Beggars everywhere? (San Antonio, Panhandle, Howe: low income, real estate, lenders)

[ItsTheTruth]

Originally Posted by phox1515

You want to see a lot of beggers... go to the UT drag up in Austin... I promise you'll see at least 5, sometimes up to 10 within the 4-5 blocks of it's length, same ones there every day.

I really don't carry cash on me (why should I... 99% of business' take plastic now so not needed... even the food trailers have the little smartphone do dads.

Not all beggers are scammers. I knew one that lived behind a dumpster behind bus stop up in Austin (i just moved from Austin to san antonio, that's why all the references to Austin) who really as homeless. far as I could tell he didn't seem like a drunk or druggy and friendly enough... could use a shower though. I myself have come very close to joining their ranks several times.

A lot of the shelters don't have the capacity or permit male adults so getting help is not at all easy. I was almost homeless in July and only 1 of the 4-5 shelters would accommodate male adults without children.. maybe it was 2 but still, they both ran on a lottery system due to limited capacity. so if your number got called, great you got a bed and shower till morning, if not you got a shower and would be given a bed in the morning till afternoon. rinse and repeat. for most it's not worth the effort. woman (especially those with kids) have it soooooooo much easier. they usually get private rooms and almost always get in. they also get into the longer term shelters. it's discrimination in my opinion... why does have female parts instead of male parts make them more special? women are NOT weaker than men...

As far as getting non housing help that's not easy either. you can go to foodbanks but they usually give you stuff that has to be cooked... homeless have no way to cook it! oh joy a bag of dried beans! too bad I need a pot of water to soak them in for 6+ hours and then a fire or oven to cook them on for an hour or two after that! foodstamps can help but not always easy to get approved.

so yeah long story short... it's not at all easy to get help when you really are homeless. sometimes it's easier to just beg for money.

Feel free to answer my personal questions or not...

Did you not have any friends or family willing to let you in? Did you have a addiction problem of any sort? Were you not willing to take a job that was "beneath you"? Criminal history?

[Littlelu]

Just the other day there was a panhandler with a sign (at an intersection) and a police car turned on his siren briefly and told him he couldn't be there asking for money and the guy said I need it for...whatever and the policeman said that's what churches are for, when I come back in 30 minutes and you are still here you will be issued a citation. Wow...first time I ever saw the police give them a warning. This was at Perrin Beitel & Loop 410.
I get approached a lot and it scares me cause I'm a senior female and they get pretty close. I can see them coming and try
to avoid them. Some sit at the pump waiting and then after you pump your gas they holler over at you could you spare
a dime? lol.....anymore I don't even look or respond because I owe them nothing not even a response..don't want any trouble! You never know what type of people they are...could just pull out a gun for your purse! Everyone beware!

[en28so]

Some guy asked me for some gas money and when I told him that I didn't have cash , his response was "I know I'm not the right color" that's why I didn't help him? I'm not even a racist.

[huckster]

I have used the car alarm on the key fob to scare them away. They will back off when the car alarm goes off.
I did it accidentally once and it works well !!!!!!!!!
Do not let these people intimidate.
I do not respond to them either. I believe it is ridiculous for them to attempt to get free money.

Originally Posted by Littlelu

Just the other day there was a panhandler with a sign (at an intersection) and a police car turned on his siren briefly and told him he couldn't be there asking for money and the guy said I need it for...whatever and the policeman said that's what churches are for, when I come back in 30 minutes and you are still here you will be issued a citation. Wow...first time I ever saw the police give them a warning. This was at Perrin Beitel & Loop 410.
I get approached a lot and it scares me cause I'm a senior female and they get pretty close. I can see them coming and try
to avoid them. Some sit at the pump waiting and then after you pump your gas they holler over at you could you spare
a dime? lol.....anymore I don't even look or respond because I owe them nothing not even a response..don't want any trouble! You never know what type of people they are...could just pull out a gun for your purse! Everyone beware!

[webmeist]

Originally Posted by ItsTheTruth

Feel free to answer my personal questions or not...
Did you not have any friends or family willing to let you in? Did you have a addiction problem of any sort? Were you not willing to take a job that was "beneath you"? Criminal history?

I'll answer your questions. What you're seeing is the system isn't working to a large extent. Stupid questions like "weren't willing to take a job beneath you"...you know how many people work in "those" type of jobs (the kind Bush called those that Americans don't want to do?) for years with no health benefits or whatever? It's called the working poor. Unfortunately there's such an "us and them" tone on these forums because the only people who can write on them are ones who have enough money to connect to the internet.
I was arguing the current social scene with a bunch of cops the other day...during it it struck me about the common number used today where we now incarcerate 2,000,000 people in the US vs. the 200,000 that was true in Nixon's era. To feed the for-profit jail system we've created.
Can you imagine how much it costs to house 1,800,000 EXTRA people in jails, all year every year? That's at least 1,800,000 complete educations we could be funding, every four years. But we don't care a whit about that kind of money, cause we've been programmed and allowed ourselves to be.
Wake up.

[JuanValdez]

I've seen them get arrested around Callaghan and 410 before, but they'll be right back out there the next day. I guess they need an occasional reminder to contribute to the uniform fund.

[BenjaminNicholas]

Originally Posted by webmeist

I'll answer your questions. What you're seeing is the system isn't working to a large extent. Stupid questions like "weren't willing to take a job beneath you"...you know how many people work in "those" type of jobs (the kind Bush called those that Americans don't want to do?) for years with no health benefits or whatever? It's called the working poor. Unfortunately there's such an "us and them" tone on these forums because the only people who can write on them are ones who have enough money to connect to the internet.
I was arguing the current social scene with a bunch of cops the other day...during it it struck me about the common number used today where we now incarcerate 2,000,000 people in the US vs. the 200,000 that was true in Nixon's era. To feed the for-profit jail system we've created.
Can you imagine how much it costs to house 1,800,000 EXTRA people in jails, all year every year? That's at least 1,800,000 complete educations we could be funding, every four years. But we don't care a whit about that kind of money, cause we've been programmed and allowed ourselves to be.
Wake up.

+1. Very well stated. And correct.



BN

[huckster]

I wonder what the "them" types, panhandlers, that is, what would they enter as a response to the "we" types that enter a reaction here to the alarm they cause sometimes due to their approach of strangers for free money to- the elderly or weak or women who become frightened at these seedy types approach ?
I learned in Economics 101 that .05% of the population does not even want to work. It was also
taught to us that therefore , that is .05% unemployment rate, is going to exist even in the best of
economic times.
Sometimes these people merely want money for booze or a fix. I have heard a few "Hard Luck" stories
as a sales pitch from the panhandlers.
Also The hand drawn signs
"Homeless,
Please Help.
God Bless."-
They look so pityful don't they? I really wonder what their motives and reasoning really are. I mean what happened to these folks; to end up in such a situation and why cannot they help themselves. They live on the richest nation on earth, lucky they are, and instead of trying to eke out a living someplace and rent something, a trailer, anything there they sit and wait trying to make eye contact to appeal to our better natures.
They make more in handouts than millions of people earn toiling away daily in far off places.
They can make enough by freeloading...to exist here- off spare change from strangers in the U.S.
Contrarily...I am wide awake.

Originally Posted by webmeist

I'll answer your questions. What you're seeing is the system isn't working to a large extent. Stupid questions like "weren't willing to take a job beneath you"...you know how many people work in "those" type of jobs (the kind Bush called those that Americans don't want to do?) for years with no health benefits or whatever? It's called the working poor. Unfortunately there's such an "us and them" tone on these forums because the only people who can write on them are ones who have enough money to connect to the internet.
I was arguing the current social scene with a bunch of cops the other day...during it it struck me about the common number used today where we now incarcerate 2,000,000 people in the US vs. the 200,000 that was true in Nixon's era. To feed the for-profit jail system we've created.
Can you imagine how much it costs to house 1,800,000 EXTRA people in jails, all year every year? That's at least 1,800,000 complete educations we could be funding, every four years. But we don't care a whit about that kind of money, cause we've been programmed and allowed ourselves to be.
Wake up.

[RedNeckRick]

My best begger story is;

One day, around lunch time. I was at the intersection of Broadway and 410 at the light. A begger came up to the truck and started his "I havent had anything to eat for a few days, can you spare a buck or so." I said, go over to that Whatabuger and I will buy you lunch, anything you want. The begger started cussin me saying " Just give me some GD money, I dont want any f'ing whataburger. Needless to say all he wanted was a few buck to head to the Valero for a quart. So, I can say I tried but screw these bums that only want their next drink.

[Paka]

Bought a homeless guy two breakfast tacos and a cup of coffee this morning...NOT because he asked...because I WANTED to....some of us just have a heart....anyone sitting outside on the asphalt in COLD weather with a shopping cart with all their worldly belongings next to them NEED help...even if they are not able to realize it. What the hey, how did I hurt YOU are anyone else with such a simple act of kindness?????

I'd MUCH rather help some guy who is in confirmed need, than all the $$$$$ my taxes go to support that are pumping out kids and handing out free welfare phones.....