Beggars and Begging (7 Viewers)

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bringbackrattles

bringbackrattles

Well-Known Member
Where I live in Bell Green we've got a few beggars who are always coming up to you begging for cash,and all need it for drink and nowt else. Police move them on but they return day after day,its a real menace and a problem. One piss head kept coming up to me so I went in the shop and bought a cheese sarnie,I gave it him as he said he was hungry.Instead of a thank you he said he didn't like cheese and could I get him a can of lager instead ! So that's it for me from now on sod it,so I just walk pass and ignore them. Any on here had similar encounters ?
 
Nick

Nick

Administrator
Saw something similar years ago, bloke was given a mcdonalds breakfast, he threw it on the floor.

I don't tend to hand money over or anything like that.

Whenever I go to Cov swimming baths there are some sat by the car park machine begging for money, quite intimidating especially in the evenings if it was a woman on their own or something. When I went the other week he had some nice and clean Nike Air Max on.
 
bringbackrattles

bringbackrattles

Well-Known Member
Nick said:
Saw something similar years ago, bloke was given a mcdonalds breakfast, he threw it on the floor.

I don't tend to hand money over or anything like that.

Whenever I go to Cov swimming baths there are some sat by the car park machine begging for money, quite intimidating especially in the evenings if it was a woman on their own or something. When I went the other week he had some nice and clean Nike Air Max on.
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One beggar in Bell Green has assaulted people,and another is aggressive. And I've seen one riding about on smart mountain bike as fit as a fiddle.
I guess one or two are geniune but most are not.
 
Nick

Nick

Administrator
bringbackrattles said:
One beggar in Bell Green has assaulted people,and another is aggressive. And I've seen one riding about on smart mountain bike as fit as a fiddle.
I guess one or two are geniune but most are not.
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It is a hard call, I just don't like the way they sit by the parking meters in town.

I'd much prefer not to give them cash, as if it is funding a habit it isn't really helping anyway.
 
clint van damme

clint van damme

Well-Known Member
Given cash to the young lad who sleeps rough in Earlsdon, always grateful, I tell him to get food with it but whether he does or not I don't know.

To be honest, even if he spends it on drink, if it helps him get through a night on the street who am I to judge?
 
D

Deleted member 5849

Guest
clint van damme said:
Given cash to the young lad who sleeps rough in Earlsdon, always grateful, I tell him to get food with it but whether he does or not I don't know.

To be honest, even if he spends it on drink, if it helps him get through a night on the street who am I to judge?
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I'd agree about the not judging. I used to give cash a lot more, but then figured at least if it went somewhere where they tried to support, it might give some a fighting chance to help their demons.

Did have one very desperate looking bloke pounce on me and give me a big sloppy kiss after I gave him some cash once. He was at least upfront in saying he'd got drunk the night before, got locked up by the police, and now had no cash to get home!
 
Terry Gibson's perm

Terry Gibson's perm

Well-Known Member
Nick said:
It is a hard call, I just don't like the way they sit by the parking meters in town.

I'd much prefer not to give them cash, as if it is funding a habit it isn't really helping anyway.
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I find it an easy call I don't give them anything,can't see why they sit next to parking meters I would already be distressed enough about the fees.

I am very suspicious of many charities as they are a business in disguise, I attend Nuffield gym a charity who pays its ceo over half a million a year, I give to the DSA for obvious reasons.
 
Si80

Si80

Well-Known Member
Nick said:
Whenever I go to Cov swimming baths there are some sat by the car park machine begging for money, quite intimidating especially in the evenings if it was a woman on their own or something. When I went the other week he had some nice and clean Nike Air Max on.
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Fella was there yesterday as we came back to our car after being at Digbeth Dining Club in the cathedral. Stuffing his face with food and asking for cash. The missus won't go near the machine if she spots beggars there no matter day nor night.
 
clint van damme

clint van damme

Well-Known Member
Si80 said:
Fella was there yesterday as we came back to our car after being at Digbeth Dining Club in the cathedral. Stuffing his face with food and asking for cash. The missus won't go near the machine if she spots beggars there no matter day nor night.
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to change the subject slightly, is that regular Sunday thing now?
 
Nick

Nick

Administrator
Si80 said:
Fella was there yesterday as we came back to our car after being at Digbeth Dining Club in the cathedral. Stuffing his face with food and asking for cash. The missus won't go near the machine if she spots beggars there no matter day nor night.
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Yeah it isn't nice at all. I just say "No sorry mate".

Even worse when they are by both machines.
 
Captain Dart

Captain Dart

Well-Known Member
Nick said:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ss-wonder-middle-class-parents-mortified.html
http://metro.co.uk/2009/08/10/beggars-earning-73000-a-year-328306/

How true or not.

I remember in Turkey, there was a woman begging outside where the tourists were all day in the heat with a pretty much new born baby. At night she would pack up and go inside her apartment. Must have been minted.
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Sherlock Holmes story on a rich beggar.
http://www.belfastpovhist.com/2014/03/21/sherlock-holmes-and-the-story-of-the-rich-beggar/
 
bringbackrattles

bringbackrattles

Well-Known Member
Nick said:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ss-wonder-middle-class-parents-mortified.html
http://metro.co.uk/2009/08/10/beggars-earning-73000-a-year-328306/

How true or not.

I remember in Turkey, there was a woman begging outside where the tourists were all day in the heat with a pretty much new born baby. At night she would pack up and go inside her apartment. Must have been minted.
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My sister and my brother in law went to Bulgaria on holiday,and he gave a taxi driver a tip.They said it was the worse thing they should have done,because he pestered them constantly following them about etc,and once turning up with his family pleading poverty ! In the end they had to report him and were told he was a gypsy or whatever, and the tip they gave him was a sign they were well off.They were that stressed they cut short their holiday and vowed never to return. They found out that Bulgaria is rife with beggars.
 
rd45

rd45

Well-Known Member
Not saying this applies to all, but some are 100% genuinely desperate for anything you can give. Stopped to talk to one chap outside Walsgrave hospital last year - he looked so miserable & I'd just been in there to visit my mum so I must have been feeling sentimental. I ended up giving him a lift into town & enough money for a night in a hostel. He told me a bit of his story on the way. Won't share the details but suffice to say it would fuck anyone's life up to go through some of what he had. Bad luck happens to good people.

Again - not saying it's the same in every case.
 
D

Deleted member 5849

Guest
rd45 said:
Not saying this applies to all, but some are 100% genuinely desperate for anything you can give. Stopped to talk to one chap outside Walsgrave hospital last year - he looked so miserable & I'd just been in there to visit my mum so I must have been feeling sentimental. I ended up giving him a lift into town & enough money for a night in a hostel. He told me a bit of his story on the way. Won't share the details but suffice to say it would fuck anyone's life up to go through some of what he had. Bad luck happens to good people.

Again - not saying it's the same in every case.
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I prefer not to let the bad people jaundice my view of those who genuinely need help.

We're in deep trouble if we look at everyone as on the make.
 
Malaka

Malaka

Well-Known Member
I do give to beggars, but not if they ask. My thinking is I would want someone to help out some I cared about if I couldn't. I know, I'm naive.
 
K

Kingokings204

Well-Known Member
Speaking to many police officers in Coventry and they don't agree with it.

They say there is in 2016 many many charities and firms that can and will help so to be begging on the street and I share this opinion that there is no place for it In 2016. If you want help it is there and I don't give to any one on the street. You have got to help yourself.
 
Captain Dart

Captain Dart

Well-Known Member
Kingokings204 said:
Speaking to many police officers in Coventry and they don't agree with it.

They say there is in 2016 many many charities and firms that can and will help so to be begging on the street and I share this opinion that there is no place for it In 2016. If you want help it is there and I don't give to any one on the street. You have got to help yourself.
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There was virtually none of this up to the late 1970's, all you would see is a few tramps, mainly old men and a few women (or at least they looked old).
In the UK street beggars became common around the time Maggie got in and in their number were some younger people.
 
K

Kingokings204

Well-Known Member
I don't doubt they are in a time of need but the right people and places are there and for a genueine beggar in the street clearly just doesn't want the help and wants a quick fix. That's their choice.

But there are many sources of help if hey want it. A person in 2016 should never be homeless in my opinion. We are better and there is enough money to make that happen.
 
olderskyblue

olderskyblue

Well-Known Member
bringbackrattles said:
Where I live in Bell Green we've got a few beggars who are always coming up to you begging for cash,and all need it for drink and nowt else. Police move them on but they return day after day,its a real menace and a problem. One piss head kept coming up to me so I went in the shop and bought a cheese sarnie,I gave it him as he said he was hungry.Instead of a thank you he said he didn't like cheese and could I get him a can of lager instead ! So that's it for me from now on sod it,so I just walk pass and ignore them. Any on here had similar encounters ?
Click to expand...

Must admit, I did some begging in bell green awhile ago, and a nice chap in a sky blue top gave me 2 tickets to the JH memorial.... ;-)
 
chiefdave

chiefdave

Well-Known Member
Kingokings204 said:
They say there is in 2016 many many charities and firms that can and will help so to be begging on the street and I share this opinion that there is no place for it In 2016. If you want help it is there and I don't give to any one on the street. You have got to help yourself.
Click to expand...
Problem is a lot of people on the street have other issues, be they mental health, addiction or something else. A lot of the places that are available to assist the homeless can't cope with the more demanding people they get so they get left on the street.

Easy to say they should just stop takin drugs or similar but doesn't really help the issue.

Annoyingly I can't remember where it was but I read a few years back about a trial carried out in the states. They decided to work intensively with all homeless people and not eject them from programs if they offended, took drugs etc.

Couple of years down the line the results were astounding. A large percentage in employment and their own homes living a 'normal' life. The most surprising thing was that despite the amount of work and money spent on staff and putting them all in homes it actually worked out cheaper overall once they factored in the lower medical costs, policing costs etc.
 
A

Ashdown

Well-Known Member
No one wants to be like that, it's heart breaking. There used to be a girl who sat up on the Barracks car park, asking for a spare quid, young { 18 }, quite pretty, blighted by God knows what sort of shit in her life......we always gave her some money in the hope she'd use it wisely. My wife would have took her home if we'd got room.
 
clint van damme

clint van damme

Well-Known Member
chiefdave said:
Problem is a lot of people on the street have other issues, be they mental health, addiction or something else. A lot of the places that are available to assist the homeless can't cope with the more demanding people they get so they get left on the street.

Easy to say they should just stop takin drugs or similar but doesn't really help the issue.

Annoyingly I can't remember where it was but I read a few years back about a trial carried out in the states. They decided to work intensively with all homeless people and not eject them from programs if they offended, took drugs etc.

Couple of years down the line the results were astounding. A large percentage in employment and their own homes living a 'normal' life. The most surprising thing was that despite the amount of work and money spent on staff and putting them all in homes it actually worked out cheaper overall once they factored in the lower medical costs, policing costs etc.
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these are the sort of progressive programs we should be encouraging but the problem is when the daily mail blue rinse bigot brigade get wind of it they create merry hell.
 
M

Monners

Well-Known Member
Northampton Borough Council promote not giving to beggars, but to local homeless charities. They Then get the right help rather than spend money on drink, and locals are less likely to feel intimidated
 
chiefdave

chiefdave

Well-Known Member
clint van damme said:
these are the sort of progressive programs we should be encouraging but the problem is when the daily mail blue rinse bigot brigade get wind of it they create merry hell.
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Been trying to find where the original trial was but can't find it. It's referred to as housing first. Basically the idea you first get a homeless person into their own house and then work on solving the other problems rather than leaving them on the street or in a shelter until they have everything else in their life in place.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development reported that 83 percent of formerly homeless or about-to-be-homeless people who were put into rapid rehousing were still stably housed two years after their subsidies ended. Other agencies report similarly high rates.
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dancers lance

dancers lance

Well-Known Member
bringbackrattles said:
My sister and my brother in law went to Bulgaria on holiday,and he gave a taxi driver a tip.They said it was the worse thing they should have done,because he pestered them constantly following them about etc,and once turning up with his family pleading poverty ! In the end they had to report him and were told he was a gypsy or whatever, and the tip they gave him was a sign they were well off.They were that stressed they cut short their holiday and vowed never to return. They found out that Bulgaria is rife with beggars.
Click to expand...
A friend of mine and his wife had a similar experience in India, they got a taxi to the hotel from the airport and gave the driver a good tip, he gave them his number and told them to call him and he would do good deals for them if they wanted to visit places that were further afield. The next morning he was waiting outside the hotel and ran up to them offering his services so they used him. Over the next couple of days he took them all over the place and would wait for them all day, then he picked them up and took a detour to his house (without telling them) where his whole family was waiting and had prepared food for the special occasion, then the got badgered and begged for about 4 hours for money and basically held hostage till they gave him about £50.00.
 
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