Homeless fella outside local shops...

Ush1

I live in a Dublin suburb and nearby there are some local shops. For the last year a homeless fella has been sitting outside. He doesn't beg or anything per say, but he sits there outside the shops the whole day with a small radio playing and people give him money and smokes, food etc.. I'm not sure where he actually sleeps but it isn't there, think he may have a tent elsewhere.

Anyway, it has caused a bit of a stir with some residents saying that it looks bad, some people have said there have been some other more aggressive beggars with him on some days. The people that give him stuff say these people who complain are heartless etc...

My own view is that while he doesn't bother me being there, it's been going on for a year at this stage. Giving someone like that money and food etc.. is great but surely some concerted effort to actually find him proper accommodation and supports for mental health or addiction or whatever would be for the greater good. Almost feels like the people who help him keep him as a local pet.

What dya reckon? Am I heartless c*nt or wha?

Omackeral

Ush1 wrote: »

I live in a Dublin suburb and nearby there are some local shops. For the last year a homeless fella has been sitting outside.

His arse must be fairly numb.

seamus

Ush1 wrote: »

surely some concerted effort to actually find him proper accommodation and supports for mental health or addiction or whatever would be for the greater good.

You can only help people who'll accept it.

You can assure yourself that this man has received offers of assistance, or even direct assistance, many many times, but continually chooses to go back to what he's doing.

Unfortunately for some people, this is existence. They know nothing else and for one reason or another, don't want anything else.

Unless you're going to put him in shackles and lock him up in Dundrum until he "comes to his senses", there's not much you can do.

Boom_Bap

Ever stop and talk to him?

dhaughton99

You see this a lot on Thomas st outside the centra. Not begging, just sitting around for hours and letting off comments to girls, roaring and asking for fags. Typical bums.

Pedro K

In Tallaght, by any chance? If so, I think I know exactly where and who you're talking about.

I've no issue at all with the dude in question. He's got a good rapport with the locals, and last year there was a whip around to put him up in a hotel for a few nights during Christmas.

I heard reports of aggressive beggars with him a few weeks ago. Haven't witnessed it myself yet, but if that's the case, I wouldn't be too happy with that at all. My mam is in those shops regularly, and would be easily intimidated.

Ush1

Omackeral wrote: »

His arse must be fairly numb.

He has a seat.

Ush1

Boom_Bap wrote: »

Ever stop and talk to him?

No.

Ush1

Pedro K wrote: »

In Tallaght, by any chance? If so, I think I know exactly where and who you're talking about.

I've no issue at all with the dude in question. He's got a good rapport with the locals, and last year there was a whip around to put him up in a hotel for a few nights during Christmas.

I heard reports of aggressive beggars with him a few weeks ago. Haven't witnessed it myself yet, but if that's the case, I wouldn't be too happy with that at all. My mam is in those shops regularly, and would be easily intimidated.

That's the one.

Yeah, like I said, I've no issue with him and he doesn't seem to bother anybody. Just wondering what's the long term look like as it doesn't seem a sustainable situation.

begbysback

Ush1 wrote: »

Anyway, it has caused a bit of a stir with some residents saying that it looks bad

The aesthetic world we live in

Boom_Bap

Ush1 wrote: »

No.

Worth trying, a lot of people that are on the streets are happy just to have a chat with someone.
You might also get answers to your questions.

Pedro K

Ush1 wrote: »

That's the one.

Yeah, like I said, I've no issue with him and he doesn't seem to bother anybody. Just wondering what's the long term look like as it doesn't seem a sustainable situation.

I'd say it's sustainable. Healthy, however, it is definitely not. Ideally we'd love to see the dude get up and stand on his own two feet. I doubt that's very likely though!

Ush1

Boom_Bap wrote: »

Worth trying, a lot of people that are on the streets are happy just to have a chat with someone.
You might also get answers to your questions.

I wouldn't say it would be a good idea. I'm a pull yourself up by the boot straps type, I would struggle to identify with him even though I'm sure he has his reasons for being there. I think giving people food and money is great but should really be a short term thing.

Give a man a fish an all that...

Ush1

Pedro K wrote: »

I'd say it's sustainable. Healthy, however, it is definitely not. Ideally we'd love to see the dude get up and stand on his own two feet. I doubt that's very likely though!

Well that's what I mean by sustainable, I assume it would not be healthy mentally or physically long term, but maybe I'm wrong.

Muckie

Know this chap, time of the "big snow" people were buying him tea and sandwiches.

Last time i saw him, he had a friend who was in a bad way, people were avoiding them both.

DS86DS

I have no problems with the genuine homeless. And that he does not bother or intimidate people is good.

The real problem is the aggressive and intimidating scumbags who go around asking for smokes or "a euro for the bus".........and dish out all sorts of verbal abuse if they don't get what they want.....and that's if you're fortune not to be robbed by one of them.

NSAman

Ush1 wrote: »

I wouldn't say it would be a good idea. I'm a pull yourself up by the boot straps type, I would struggle to identify with him even though I'm sure he has his reasons for being there. I think giving people food and money is great but should really be a short term thing.

Give a man a fish an all that...

Talking costs nothing man.

It is amazing what you learn through pure conversation. It may be that he has drug issues, it may be that he has mental health issues, it may be something else.

LAst Wednesday I was in LA. Outside my hotel having a smoke I noticed a guy with no shoes. Obviously in distress, but there are so many people homeless in LA that no one takes notice. I did.

While it was obvious he was homeless. I couldn’t in all good conscience let the guy walk around in bare feet, it was cold. I stopped and talked. He had been robbed of everything that morning. (I know it sounds bogus). But “mike” was a nice guy. He told me his story. A colleague stayed and I went and bought socks and some flip flops. He started to cry. Poor guy had not spoken to anyone about “mike” in a long time.

Sometimes a talk can be more powerful than money.

padd b1975

Ush1 wrote: »

He has a seat.

He's grand so.

Graces7

NSAman wrote: »

Talking costs nothing man.

It is amazing what you learn through pure conversation. It may be that he has drug issues, it may be that he has mental health issues, it may be something else.

LAst Wednesday I was in LA. Outside my hotel having a smoke I noticed a guy with no shoes. Obviously in distress, but there are so many people homeless in LA that no one takes notice. I did.

While it was obvious he was homeless. I couldn’t in all good conscience let the guy walk around in bare feet, it was cold. I stopped and talked. He had been robbed of everything that morning. (I know it sounds bogus). But “mike” was a nice guy. He told me his story. A colleague stayed and I went and bought socks and some flip flops. He started to cry. Poor guy had not spoken to anyone about “mike” in a long time.

Sometimes a talk can be more powerful than money.

always. It helps you feel human. Used to know a lady in the US who got up an hour early, made sandwiches and flasks of coffee and took them to some homeless guys on her way to work. She took time to serve the food and drink and sat and chatted with them... homelessness like that can be utterly lonely and dehumanising.

Lux23

I walk by a few of the same faces pretty much every day. I sometimes give them money, but I do understand how it can be annoying seeing the same people in the same spots for years. There is one lad that is sitting outside the local Spar for three years now, so he obviously does OK out of it or he would have moved on. It's sad, a waste of a life.

Mrs OBumble

How do you know he's homeless? Galway has a few who spend the day in ways similar to the man you describe.... who have be allocated council houses. Whatever else they are, they ain't without a home.

And while I'd love to see them better occupied, no one's going to employ them anytime soon.

NSAman

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

How do you know he's homeless? Galway has a few who spend the day in ways similar to the man you describe.... who have be allocated council houses. Whatever else they are, they ain't without a home.

And while I'd love to see them better occupied, no one's going to employ them anytime soon.

As I said Mrs. O. Talking costs nothing. Some are genuinely helpless and some are simply lost. Taking the time to connect with another human being is simply a genuine thing to do.

Without talking to people you never find out the issues they face, some can be helped, some alas cannot be.

I understand there are aggressive people and in that case it is better to avoid. However, in Dublin when I am there there is one guy who IS homeless outside my Gym. I used to talk each morning to him, bring him a hot drink each morning and basically found out a little about him. Contact was the main thing he missed. Hard life, mental issues, abused from a young age. You can help by just talking.

I am no saint believe me. But one thing I think the world has forgotten is empathy for our fellow man.

BENDYBINN

Omackeral wrote: »

His arse must be fairly numb.

Smart arse!

xzanti

There's a middle aged gentleman who hangs around our local Aldi. He sits by the trollies with a cup in hand. I found it irritating at first, thought he was probably part of some begging gang/scam (looks Roma).

Then I saw him one day walking around the town in the same crocs he was wearing in the Summer, no socks on his feet in the p1ssing rain, picking up bits of food off the ground with a knapsack on his back. I have to say, my icy heart actually thawed out and I felt very sorry for him.

I always give him whatever change I have now when I see him. Poor oul divil

manonboard

ah i know the guy you mean. I help him out with money when i can.

He obviously has a drug problem but sure if i was on the streets, it would be the only thing to get me through the hell of each day.
He's never been aggressive or problematic.

for info, at night he tends to sleep in the near by underground car parks. He gets moved along from time to time, but most of us turn a blind eye to him because our cars are never bothered.

I dont think you can do anything OP, the only thing i can suggest is to just be friends with the guy in a very slow consistent manner and keep good boundaries. I've a couple of homeless friends i made for the same reasons, and loneliness is something that they find very hard. Also talking to them about anything other than being homeless!