Poll: You pass a beggar on the street.

[rosemystica]

If I have an extra 50cents or a dollar, I give it to them.

*shrugs* It just seems right.

Actually, the closest thing I've ever had to a date happened when I gave a dude and his dog $20 to buy dog food with. XD I wound up sitting in the park with the guy and the dog and just chatting for about five hours. Nice dude. He was on his way to the Rainbow Gathering in Arkansas. His name was Brad or Brendan or Brent or something. I think he mentioned that he went to college during the year, but it was summer when he was passing through Flagstaff.

Another time, I gave these two homeless Navajo dudes a dollar because their honesty impressed and amused me. One of them just walked up and went "Ma'am, I'm not gonna lie. We really just want a big can of beer to share between us. Do you have a quarter to spare?" That made me laugh, so I chipped in to their beer-can fund. Maybe that was wrong, but oh well. Those guys were happy. XD

 

[KindOfnElf]

Give money always. It is a hard thing to earn your own money sure, but it also takes a lot of courage to be homeless and to ask for charity. People tend to treat that as weakness, while I see it as a virtue. To each his own I guess.

 

[OptimisticPessimist]

Eh, I like to think I'm a generous fellow. Why not part with some cash?

 

[Gilhelmi]

I keep a 2 week supply of MRE's in my trunk of my car. I have another month supply at home. I would give the beggar an MRE. 2,000 calories, if you cut up the dishes that will feed you for a day.

 

[Kukakkau]

Generally don't have change on me so ignore.

I did feel bad walking to the bus yesterday though since I decided to say "Oh man I'm so hungry, can't wait to get home and make up some nice hot food"... just as I was passing a homeless guy I didn't see till I'd finished

 

[crazyfoxdemon]

It depends on my mood and whether or not I have money...

 

[sheah1]

If I have money in my pocket then I'll give them it, if I don't have anything in my pockets I won't take out my wallet though, that's just a bad idea wherever you are.

 

[Sacman]

Give them $20 to buy some cocaine...<.<

 

[Red Right Hand]

Why give them money to spend on drugs and alcohol?

That's what i'm gonna spend it on.

 

[Alcamonic]

Depends on the person and how he/she acts.
I have been known to give change away (1-2 euro) instead of getting that coffee from 7/11.
But we seem to have some kind of beggar inflation in Sweden coming from Romania, is there really no law against it?

 

[Zenn3k]

I just tell them what I always tell them:

I don't carry cash, so I have no change.

 

[Sir-jackington]

I used to give change to pretty much every begger i passed but now......i don't see the point, which seems kinda mean when i think about it.......hmmm im a bad person.......im okay with that

 

[SUPA FRANKY]

If they don't try to play the sympathy card, and they won't fucking attack me for it, i'd probablly give them some change or something eat.

Hell,you try to sleep outside this time of the year. Usually they didn't get into that position because they wanted too.

 

[Dirzzit]

I go by a begger every once and a while, he plays guitar so I give him a bit. he may be a begger, but hes trying.

 

[internetzealot1]

Glad to see that the escapist is honest.

 

[Blind Sight]

Ignore them if they're just doing nothing, if they're playing the spoons or something, I usually throw a few quarters into their hat, I like to give to homeless people who are actually trying to earn their money rather then just sitting there.

I used to give money to a guy who used to hang out at the liquor store, he has no legs and only has four fingers because he lost most of them to frostbite. He was hilarious, he went by the nickname 'Stubs', haven't seen him in awhile though.

The best one had to be the guy who had a sign that read "Help Combat Hobophobia."

 

[RhombusHatesYou]

Set them on fire.

It's a public service.

Perhaps, but people take offense to smouldering corpses; it might ruin their new handbags or shoes.

You can't make an omlette without executing a few bystanders.

 

[Bebus]

I live in England. Nobody here is on the streets unless they want to be. If they aren't content with living on my taxes they can piss off!

Edit: I am excluding street performers here. If somebody's song or performance enlightens my day then I will toss them some change, but somebody begging is there because they have chosen to be there, and they can go live on my money somewhere I can't see them.

 

[Secret world leader (shhh)]

I just keep walking, if I gave them money they would probably spend it on alchohol or drugs.

 

[Zyphonee]

Whenever I pass a beggar on the street, I try to go to the nearest grocery store and buy him something.