Do you give to bums?

So I'm in Japan, the land of productivity and hard work, and there's this bum sleeping on the sidewalk in Asakusa. For some reason, it might have been the beer buzz after a delicious bowl of kimchi ramen, I dropped a 500Y coin next to him while he slept in the cold and people walked by looking down on him.

It's not usual for me to donate, and I don't know why I took pity on this poor bastard, but I did it, and wondered if maybe I should do it more often, or if I was right in thinking they were worthless trash who should just go get jobs like the rest of us.

It depends.. I don't like pushy ones who comes to you asking for every single cents you have on you. But if it a elderly/handicapped, I may give some money.

Though I rarely see any.. And the last one I saw.. wasn't really on the bright side.
This happened 2 weeks ago, lets call the bum "Bob".
Bob thought about doing a good deed and decided to clean the floor inside a Metro waggon. Problem is, he was doing it with some dirty rags that may have been socks one day and his spit. I don't know what was going on in his head, but that's just pass beyond stupidity. I would never give any cents to someone like Bob.

In the US anyway, bums have places to go if they really want to seek help. I don't give them anything.

On principle, if I give them anything at all, I give them food, typically fast food. (Because who would trust a sketchy ham sandwich from a stranger?) But I live in the country, so I don't see many unless I go on trips.

When you give bums money, they probably won't use it for anything but booze or drugs (probably crack).

As a side note, I do give generously to talented street performers. There were some really good ones at Pike Place Market when I visited Seattle.

I would never give in to a bum on the street.

If I have change and I see someone busking, then yes I always give them whatever loose change I've got.

1. Because they're making an effort to earn people's money, rather than simply begging. Also it's nice to listen to live music when you're walking down the street.

2. Because I hate loose change.

Otherwise no, I don't give to bums.

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Originally Posted by BioAlien

It depends.. I don't like pushy ones who comes to you asking for every single cents you have on you. But if it a elderly/handicapped, I may give some money.

Though I rarely see any.. And the last one I saw.. wasn't really on the bright side.
This happened 2 weeks ago, lets call the bum "Bob".
Bob thought about doing a good deed and decided to clean the floor inside a Metro waggon. Problem is, he was doing it with some dirty rags that may have been socks one day and his spit. I don't know what was going on in his head, but that's just pass beyond stupidity. I would never give any cents to someone like Bob.

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See that's what I felt too when I saw this bum last night. I was thinking, if he comes over and demands shit, I won't give him anything, because who is he to demand shit from me? But then I thought, how fair is it to put my judgments on him? Whatever has happened in his life to make him this way probably rendered normal social conventions meaningless, like showering regularly and not sleeping on the sidewalk. None of that matters to a bum anymore, he just wants to eat, maybe get his fix, and not die (I imagine). I don't think there's a "proper" way to beg. It's a little silly that we'll help only if we think they are a "good bum", as if there is such a thing.

i usually do. i know they are probably in it to buy drugs or booze or whatever, but, honestly, is it really any of my business what they use it on?

I'll never forget one time I gave a homeless guy half of my sandwich while on the way back from a lunch break. He was just pretty pitiful on the sidewalk with a cup, so I gave him the sandwich. A few steps later I'm shocked, as the sandwich suddenly hits me in the back. I look back (others were staring too) and the guy mumbles something that sounded like "If I wanted food I'd ask for it". So, yeah, unless I actually get into a conversation with a bum who I won't give money to and he says he just wants to buy something to eat, I don't give them food anymore...

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Originally Posted by masamuneehs

i usually do. i know they are probably in it to buy drugs or booze or whatever, but, honestly, is it really any of my business what they use it on?

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perhaps you should try that rationalization on pigeons and see what happens.

This one guy I always see at this intersection has a sign: "Why Lie? I need a beer"

He's also got it in Spanish. He does not discriminate.

Edito: What? Pigeons??

I try not to, cause I know all the bums in my town. They were all regulars, and probably still are, in the ER I used to work in. I know their all stupid, smelly, and have no consideration for anyone. Everyone of them was drivin out of their homes because they made their family's lives hell, so I feel no pity.

Yea, I know, I;m a dick. Work in an ER for 2 years and deal with these idiots on the graveyard shift and we'll see how compassionate you get.

The way I see it, each and everyone of us is one or two catastrophes from being in bad situations ourselves. Say the job market for your field dries up, the country goes into recession, you have a bad accident, or your home collapses and the insurance company won't pay because of an exclusion in the fine print. I know most people don't keep that much money in savings for a rainy day, which is their own fault, but it can lead to all sorts of problems that have you end up living in your car or on the street. Personally I think I'd make a good bum because I'd be courteous and thankful for every cent I get, but I think maybe that sort of bum wouldn't have much success.

@Ryllharu and Xan: the thing with Japanese street performers is that they aren't doing it for handouts, but to get noticed and possibly make it in the music world. That's a generalization of course, but I've been checking out street lives here and I have yet to see a handout cup or hat.

@masa: actually yes you should feel some responsibility, because that donation you give them could buy the last hit that they OD on, or the last bottle of booze that has them walking into the street and getting hit by a car. Alternatively, they could choke on that sandwich, so it's a lose-lose scenario.

Well...I can't say since I'm never outside but my father does. He also gives to security guards who work through the night. I know there's one that works around the corner and my dad occasionally gives him dinner.

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Originally Posted by BioAlien

Bob thought about doing a good deed and decided to clean the floor inside a Metro waggon. Problem is, he was doing it with some dirty rags that may have been socks one day and his spit. I don't know what was going on in his head, but that's just pass beyond stupidity. I would never give any cents to someone like Bob.

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I read somewhere that the majority of homeless people have some sort of disability (be it mental or physical), and the fact that you refuse to give money to an obviously deranged man simply because he shows signs of stupidity makes you a total prick.

Obviously none of you deal with the mentally handicapped on a regular basis. I don't either, really, but my mom specializes in kids with "special needs." Her best friend has three kids, one normal, one that is in the special ed. classes at school, and one who is severely retarded. Whenever my mom asks her friend what she'll do with the latter when she passes on, she can never come up with an answer.

Thus, many mentally handicapped people have nowhere to go once the ones who took care of them die or disown them. Usually by this time they're adults, and unless they have a Mother Teresa relative who will pay the thousands of dollars it costs to keep them in a home, they're off to the streets. And for all you dorks who think they should "get a job," a lot of them can't. My mom's friend's kid who I was mentioning earlier is like, 15 now, and he can barely even spell his own name.

So next time you see a guy like "Bob" cleaning the floors in a strange manner, try to picture telling an infant to clean the floors... instead of being a total douchebag and claiming that they don't deserve your money. If anything, they deserve your money more than those capable of getting a job, because at least with booze or drugs they can forget about their problems for a while.

As for me paying the homeless here, uh... there's honestly not too many around. The only one I see consistently is some lady who holds up an illegible sign at the corners of stop lights, and since I'm usually driving I can't just stop my car, get out, go pay her, and then get back in. People in SoCal are total pricks and I'd probably get yelled at. The rest of the homeless are usually driven out by stringent cops with nothing better to do. When I'm in other cities and walking, though, and the homeless guy doesn't look too sketchy (like, he'll pull a knife on me if I go for my change or wallet), then I'll usually cough up a little bit of cash.

There aren't any in this town. The last time I visited the capital a few appeared out of nowhere as soon as I stepped out of the train, but they were bloody better dressed than I was (and I don't generally look like a bum, myself, as a disclaimer), so I didn't feel like giving them anything.

I have given some change to some genuinely sad cases abroad, though, in the past.

I don't give them anything either. A lot of times, the bums are what they are because they deserve it. Yes I know, not all of them are like that, but still.

However, sometimes I give the people who sing or play their instruments and stuff some change when I see them. That is, if they are good. :)

I gave once some money to a someone who played violin in the Subways. Strangest thing was he walk up to me and gave the money back with a big freakin' smile.

I didn't really like the smile so I ran away.

I bet he was the (in)famous subway violin string strangler. Good thing you ran away.

in the rare occasion that i can in some way sympathise with said bum i will maybe give a few dollars, this has only happened once. one time it was a guy i had a class with who'd been kicked out and obviously had been on the streets for a while since he was really dirty and unshaven.. i gave him probably too much.

Now... the last guy i gave money to said he was from new york and needed money to catch the bus... i had 75 cents and gave it to him and kept walking only to see that the 75 cents i gave him was the gap seperating him from his next beer he would buy from the liquer store he then entered...

i work way too hard to give my hard earned money to somebody like that.

I kinda got tired of giving to bums only for them to respond with, "can you give me some more?"

I think they prefer to live off free handouts than to actually do something productive.

homeless ppl in china freak me out

I never see any bums where I live, but I generally don't stay out too late in the city to notice the few who do hang around. I had an interesting experience in Hong Kong ten years ago though. My brother, mum and I went there to visit my grandma and we went to a nearby park. We were sitting on some bench and a monk came up to us. From what I remember, he never said a word, and kind of just motioned his bowl towards us. It had like a 50 and a 20 HK dollar note in there. I remember my mum was thinking "for real?", while my grandmother, having lived there a for decades, gave him a dollar. He left and walked 100m or so away, threw the coin onto the ground, and just stared at us. All I know is a decent monk doesn't do that.

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Originally Posted by 6Zabuza9

homeless ppl in china freak me out

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Not sure if he was homeless, but last year, I almost got nailed by some thief who dived down a flight of stairs on his bike in china.

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Originally Posted by 6Zabuza9

homeless ppl in china freak me out

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Homeless people down here arent any better. I was in NYC a few summers ago for YSOP. We all had to wear blue shirts with the YSOP logo on them. We had to take a subway to get to the place, and at the station was this random homeless guy. He was rambling on about something. Then, he turns and looks at us and start shouting even louder. He starts saying "AND THE LORD SENT THE DEVILS IN THE BLUE SHIRTS TO PURSICUTE ME AND ALL THOSE WHO LIVE ON HIS WORLD!" He kept going until we ran away into the train. Later that day, at the soup kitchen we were sent to, I had to use the bathroom. I walk in, see the same random homeless guy, only this time he's going on about how hand dryers are Satan's way of turning Earth into hell. Needless to say I didnt have to pee anymore.

I think it's scarier when drunk average women in the subways comes at you and ask retarded questions, how I dress, looks, wich gender I prefer.....etc...

...that's damn annoying I can hardly reply with a freakin' kickass comment becuse....well...
.....she's drunk.....

Always wierd people in the subways. It's like....a magnet. Or some sort.

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Originally Posted by AssertnFailure

I kinda got tired of giving to bums only for them to respond with, "can you give me some more?"

I think they prefer to live off free handouts than to actually do something productive.

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I would have to agree here. I do believe there are some homeless that are so due, at least in part, to some kind of disability and/or have fallen through our social support net but I also believe that a majority of them are homeless because of choices they made. I don't expect any handouts in life so why the hell should I give handouts to someone who probably just gave up?

Call me heartless if you like, but my family was fucking BROKE when my sister was born, we had to live with some family friends for a few months and I'm sure my dad borrowed money from our closest friends. Now we live quite comfortably and we have ZERO DEBT. It's amazing what you can accomplish with some hard work and the support of family and friends.

There are people that actually has none who'll support them and that's quite sad.
Lonelyness kills and break you down.

Every homeless person I ever met said they just preferred to live that way. Never asked me for a handout though.

I live in Paris and I don't give for two reasons, too many of 'em, ultra strong euro, and I'm not a fucking bilionnaire.

If you need stuff, go see Oprah, because I can't fucking help you.

yah but the homeless in china all have some sort off fucked up body part. like one time in beijing, a homeless guy with his legs amputated was crawling around shaking his tin can at everyone.

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Originally Posted by Inazuma

I live in Paris and I don't give for two reasons, too many of 'em, ultra strong euro, and I'm not a fucking bilionnaire.

If you need stuff, go see Oprah, because I can't fucking help you.

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Technically thats three....

I always give them money(when i have some money in my poket)... Exept when they are drunk...Becouse i hate it when they use MY money to buy drinks instead of something to eat..

EDIT: when they do ask for more (happened to me once.) i yell to his face that he should get a job.

The same bum was back sleeping at his favorite spot on the sidewalk the next night, and he didn't look any better or worse for the 500Y I left him. I wonder if he even got it, or if some other person picked it up.

I was going to give him another 500Y coin, but then some patrol cop harassed me about my passport, so I was annoyed and decided not to. Not really the bum's fault, but oh well.

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Originally Posted by AssertnFailure

I kinda got tired of giving to bums only for them to respond with, "can you give me some more?"

I think they prefer to live off free handouts than to actually do something productive.

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I have never had a bum ask me for more. Guess its a tristate thing. If that day ever happens, I'd ether knock him out or take back my money.

...and when you do that he/she/it will have the chance of gaining more money out of you ^^. Like...sueing you and stuff.

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Originally Posted by Chiodos

...and when you do that he/she/it will have the chance of gaining more money out of you ^^. Like...sueing you and stuff.

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lol. Is there some sort of service where the government provides someone with a lawyer if they can't afford one? In the spirit that everybody gets a fair trial? I'm not sure if it works for suing, or only if you're being sued though.

well, where i live arn't many people which are poor and live on the streets, at least you don't find them begging somewhere often.

i do give away my change sometimes but it always depends...for example i can't stand ppl who "beg" for it and sit there with a sign "GIEV FOOT/MONAY PLEES" doing nothing..

i once spotted someone, old and fragile (well nearly every homeless looks like he is at least 120 years old....), on my way to school kneeling and bowing down very deeply! he was kissing the ground literally...well when school was over he was still sitting there, in the same postion and i was like "fuck yeah, this is nuts!" my knees were hurting just by watching him and i gave him some of my pocket money and it felt like he was going down even deeper and pressed his face into the ground ^_^

I've noticed that homeless people in this town have perfect handwriting.

There where this time, like a year ago, when I was with my two classmate in the city. We were heading to the suway, when a stranger with a flower bag and a nice smile handed out two roses for my friends (read: female, I didn't freakin' get one..)

He smiled this this Mr. Nice Guy smile and then just turned his hand and open it infront of us, showing that they had to pay for the roses he gave them...
So they declined, said sorry and stuff and gave them back.

THEN... his kindly face turned into this freakin' murder face. I'll tell you, if we were in a dark valley or something (why the fuck would we?) he would do......something nasty to them.

The face he gave us when they declined was extremly scary looking....

Well that's a scary story. I wonder if he stole the Roses from someone else. That's why I would have ignored the homeless dude. But that's actually kind of scary.

It's quite hard to igonre the person when he pokes on your shoulder. Of course you turn around...like... CHOCKED. He takes your hand and handed over a rose.

No words, just this smile.

Now that's just going over personal boundaries. I would have run away in terror.

Been searching for the source of this small story for a while but been unable to find anything, might be related to churchill but cant really say so i'll just reconstruct it in my head.

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Two men is walking down the street. After a little while they bump into a bum asking for some money. The first man takes out his wallet and hands 50£ to the beggar without hesitation. When they've walked out of range from the beggar the second man says; "Why did you give him that much money he'll just spend it all on alcohol" The other man answers "Well otherwise i would just have spent it on alcohol"

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Never encountered any beggars around where i live but i've been traveling to some places full of them. In India for example there's just huge amounts of children running around in dirty clothes asking for money. I do know that in most cases there's just some adult who gets most of the money in the end. But i decided to give some change to the first beggar i met each day