[MovingtoLVinAugust]

I'm just wondering why there's so many beggars? The other day I was approached twice while in my car:

-- First was outside a shopping area in NW vegas, the lady had shopping bags and asked for $5

--Second was in the drive thru lane at a fast food chicken place...A man came up to the passenger side door on a ~$2000 bicycle and biking clothes asking for change

Neither really gave me a story/reason why they needed the $...but both were seemingly upset that I didn't give them $.

Also, I see people all the time on street corners with those stupid cardboard signs with a blah blah blah story...quite often they appear not really hard pressed for cash because they might have cell phones/smoking cigarettets/clean clothes/freshly groomed/etc. Some of them might truly be in need, but I've heard numerous stories about people that beg however aren't really in need.

IMO they're not good for the city (both on the strip/downtown & other parts of town) & I'd really like to see the # of them decreased.

Do any of you give $ to beggars? Has the city ever tried to do anything about them?

Thanks for your input...

[BBMW]

My quick snarky answer was that Vegas wasn't built on winners, and now you know where the losers are. But more likely than that is the ample supply of meth in the valley.

[UKWildcat1981]

People probably lost their safe savings gambling is my best guess lol

[Vegas_Cabbie]

I never give.
F that.

It makes the city look like crap and I see literally hundreds of them daily.

[UKWildcat1981]

Originally Posted by Vegas_Cabbie

I never give.
F that.

It makes the city look like crap and I see literally hundreds of them daily.

Its every city now thou man its an epidemic. The homeless in my city are mostly Vets thou, so it kinda sad.

[Raiderman]

Originally Posted by UKWildcat1981

People probably lost their safe savings gambling is my best guess lol

Nonsensical at best.. there are casinos in 40+ states, and I believe lottery in all but 2 or 3, so the fact that one can gamble here is a non-issue.

Availability of drugs is a big one. I also think the weather plays a role. I, for one, would rather be homeless here than in god-forsaken Detroit, Boston, New York, or anywhere else where you can freeze to death..

Also, go to any other city of 2,000,000+ and you'll see just as many homeless.

Lastly, it's a racket for many. The money is good, so why stop?

[von949]

Shopping bags and asking for $5?

[Raiderman]

According to one study done by the UN last year, the cities with the highest homeless in the US (not that it can ever be totally accurate):

1. New York City
2. Los Angeles
3. San Francisco
4. Seattle
5. San Diego
6. Tampa
7. Washington, DC
8. Chicago
9. Baltimore
10. Indianapolis

I guess we don't rate after all...

[Raiderman]

Originally Posted by von949

Shopping bags and asking for $5?

I had a woman and her teenage kid approach me with bags outside Whole Foods the other day.. with shopping bags.. I kindly gave her directions to Food 4 Less...

[BBMW]

Is this in gross numbers or by % of total residents?

Originally Posted by Raiderman

According to one study done by the UN last year, the cities with the highest homeless in the US (not that it can ever be totally accurate):

1. New York City
2. Los Angeles
3. San Francisco
4. Seattle
5. San Diego
6. Tampa
7. Washington, DC
8. Chicago
9. Baltimore
10. Indianapolis

I guess we don't rate after all...