begging (Brentwood: buy, bus, homeless)

[gumpop]

We have recently relocated to the Nashville TN area and duirng our first two weeks here, both my wife and I were approached at seperate gas stations by individuals begging for money or food. Is that common in this area?

[tabbva]

Were they playing a guitar?

Seriously, the only people who have ever ask me for money in this town are street musicians.

My morning walk from the bus stop to my office takes me through an area where several homeless people sleep and all they ever do is smile and say "Hi."

My afternoon walk to the train takes me past several areas where homeless people congregate and again the most anyone ever does is smile.

That being said, I do know of one place where there are professional panhandlers. You can tell they aren't really homeless because their hands are clean, they scurry away like coachroaches when a police car drives by and my wife has even seen them being dropped off or picked up in nice cars.

[BirdieBelle]

Were you downtown? It is very common there. You don't have to get into a conversation with them. Just say, "Sorry," shake your head and keep doing your thing. Keep your eyes on them, though.

One thing you want to watch for if anyone approaches you like that is the potential for purse snatching. Sometimes they will ask you a seemingly mundane question to throw you off as they approach you and then grab your purse or demand your wallet as they get within arm's reach.

This has never happened to me in Tennessee; it only happened to a friend in Ohio once, but it is a common ploy.

Just be on your guard and get your gas in the suburbs if you really hate beggars.

[gumpop]

Actualy, both occurances were in Brentwood!

[BirdieBelle]

Where in Brentwood?

Three interstates go through Nashville, so we do get a lot of "passers-through" who run out of money.

Our church in Brentwood keeps a cash fund available because people do wander in and need money every once in a while. It happens.

[DonCorleone]

I'd be very suspicious if it's happening at a gas station. I have helped out someone before (older woman with a small child) by paying for their gas but it seemed on the up-and-up. It definitely does not happen often in the suburbs. What you have described sounds more like panhandling...or like Wmsn said, a distraction ploy. I'd be very cautious.

Downtown...sure it happens fairly often. I walk downtown daily but have only been approached by beggars maybe 3-4X a year. Maybe I look like a local instead of a tourist and they know not to ask me.

[rossc]

I'll occasionally throw a few bucks to the street musicians, but only if they are good, and many of them are. There's something wrong when the guy on the sidewalk is better than the guy headlining at the bar across the street. I don't see that as begging. They are just doing what they have to do to make it in a tough industry.

I've been approached in parking lots and I always do two things. (1) Put one hand on my gun and (2) tell them I don't carry cash.

[mcredux]

Compared to any sizeable city, Nashville doesn't have a panhandling problem.

And if panhandling is the only problem, then it's a high quality problem.

[gumpop]

Just odd that it happened seperatly to my wife and I, both at gas stations, both the same week, and both in Brentwood. The person who approached me tried to get me to drive him to a Walmart and buy him baby formula...but no baby was in site. I had my tean age daughter in the car with me so who knows what the real motivation may have been. I gave him five bucks and was glad it ended there.

[Why_Am_I_Here]

Originally Posted by mcredux

Compared to any sizeable city, Nashville doesn't have a panhandling problem.

And if panhandling is the only problem, then it's a high quality problem.

Huh? I do a fair amount of travel and I have to believe you are wrong.