Foiling Panhandler

RSKY · Jun 16, 2017

I was sitting at the local Wally World Wednesday waiting for my wife. I had the windows down and this young guy with a short beard and a shaved head walked up to my car. He said that he was sorry to bother me but that he had run out of gas. He said he had called a friend who was bringing a gas can and could I please give him enough money to fill the can. Now I'm not heartless or cruel but my wife and I had just talked about the fact that every single business in our little town has a help wanted sign in the window. The young guy looked healthy enough to hold a job so I said, "NO!" And immediately thought about the Ruger 380 sitting in the safe at home. The guy said, "but sir", and I said, "get lost!", and he turned and walked away. I kinda felt bad about it but still, there was something about him.

The next day, Thursday, I am sitting at another store across the street from the Wal-Mart. I have the windows down and watched my wife walk into the grocery. I heard a car door slam and looked around and three men had got out of a pickup truck and were walking toward the grocery store. One man was older and lagging behind the others. I turned my attention elsewhere and heard the same story being told about being out of gas and a friend being called to come with a can. I looked up and the older man was being talked to by the same guy who asked me for money the day before. They weren't twenty feet from my window and the old guy was reaching for his wallet. So I called out and said, "Are you still out of gas? That's the same story you told me yesterday in the Wal-Mart parking lot". The young guy said that he wasn't at Wal-Mart the day before and I replied that he had come up to me and told me the same story about being out of gas and asking for money. The older man put his wallet up and stood staring at the young guy who stood staring at me (I was thinking about the Ruger still at home in the safe). The young guy then turned around and walked off in a hurry. The old guy thanked me for stopping him and walked off into the store. I watched all around for the panhandler and saw him come back around the storefront and leave that parking lot for the one across the street. When my wife got back I stepped out and helped her load the groceries and she noticed that I had the extendable baton in my hands and I told her why. Her reply was that I was gonna get myself shot.

Anyway, I have worked long and hard all my life and so have all my friends. I do not mind giving to somebody that needs help but that young guy was healthy and just looking for an easy way to get some cash. Ten years ago you would not have seen that in our small town and now they are everywhere. The U.S. has definitely went down the past few years.

RSKY

M5farms · Jun 16, 2017

saw on FB today where a lady I know offered a guy a job that was panhandling and he told her he made more money than she did so she took his picture and was trying to get the word out he was just a POS

Silvic · Jun 16, 2017

There is a certain group of folks that are not willing to work for anything that they want.
"I want it therefore I deserve it therefore someone should give it to me."

They are not willing to use the free resources that we as taxpayers supply them. Free education K-12 and they drop out, use drugs, and mooch off the taxpayer for welfare. Then they want us to help them with more money when they have already squandered the free education.

Not saying that there are not folks that are deserving but sorting them out from the lazy slobs is becoming more and more difficult.

The was a hidden camera program that was done several years ago where many of the folks that sit on the corners with signs showing they need help and anything will help were followed and they got into fancy cars and drove off at the end of the day that they had parked around the corner. Some were driving BMW's. Their primary job was panhandling. The level of scam artistry has become extreme in both small and large cities. No where is safe from it. The elderly tend to be victimized at higher rates as that generation is not as cynical as the following generations but no one is safe from the scams.

PILOON · Jun 16, 2017

There was a story about a reporter that carried tins of non perishable food to hand out to 'hungry beggars' .
Well in most cases the food was refused.

I once told a beggar that he was working my side of the street and to bug off.
He did. LOL.

Dftodd · Jun 16, 2017

I had a huge argument with my very religious grandfather about 10 years ago about giving panhandlers money. We were running errands together and he gave someone bumming on the corner $20.

He said I needed to do my Christian duty. At the time I lived in Orlando FL. I pointed out that at at any given time during the day, 4,000 vehicles went through a given intersection. I asked him how much a person would make in an hour if each vehicle gave the bum a buck

That ended the argument

They just made panhandling legal in Arkansas, so bums have come out of the wood work and are on every corning in town. Wife asked one of them this question. What did you do for money before panhandling was legal? She got an F U for her trouble

MitchellB · Jun 16, 2017

After 4 years working at a convenience store at the corner of a busy intersection in a fair sized southern city, I have turned into a cold hearted SOB when it comes to bums, beggers, panhandlers and the like. I don't like them and have more respect for a stray dog. It is sad to think like that, but you can't trust strangers in this day and time. I grew up in a small town where you left your doors unlocked and the keys in the car; those days are long gone.

Dave Pee · Jun 16, 2017

To the OP: be careful with that Ruger - it would look bad for you if you shot someone just for talking to you. But you know that.

Carry big and carry often.

Wagtail · Jun 16, 2017

Regarding a slightly different solicitation... I was once propositioned by a 'Lady of the Evening' if I wanted a "date".

I politely declined.

Then thanked her for the 'opportunity'.

Steppenwolfe · Jun 16, 2017

Funny story considering it was outside of a Wally World, the largest panhandler of corporate welfare in the country.

MossRoad · Jun 16, 2017

We have a large pan handler population here. Pretty much ALL local government and local charities are trying to get the word out to NOT give people money on the street. Donate directly to your local organizations and they'll handle feeding and housing the people that really need it. DO NOT give out money on the street. Once it's known that people in town X,Y or Z don't give out money, the pan handlers thin out.