Aggressive Homeless People

[GTF425]

I have some funny homeless stories, but here's one from a week ago:

Naked homeless dude wrapped in a tarp sleeping in the bushes outside of Grady. As ATL as it gets.

IMG_2464.jpg

[Honu]

many these days are fake
the others junkies who already get welfare food card subsidized housing most likely some other scams do drugs rob people beg

from what I hear very few have mental issues and those are the ones that need to be taken care of the rest should be caught printed and said if you return you will be shipped off to Mexico

[JC5188]

The pan handlers have increased exponentially around Northern VA. There was always your couple local homeless guys that every knew were out for beer money but within the last 12-18 months dozens more have shown up. Large intersection? Theres one on each median. We have one who drives a friggin Escalade. It's becoming a RICO type group. Behind the scenes, very organized. The new guys never fight amongst themselves. They are much cleaner than the usual. They only but heads with the old head regulars. And all tax free.

A local news reporter once held a "will work for food" at a stoplight/median. I think she made $26 in one hour...tax free, obviously.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[tb-av]

I never ever give anything to anyone on the street. I don't feel the least bit bad about it either. In fact, I consider it training in not being duped and lulled into a dangerous situation. Avoiding being socially engineered or whatever you want to call it. I avoid being proximate to them to the greatest extent possible within reason. If that means walking up to a 7-11 and turning around and getting back in my car, I would do it. I don't judge them. All I care about is that me and them do not meet.

I do give to charities of my choosing.

[TAZ]

I don't give to panhandlers. It just encourages their behavior. If the majority of my fellow Austinites would have the brainpower to do the same these folks would miraculously manage to get themselves to San Antonio or other locale. Sadly, people are easily duped.

[Kain]

Professional panhandlers are a thing sadly, since some have found that they can actually make a living on it, and even more sadly make a fair amount of money. I think some people are wising up, but there are plenty out there who are still more than willing to give the idiots cash. I know of homeless who were arrested while panhandling with 300-400 in cash and change on them after a couple hours panhandling. it is insane in some ways. I used to work in a small city and you'd have some panhandlers who you saw on such a regular basis that you could point them out. One would hit my workplace's parking lot once a week when the weather was decent, knew when we left, and would hit everyone up as we came out, basically get told to **** off, and then hurry to the next spot where the business was letting out trying to get a hand out. Had a couple guys who would offer him food just to see what he would say, usually was "**** you I need cash." Was crazy.

Anyway, as far as some thinking they are entitled to the handout.... I am not overly surprised there either. I've seen a few who were more aggressive than others at times. I mean, I run into it locally people demanding discounts, or free shit because they think they deserve it. I worked in retail for a time and the amount of people who would demand employee discount was unreal. Entitlement culture, it is stupid.

[ryanm]

I only give money and/or food to the ones that aren't holding signs or begging. It's hard to tell what the situation is but I figure when you see a dude clearly living out of a back pack but trying to keep to himself, thats the dude I want to help. You can tell when a person has that " what am I going to do" look vs. the sad panda routine.

[austinN4]

If the majority of my fellow Austinites would have the brainpower........

I see you have identified the problem.

[tb-av]

I only give money and/or food to the ones that aren't holding signs or begging. It's hard to tell what the situation is but I figure when you see a dude clearly living out of a back pack but trying to keep to himself, thats the dude I want to help. You can tell when a person has that " what am I going to do" look vs. the sad panda routine.

Well honestly if I saw something like that I might too. Where I live that would be extremely rare. We mostly get the people, men and women pretty much equally, that hang out at prime intersections. Then the occasional guy outside a store that looks just a bit too lively and fit doing that 'fast begging'. Like he's asking you for money while looking past you scanning for his next mark.

[Honu]

our church helps out quite a bit
often they know families that have almost nothing they provide shoes clothes help with school lunches for them
homeless instead they go down and help out at the shelters and places even my 13-year-old daughter was down there in the kitchen making and serving food
IMHO this is better help than just giving a few bucks and maybe something others should get involved with if they truly want to help

at least shelters provide housing and food to those who are not fake (drive off in a car) and when they come in the doctors observing and have history with them can help figure out who truly needs mental health attention against those who are druggies and TRY to get them the help they need vs those who truly hit hard time and need help etc..