Do you give beggars coin?

[C0ckney]

no, never have and probably never will. i knew some homeless people back in swansea, and all of them weren't just poor, they had mental health or substance abuse issues, or some combination thereof. there's help available, but people just don't want to take it most of the time. i knew this one guy who was a heroin addict, he got sickness benefit (for being a junkie!), £92/week for being a problem junkie (i'd like to meet the person who thought of this genius idea), they also let him sell the big issue and he would also beg in his spare time! he was bringing in more than half the working people in the town but made no attempt to sort his life out and was happy living on the streets/squatting when he could.

in brasil it's more complicated because there is very little in the way of a social safety net. there are people here with literally nothing and no one to help them. i will sometimes give food to the kids and i helped this guy move a sofa under a bridge a couple of weeks ago. he's still sleeping there now. i still don't give money though.

there's some quite innovative begging around here though (unlike in swansea "ow mush, can ew lend me 40p for the phone box" - "why, has the phone box got a crack habit as well?"). one of the regular beggars near the subway has recently acquired a bandage around his leg making it look like he can't walk, although he hasn't worked out yet that the fact he's sitting on a massive foot bridge rather suggests that he can walk! you also get door to door beggars, who are a real pain in the arse. i had one woman ring the doorbell recently and after giving me the usual sob story about her hungry children etc., asked for some money, i said no and she continued to plead, so i brought out a half-full bag of beans (a staple food here) and offered it to her. she refused the beans! i couldn't believe it.

[Dinner]

I usually at least give them a dollar.

[DaShi]

I give as randomly as my mood.

[Lonestar]

Nope. I had a friend(who lives in Baltimore, natch) who gave a bum some cash recently, and he followed her to her house, banging on the door demanding more money.


Don't give homeless people money.

Especially in Baltimore.

[bc1871]

I would never voluntarily give money to the poor, on the simple basis that they will just waste it on drugs.

[-Jrabbit]

Nope. Virtually none where I live (suburbs). In the city, too many of them and some are certifiable. I usually tip buskers (street musicians), though. They provide an actual service.

[Wiglaf]

Most beggars are honestly so far gone that they aren't human and should be put in AC-130s and sent out of the country, or into prison so they can do manual labor.

[bc1871]

No. I sometimes get my coachman to horsewhip them for their impertinance though.

[Adagio]

Nope, never... for several reasons. I have too often read about cases where people have followed these "poor homeless people" what they do when they are done begging. What do they do when they are done? They go to their Mercedes and drive to their expensive house
I'm definitely not interested in giving some rich guy more money, for doing nothing
Of course most of the beggars are very poor, but giving them money will just make them waste the money on beer or drugs

And then there's also these kind of beggars that I run away from:



The noise they make is what I expect it will sound like in hell...

[Provost Harrison]

Hell no, I don't give charitable donations without tax relief!

[Tattila the Hun]

Nope. I use a debit card near exclusively; thus, I don't have coins.

[Perfection]

I have mixed feelings. I would say I usually don't give them anything unless they ask you to buy them food(say if there outside a fastfood joint), which has only happened to me once. Sometimes they'll get you outside the grocery store when you have change in hand, it's hard to refuse then as well.

Pro:
1.Genuine Sympathy
2. Liberal Guilt/White Guilt

Con:
1. They'll probably buy drugs with it
2. There are homeless shelters, charity, etc. where they can get food and shelter
3. I may be encouraging them to continue their current lifestyle.

4. Less money for you!

[David Floyd]

No, with one exception. In downtown Austin, the homeless have a seriously annoying habit going, and it's called "extortion". Y'see, they will sit there at an open parking spot and wave you down. Regardless of the fact that you saw the spot anyway, which is why you were heading in that direction in the first place, the homeless dip**** ****er will expect you to tip him for finding you parking. Should you refuse, the best you can expect to happen is that your car becomes the toilet for about 763 vagrants.

In other words, I give them a buck or two, say "thank you", and silently wish that the law would allow me to kick the **** out of these shameless extortionists.

[Ben Kenobi]

They do the same in Vancouver.

I usually offer them a dinner. Sorts them out pretty well for me. Many get upset and demand cash, and I usually say that I thought beggars weren't choosers. Clearly you need some work in the begging department.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Nope. I use a debit card near exclusively; thus, I don't have coins.

Same here. But every once in a while I have cash and may use it to give to someone who seems like they do need some food to eat.