Do you give to beggars?

make_me_wise

catkins wrote: »

In London it is certainly not true that the vast majority are professional benefits system milkers. What sleeping in a doorway on a piece of cardboard with only a sleeping bag in the freezing weather?

Most of them do not get given much money by begging - you only have to look at a lot of the responses on this thread to realise that and I know many people who would never give to anyone begging on the street.

If they are not really homeless why are they lying in the shop fronts at night and again early morning? Do they really just go home after about midnight and set their alarms for very early morning so they can go back to the doorway and fool us all into thinking they are homeless?

At New Year I saw some of the homeless around the area of The Strand queueing up at a truck giving out food. It was absolutely torrential rain at the time and I cannot imagine the huge queue of people pretending they were homeless thought it worthwhile to get completely soaked through just to get a cuppa and a sandwich!





Can you tell me which places it is they can go for help so I can go to London and let them know. Most hostels are full and cannot take anywhere near the amount of homeless. Also most hostels do not allow dogs and why should a homeless person be denied the company and hopefully protection of a dog?

I know if god forbid I ended up homeless and I do realise it is not impossible unlike some of the posters on here I would want a dog for company and at least feel like I had some protection having to sleep on the street and possibly get robbed or worse

Which posters? I dont get the impression from any of the posters on here that they have any less understanding of it than you. If you are going to make a snide remark like that be honest and say who you are referring to. Or drop the wiser than thou attitude.

Peater

I have never understood homeless people in cities. Surely, if you are home-less, you can choose where you live. Why not find a secluded spot in the country? Live off subsitence, do cash in hand work for farmers etc. Nicer views, very low chance of being attacked/mugged/!!!!!!ed and you don't have to put up with 1000's of people sneering at you on a daily basis.

daviecol

Peater wrote: »

I have never understood homeless people in cities. Surely, if you are home-less, you can choose where you live. Why not find a secluded spot in the country? Live off subsitence, do cash in hand work for farmers etc. Nicer views, very low chance of being attacked/mugged/!!!!!!ed and you don't have to put up with 1000's of people sneering at you on a daily basis.

Probably because in small country communities a begger would stand out like a sore thumb and get arrested or moved along.

Also being out in the open would be far colder than tucked up in a back lane or doorway of a shop.

Also there is probably more chance of getting money/food/clothes in a city where there are more people/facilities/shops.

I think if I were homeless (thank god I'm not) I would probably be more concerned about keeping warm and getting something to eat rather than having a nice view. Hmmmmmmm

jojo_2012_2

TLDR. But I don't personally give to beggars sitting on the street etc. Especially if they're right next to a cash machine or ticket machine, that's not fair they're making themselves unavoidable.
HOWEVER if someone walking around outside a shop asks if they've got 10p or so they can have, and I have it in my pocket (won't get my purse out in the street), I'll usually give it to them because I've been short of cash for something by a ridiculously small amount before and ended up doing the same, don't really care that there's a risk they've been doing it all day.

catkins

make_me_wise wrote: »

Which posters? I dont get the impression from any of the posters on here that they have any less understanding of it than you. If you are going to make a snide remark like that be honest and say who you are referring to. Or drop the wiser than thou attitude.

Maybe the ones who reckon they are all addicts of one kind or another and/or professional beggers who live in mansions and drive Porsches.

I am not saying I am wiser than others but I have spoken to a lot of homeless in London and a lot of the reasons they are homeless are things that could happen to any of us such as relationship breakdowns and not able to afford anywhere else to live, illness and losing your home, loss of job and losing your home, being thrown out of your home, have a mental breakdown etc etc. These things unfortunately could happen to just about anyone but luckily for most of us do not.

Ada_Doom

To be honest, I don't think some of the opinions here are that informed, and I know that makes me sound like a right cow but in this instance I don't really care. Some of the statements I have read on this thread are so blinkered....it's the notion of people choosing to be homeless and addicted that makes me fume. I have had a little think having read what you have written make me wiser, cos I know we all have different opinions, but the lack of compassion on this thread makes me feel a wee bit narked off. But i know you won't give a stuff and I guess there is no reason why you should.

catkins

Harry_Flashman wrote: »

Would you prefer a roof or a dog?

If people want help, they might just need to appreciate that they have to follow rules to get it.

Obviously a roof but what if there were not possible? Even if you can get a bed in a hostel that is not guaranteed night after night. There is a queue for hostel beds and if you don't make it you sleep rough. So maybe you get a bed for 2 or 3 nights a week but the other nights you sleep out I would damn well want a dog on those nights but you can't just have a dog on the nights you want can you?

catkins

make_me_wise wrote: »

Do you really not understand that posters on here are adults and have their own informed opinions. We dont need you to educate us about society and the problems in it. Or is the concept that we dont all see things the way you choose to a step to far for you? It doesn't mean our opinions are any less valid.

Of course we don't all see things the same way but anyone with the slightest bit of sympathy and understanding should be disgusted that in 2012 there are people sleeping on our streets WHO DO NOT WISH TO DO SO. There are plenty of empty properties that could be used for them so why aren't they?

There are lots of problems in society and lots of awful things that we can't change easily like people getting cancer and dying - sometimes very young but we can change the fact that people sleep rough who do not want to and we should. If they want to then that is a different matter.

make_me_wise

Ada_Doom wrote: »

But i know you won't give a stuff and I guess there is no reason why you should.

Actually believe it or not you dont know what I think or feel. How could you unless you are some greater being that we haven't been aware we are in the presence of :rotfl:

**Patty**

No i don't.

In my nearest city, there is a group of beggars that hang around the bus station & train station. They are always £1 (it's always exactly a pound!) short for their fare. Times that by 10 & it buys you the next fix. Got a friend who is a bus driver & he pointed out where they meet their dealer.

Around 15 years ago i worked in Camden Town. Back then it was a magnet for a lot of homeless due to the hostels in the area. No idea about today, quit London about 10 years ago. When you see homeless females turning tricks in the Tube for Luncheon Vouchers.....when you get some bloke trying to kick down the shop door to get his next can of Tennants Super because he's just managed to beg enough for another can but it's 5 past 11 at night.....when said females then turn up to spend the LV's in the shop on cans of Special Brew...... My sympathy waned PDQ.

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