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Some of the people in Chicago were surprisingly aggressive. When I visit bigger cities I do my best to make sure I don't stand out as a tourist, I try to wear local clothing. I try not to show I have a camera or map, or anything like that. Specifically because you become a target not just to panhandlers, but to criminals.
I'm kind of lazy when it comes to buying new clothes any way, so I just blend right in.
Up until I walk out of the sandwich shop eating something tasty.
There are no visible homeless in my town because we're one of those sprawl towns so many disdain but I love. No central downtown, no homeless. I came from another town in another state just like it. No central downtown, no homeless (or drug dealers) on the streets. People can't walk from store to store or to restaurants, they have to drive to store/restaurant parking lots. When they want to walk for exercise sake, they drive to trails/greenways/blueways in town and aren't carrying any money on their person.
I'm sure we have drug dealing and homeless people in town but they aren't doing their things (selling drugs/panhandling) in the street.
I'm kind of lazy when it comes to buying new clothes any way, so I just blend right in.
Up until I walk out of the sandwich shop eating something tasty.
Or when you get out of church. If you've ever gone to church downtown in a big city. Such as St. Peters in the loop (Chicago), the beggers are in full force waiting for church to get out. I guess they are hoping that church has inspired you to empty your pockets for them.
Or when you get out of church. If you've ever gone to church downtown in a big city. Such as St. Peters in the loop (Chicago), the beggers are in full force waiting for church to get out. I guess they are hoping that church has inspired you to empty your pockets for them.
I've traveled down to LA from Victorville a few times and the "houseless"(I always thought "home" was a state of mind) seemed to keep to themselves in the Skid-Row area.
Waiting for the 18 Bus at the corner of 6th and Spring at 2AM, they would be camped out in tents, or just wandering along and moving right past me.
What makes it difficult in a city like Orlando or Tampa is that there are few pedestrians walking around downtown. The panhandlers/bums are really rude for the most part in Florida. Most of the time I'm polite with them and if they catch me in the right mood I may give a couple bucks but most of the time I choose not to support their bad habits. One "bum on a bike" came up to my car and knocked on my window looking for money. It surprised me and pissed me off.
I try to give a little something to panhandlers if they are right in front of me [a few dimes\ quarter]. And have never had any problems. I know, however, that some panhandlers [many are homeless and\or addicts] can intimidate people. They are not suppose to sleep on the beach but they do, of-course & can be pretty foul in the morning [like around Venice beach after sunrise].
Sometimes I'll just give one for the hell of it. Tonight I was going to a gas station to buy some cigarettes and this homeless dude was opening the door for everyone. I had a lone single in my wallet that I knew I wasn't gonna use on anything, I figured I'd reward him.
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