I love the guys who have cardboard signs saying they need money for beer. At least they're honest.
I still don't give them money.
Panhandlers
We don't get panhandlers, we just get people selling the Big Issue. Every big city, there's a ton of them.
Also, in one or two places, we get old women who try to sell you flowers. I got taken in once, and she asked me all these questions in the manner of a fortune teller. 'You like girls, yes?' etc. I thought I'd stumped her when she said 'And I can tell you're keen on sport, aren't you?' because if you know me in real life, you'd KNOW that I'm more a geek then anything else. So I said No. 'Really?' Really. 'No, no, of course not. I knew that.' Still ended up giving her a pound for a shriveled up flower though.
Now when one of them approaches me, I just tell them I don't have the time. Or I don't have the change. Or, if I'm feeling really mean, I'll say 'You got me yesterday'.
i hate having to try to decide whether i'm being scammed or whether the person really needs help. i read an article in a magazine while i was waiting to see my doctor about a man who had what i thought was a good idea for handling it. when someone approaches and asks him for money for a meal, rather than giving them the money, he offers to buy them lunch at mcdonalds or wendys or whatever's nearby. if they're truly in need of help, they'll accept it in any form it comes in. if they get pissed off and just want the money, they're likely con artists. it's sad to see how many people get angry when you offer to buy them a meal rather than give them cash...i pretty much don't trust anybody, but i don't mind helping someone who truly needs it, so his idea seems to work well for me.That was very informative. Thank you! O_O ... I get stopped often along Main Street in Queens, near the QC Campus, ... I've seen people who ask for money, shake their hands a little turn their hat sideways a bit, and ask for lunch money. I see people who give them the cash all the time, too. It is very tough to decide. But not all of us have the time to go sit with a person to eat lunch.
any other creative ways of dealing with people like this?
oh, i would never crash out and eat with them. just drag them into mcdonalds, let 'em order a sandwich, fries and drink, pay for it for them and leave. doesn't take a whole lot of time, and then you can be sure they're not spending it on drugs or booze. unless of course, their dealer accepts mcdonald's value meals in exchange for alchohol/drugs. :shrug: