Giving money to homeless person

g5fd6ow0hseima · 04-03-2009 08:26PM #1

The other night I was walking across halfpenny bridge and gave the change in my back pocket to a homeless person. It was something like ten cent or so, but the fella picked it out of his cup and threw it at me calling me a ****.

Being a 19yr old student who had to drink one less pint in order to preserve the €1.60 for the bus home, I felt giving the few cents in my back pocket to a homeless person was better than just kicking it away, as some people tend to do with coppers. Was this just a sheer insult to the fella? Did he expect me to give him the minimum of €1 or something. Up until recently I used ignore those who were begging, perhaps ill continue to do so unless i decide to start giving them a bus fare or something.

Bottom line - was i being insultive giving about 10 or 12 cent?

seanybiker · 04-03-2009 08:28PM

not at all. Every penny/cent counts.
I would have gone back and giving him a size 11 in the face for been a prick. Beggers cant be choosers

Sharpshooter · 04-03-2009 08:30PM

He must have never heard the term beggers can't be choosers.
If everybody passing him by was to give him that amount his money would not be long adding up.

Danbo! · 04-03-2009 08:36PM

Go back and take 10 cent out of his cup, see if he cares that its 'only ten cent'. Then refer to post 2.

CreepingDeath · 04-03-2009 08:39PM

The saying goes "Give a man a fish and he'll eat for a day, teach a man to fish and he'll feed himself for life"

So I always give the beggars my empty polystyrene coffee cups so they can use them to beg. It's really the most humane thing to do.

stovelid · 04-03-2009 08:41PM

Guy could have just been a little disturbed, or drunk.

Best not to read anything more into it. You were kind not to ignore him; the amount is not relevant. Fair play.

Sir Gallagher · 04-03-2009 08:43PM

Just because one homeless person refused it doensn't mean you shouldn't give other homeless folks a few cent/quid here and there.

midlandsmissus · 04-03-2009 08:44PM

Homeless people can indeed bbe very sharp when they dont get what they want

I saw this one woman begging so went over and gave her 1 euro. 'Here you go' I said. She roared at me 'It's 2 EURO!!!'. Apparantly she was selling Big issues, which I hadnt seen up until that point.

I was so shocked, I ended up quickly giving her another euro.

Rhyme · 04-03-2009 08:44PM

CreepingDeath wrote: »

The saying goes "Give a man a fish and he'll eat for a day, teach a man to fish and he'll feed himself for life"

"Give a man fire and he'll be warm for a day, set a man on fire and he'll be warm for the rest of his life."

Sharpshooter · 04-03-2009 08:49PM

midlandsmissus wrote: »

Homeless people can indeed bbe very sharp when they dont get what they want

I saw this one woman begging so went over and gave her 1 euro. 'Here you go' I said. She roared at me 'It's 2 EURO!!!'. Apparantly she was selling Big issues, which I hadnt seen up until that point.

I was so shocked, I ended up quickly giving her another euro.

Manners cost nothing,which is exactly what I would have given her had I got that reaction tbh.

The woman obviously has some big issues.

CamperMan · 04-03-2009 08:52PM

how do you know he was homeless??, people do this for a living and have nice homes.

There is a guy in the south east that begs on the streets and does a bit of busking, he also claims the dole and lets the dole know that he is "working part time busking", so he gets a slight reduction in his dole money.. hardly skint, also, it's his own choice to be homeless, he prefers life like that!!

As for the guy you give the money to, I would have told him to fcuk off!

Caoimhín · 04-03-2009 08:56PM

I pee on the roma beggers.

Fecking Italians comin over here and stealin our, eh... begging spots.

Sir Gallagher · 04-03-2009 08:57PM

CamperMan wrote: »

how do you know he was homeless??, people do this for a living and have nice homes.

There is a guy in the south east that begs on the streets and does a bit of busking, he also claims the dole and lets the dole know that he is "working part time busking", so he gets a slight reduction in his dole money.. hardly skint, also, it's his own choice to be homeless, he prefers life like that!!

As for the guy you give the money to, I would have told him to fcuk off!

I get the impression that you wouldn't have given him anything in the first place, so doubt you would've had that problem.

acontadino · 04-03-2009 08:58PM

i feel really sorry for beggers, i find it really hard to just walk by without even saying sorry.

CamperMan · 04-03-2009 09:01PM

Sir Gallagher wrote: »

I get the impression that you wouldn't have given him anything in the first place, so doubt you would've had that problem.

I give to good causes... ME

I have been homeless before, I didn't go on the streets begging, I looked for work and took whatever I could!

Asmodean · 04-03-2009 09:01PM

Sadly, I bet if you did say sorry, 80% of them would tell you to **** off. Lot of scammers out there I'd say

Whosbetter? · 04-03-2009 09:02PM

Never give any of 'em anything.

The problem would then sort itself out pretty quickly.

Amalgam · 04-03-2009 09:05PM

The people on the HaPenny are long term drug users, a group that make sure only themselves and a few associates get to beg there, often an aggressive set up with the threat of violence wafting about. If you want to make your money count, store up your change and give it to an organisation that provides for the homeless and dispossessed in Dublin and elsewhere.

m5ex9oqjawdg2i · 04-03-2009 09:05PM

You could do more if you feel bad for homeless... empathy doesn't do a whole lot tbh. Work for an hour or two if you have the time in one of the soup kitchens around town?

I would never in a million years give a homeless person money... It may go towards food or a blanket or a night in a hostel, chances are it's going towards a few cans or a bit of gear... No thanks.

Disease Ridden · 04-03-2009 09:08PM

Ungrateful c'unt!! They should be grateful for anything they're given, nobody owes them ANYTHING.

I'm glad I never gave money to homeless people. I always say I wont give it to heroin addicts either but everytime one comes up to me at night I chicken out and give the chap 50 cent or so, damn non-existence of free will.

Ciaran500 · 04-03-2009 09:09PM

acontadino wrote: »

i find it really hard to just walk by without even saying sorry.

Sorry for what?

Fizman · 04-03-2009 09:09PM

The odd time i'll give a euro or two to a beggar. It depends entirely on who the beggar is/the state they are in though.

Funny thing happened recently though. In Limerick, around the area where the main pubs/clubs are, you see the same faces around the footpaths on nights out. Myself and a few mates were on the way to the old quarter, when one of those young lads came over and asked for a few quid. Normally at this stage i'm just after landing in town so I have no change on me anyway, so I normally just say that. This time I said the same, only to get a response from him like "No worries bud.....jaysus it must have taken ages to get the hair like that.....must be on the pull tonight eh?"

Caught me completely off guard, and myself and my mates were pissin ourselves laughin!

Sir Gallagher · 04-03-2009 09:11PM

CamperMan wrote: »

I give to good causes... ME

I have been homeless before, I didn't go on the streets begging, I looked for work and took whatever I could!

Big Blue Peter Badge for you so! So you suggest all homeless people should just go and get jobs like you so?

CamperMan · 04-03-2009 09:17PM

Sir Gallagher wrote: »

Big Blue Peter Badge for you so! So you suggest all homeless people should just go and get jobs like you so?

You can keep the blue peter badge,

what would you do if you became homeless, take the lazy option and go begging??.

misty floyd · 04-03-2009 09:21PM

CamperMan wrote: »

You can keep the blue peter badge,

what would you do if you became homeless, take the lazy option and go begging??.

Not much point in going looking for work these days. I'd beg, no problem.

Fizman · 04-03-2009 09:21PM

Sir Gallagher wrote: »

Big Blue Peter Badge for you so! So you suggest all homeless people should just go and get jobs like you so?

Maybe its just me and the way I read your post, but you make it sound like thats an outrageous suggestion?

Maybe you're one of those people who'd be like "Damn them homeless people, taking all our jobs"! :pac:

Sir Gallagher · 04-03-2009 09:22PM

CamperMan wrote: »

You can keep the blue peter badge,

what would you do if you became homeless, take the lazy option and go begging??.

Most homeless people have real issues, psychological problems, alcholism drug addiction as well as being poorly educated, they have no other option than to beg. Also its pretty hard to get a job without an address/phone no.

Begging isn't "lazy" in most cases its a desperate last resort.

04-03-2009 09:25PM

you should have told him that if he wants money he has to earn it.

ie, handjobs, carthwheels, breakdancing etc:D

CamperMan · 04-03-2009 09:32PM

rarnes1 wrote: »

you should have told him that if he wants money he has to earn it.

ie, handjobs, carthwheels, breakdancing etc:D

my sides are aching now with laughter!

Abi · 04-03-2009 09:36PM

CreepingDeath wrote: »

The saying goes "Give a man a fish and he'll eat for a day, teach a man to fish and he'll feed himself for life"

QFT

My brother stopped to give a guy money, who slyly showed him a knife. He went home phoneless, iPodless and walletless.

Only for he had his student travel pass in a diffent pocket, he'd be still walking home.

This same brother previously scorned my snubbish attitude to 'the homeless'.

Sir Gallagher · 04-03-2009 09:41PM

Abigayle wrote: »

QFT

My brother stopped to give a guy money, who slyly showed him a knife. He went home phoneless, iPodless and walletless.

Only for he had his student travel pass in a diffent pocket, he'd be still walking home.

This same brother previously scorned my snubbish attitude to 'the homeless'.

I would hope you don't apply this way of thinking to all sub-sections of society.

Giving money to homeless person

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