How to avoid panhandlers? (Atlanta, Tucker: city hall, home, to buy)

[maddy1980]

I already know to avoid five points but I heard they may be all over the place so I want to know which areas have the highest number of panhandlers so I can try and avoid going in their direction.

[BGS99]

You've got it all wrong. Walk in their direction and ask them for money before they can ask you.

[maddy1980]

Originally Posted by BGS99

You've got it all wrong. Walk in their direction and ask them for money before they can ask you.

LOL Oh Ok!

Here is one article on the madness!

11Alive.com - Panhandling In Atlanta On the Rise? (http://www.11alive.com/news/article_news.aspx?storyid=114754 - broken link)

[atlantagreg30127]

You have a few options:

1) As they get near, start hitting your legs and screaming, "Stop biting me! Stop biting me!". Unless they're crazier than you at the moment, they'll avoid you.

2) When they ask for money, reply with, "No hablispeaka Englishia".

3) When they say they'll give you directions for a fee, give them directions to the road to find the inner bliss within their souls. After about two minutes of preaching, most likey they'll leave.

4) During the next election, if he runs, vote for Clark Howard for Mayor.

5) Go to downtown Chattanooga instead! Seriously, I have all but stopped going to downtown Atlanta even if there's an event I want to see. In 90 minutes I can get to downtown Chattanooga, their Aquarium area with the river and waterfront park, and tons of restaurants and bars nearby. Very clean and NEVER any bums at ALL.


Of course, you can always register your disgust with the hundreds of bums that populate the city by emailing the Mayor about it. Doubt she really cares at this point, but if you visit her "about" page HERE (http://www.atlantaga.gov/Mayor/Meet.aspx - broken link), there's contact info on the right. I made sure she is aware that I spend my money in Chattanooga these days.

The Atlanta Convention and Visitor's Center is very interested in hearing from folks about it too. Their contact page is HERE, and if you click the "other information tab" it will open up a direct email page you can send to them with your comments. They replied back promptly to me as well, saying they make sure the Mayor sees these comments as they consider this a huge problem.

[gt6974a]

cargo pants and a car alarm


Daniel Tosh Cargo Pants

[Iconographer]

Just look straight ahead and keep walking...to do otherwise makes then believe they have an "in".
A friend of mine that felt too guilty about ignoring them used to buy gift certificates at McDonalds to give out when she was approached. Most of the time the "hungry" panhandlers would turn their nose up at them.

[coolyfett]

These bums here are aggressive ain't they?? lol I only been here 3 weeks and already got in a shove match with a bum at Olympic Park. Dude walked up on me while I was blowing my nose!!! I'm like dude get the **** away man!!!! Don't avoid them, this is your home so go where you please!! People work hard to enjoy their life, don't let bums decide what you do!! Get a mace kit. Empty the can in someones eyeballs!!

[Twinkletoes]

I don't go downtown. Haven't seen any panhandlers, ever.

I'm being totally serious here. I live in Gwinnett, in Suwanee. Gwinnett has its own arena for concerts and events. Plenty of places to go, restaurants, shopping, etc. I can't even remember the last time I went downtown. Maybe I need to get out more!

[JPD]

I work near Five Points. I never go to the Underground side of Five Points or the Five Points plaza, which, from what I hear, are the worst areas.

I see/deal with panhandlers on Broad Street. There are always college kids and business people around, so it's an obvious place for panhandlers to "work".

Cynthia Tucker has an article about how panhandling has gotten worse since passing the anti-panhandling ordinance in today's AJC Opinion section.

[atlantagreg30127]

The fact is, services are available (food, shelter, job training, even free psych counciling) for those who WANT it. People pass out info packs to these guys downtown all the time explaining this, yet most don't want to take part in any of it. This is what determines the difference between a true homeless person and a bum. The homeless use these services until they can get out of their current situation and re-enter society as a tax paying citizen. Bums could care less. Most of what we have downtown are bums.

The Mayor has been far too concerned about what the advocates have to say about it. They need to do a mass roundup of these bums and jail them. Even if 1000 advocate protestors march around city hall for a month because of it - let them. Let them march in the heat and rain until they fall over from exhaustion, but keep the bums in jail. Then after a 6 month jail "visit", put the bums in a wagon and take them to New Orleans and dump them out in front of the stadium and leave. We "owe" New Orleans for Katrina anyway - they loaded up our local gangs with AK47s and new members - let's give them something back as a thank you - our bums.