17 replies to this topic

[David Love]

I remember these two topics being very popular on the FWAF once opon a time, here are both in one newspaper article.

 

A downtown patron asking two panhandlers if there was an after hours club anywhere and giving them a buck for their time, at which time they decided he should give them more of his hard earned cash since he seemed to have a surplus, he disagreed so they stabbed him 4 times.

 

This occured at 6th and Houston this morning at 2:15 AM.

[mmiller2002]

Reinforces the adage "nothing good happens after midnight"...

[Brian Luenser]

Looks like they caught as least one of the criminals.  Would be great if they could hang him right there on Houston street until we got tired of looking at him.

[cberen1]

There's no easy solution for homelessness and panhandling.  I wish there was and I even wish I knew what the hard solution was.  I wonder if you could organize a panhandler free tax district where the occupants agree to an incremental tax to pay for picking up and relocating bums to an appropriately humane (but not so nice that people rush there) homeless shelter?  There's definitely an economic value to feeling safe to walk the streets at all hours of the day and night.

 

In this case my suggestion is, don't show anyone a wad of cash.  It definitely makes me think twice about talking to panhandlers though.

[mmiller2002]

I've given the intersection panhandlers gift cards to local fast food restaurants instead of cash.

[David Love]

No good deed goes unpunished.

[John S.]

I've given the intersection panhandlers gift cards to local fast food restaurants instead of cash.

Which, of course, they then take and try to swap with someone for cash...lol. Panhandlers are often professionals. By that, I mean they consider it a "job" just as there are professional beggars in 3rd world countries. Some, who are pretty good at this particular street form of "social engineering" can take in enough daily to keep themselves in booze and/or drugs for a while. The good ones share with others what techniques work best with strangers such as the old classic: "Sir/Lady, my car ran out of gas and I'm trying to get my family to (fill in the blank name of town) so I need a couple of dollars for gas money....can you please help?" That line works best if they don't look too disheveled and unkempt. Trouble is, their "car" is always several blocks away and out of sight. The Grifter class did not die out with the Great Depression or the Movie Paper Moon. Others employ the element of surprise such as approaching shoppers loading up their groceries in the Walmart parking lot and asking the startled people for money instead of trying to mug them. I usually just give 'em a buck as well as give them the usual advice to pray and get right with God so they can get their lives straightened out. Usually, before I can even get those words out they have disappeared again. In the dozens of times I've been panhandled, I can count on one or two fingers the number of times I felt there was any true hardship involved. Most of these brazen folks are pros and know exactly what they are doing even if their minds are often clouded by booze or dope. Some also suffer from mental illness and are off their meds so best to just give them something and try to feign that's all you have. (of course, try as well to avoid flashing a wad of bills while looking for their $1 bill)  Panhandling is just part of modern American life in the bigger cities; its an annoyance like parking tickets. Get used to it...

[Austin55]

There's no easy solution for homelessness and panhandling.  

 

I have one argument for that, and it goes back to the walkability map I made. It seems if a city creates a nicer street and neighborhood or district, the panhandling decreases. I don't know about you guys, but, during the day, I am far more lilely to get asked for money on streets that are'nt green. 

 

My expierince is that you are usually pretty safe in and around Sundance and the XTO district, (each with their own security) but the further south or closer to Tim Curry you go the worse it gets. 

BTW, I got the opportunity to take a tour through the jail with my TCC class. That place is sketchy. I don't recommend it. Pretty cool experience though. 

[Brian Luenser]

There's no easy solution for homelessness and panhandling.  

 

I have one argument for that, and it goes back to the walkability map I made. It seems if a city creates a nicer street and neighborhood or district, the panhandling decreases. I don't know about you guys, but, during the day, I am far more lilely to get asked for money on streets that are'nt green. 

 

My expierince is that you are usually pretty safe in and around Sundance and the XTO district, (each with their own security) but the further south or closer to Tim Curry you go the worse it gets. 

BTW, I got the opportunity to take a tour through the jail with my TCC class. That place is sketchy. I don't recommend it. Pretty cool experience though. 

Austin, you apparently were "Scared Straight" after visiting the jails... 

[Austin55]

I would say I was pretty straight before visiting the jails, but visiting made me... straighter?

 

Pretty cool views some of the cells had actually. Granted the windows were like 4'x4'. The tunnels were all pretty cool. If I was planning my escape, I would try and find the Tandy Subway Tunnel, it must be near there someplace...

[elpingüino]

In this case my suggestion is, don't show anyone a wad of cash.  It definitely makes me think twice about talking to panhandlers though.

 

Another suggestion to keep in mind: If someone with a weapon demands your wad of cash, hand it over. Better to lose your money (or phone or jewelry) than your life.

[RD Milhollin]

Looks like they caught as least one of the criminals.  Would be great if they could hang him right there on Houston street until we got tired of looking at him.

 

That sounds pretty medieval. I would hope that we as a society have progressed past that point of revenge killings at least a century ago, a couple of centuries back east. Lynchings, honor killings, heads on pikes on the bridge or the ramparts of the local fort... public gore is shameful and a discredit to the society that allows it. 

[mmiller2002]

I've had the gas thing done several times.  I'll buy them gas, but not give the money.  Likewise, I've had the hungry/feed her kids line too.  I'll buy them food.  Once at a sonic my daughters and I were sitting ducks for a woman who came to our car and said she needed to feed her kids who were in the motel next door.  I said order whatever you want.  She did, and I felt good about doing that.

 

 

I've given the intersection panhandlers gift cards to local fast food restaurants instead of cash.

Which, of course, they then take and try to swap with someone for cash...lol. Panhandlers are often professionals. By that, I mean they consider it a "job" just as there are professional beggars in 3rd world countries. Some, who are pretty good at this particular street form of "social engineering" can take in enough daily to keep themselves in booze and/or drugs for a while. The good ones share with others what techniques work best with strangers such as the old classic: "Sir/Lady, my car ran out of gas and I'm trying to get my family to (fill in the blank name of town) so I need a couple of dollars for gas money....can you please help?" That line works best if they don't look too disheveled and unkempt. Trouble is, their "car" is always several blocks away and out of sight. The Grifter class did not die out with the Great Depression or the Movie Paper Moon. Others employ the element of surprise such as approaching shoppers loading up their groceries in the Walmart parking lot and asking the startled people for money instead of trying to mug them. I usually just give 'em a buck as well as give them the usual advice to pray and get right with God so they can get their lives straightened out. Usually, before I can even get those words out they have disappeared again. In the dozens of times I've been panhandled, I can count on one or two fingers the number of times I felt there was any true hardship involved. Most of these brazen folks are pros and know exactly what they are doing even if their minds are often clouded by booze or dope. Some also suffer from mental illness and are off their meds so best to just give them something and try to feign that's all you have. (of course, try as well to avoid flashing a wad of bills while looking for their $1 bill)  Panhandling is just part of modern American life in the bigger cities; its an annoyance like parking tickets. Get used to it...

[Doohickie]

Looks like they caught as least one of the criminals. Would be great if they could hang him right there on Houston street until we got tired of looking at him.

That sounds pretty medieval. I would hope that we as a society have progressed past that point

 

Well, at least *some* of us have.

[FortWorthLowrider]

I rarely give out money to panhandlers. I sure would not pull out cash in front of them.

[David Love]

I try not to do hand outs, but occasionally I do and generally don't regret doing so. I make it a point not to downtown unless I know the person. 

 

The nicer you make downtown the more people you attract, the more people you attract the more nefarious activity you're going to have. If they're not conning people for their hard earned cash out in the open via panhandling then you have pickpockets and smash and grabs.

 

Downtown areas go through cycles, a heavy uptick in panhandling generally preceeds a downturn, people go elsewhere then the panhandlers leave and business bounces back. It's never as easy as a one to one but after living in downtown Fort Worth close to a decade and scouting Deep Ellum and Dallas for half that long the patterns become predictable.

[Dismuke]

Don't give money to panhandlers.   Realize that when you do so you are contributing to the problem.  You are contributing to the problem and nuisance of the scam artists that others here have mentioned.  And, for those who use the money for booze or drugs, you are enabling their self-destructive behavior.

 

If you wish to help those who are homeless because of legitimately unfortunate circumstances or those who are mentally ill take the money and make a donation to one of the various organizations that exist to help such people and which have the experience to differentiate between the criminals, the scam artists and those who are worthy of assistance.

 

More importantly, learn what motivates a great many people to hand money over to panhandlers:  unearned guilt.  Whatever degree of success you have managed to earn is NOT the cause of other people's misfortunes.  The fact that you have money in your pocket is NOT the cause of other people's pockets being empty.  Perhaps the fact that their pockets are empty is THEIR fault (i.e., the result of their bad choices) or maybe it isn't their fault (unfortunate circumstances, mental illness, etc) - but either way, it is NOT YOUR FAULT.  There is nothing wrong with feeling sad or empathetic towards someone else's misfortune.   But if you feel GUILTY because of it - that is a problem.  It is a problem for your own mental well being and happiness.   And it is a problem when you act on it thereby enabling the very worst sorts of scoundrels - those who manipulate and take advantage of other people's unearned guilt.

 

The world is filled with charities and causes that are worthy of support and short on funds needed to fulfill their mission.  If you are motivated by genuine benevolence as opposed to guilt and, if you are in a financial position to do so, go find a charity with an objective you strongly believe in.  No matter how well-off you may be, any surplus funds you have available to contribute towards charity are finite.   Put some thought into how you spend such funds so that you can get the biggest bang for the buck and know that your money is going to the things that you consider to be the MOST worthy.    When you act on a spur of the moment whim based on GUILT and give money to a panhandler you are diverting funds you could have provided to those who are MOST worthy of them.

[renamerusk]

Don't give money to panhandlers..... When you act on a spur of the moment whim based on GUILT and give money to a panhandler you are diverting funds you could have provided to those who are MOST worthy of them.

 

I have a differing opinion; and I choose to follow the advice given to me by my mother: “When someone asks for money to purchase food/water, give and move on.  It is impossible for anyone to judge absolutely the motivation of some else; it is your motivation that matters the most in the transaction”.   Anticipating that I will eventually encounter someone asking for money, I try always to have coins with me to offer in charity.

 

When I purchase coffee at my neighborhood RaceTrac Store (the store clerks regularly offer the coffee to me “on the house”).  I then take that those coins (gift) and give them to a man who is always standing by (cold/hot weather) near the out door ice box; he never fails to say thank you or give me a warm smile; and he always watches for me to catch him waving goodbye to me as I drive away. This, of course, is anecdotal, but it is a tidbit of everyone's humanity.

 

No guilt; it is simply worth the gift in a smile.

 

Keep Fort Worth folksy