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Folks, if you want panhandling to end, loonies and twoonies have to go. However, this doesn't alleviate the problem of poverty.

I know you loving Christians out there just fall all over yourselves to love your neighbour and shelter them, but what sort of world would you like if you were to go broke, lose your job and got tossed out onto your ass? Would you want the bank to extend you credit and let you skip a couple of mortgage payments, you know, a handout? Would you ask your parents/family/friends for a loan, another handout?

Actually, I'd love to know whether or not you rugged individuals and paragons of self-sufficiency have ever taken a loan, handout or act of charity.

   

Nope when I started my business the bank would not lend me a dime, now they phone me for LC's and cheap loans.

   

This touches on something I've experienced. I live in Richmond, which is just south of Vancouver. Panhandling has definetely increased here over the last 5 - 10 years. There is a 7-11 near home where fairly often someone will be asking for money outside the store. I don't give in to these folks. One evening a young woman approached me as I was returning to our car. She said she needed $2.25 for busfare to get to the Womans Shelter in downtown Vancouver. I wasn't about to give her money, but since she seemed to be seeking help I instead gave her one of my faresaver cards. (For those not familiar these cards are sold in books of 10 at a discounted rate to use as busfare, much more convenient than fussing around for change, and at the time I usually carpooled so a monthly pass was not worth it). She looked at it and asked what it was. I told her that it would get her on a bus to get to the shelter. She then said "Why don't you just give me the $2.25?" I replied that what she required was to get downtown and I had just given her the means to do so. She walked away and I presume to wait for her next victim. What a scammer for using that angle to get "help" when there are very legitimate reasons women need to seek out a shelter.

   

No where have I blamed the 'Old Fella' for anything. But now that YOU mention it,Regardless of how well intentioned he was, for a 79 year old man to be 'pulling out a wallet with cash in it, in front of a 43 year old man who 'claims' (by virtue of begging) not to have any money, IS fool-hardy at best!


"News Flash"

The subject of this thread' a 43 year old 'professional panhandler' has been arrested and charged with assault. Other charges are pending.

Most of us here seem to be in agreement that panhandling needs to be dealt with. To wit; must be abolished.

I said that if the panhandlers source of income dries up then they will have no choice but to 'move on'.

'WTF' is there about that not to agree with?

The panhandlers are itinerant. Giving them a fine in any amount is pointless. They don't have the $$$to pay the fine nor would they be anymore inclined to pay than I am to pay a parking ticket that I got in San Francisco!

Take a look at the 'logic' of fining a person for panhandling. They would have to go back out and panhandle even more in order to get the money to pay the fine for panhandling in the first place. Ad infinitum!

This thread IS NOT about ending poverty or finding a solution to homelessness. Feel free to start one though. I'll be sure to pay you all a visit over there!

What does panhandling have to do with borrowing money? Where the hell does that figure into this?
Panhandlers are asking people to GIVE them money so that they don't have to work. Never have I heard a panhandler 'ask for a loan'!

When a person borrows money from anywhere, in order to get ahead, ie; mortgage, car loan, tuition etc. if they can convince the lender that they in fact are both capable AND willing to pay it back. The majority do so.

I am well versed in addictions and homelessness and poverty and also know very well how to deal with these issues effectively. Again, these are topics for ANOTHER THREAD!

   

He, in Houston the homeless have a system worked out. Each group has their own territory(street corner) where they beg for money. They rotate every 2 hours to different spots.

After a long, tough day of begging, they go live in the houses they bought from panhandling.

Stop giving them money. Give it to shelters instead.

   

Panhandlers will never want you to give them "things"... It may not be their taste

When we moved from one town to another, 6 years ago, we had some stuff we didn't want anymore. Romania is a poor European country, in need of any aid they can get, so I asked some charity-company that brings stuff to Romania, if they wanted some of my useless furniture. Their answer: Only if it is real Oak, otherwise they don't want it...

That was the last time I thought of giving to European charity...

   

Right.

   

i was once approached by this "bum" trying to panhandle off me telling me he hasnt eaten in 3 days and usually i'm a real sucker for that..call me bleeding heart or whatever..but this time it was 3 blocks away from my mom's house so i explained to him that my mom(god rest her soul) has alzheimers and she ALWAYS buy the same stuff over and over and that i'd be happy to swing by her place and give him at least a weeks worth of food...he said to me "fuck you asshole"so then i spit in his face...i wouldve beat the crap out of him but who needs an assault charge?

   

You could have got an assault charge just for spitting on him, christ you could get an assault charge just for looking at him the wrong way these days.

   

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