I don't mind giving once in a while, but not all the time, and especially not to the aggressive ones.

I had a friend, when asked for spare change, would say, "oh, no, thanks."
By the time the bum thought he had it figured out, it gave my friend time to walk away. I say it once in a while because for some reason, it makes me feel less guilty.

What do you say?

fp

i say, "sorry man" and keep walking

unless i'm really really drunk, and then bills come out.

I say "Sorry, I can't help you." I'm not going to shell out money so they can buy alcohol instead of food. I realize that that's a pretty big generalization, but I don't know which person will use it appropriately and who will waste it. I'm a believer in the trickle down effect where I give to an organization and they use the money appropriately. I will buy a meal for a panhandler from time to time.

I don't have to deal with them nearly as much since moving to Atlanta.

In NY I had one particular guy who always hung around near where I worked and he was "my guy". Whenever I saw him, I gave something.

Steve

i usually blow them off with a "nah, man, ain't got it", although i've been in this neighborhood for a few years and i know pretty much who's doing what with what.

Like one in every 10 times I'll give someone a little change. More often than not it's been someone with some long elaborate story ("I'm from ____, stranded here & trying to get home to my sick wife and kids") that's obviously bullshit, but if I'm with someone who isn't used to that stuff, I just give the bum some change to shut him up and keep my friend(s) from giving him anything.

I say "Je n'ai pas."

I give when I have some loose change or bills around..Depends on the situation....I kind of base it on how the person is....I see plenty of beggers with brand new sneakers, or a new pack of cigarettes....

The only place I will never EVER give is to people who play insturments or sing on the subway cars......NEVER.

other then that, I give when i can.....


I keep all my coins in a large jar....when it is full, i bring it to the grocery store to exchange it for change.....On two different occassions, i gave the jar away to someoene on the street.....There must have been 25-35 bucks worth of change in there.....

Either "sure, but this is all I got" or "sorry, buddy, I don't have any change on me." And then I go and chat politely with the nearest ATM.

I knew it.

Fuck off!

Just kidding. Not that cold hearted. Usually just a nod of the head. I've prolly just given some change once or twice in my life. I'm more down with giving money to big charities that'll know what to do with it.

[quote="TheTwilightKid"]

The only place I will never EVER give is to people who play insturments or sing on the subway cars......NEVER.

quote]

Why is that? Just wondering.

Depends on my mood. Two of my favorites:

1. Pretending to be deaf. Throw hands up and then furiously point to your ears and mouth. Throw in some grunts. Hilarious.

2. One time this dude hit me up at the ATM; It was cold and I was wearing some sort of thrift store boo-hoo garb while the beggar in question was sporting a leather jacket. I was like, "Look at you, look at me---You should be giving ME money. Then I took out a 100 and went and got drunk.

if they can entertain me, i give them money. ya know, tell me a joke or something.

i also ask them to be honest and tell me if it's for crack or beer. if they're honest, i usually give in [even if it's for crack].

i hate the long stories.
and usually it's the young dirty hippies that have the stories.

i just want to punch them.

this one cute girl used to be on south street in philly and she had this whole elaborate crying story about being stranded here and needed money for the bus. And she was kinda cute so dudes always stopped to hear her story. But she told it every weekend for like three months.

made me so mad.

I have no problem with people playing instruments or singing or telling jokes in the big picture. I admire them for at least doing something/anything then just holding out a cup with a sad look on their face. At least they are doing something to make some money. If society is turnign their back on these people, at least they are doing what they can...

If someone or a few people are playing an instrument or singing on a city street or a subway platform, I have the option to walk away if I dont want to hear it. If i wanna read my paper or talk to a friend while waiting for my train, I can remove myself from the situation.

About five times a week, I am on a subway car with some person playing their trumpet or guitar, or accordian, and everyone on the subway car has ZERO options but to listen to it...There is no escaping it till the next stop, if I choose to get up and move to the next car....I can't read in piece, and my MP3 player does not drown it out either....I am at thier mercy of them singing bout Jesus, or playing some old classical hit....And usually not even, competently....

That is what bothers me....So, that is why I refuse to support that group of panhandlers.....Otherwise, I give when I can...

when i used to take the train there was some dude who would go up one side of the tracks and down another asking EVERYONE for a buck. he really didn't look that bad off. i should've pushed him onto the tracks.

I once refused a panhandler and he called me a jew.

"Dad?"

i usually say something that does't make any sense like "thank you" or "thursday"

i gave this homeless guy a bag of chips once and he threw it on the ground and asked me for cash.

"Yo man, got change for a dollar?"
/asshole

When I was 15, a buddy and I were in the city, bout to go into McDonalds when a guy approached us saying how hungry he was and if we could spare some cash so he can get a few cheeseburgers....

On our way out, I bought two extra chesseburgers and gave them to the guy outside.. He proceeded to open the bag, and then toss it intot he street, and proclaim he 'wanted some cash to buy em, not really the cheeseburgers.'

or i could take the patrick bateman route

I was waiting to cross the street once and this guy, who was clearly not homeless, came out of the store right behind me with a bag full of hostess cakes and asked me for some money so he could fill up his van. I looked at him and shook my head no and he proceeded to walk right next to me with his face in my face calling me every name in the fucking book. A panhandler who is aggressive gives me the 'fuck. I'm about to get robbed' feeling.