trick or simply true?

lau1247

Let me just say that I'm not looking down on people..
but it's something i just have mixed opinion on do i help or not?


After work last week, on my way home..
Was about to get on the luas..
As it was approaching, this guy was asking for change to pay for hostel accomodation..
Lately there's been a bunch of guys sitting by the machine asking for change as people get tickets..

What strikes me to think why I shouldn't help is when I got on..
I saw the guys checking out the time on his mobile phone..
A mobile!! If he don't have money for accomodation, how the hell does he get a mobile??

kinda makes me think why do i work hard only to donate it away to a faker?

What does boardie think of this one?

Terry

maybe someone gave him the phone.

Rb

I've came across these jokers a few times in the past, one I actually felt sorry for and gave him a bit of change. Then when whipped out a spliff and asked us did we want some of it with him. Was about to ask for the money back but instead just walked off.
Never again will I give them so much as a cent.

Heyes

To be fair its quite hard to tell, we used to have some people beggings at the traffic lights at the old place, but you d also see them walking half way down the road and getting into a bmw...

Ruu_Old

I gave money someone at Bus Aras, I had a quid in my back pocket and that would be the last of it! I handed the chap the 2 euro and he let out a great big sigh as if to say "fúck sake, is that all? stingey fúcker!". No thanks or nothing, just walked off. I should have took off after him and got it back.

Gone West

julep wrote:

maybe someone gave him the phone.

come on, are you living in some sort of parralel universe, or are you simply trolling?

Gone West

Also, I never give money to people begging.
But sometimes I'd give them food. Like where I know there is always a homeless guy on my way back to my apartment, I'd buy a bag of chips and give it to him, say I bought one too many and did he want it?
Some of them get offended, so fnck them, they shouldn't be begging on the streets if they won't accept food. But the vast majority of people begging are very very grateful of it.

Mimikyu

This post has been deleted.

Dun laoire

julep wrote:

maybe someone gave him the phone.

Thats funny man

Húrin

Most beggars will use money for drink and drugs. I only give them food and clothes.

Ruu_Old

Reminds me when I was in Heidelberg train station, a fella came up to me and started speaking in German, of course I had no idea what he was saying. I cut him off mid sentence and told him I didn't speak any German. He said "Ok sorry, I make my living walking around the station and collecting money from people, would you be able to spare some change?" No lie! I told him where to go, as polite as I could.

Huggles

Theres an old man around where I work and I normally get him coffee and a muffin every other evening if I see him. I'd say he is about 60 odd and we have been talking for a year now.

Few weeks back I didn't have time to go to teh shop for him so i gave him a fiver, I was immediately attacked by this D4 bitch in a pair of O'Neill tracksuit bottoms and a pink baseball hat "you shouldn't be encoraging that loike, you make them worse yah"...she's so lucky her bus came!!!!!!!!!!!!! :mad:

Tha Gopher

H&#250 wrote: »

Most beggars will use money for drink and drugs.

So will most working folk tbh

Well, we would were it not for the great drought of 06. Until it lifts alcoholism will suffice.

A Romanian asked me for change when I was drunk. Iirc i went into a rant about how I had two jobs and she should go fcuk herself.

Gone West

TheGooner wrote:

this D4 bitch in a pair of O'Neill tracksuit bottoms and a pink baseball hat "you shouldn't be encoraging that loike, you make them worse yah"...she's so lucky her bus came!!!!!!!!!!!!! :mad:

aye its very easy to say that sort of thing from the other side of the fence.
How many of you have ever had to spend serious time sleeping on the street or living without a home?
Not many, not many at all.

Even if he does spend the money on a bottle of whiskey or something, at least thats some enjoyment he/she will have that day. A break from the mundane sh1ttyness of their everyday life.

L31mr0d

yeah learnt my lesson. Some woman came up to me outside Gogartys in Dublin, she genuinely looked like she had been sleeping in the gutter so I gave her €5, she then said "listen I have €3 in my cup, can I give you the €5 and you give €10" it was at this point that as she stretched out the cup I saw all the needle marks in her arm, I quickly exited into Gogartys and told her that was all I had. 2 hours go by and i'm leaving with my friends and shes still outside, she makes a beeline for me. She only bothered me for another few minutes as my friends where telling her to go away at this point as well.

Like fuzzylogic, i'd only buy a homeless person food. I once bought a baguette and a cup of coffee for this homeless person in Venice, and the look of gratitude made it worth while. The guy was clearly traveling around europe and must of just run out of money, something which a few of my friends have had to endure and they always remember the people who where kind enough to buy them food. In saying that, they had to sleep on the street, but they never sold their phone. I guess to a backpacker, a phone is a necessity, whereas a bed isn't, correct me if i'm wrong?

stepbar

Rem a bit back I was goin off for an interview, it was about half 11 in the morning . Seen a guy ahead of me sitting on the ground with a can in his hand. As I passed him by he goes "Would you give me a ****?" classy stuff Ill tell ya. Told him to go **** himself Proceeded to walked by two lads looking for change a few metres past the other guy, jeasus I was bullin.... See a few guys the odd time down at the ATM outside Dunnes (Georges St), on the ground shivering blanket and all........ and it sunny outside

acri

i don't give anyone money. but i'll give them tea or something. generally if i catch a homeless person's eye, i'll stop and offer them a cigarette. there's a guy on abbey street i stop and get him a tea and a smoke on my way home from work. but no, i don't give them money, especially if they come up to you asking for it. they can **** off.

FranknFurter

FuzzyLogic wrote:

aye its very easy to say that sort of thing from the other side of the fence.
How many of you have ever had to spend serious time sleeping on the street or living without a home?
Not many, not many at all.

Even if he does spend the money on a bottle of whiskey or something, at least thats some enjoyment he/she will have that day. A break from the mundane sh1ttyness of their everyday life.

Exactly.
To my mind, its ridiculous to say "I'm not giving him/her money in case they spend it on "whatever".......
How do you know what somone else needs?
Maybe somone living on the street whos an alcoholic *does* need drink or drugs to stop themselves going into withdrawl on the street and being open to being killed or injured.

If somone couldnt afford their next fix, went into withdrawl and was so bad they died in agony on a cold wet doorstep, Im sorry, Id rather not have participated in that by assuming I knew what was best for them and when it was best for them.

Im sick of "I dont give them money because"........ you either do or dont, both are fine, but ffs dont try and rationalise it, you are giving them money to survive, not to survive by your rules. And if you are doing the latter you are deluding yourself.

b

lau1247

FranknFurter wrote:

Im sick of "I dont give them money because"........ you either do or dont, both are fine, but ffs dont try and rationalise it, you are giving them money to survive, not to survive by your rules. And if you are doing the latter you are deluding yourself.

I know their lives are not well off in comparison to the average people
But why should we work like a chump 9-5 everyday earning dosh to keep us going,
While they spend their day outside (by outside I don't mean homeless wise but rather I mean in terms of no need to be stuck in a place of work) and living freely..
Yes the downside is they have to beg..

And to know that they spend our hard earned money on luxury that is not even needed without much input of effort is just ridiculous..
They should at least spend it or save as much as possible on/for basic needs first until they can stay afloat on their own feet..
The thought just pisses me off.. you know?

If their case is genuinely real.. yes, we definitely should show sympathy

stepbar

Lets be straight here there should be no reason why someone should be homeless in 2006 given the welfare rates we have in this country. Rent allowance covers your accomadation and Dole should cover other basic needs. Unfortunately when someone is on drugs (alcohol is a drug too..) this sort of logic goes out the window... Giving money to someone who is homeless and on drugs only goes to sustain their suitation, which solves nothing. Personally I would not give any money to someone on the street, Focus Ireland gets my few quid.

Gone West

lau1247 wrote:

I know their lives are not well off in comparison to the average people
But why should we work like a chump 9-5 everyday earning dosh to keep us going,
While they spend their day outside (by outside I don't mean homeless wise but rather I mean in terms of no need to be stuck in a place of work) and living freely..
Yes the downside is they have to beg..

And to know that they spend our hard earned money on luxury that is not even needed without much input of effort is just ridiculous..
They should at least spend it or save as much as possible on/for basic needs first until they can stay afloat on their own feet..
The thought just pisses me off.. you know?

If their case is genuinely real.. yes, we definitely should show sympathy

Sorry bud, but youre reallly deluded here.
I can offer you this one piece of advice, but I seriously doubt you have the balls to do it.
Next time you see a serious* homeless person begging or sitting in a doorstep, ask them would they like to have lunch with you. Your treat. take em somewhere cheap where they wont feel madly out of place. BK or McD's or so.
Ask them why they are homeless. Ask them anything and everything that you would like to know about homeless people.
Its a fair trade for a free lunch. They probably wont mind.
After this, (you will probably get their life story, pretty much) I can guarantee that you would change your mind and attitude.


*real down and outs, not the co(ks from tallaght with the new nikes and the jewellery.

biko

So what do you suggest, a string and two cans? A phone is important for any individual and perhaps some off the begged money is going to Vodafone.

kdouglas

dont see a problem with a homeless person having a phone,odds are it was probably a reasonably old one, if it was a brand-spanking-new 300euro phone then that's a different story altogether and they are probably faking

have a read of this if you want, it's about homeless people being donated laptops and such

FranknFurter

If the public were more informed of the homeless situation in out city it might begin to change......unfortunately all we ever hear about are the various scammers or troublemakers......

lau1247 wrote:

I know their lives are not well off in comparison to the average people
But why should we work like a chump 9-5 everyday earning dosh to keep us going,

Then dont give them anything, if thats how you feel then its simple, dont give any. Otherwise its a "Ill give to him to feel good" thing.

lau1247 wrote:

While they spend their day outside (by outside I don't mean homeless wise but rather I mean in terms of no need to be stuck in a place of work) and living freely..
Yes the downside is they have to beg..

Are you serious? How bout you take a week off, spend the day in the city in the freezing cold or pissing rain, not being allowed into shops / pubs / etc to get out of said rain or cold. Then tell me which you would prefere.

lau1247 wrote:

And to know that they spend our hard earned money on luxury that is not even needed without much input of effort is just ridiculous..
They should at least spend it or save as much as possible on/for basic needs first until they can stay afloat on their own feet..
The thought just pisses me off.. you know?

Since when is it "easy" to get free of a drug addiction? "Not needed and without much effort" yep, Ill pay you to say that to an alcoholic or recovering heroin addict.

b

the_syco

H&#250 wrote: »

Most beggars will use money for drink and drugs. I only give them food and clothes.

Totally true. For €5 a night, they can sleep in one of the many "homeless hostels" (its what they're called unofficialy). They ring a freephone number, agree to be at one of about 20 point throughout dublin at a time between 10pm and 5am, and the homeless bus will pick them up, and deliver them to the hostel. But they can't do drugs. And there's only 2 "wet hostels", where they can drink in, but are VERY hard to get into. Meant to be great craic inside, tho, at night. Their are "male" or "female/family" sections in the bigger hostels.
After a while, they get moved to more pernament accomadation, and then are given the chance to get a job, after back to work training. This process may take a while, but the rewards, giving them a chance in life, is great. Mainly because some were born homeless, ran away, or lost their family due to alcolhol.

stepbar wrote:

on the ground shivering blanket and all........ and it sunny outside

If you lean against a radiator for a few hours at night, next day you'll be cold all day. Pretty much the same thing, I'd say.

=-=

From working in one of the organisations that helps homeless people, the worst thing you can do is to give them money. One of the hardest things for the homeless people is to give up a job that pays around €100 to €300 a day, and stay sober. You may think I'm having a laugh, but during the summer, its near impossible to get them in off the streets, as they'd prefer to sit in the doorways and drink (as its not cold).

Someone said about getting a homeless guy in for a meal: bad idea. They're homeless for a reason, be it abusiveness, alcohol, drugs, etc.

One of the hostel landlords won €10,000 in the lotto. Being the good soul that he is, he used some of that money to bring out all the homeless people for a meal, in a restaurant. Great craic was had, free food, free drink, and on the way home, they mugged him, and took the few hundred he had on him, and ran away. As for source, I heard about this when I was working for the homeless orgainsation.

Gandhi

Just to lighten up the mood a bit, while staying on topic...

I heard a story during the week about a homeless guy in New York, who stands outside Penn Station begging for money. This guy strips off to his underpants, and is skinny as a rake (being homeless and all) but uses a black marker to draw abs, pecs and biceps on himself, and stands there doing all the body-builder poses. He has a sign saying "will flex for food".

Apparently he makes serious cash, as even jaded New Yorkers give him marks for creativity.

Terry

just something that needs to be noted here. you cannot get the dole if you do not have a permanent address. carry on.

Hobbes

Should of asked him if he had change of a 20.

lodgepole

lau1247 wrote:

I saw the guys checking out the time on his mobile phone..
A mobile!! If he don't have money for accomodation, how the hell does he get a mobile??

What age was he? Phones aren't exactly expensive, and if he's recently homeless it's not outrageous to imagine that he already had one.

You have to make a judgement call with homeless people... I understand the people who say that giving people money on the street doesn't help the bigger picture but it does give them something immediate. I've had people feed me the hostel line and then admit to me that they just wanted to buy a bit of booze, and that's fair enough. As far as buying food goes, I wouldn't just get buy them something and hand it to them, approach and ask if they'd like something... Either they do or they don't and at least then you can pick them up something they'd like. In my experience people who are homeless appreciate being spoken to like a human being. You've reached a pretty low point in your life when you have to ask strangers for change, the least I can do is spend a few quid making them feel a little better about themselves.

lau1247 wrote:

But why should we work like a chump 9-5 everyday earning dosh to keep us going,
While they spend their day outside (by outside I don't mean homeless wise but rather I mean in terms of no need to be stuck in a place of work) and living freely..

I know, the lucky bastards.

Wez

Tha Gopher wrote:

So will most working folk tbh

Well, we would were it not for the great drought of 06. Until it lifts alcoholism will suffice.

A Romanian asked me for change when I was drunk. Iirc i went into a rant about how I had two jobs and she should go fcuk herself.

I'll second that motion.. Damn gaurds doing their job!

stepbar

julep wrote:

just something that needs to be noted here. you cannot get the dole if you do not have a permanent address. carry on.

There are ways around this (if you are smart enough). There is nothing to stop him/her putting down the address of a hostel (with permission) and some do. Or even a family member / friend. All they need is one letter stating that this person is a resident of xyz hostel / house etc. Its not going to be checked up... as long as the document states xyz that is it. He/She can get supplementary welfare allowance in the mean time, so really there should be no excuse for someone being homeless. Because in fairness the majority of these people had a home a some stage of their lives, and had friends / family; therefore they should have been able to sort out this readily enough. Now, the social welfare wont keep someone on money if they dont do as they ask (i.e sign on every month, go to FAS after 6 months for reeducation). In fairness that is their fault if they dont turn up and not the fault of the system. Payment will be cut after that. And thats where the problems start. Now who is to blame for that? The individual simple as...