"Spare change for Bus" begging

Champ

I'm just starting this thread after getting asked multiple times in city centre for "spare bug change".

Is this an organised activity?

Literally barely past the first guy (wanted 1 Euro) and a few metres later the same question from a different guy (wanted 2 Euros).

I normally enjoy a quiet stroll in the city centre on Saturday morning and maybe I was lucky before but never experienced this before.

Just curious to see if this is a growing problem in Limerick.

Arrival

If everyone just stopped ****ing giving them money then they would be forced to stop, I just don't understand what kind of idiots don't realise by now that giving money to beggars doesn't make you a good person, you are not doing a good thing. You are contributing to what's more than likely an organised gang of scumbags. I have seen them multiple times basically change shifts with other beggars and a couple of times saw someone approach them to collect the money they had received. If you want to do something good with your spare change, give it to some charities that you are sure are legitimate

Please bring this topic up with as many people as you can and tell them all to do the same in order to hopefully spread some common sense throughout the city to make a dent in their pockets

Sal Butamol

It's been going on years. Can't walk five yards or sit outside a cafe without being pestered.

It makes me want to avoid town.

osarusan

Some of them are better dressed than I am!

They look like they have 10 minutes to kill until their friend turns up, and just decide to do a bit of begging for bus money.

Shpud2

It's very bad around the station. Can't sit down outside it without being bothered. Security there do deal with them if they go around the bus bays I've noticed

martyc5674

osarusan wrote: »

Some of them are better dressed than I .

How dare they dress better than you....
I think if many of the commenters here had 10% of these lads troubles they might think a little differently.
If you don’t want to give them money then don’t.

chicorytip

Champ wrote:

Is this an organised activity?

Arrival wrote:

If everyone just stopped ****ing giving them money then they would be forced to stop, I just don't understand what kind of idiots don't realise by now that giving money to beggars doesn't make you a good person, you are not doing a good thing. You are contributing to what's more than likely an organised gang of scumbags. I have seen them multiple times basically change shifts with other beggars and a couple of times saw someone approach them to collect the money they had received. If you want to do something good with your spare change, give it to some charities that you are sure are legitimate

Many people would feel somewhat intimidated if approached on the street by somebody looking for money and may have a fear of being assaulted so hand over a euro or two. I have never encountered that type of aggressive begging on the streets here. Most appear to me to be genuine down and outs but passive in nature.

italodisco

Jesus come live in Dublin north central and you'd wonder why dublin bus are down money considering 1 in every 5 people you meet is 'lukin for a bira change fir de bussss' ��
I find a very blunt boardline aggressive 'NO' works wonders with junk balls

jaxxx

Arrival wrote: »

If everyone just stopped ****ing giving them money then they would be forced to stop, I just don't understand what kind of idiots don't realise by now that giving money to beggars doesn't make you a good person, you are not doing a good thing. You are contributing to what's more than likely an organised gang of scumbags. I have seen them multiple times basically change shifts with other beggars and a couple of times saw someone approach them to collect the money they had received. If you want to do something good with your spare change, give it to some charities that you are sure are legitimate

Please bring this topic up with as many people as you can and tell them all to do the same in order to hopefully spread some common sense throughout the city to make a dent in their pockets

You'd think that but...

Stephen15

Wonder will this still be a thing when buses are made cashless

Sal Butamol

martyc5674 wrote: »

How dare they dress better than you....
I think if many of the commenters here had 10% of these lads troubles they might think a little differently.
If you don’t want to give them money then don’t.

I'm out working my ass off and these cretins, wearing more expensive clothes/shoes have the neck to ask me for money? Fcuk them, they are nothing but parasites and contribute nothing to society. They can all rot for all I care.

martyc5674

Sal Butamol wrote: »

I'm out working my ass off and these cretins, wearing more expensive clothes/shoes have the neck to ask me for money? Fcuk them, they are nothing but parasites and contribute nothing to society. They can all rot for all I care.

Who do you think has the better standard of living?.. you or them?
And they know that answer too.
It’s shallow to name call and be jealous because they may have better clothes than you... you can be pretty sure that’s likely the only area they have anything better than you. Most of them would love a normal lifestyle working etc but due to misfortune have addiction or mental health problems, sometimes both. They don’t have fond childhood memories that you or I might have.

RocketRaccoon

Had an Asian guy ask me the other week outside the car park of the maternity hospital. Said his roommate had rang him to say he had left his phone at home and needed €2 for the bus to go back and get it.

Needless to say, he was politely told where to go.

Champ

I guess for me there's a big question mark whether there's any genuine cases at all.

Part of why I'm skeptical is that O'Connell street has what I would call permanent beggars (not the bug change beggars that wonder about) that I see everyday while heading to work in the morning.

That wouldn't be so suspicious by itself but there seems to be a "shift system". The exact same spots are occupied by different people depending on the day and time. I half wonder as well whether doing it right next to a bank ATM is legal?

Anyways back to the bug change begging.

I doubt most of them actually know the bus fare since I haven't been asked for the correct amount yet (usually way short for 1 fare). It's like this I would buy them the actual bus ticket or a sandwich but my gut is saying they'd have no interest in that and only want cash.

Grab All Association

I'm in Limerick City 3 days a week and can't say I've seen it but it happens in Thurles Clonmel and Nenagh. €2, €3, etc they ask for. I tell them that I don't carry cash. Most unusual encounter was I was sitting in Subway in Nenagh and a man in his early 60s asked me for a bit of my sandwich. I'm not sure if he was a beggar or just induced by that smell of bread emitting out the door.

Eoinbmw

martyc5674 wrote: »

Who do you think has the better standard of living?.. you or them?
And they know that answer too.
It’s shallow to name call and be jealous because they may have better clothes than you... you can be pretty sure that’s likely the only area they have anything better than you. Most of them would love a normal lifestyle working etc but due to misfortune have addiction or mental health problems, sometimes both. They don’t have fond childhood memories that you or I might have.

The poor craters...

martyc5674

Eoinbmw wrote: »

The poor craters...

They are poor craters as you put it... misfortunes I’d say.

Turnipman

italodisco wrote: »

Jesus come live in Dublin north central and you'd wonder why dublin bus are down money considering 1 in every 5 people you meet is 'lukin for a bira change fir de bussss' ��

Evidently poor Bertie is still missing his State car and driver and his "dig out" must be well spent by now!

Sal Butamol

martyc5674 wrote: »

Who do you think has the better standard of living?.. you or them?
And they know that answer too.
It’s shallow to name call and be jealous because they may have better clothes than you... you can be pretty sure that’s likely the only area they have anything better than you. Most of them would love a normal lifestyle working etc but due to misfortune have addiction or mental health problems, sometimes both. They don’t have fond childhood memories that you or I might have.

I don't give a fcuk. Nobody forced them into addiction.

The supports are there if needed. They are responsible for their own actions.

OldMrBrennan83

martyc5674 wrote: »

Who do you think has the better standard of living?.. you or them?
And they know that answer too.
It’s shallow to name call and be jealous because they may have better clothes than you... you can be pretty sure that’s likely the only area they have anything better than you. Most of them would love a normal lifestyle working etc but due to misfortune have addiction or mental health problems, sometimes both. They don’t have fond childhood memories that you or I might have.

Talk about gullible.

4068ac1elhodqr

Happens everywhere, had an old native guy smartly dressed ask for cash in the airport arrivals cafe,
said he lived in S.America and was 'waiting for his luggage to arrive'.

When I mentioned the airpot authorites would be keen to help and give food vouchers,
his mood quickly changed, and said not to involve them before clearing off elsewhere.

It will still exist in a cashless society, you can QRCode or 'tap n'go' the more legitimate BigIssue sellers currently.

martyc5674

Sal Butamol wrote: »

I don't give a fcuk.

I partly guessed you didn’t... says it all really.

martyc5674

Patww79 wrote: »

Talk about gullible.

Talk about lacking any compassion.

Sal Butamol

martyc5674 wrote: »

Talk about lacking any compassion.

Chancers don't deserve it.

my3cents

martyc5674 wrote: »

Talk about lacking any compassion.

Do you think they don't have a home and a bed to go to and aren't already claiming for everything the state will give them?

martyc5674

my3cents wrote: »

Do you think they don't have a home and a bed to go to and aren't already claiming for everything the state will give them?

Most of them are in homeless shelters, not nice places to be, pretty crazy environments, and they are required to pay rent from their welfare.

chicorytip

my3cents wrote:

Do you think they don't have a home and a bed to go to and aren't already claiming for everything the state will give them?

I'm sure many of them don't. Just ask the Simon Community, Novas or any of the other agencies that try to assist the homeless and destitute. Despite their best efforts there are still many - who for various, complex reasons - choose to live, sleep and, sadly, die on our streets.

um7y1h83ge06nx

I say the approach of the poster child of the homeless industry, Cash in Dublin has really backfired and hardened people's views on people that claim to be homeless or begging.

I'm sceptical by now and think the numbers of genuine people are quite small.

Eoinbmw

Remington Fast Puff wrote: »

I say the approach of the poster child of the homeless industry, Cash in Dublin has really backfired and hardened people's views on people that claim to be homeless or begging.

I'm sceptical by now and think the numbers of genuine people are quite small.

Id agree with that!

angeleyes

Call me soft but I do give the odd bit of spare change to homeless. I just think "there for the grace of God go I.

There is a guy who sits on the steps near Rooney Auctioneers. I had to laugh one morning a few weeks ago a Garda came to move him and he took maybe 10 steps watch the Guard go around the corner at the Ulster Bank and went back to his spot.

There seems to be a small little group/gang that beg constantly outside the Centra in O'Connell Street - seem very organised.

Poxyshamrock

And what’s this new chalking system? Constantly messages written outside Penneys and Centra.

Arrival

angeleyes wrote: »

Call me soft but I do give the odd bit of spare change to homeless. I just think "there for the grace of God go I.

There is a guy who sits on the steps near Rooney Auctioneers. I had to laugh one morning a few weeks ago a Garda came to move him and he took maybe 10 steps watch the Guard go around the corner at the Ulster Bank and went back to his spot.

There seems to be a small little group/gang that beg constantly outside the Centra in O'Connell Street - seem very organised.

You're contributing to this issue continuing, give your spare change to legitimate charities and stop funding these scumbags. That warm fuzzy feeling inside you're getting from this is bull****, you're actively aiding something that is negatively impacting our city, its citizens and visitors

RocketRaccoon

The guy who annoys me is the lad who sits outside Smyths on the Ennis Rd. I have no doubt he is down on his luck but just because of the place he sits, I refuse to give him anything. Trying to prey on the guilt of parents and curious children.

clintondaly

I work in an office on Henry street and see the same guy day after day asking people for money for his bus,he approached me more than once and on on each occasion I asked for what bus and he just walked away.
I have seen people give him money and he goes straight into Ladbrokes each and every time

Emmersonn

martyc5674 wrote: »

Talk about lacking any compassion.

I have no compassion for these leeches. What I own I worked and worked hard for. I have no guilty conscience which needs appeasing. These leeches are not down and outs . They are lazy con artists and you and others like you are being conned.

osarusan

One fella I do feel sorry for is a lat that sits outside (or close to) Dealz on William Street. He's a foreigner (maybe Polish?) and he has some problem walking, like the soles of his feet are always sore or something.

Emmersonn

osarusan wrote: »

One fella I do feel sorry for is a lat that sits outside (or close to) Dealz on William Street. He's a foreigner (maybe Polish?) and he has some problem walking, like the soles of his feet are always sore or something.

Amazing what a pebble in your stocking can do for a limp.

chicorytip

RocketRaccoon wrote:

The guy who annoys me is the lad who sits outside Smyths on the Ennis Rd. I have no doubt he is down on his luck but just because of the place he sits, I refuse to give him anything. Trying to prey on the guilt of parents and curious children.

Is he the tall fellow - sometimes accompanied by a lady friend - who previously "worked" outside Lidl, across the road from there?

jippo nolan

RocketRaccoon wrote: »

Had an Asian guy ask me the other week outside the car park of the maternity hospital. Said his roommate had rang him to say he had left his phone at home and needed €2 for the bus to go back and get it.

Needless to say, he was politely told where to go.

“Fluctuations”

RocketRaccoon

chicorytip wrote: »

Is he the tall fellow - sometimes accompanied by a lady friend - who previously "worked" outside Lidl, across the road from there?

Older guy with a beard, I wouldn't be able to say how tall he is or is not as I've only seen him sitting down. I have seen a woman sitting there too though

LeoD

What an uplifting thread.

cstaff

I used to be a bit of a softy when it came to some but not all beggars. I even used to do voluntary work for the Vincent de Paul. One evening on our way to visit our clients in the VdeP my friend who worked with me in the VdeP said to me "take a look at your man begging over there". I had a look and there was a bloke sitting on the side of the path with a "Homeless" sign in front of him. This was the same bloke who had been rehoused by Dublin City Council a few weeks previously and we had been helping him to refurnish his new flat and there he was claiming to be homeless. That definitely brought out the cynic in me after that.