sob story, such as needing money for gas, bus fare, food for the kids, or whatever. Most of the time they're simply looking for a handout, and aren't really all that down & out. There have times when I've been close to being broke, especially when I was younger (as many of us have been). I suppose I could've walked the streets & panhandled with a "PO' ME" sign, but I would have felt guilty & pretty damn sleazy doing something like that.

[Bondurant]

Beggars are rife at the McDonald's at 7th Ave & Van Buren as well as the McDonald's and Safeway at 7th St & McDowell and nearly every freeway. The concern I believe to be overblown. I never give them money and I'm not bothered aside from the initial request for money. I've encountered hostile beggars in Chicago and Detroit so I'm thankful for the mild mannered beggars here. If I don't offer money or ignore they just move along.

People can complain but I place the onus on the rubes that give their money away. Sure fire test on the sincerity of the beggar...offer to buy them food & water instead of giving them money. I've only had this offer accepted once. I've heard humorous stories about offering work to folks holding "will work for food" signs and the person with the sign gets angry because they really just want your hard earned money for nothing.

[ddandano]

I just spoke with a Phx cop. He told me it is a heroin problem. These are mostly junkies. He said that they do not have guns but every one of them has a knife. Please be careful when dealing with these people, they can hurt you.