People on street asking for train/bus fare

who_me

Had a couple of odd experiences over the last week with people stopping me asking for money on the street. What made them a bit unusual (for me at least) is they weren't asking for spare change, but for money to get bus/train tickets. In one case - train fare for a couple and a child to Dublin - how much would that be?? 70 or 80 euros?

In both cases, they had a hard luck story. In the one case they'd come to Cork with a friend who was then suddenly taken to hospital so had no way home. In the other, the woman came to Cork but had been attacked and robbed and now had no way home.

They might be genuine, but what made me extremely sceptical is they both had a bit of a spiel before telling me the story. "Hi there, excuse me. What's your name? Who_me? Can I call you Who? Here's the thing..."

Both were fairly pushy. I did give the first guy a couple of euros, but he spotted a tenner sticking out of my pocket "Sure I'll take that tenner". OH NO YOU WON'T! "Ok, I'll take that fiver so". Nope.

Odd that both of these happened within a week.

readyletsgo

Eh, is Cork only getting this old scam now? Every god damn day I get asked for change for the bus or train.

NEVER GIVE IT TO THEM! You'll see them the next day or week asking again but they wont remember you.

Would you ask a complete stranger for change for the bus/train?


End of.

irish_goat

They also never seem to be anywhere near the train/bus station...

bumper234

This goes on every day in every city and it's always the same people. Don't even let them get started just say sorry i have no money on me and keep walking. If you engage with them and let them get their story started you will find it harder to get away without having to hand over YOUR cash.

monkeysnapper

I had a guy a year or so ago pleading with me in shop I worked in that he had hardly no petrol and had no money on him, he only needed 20 quid to get him home and he promised he'd send me the money . I nearly gave in but as it was 20 mins before I finished I told him to meet me at petrol staton just up street and I'd put some petrol in on my card as I had no cash .

20 mins later I went to petrol station with my camera phone ready and ready to check fuel gauge and surprise surprise he wasn't there.

You'd be very surprised how much money a person could make doing these kind of scams. All it takes is a good actor and a eye for a sucker.

Hedgemeister

Limerick Station used to be festooned with these people, always "short of two euro to get home to Macroom."
They are always well dressed too, and one young guy carried a briefcase.
So they've moved to Cork City now.
Bit nearer to Macroom I guess.

TINA1984

Not a new thing in Cork at all, happening for years. Junky/'holic scum, ignore 'em.

ABajaninCork

Common enough in London, but have to say I've never seen it here. I'll be on the lookout now!

Manach

Sadly fairly common, at least around Kent station.

lac007

They covered this type of scam on the Real Hustle on BBC.

who_me

Living in the city centre I'd meet a LOT of people asking for money, but only lately have I been asked for money like that (50+ euros ?), both times within a week.

(I should add I was once stopped asking for bus fare on the street in Cork by a gorgeous girl, and was quite happy to help out. Even if it was a scam :P )

mk6705

This happened to me a few times, particularly at the lights on MacCurtain Street over near the train station. Just say "No" and walk off, it's no biggie!

Flesh Gorden

There's a young fella (18-ish) in a trackie who does this very often around North Main Street and Castle Street.

Used to see him on Saturday and Sunday mornings, which also happened to be around the time when people would be coming out of mass and heading back to their cars.

He stopped asking me, but the two times I seen someone give him money, I followed him out of curiosity and he went straight into the Boyle's Sports at the end of the street.


I think there were a few people in the 'characters of cork' thread mentioning an older man wearing a suit doing the same thing and using it for something like scratch cards.

razorblunt

If anyone tries that tell them to head to the Garda station in thr bride well or SvdeP on tucked street, they won't be long leaving you alone.

user040913

Tell them that you have super-aids and that everything you touch is infected and it's highly contagious. They won't be long pissing off.

Ralf and Florian

A few months back I got this guy with a Dublin accent on Barrack st trying it on with one of these stories saying he'd been beaten up and robbed(he hadent a scratch on him).I made my excuses and moved on.

SusieBlue

There's a woman doing it on her own too, she stopped me several times a week over the Summer but I haven't seen her in a couple of weeks now.

Same as the OP, she walked right up to me, "Sorry love, my name is Mary and I need a couple of euro for the bus/a bottle of water in this savage heat, any chance you could lend it to me?"

She'd get really ratty if you didn't stop to talk to her, she walked half way down Oliver Plunkett street before, giving me abuse, saying I thought I was too good to be talking to her :rolleyes: while I mumbled something about being late for work and in a rush.

Then when I said I had no money she said she'd take a loan of my phone instead to call her brother to come and collect her and positively lost the plot when I said no to that too.

She lost interest after a few minutes and moved onto someone else.

I'm pretty sure she was an alcoholic but she was really intimidating, I thought she was going to hit me at one stage! Ran into her by Argos and by the fountain on other occasions. She was scary.

Busted Flat.

who_me wrote: »

Had a couple of odd experiences over the last week with people stopping me asking for money on the street. What made them a bit unusual (for me at least) is they weren't asking for spare change, but for money to get bus/train tickets. In one case - train fare for a couple and a child to Dublin - how much would that be?? 70 or 80 euros?

In both cases, they had a hard luck story. In the one case they'd come to Cork with a friend who was then suddenly taken to hospital so had no way home. In the other, the woman came to Cork but had been attacked and robbed and now had no way home.

They might be genuine, but what made me extremely sceptical is they both had a bit of a spiel before telling me the story. "Hi there, excuse me. What's your name? Who_me? Can I call you Who? Here's the thing..."

Both were fairly pushy. I did give the first guy a couple of euros, but he spotted a tenner sticking out of my pocket "Sure I'll take that tenner". OH NO YOU WON'T! "Ok, I'll take that fiver so". Nope.

Odd that both of these happened within a week.

The whingeing hoors would have their all Ireland tickets in their back pocket, and looking for a free ride to the Capital.

cantdecide

I used to live in the city centre and my advice to anyone is look them in the eye and just say 'sorry I've nothing on me' without stopping or slowing. If they ask for anything else or persist, just repeat a version of same. I would be one to give a little change fairly often but not to someone I haven't seen before.

It only happened to me today that as I sat outside having a coffee and talking on the phone a guy I'd never seen before approached me asking for money. You won't be the first or last to not hand over the dough and the only thing you have to deal with is being forced to fib...

mikeym

WhiteRoses wrote: »

There's a woman doing it on her own too, she stopped me several times a week over the Summer but I haven't seen her in a couple of weeks now.

Same as the OP, she walked right up to me, "Sorry love, my name is Mary and I need a couple of euro for the bus/a bottle of water in this savage heat, any chance you could lend it to me?"

She'd get really ratty if you didn't stop to talk to her, she walked half way down Oliver Plunkett street before, giving me abuse, saying I thought I was too good to be talking to her :rolleyes: while I mumbled something about being late for work and in a rush.

Then when I said I had no money she said she'd take a loan of my phone instead to call her brother to come and collect her and positively lost the plot when I said no to that too.

She lost interest after a few minutes and moved onto someone else.

I'm pretty sure she was an alcoholic but she was really intimidating, I thought she was going to hit me at one stage! Ran into her by Argos and by the fountain on other occasions. She was scary.

Surely thats harassment?

Is there not laws on that.

AlanS181824

Thank God I don't live anywhere near Cork! :pac:
Yeah, these kinds of people sicken me, normally what I'd do is as they're telling their sob story start playing an invisible violin..
But no, just say you haven't anything on you and walk away!

Busted Flat.

AlanS181824 wrote: »

Thank God I don't live anywhere near Cork! :pac:
Yeah, these kinds of people sicken me, normally what I'd do is as they're telling their sob story start playing an invisible violin..
But no, just say you haven't anything on you and walk away!

I am a bit ignorant on the rail system, do you have a rail station in Carlow. Just asking.

AlanS181824

Busted Flat. wrote: »

I am a bit ignorant on the rail system, do you have a rail station in Carlow. Just asking.

We do indeed :P
It's actually right next to my school, there's never (that I've seen anyway) anyone begging around there.

JustAThought

They must have all got the bus down to cork so - they've been doing it here for 20 years. They move in up along the Q & any glimmer of pity or interest & they're there whining at you hand out looking for the coin to drop. Funny thing is, they never get in the bus then. Odd that. It's easy drink or drugs money - far faster than sitting in the cold begging for pence - sure why not name your price & speed things up.

Not even eye contact - no excuses - just say no.
Or even better No thank you - that confuses them : )

Busted Flat.

AlanS181824 wrote: »

We do indeed :P
It's actually right next to my school, there's never (that I've seen anyway) anyone begging around there.

Thanks, you are lucky to be living such a distance from Cork. Really aren't we all.

efb

Bus to Carlow I got...
"Carlow? I'd rather sleep rough, so your up already"

aujopimur

I usually put on my demented face and tell them to F%CK OFF.

Ralf and Florian

WhiteRoses wrote: »

There's a woman doing it on her own too, she stopped me several times a week over the Summer but I haven't seen her in a couple of weeks now.

Same as the OP, she walked right up to me, "Sorry love, my name is Mary and I need a couple of euro for the bus/a bottle of water in this savage heat, any chance you could lend it to me?"

She'd get really ratty if you didn't stop to talk to her, she walked half way down Oliver Plunkett street before, giving me abuse, saying I thought I was too good to be talking to her :rolleyes: while I mumbled something about being late for work and in a rush.

Then when I said I had no money she said she'd take a loan of my phone instead to call her brother to come and collect her and positively lost the plot when I said no to that too.

She lost interest after a few minutes and moved onto someone else.

I'm pretty sure she was an alcoholic but she was really intimidating, I thought she was going to hit me at one stage! Ran into her by Argos and by the fountain on other occasions. She was scary.

Was she a somewhat plain looking one about 30 with her hair tied back and wearing a tracksuit?

SusieBlue

Ralf and Florian wrote: »

Was she a somewhat plain looking one about 30 with her hair tied back and wearing a tracksuit?

Yes! Have you encountered her too?

Ralf and Florian

WhiteRoses wrote: »

Yes! Have you encountered her too?

Yes she tried it on me but I just said no and kept on walking as I've seen her around town a lot with another shower of wasters who appear to be smackheads.

celica00

ha what I would do is offer to go to the shop with him/her and get him/her what they are asking for (bottle of water, train/bus ticket etc)

cantdecide

celica00 wrote: »

ha what I would do is offer to go to the shop with him/her and get him/her what they are asking for (bottle of water, train/bus ticket etc)

It's not a case of trying to outsmart them. I do hand over money in the hope that they will spend at least some of it on food and sustenance but I'm not naive. You can't make them spend it on what you want.

celica00

cantdecide wrote: »

It's not a case of trying to outsmart them. I do hand over money in the hope that they will spend at least some of it on food and sustenance but I'm not naive. You can't make them spend it on what you want.

well if they ask for it I would be happy to help out, but in these times, it should be fine for them that i ask for "proof" and go with them to buy them stuff...think thats fair enough for free stuff they get

smackbunnybaby

Had this happen to me in Dublin as well a few years back.

It's confusing! A fella comes up to me on my road, not a major road, quite residential and says "Are you living around here?"

Without thinking I go, "yeah" (immediately went f**k, why did i say that).

He then goes on a spiel about losing all his cash, needing to get to the airport to met his wife and kids and could I spot him (effectively 30-40 quid).

I go , I've no money and then he goes "Well, will you drive me so?"

I said no and walked on.

What I dont get is the "Will you drive me so?" part. Would he have pulled a gun on me? What's the story? Stolen the car?

I probably sound pretty naive here, but it didn't seem like your run of the mill junkie, who are normally cash only, short term gainers!

who_me

smackbunnybaby wrote: »

Had this happen to me in Dublin as well a few years back.

It's confusing! A fella comes up to me on my road, not a major road, quite residential and says "Are you living around here?"

Without thinking I go, "yeah" (immediately went f**k, why did i say that).

He then goes on a spiel about losing all his cash, needing to get to the airport to met his wife and kids and could I spot him (effectively 30-40 quid).

I go , I've no money and then he goes "Well, will you drive me so?"

I said no and walked on.

What I dont get is the "Will you drive me so?" part. Would he have pulled a gun on me? What's the story? Stolen the car?

I probably sound pretty naive here, but it didn't seem like your run of the mill junkie, who are normally cash only, short term gainers!

Likewise, one of them asked me first if I was from 'around here', and was asking for fare for the family. However with me, both of them were asking to get back to Limerick/Dublin so a lift was never on the cards.

H3llR4iser

Happens all the time, everywhere. When I was still in Italy, it would be most common in the car park of shopping centres: it would always be "I ran out of petrol, my two kids are in the car and I forgot my wallet". In that case they'd be asking for a few euros, maybe 2 or 3, just to "restart the car and get home".

Here in Ireland, it seems to get more complex and they seem to ask for more money. The "bus/train/cab fare" is mainstream, but when I was in Dublin I ran into one VERY well thought one: guy standing beside a BMW, going on about locking his wallet in the car and needing a cab fare to go home and get the spare keys...

the beer revolu

H3llR4iser wrote: »

when I was in Dublin I ran into one VERY well thought one: guy standing beside a BMW, going on about locking his wallet in the car and needing a cab fare to go home and get the spare keys...

Well thought outish...
In that situation you'd get a cab to your house, get the spare keys, take the cab back to the car, open the car and pay for the cab from your wallet.

While I've no doubt that the vast, vast majority of these are scams, I did, once, years ago, find myself in a situation of having to ask strangers for a tube fare. I was staying with my brother North of London. I had spent a weekend with friends in Cambridge and had (as 19 year olds do) spent all my money bar the train fare from Cambridge to London but while on the platform,I realised I didn't have the tube fare to get from the mainline station to where my brother worked to get a lift back to his place. Though greatly embarrassed, I tried asking a few strangers on the platform for the fare (about £1.80 IIRC) but no one believed my story-one man even suggesting that my destination didn't exist because he thought I was saying Oxbridge rather than Uxbridge. Unsuccessful, I had to go back to my friends flat, climb in the window and raid his loose change for the fare.
I was young and stupid but genuine.

I'd like to think I could tell the difference but the much older me would probably not have given money to the 19 YO me either.:o

H3llR4iser

the beer revolu wrote: »

Well thought outish...
In that situation you'd get a cab to your house, get the spare keys, take the cab back to the car, open the car and pay for the cab from your wallet.

Definitely, but a lot of people won't think about that immediately. Also, he was clearly well practiced in his comedy, I suspect more than one person ended up giving him a five or a ten every day. And if we want to be entirely thorough, I am not even sure you can actually lock your keys in a 3-Series. One I rented a few years ago needed either the physical key or the remote on the key to lock, just like most relatively recent cars...

I'd like to think I could tell the difference but the much older me would probably not have given money to the 19 YO me either.:o

You could have tried to ask somebody to actually get the ticket for you, might have worked. If a decent fella (in other words, no readily apparent drugs/alcohol issues) asked me not for money, but to get him a 2 Euro ticket for a train, I would probably do it. For one, it's really hard to sell a tube ticket in exchange for drugs

One thing that I find curious however, it's almost never a woman pulling the no money for the bus stunt. I have a feeling that a decent looking girl with a sob story and need for a cab fare home would rack money in by the hundreds per day...

gimmick

Would these be the same poeple who are walking around looking distressed who need to use your mobile phone? I always just say "no credit" and keep walking to those.

who_me

gimmick wrote: »

Would these be the same poeple who are walking around looking distressed who need to use your mobile phone? I always just say "no credit" and keep walking to those.

Hah, I did give a loan of my phone once, to a French guy in London. No problems with it at all, but I ended up getting lots of angry txt messages in French from then on "Putain! Why don't you call me back?!?"

the beer revolu

H3llR4iser wrote: »

You could have tried to ask somebody to actually get the ticket for you, might have worked. If a decent fella (in other words, no readily apparent drugs/alcohol issues) asked me not for money, but to get him a 2 Euro ticket for a train, I would probably do it. For one, it's really hard to sell a tube ticket in exchange for drugs

This was before you could buy tube tickets outside of London. I was afraid to go to London without the fare for fear of being left stranded without a penny in central London. Friends in Cambridge would have looked after me.

Mushy

Flesh Gorden wrote: »

There's a young fella (18-ish) in a trackie who does this very often around North Main Street and Castle Street.

Used to see him on Saturday and Sunday mornings, which also happened to be around the time when people would be coming out of mass and heading back to their cars.

He stopped asking me, but the two times I seen someone give him money, I followed him out of curiosity and he went straight into the Boyle's Sports at the end of the street.


I think there were a few people in the 'characters of cork' thread mentioning an older man wearing a suit doing the same thing and using it for something like scratch cards.

Wonder is that the fooker who stole a sausage off my plate outside Tony's...I was enjoying that fry.

I was stopped at the top of McCurtain St by two women with a sob story, but I was a bit tipsy so said I had no money left. They went to grab my arm but just went away too fast. I had my doubts on whether the baby was real too.

darkdubh

A couple of times I've encountered this guy,very big fat lad in his late 20's I'd say.He dosen't give a sob story just begs in a very aggresive manner, stands in front of you as you're walking and tries to block your way

mikeym

darkdubh wrote: »

A couple of times I've encountered this guy,very big fat lad in his late 20's I'd say.He dosen't give a sob story just begs in a very aggresive manner, stands in front of you as you're walking and tries to block your way

He should be reported to the Gardai.

AlanS181824

Thankful that I personally never experienced much of this but my Ma told me a story about when she was in Stockholm about a Romanian "tiggare" that used to hang around all the hotels switching by day with one of those utterly creepy fake babies saying her son was "so very sick" (She had the child in rags and blankets and that)
She needed the money to pay for a doctor's visit (Health care in Sweden is totally free so this was clearly bull)
My mother gave her money the first time she saw her and then a few days later she was outside a bar with the same "sob" story, she completely acted as though she'd never seen my mother in her life.

regress

cantdecide wrote: »

I used to live in the city centre and my advice to anyone is look them in the eye and just say 'sorry I've nothing on me' without stopping or slowing. If they ask for anything else or persist, just repeat a version of same.
I...

This is so very Irish. Why are you unable to just say no. Why is telling a lie which is obviously prepesporous and untrue preferable tO just being honest. Do you think they believe you when you say that you have nothing on you.

gimmick

Does he care?

Anyway. I was asked for €2 for a bag of chips last night.

FTA69

smackbunnybaby wrote: »

What I dont get is the "Will you drive me so?" part. Would he have pulled a gun on me? What's the story? Stolen the car?

It was a last-ditch effort to appear credible, to convince you that he really was genuine. He was hoping you'd think "sure if he wasn't genuine he wouldn't ask" and that you'd hand over the coin after all.

You can be sure he wasn't genuine.