Excuse Me can I borrow..?? Panhandlers!!

[Guest clutepc]

Do I have a sign on me that says "Ask me for Money??"

This is really becoming a problem, everywhere I'm sure but as much as I'm in different places in Nashville I can get asked at least 1 possibly 2 times a week. Had to run one out of the office last week.

I must look like the guy that gives them money because as soon as I make eye contact here they come.

I know I've got to start being more aggressive towards them so they keep their distance.

I stay turned where I can still draw my weapon if ever needed but they are getting way too close. I figure if they are that close and got the drop on me I'd be in a bad situation real fast.

I'm curious what some of you do, my wife says I just need to tell them to go away as soon as they head my way and that is probably the best solution but I tend meet all kinds of people running repair calls and some are work related.

I should probably just stop them before they get too close and ask them what they want from there.

Just curious how others handle this..

[Guest bkelm18]

Usually if I feel the onset of some BS story they're about to recite, I tell them I have no money and walk away.

[Smith]

As a downtown business owner, the best way to deal with them is make eye contact and as quickly as they start speaking, just shake your head and authoritatively say no! don't even listen, because what ever story they give you is probably one they have used for years. If they persist tell them you are calling the police for aggressive panhandling (It has always been prohibited. The new ordinance will certainly help).

[Im Neero]

As soon as they start in on their line say "Aww man, I'm so glad you're here! Ya see, my serpentine belt broke, can I borrow $20 for a new one?

[Mike.357]

I have to deal with them when we deliver downtown. I use several methods. Usually I give them a nasty look and just firmly shake my head no and keep moving. Another is to pat my pockets and say sorry I have nothing. I find looking pissed off usually stops them from even speaking.

[towerclimber37]

I just smile and ask them if they care to do some work on my property...you see I have some trees that need cutting down and firewood to make...if they do that I'll give em 20 bucks..

they turn around and walk off...

plus, I have a beard these days so I look like some sort of mountain man..just the person they don't want to talk to..

your problem is that you make eye contact...not necessarily a bad thing..but they take that as an invitation..much like a bad guy takes the lack of your eye contact as an admission of fear.

[Guest SUNTZU]

As soon as they start in on their line say "Aww man, I'm so glad you're here! Ya see, my serpentine belt broke, can I borrow $20 for a new one?

I tell them I am going to be honest, that I am an alcoholic/crack addict, and could they spare a couple of bucks for some beer/rock. They usually get a surprised look and say no, or shake their heads and walk away.

One time a guy who was about mid thirties came up to me on a jobsite with a sign saying he was a Vietnam vet. I laughed and asked him how old he was and he said thirty-six. A temp worker had shown up by this time who had served in the army in Vietnam. All of a sudden, the temp snatches the sign out of the bums hands and starts cussing him and smacking him with the sign. That bum took off with the temp hot on his heels, still cussin him and kicking at his butt. I was doubled over laughing by this time, cause that temp looked like a ZZ Top band member and was about six inches shorter than the bum. My temp came back pissed off about young punks who try to act like they were Vietnam vets when they were just kids during the war.

Sorry to ramble, but everytime I see a panhandler I think of that guy cussing that kid and hopping up in the air to boot him in yhe a$$.

[r1mattrr]

Sometimes I like to listen to their stories.

[GaryXD]

This is one of the reasons I hate going into the city. I had a guy last year throw his drink cup at me on West End Avenue because I wouldn't give him money. The other reason is the cost of parking.

[The Rabbi]

Once or twice a week. Boy are you lucky. When I lived in Philadelphia, if I walked downtown I would get panhandled once or twice a block!

Usually I just cut them off with a "sorry, I can't help you." If I am walking I ignore them and keep going. This is all behavior I learned from my mother in NYC. That and avoiding bad places.

[Guest Engloid]

When these people approach me, I tend to try and bite my lip. I know that if I start on them, it will likely wind up being a nasty situation. They piss me off so bad I want to slap them or say something like, "go get a f'n job and leave me alone!"

Recently, a good friend's dad died. As a kid, I spent a lot of time at this friend's house, ate many meals there, and spent a lot of holidays with them. I've known these folks for over 20 years. At the funeral, I was outside and somebody walked up with a story about how his wife was waiting in their van up the road, and they had a water pump that had gone bad. He wanted money to help get a water pump. Looking back, I should have asked if I could go help him put it in. Anyway, we're outside a funeral, and this scum wants to scam people??!! I wanted to beat him right there.

Later on, I found out that somebody had given him $20. One of the funeral workers was a guy I went to school with, and he followed the guy... who went to the nearest store, bought a six pack, and went walking on towards one of the poor parts of town.

It made me sick to think somebody would be so crude to panhandle at a funeral. I should have called the cops on him immediately.

The other day, I saw a guy on at a redlight with a sign that said, "Traveling and homeless. Please help. God bless."

Hey, nutsack!! You likely have never seen the inside of a church, so don't think I'm so stupid to think you are doing anything other than trying to bum money for your sorry ass. The odd thing is that he was about 3 miles from the interstate, and was there for three days in a row. I guess he wasn't traveling far, huh?

[dralarms]

When these people approach me, I tend to try and bite my lip. I know that if I start on them, it will likely wind up being a nasty situation. They piss me off so bad I want to slap them or say something like, "go get a f'n job and leave me alone!"

Recently, a good friend's dad died. As a kid, I spent a lot of time at this friend's house, ate many meals there, and spent a lot of holidays with them. I've known these folks for over 20 years. At the funeral, I was outside and somebody walked up with a story about how his wife was waiting in their van up the road, and they had a water pump that had gone bad. He wanted money to help get a water pump. Looking back, I should have asked if I could go help him put it in. Anyway, we're outside a funeral, and this scum wants to scam people??!! I wanted to beat him right there.

Later on, I found out that somebody had given him $20. One of the funeral workers was a guy I went to school with, and he followed the guy... who went to the nearest store, bought a six pack, and went walking on towards one of the poor parts of town.

It made me sick to think somebody would be so crude to panhandle at a funeral. I should have called the cops on him immediately.

The other day, I saw a guy on at a redlight with a sign that said, "Traveling and homeless. Please help. God bless."

Hey, nutsack!! You likely have never seen the inside of a church, so don't think I'm so stupid to think you are doing anything other than trying to bum money for your sorry ass. The odd thing is that he was about 3 miles from the interstate, and was there for three days in a row. I guess he wasn't traveling far, huh?

We get that crap all the time here. If I though for a min. that they actually needed it I would even go as far as to buy them a bus ticket to get them a little further down the road but After giving one of them some money once I found out they were living (yes, living) in the woods between the interstate. . Athens finest did close down their camp sight but they are still here somewhere. Since they are still standing at the same interstate exit.

[Guest TargetShooter84]

I'll tell you guys something, I deal with those people every week in the UT campus area,and its really annoying, I was walking with my friend one night and some guy was sitting on his @$$ w/ a cup begging for money, I said I didnt have any money, and my friend just gave him change, and I said why did you do that? he said he just does that so the guy could get something beneficial with it, and I said Yeah, a 6 pack of booze! He thought about it for a minute and when it finally sunk in, he quit afterwards...its just really ridiculous when people cant get a job!

[Guest Engloid]

When I was in China, they'd come up with a cup that had a few coins in it. They'd shake it and motion like they wanted you to put something in it. One lady persisted until I wound up grabbing the cup from her. She didn't like that, but I kept it up long enough that she was just glad to get her money back from me.

Heck, you hold something out to me and speak in a language I don't know, I may just think you're giving it to me. haha!!

[chipperi]

When I was fresh outa High School I worked for a tool rental company. I was delivering propane tanks to a construction site in Baltimore City for a couple weeks. I was used to blowing off panhandlers and squeegee kids. I usually did what I could to avoid them. One day an older homeless guy asked me for a buck while I was getting a hot dog from one of the street carts. He wasn't pushy or anything so I told him half the people bumming money just turn around and buy drugs with it, but if he wanted something to eat I would cover it. That guy and I had lunch every day for several weeks. I guess my point is many see them as vermin or a threat. But some are good people that are down. This guy was a homeless vet who had been tossed aside by the VA system as well as been through a messy divorce where the woman got the works. He had all kinds of pictures of his kid.

[Branket]

I had a friend who when confronted by a bum asking for change replied by stating he had no change, then proceeded to write the guy a check for ten cents. Probably one of the most comical situations I've ever seen.

[Rightwinger]

Sore subject!

I wish I could recall who first told me the story of how Jesus or Angels would come among us in this fashion to see if we were kind and cared for our brother. Every time I see one of the pan handlers that darn story comes to mind and I'm troubled. I have given in the past to some of the worst hoping they would at least get some food before they got the booze or drugs, I couldn't help it.

I did a short stint of 8 months in downtown Nashville (nobody shoot me please) as a ticket writer while waiting for the Metro Academy to schedule and fund their next police academy. I passed this one guy every morning sitting under the Gay street bridge. One morning, the story got me so I rode the little cushman scooter to McDonalds, bought a big breakfast and took it to him. He set it down and then asked for money as well. I said I would not give him any money but if he wanted I would bring him some food when I was working in that zone. He declined and seemed huffy. Since then I have been willing to take the chance that its an Angel. I hope God forgives me but I won't try to support these folks anymore. 80% could work as we all know and choose their addictions over responsibility. Its nothing we can help with!

[Guest Halfpint]

Somehow I've lucked out and not had to deal with too many . . . I don't have the patience and things would probably go downhill fast if they got pushy.

Does anybody else remember that email with the guy holding the sign, "Ninjas killed my family, need money for kung fu lessons" . . . ? If I saw that one I'd give him a buck or two just for a laugh.

There's an email going around very similar, I actually saw a guy on the Covington Pike underpass with a sign, "I only need $5 more to move back to Mexico." Even if people weren't giving him money they got a good laugh.

[Guest jackdog]

I never give them a dime, I just keep walking.

[Guest CrazyLincoln]

I usually just tell them all I carry is plastic. Sometimes the persistent one's ask me to buy them a meal, I tell them I'm out looking for a job and they leave me alone.

[et45]

I just tell them the truth."Hell pal,you have more money in your pocket than I do".

[molonlabetn]

I used to live and work Downtown... Not a day went by that I didn't get approached by a pan-handler or drunk who had just been released from the overnight tank. Had one follow my then-girlfriend-now-wife and I for a couple blocks up Broad, asking for "Fi dolla"... he was carrying a bible (to appear less threatening, I assume) and trying to get close enough to put his hand on my shoulder to slow us down. Had my hand on my Beretta towards the end, walking backwards between him and her. I don't think he had any idea he was playing with fire, because it took awhile for him to abandon his advances.

I'd never give money to a panhandler... but I have bought a few obviously needy people lunch.

[saintsfanbrian]

When I worked as a KM for a restaurant I would often see these people on the side of the road. I would tell them that if they would show up at the restaurant on Friday at 7 they could wash dishes for me for the night. I would give them a meal and put $20 in their pocket.

No one ever showed.

Now I try to stop them before they get too close. If they keep coming I tell them to not take one more step. I always put a hand on my pistol and if necessary will raise my conceal garment to get the point across..

May not be the proper way, but in my mind, once I tell them to stop coming at me that I don't have time for them they are threatening me.

[Guest triggertime]

I just ignore them like they don't even exist.

[Guest db99wj]

My advice, this is from my experiences of working in midtown Memphis (medical center area) and some discussions I have had and news articles I have read, keep your eye on them. They, at least in this area, are becoming more and more aggressive. Do not turn your back on them, do not let them get out of your site until you are away from them.

My story, when I worked for the bank in that area of Memphis. I saw them everyday. I could see them out my window harassing people, I recognized the "harmless" regular guys. One day I was at the branch by myself, it was dark, I had locked up, I had already moved my Jeep so that it was near the front door. Before I walked out, looked around, saw no one. Walked out, locked up, headed toward the Jeep. I could see a guy in the distance, 50 yards or so away, across the street, near a Methodist Rehab building. I only had about 20 feet to walk to get to my Jeep. When I saw him, I untucked my shirt (I wear a shirt and tie) and put the shirt tale over my XD, kept moving to my Jeep. He was still walking my direction and about 20 yards away, I had already unlocked my Jeep, went around the corner of it, he started yelling, "Hey man, hey man", was still across the street at this point, and I was opening my door. He then started crossing the street, that is when I stepped back, in no time, he was at my open Jeep door, my hand was at this point on my XD, ready to draw. That is when I yelled for him to "get the f...back" and got in a stance so that I could draw. At that point, he stepped backwards about 15 feet into the middle of the road. He went through his spill I told him to get out of here, I'm calling the cops.. He left.

Few things I learned, a person can get on top of you in a hurry...I only had a few feet to go, and he had several yards, closing speed is way faster than you think. 2nd, Be aware of you surroundings, If I wasn't looking around, I would have never seen this guy, he was black, wearing dark cloths and it was dark. Even with street lights, he was hard to see. From all my experiences with them, make eye contact, looking pissed off seems to work the best IMO, don't let them get close and DON'T let them get behind you or in a spot you can't see them. Be careful with these guys.