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Begging for food

13

Comments

  • #62
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 6,321 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    shuffles88 wrote: »
    I remember that guy from the particularly bad winter we had back in 2010. I'm not a very hard hearted person but I took one look at him and I thought you exploitive bollix I hope you get the flu:mad:. Plenty of elderly people, families etc. were stuck in freezing cold houses with no help but this utter b-word was choosing to act this way. A whole rash of shoeless beggars appeared after that as I recall.

    its ****ers like him, who turn people off helping genuine cases. People who are not particularly flush themselves offer this bastard shoes and he wont acept them, just sits there shivering. He maddens me. :mad:


  • #63
    mattjack
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,389 ✭✭✭mattjack


    Jake1 wrote: »
    its ****ers like him, who turn people off helping genuine cases. People who are not particularly flush themselves offer this bastard shoes and he wont acept them, just sits there shivering. He maddens me. :mad:

    I suppose you'd have to wonder how much does this character actually "earn" to be prepared to behave this way , is it really that lucrative for him to sit out in all weather , maybe there's mental ill health or just a brass neck.


  • #64
    AnonoBoy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 22,559 ✭✭✭✭AnonoBoy


    Paramite Pie wrote: »
    You must be very innocent.:o

    No, I'm not at all. It was just a badly told story.

    From the way I read it, some random dude came up and took the sandwich and tea. They didn't explain that the adult knew the kid at all.

    Bad story technique, poorly explained. Please try harder in future.


  • #65
    Femme_Fatale
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,628 ✭✭✭Femme_Fatale


    Saw a pitiful, pitiful guy when I was driving through town (Cork) on my way to work yesterday. Scrawnier than any junkie I've ever seen, dragging himself along - not able to walk properly. He looked like a concentration camp survivor, the poor man. He wanted to be let in to Penny Dinners at 8.45am and you could see the guys at the door were telling him they weren't open yet, but eventually they let him in and helped him to actually walk.
    But he's a scammer apparently...
    deadeye187 wrote: »
    I treat her the same as every con-artist on the street just pass by and it will never enter my mind again....I`d rather burn my money that give it to these people
    "These people" - so you have proof that every one of them is a scammer?

    It's cool to be compassionless though.
    foggy_lad wrote: »
    Heard a beggaar at a luas stop one day telling an elderly woman about how she was just out of hospital, when asked why she was in hospital she said she had lost her baby. Maybe true but coming fom a junkie begging for money for drugs it is not so believable.
    Seems perfectly believable to me. If there's any woman who's gonna lose the baby she's carrying, it's a drug addict.
    AnonoBoy wrote: »
    No, I'm not at all. It was just a badly told story.

    From the way I read it, some random dude came up and took the sandwich and tea. They didn't explain that the adult knew the kid at all.
    Yeh it reads to me like it was some random guy too.


  • #66
    Handsome Bob
    Closed Accounts Posts: 22,905 ✭✭✭✭Handsome Bob


    I have to balk at the claim that someone would sleep rough in 2010 winter weather for the sake of new trainers.


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  • #67
    FizzleSticks
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,172 ✭✭✭FizzleSticks


    This post has been deleted.


  • #68
    Czarcasm
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,076 ✭✭✭✭Czarcasm


    FizzleSticks wrote: »
    But what about The Capuchin Day Centre, Focus, Simon community centre in Temple bar, SVP..?


    They're not much good to people who aren't aware of their services FS, and there are many homeless people and people at risk of becoming homeless who aren't aware of the services out there that are available to help them.


  • #69
    Killer Wench
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,386 ✭✭✭Killer Wench


    I have noticed female beggars who use children to gain more sympathy. Recently, I was going a new route while commuting to work. There was a woman walking along the road with a sign saying that she was a disabled veteran who was unemployed and she needed money to fill her gas tank. The next day, I saw the same woman with a group of children carrying a sign that said that she was a single mother who had been kicked out of a shelter and needed money for a hotel room.

    Now, it could be that she was both a veteran and a single mother. It could be that she needed money to fill her gas tank and to pay for her hotel room.

    But the thing that got me? Both signs were laminated.


  • #70
    Cody Pomeray
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,648 ✭✭✭Cody Pomeray


    Mr.David wrote: »
    The banks are a priority to regain (hopefully) economic growth and stability, precisely to avoid the situations being discussed. Without stabilising the economic system there will be no money to help anyone!
    In fiscal terms, we have lost 40% of our GDP because of the banking crisis.

    Ireland's banking crisis is the 2nd most expensive banking crisis in the world since 1970, in terms of fiscal costs.

    We rank up there with places like The Congo and Guinea-Bisseau for the indebtedness costs of saving the banks. We need to look at ourselves and ask ourselves why this has never happened anywhere else in the EU. Why did our banking crash behave like the Congo's, in terms of the effect it had on our debt?

    Seriously, saying it provided stability would be amusing if it weren't such a serious issue for Irish people.

    Injecting €10 billion would have been a disgrace, but worthwhile if it saved our banks. Injecting €70 billion to get... look around you... it's not even a fcuking joke, that's the worst thing.


  • #71
    carlmango11
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,019 ✭✭✭carlmango11


    Didn't read the thread but anyway:

    In New York it's normal for homeless people to be genuinely starving. You see them routing through bins and eating stuff out of them. They beg you for money to go to McDonalds and if you give it to them they actually go inside and buy food.

    That just doesn't happen in Ireland. Maybe I'm just oblivious but from my experience Irish homeless people don't get that desperate.

    Also to the OP: it's a possibility that yer wan was just putting on that act for sympathy money. There's a woman in Dublin CC who does that. I've seen her a few times. She comes off as really sad and desperate as if she's about to cry... but then you see her in the same spot and state the next day...


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  • #72
    dobman88
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,768 ✭✭✭dobman88


    AnonoBoy wrote: »
    Eh..... what?

    A random person came up to the kid and stole his sandwich and took his money? Is that right?

    Why would that put you off helping people?

    Are you kidding me?? It wasn't random imo. I obviously don't know for certain that the guy knew the kid but why would a random stranger steal from an ill looking kid?


  • #73
    Handsome Bob
    Closed Accounts Posts: 22,905 ✭✭✭✭Handsome Bob


    I've heard of homeless getting bullied by other homeless, but kids.....I don't know, it's rare that a child would end up living on the streets for any period of time before child/homeless services would get involved.


  • #74
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 53,068 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Jake1 wrote: »
    its ****ers like him, who turn people off helping genuine cases. People who are not particularly flush themselves offer this bastard shoes and he wont acept them, just sits there shivering. He maddens me. :mad:

    You have absolutely no idea what he has been through to make him want to sit in the freezing cold with no shoes on. Perhaps he had the sh*t kicked out of him for his last pair of shoes? Perhaps he is genuinely afraid of people who think "look at his lovely new shoes, I can't afford them, he must be a scammer". You just have no idea!
    dobman88 wrote: »
    Are you kidding me?? It wasn't random imo. I obviously don't know for certain that the guy knew the kid but why would a random stranger steal from an ill looking kid?

    Because people can be c*nts, which this story - whichever version of it you choose to believe - proves.

    People's understanding of homelessness is often distorted by the few who do scam.

    There are many reasons that people end up on the streets, kicked out of home for getting pregnant, being gay, going to a parent to tell them the other parent is sexually abusing them, drugs, alcohol, losing their job and not affording the rent, abusive partners. The list goes on.

    Hostels and B&Bs are a great idea in theory, but you must be out of most of them between the hours of 10am and 6pm so end up roaming the streets for the day anyway. Then there are "gangs" within some of these hostels which makes it impossible for others to stay without fear of violence, theft, or abuse.

    I agree that there are resources there for those who know where to look, but my god it's one scary world out there for those who don't.

    I will help those that I can - I always will - if I get scammed once or twice along the way so be it. I'm not broke, I'm not struggling, hopefully I never will be. We all think we're better than that, that it would never happen to us, and it's great that we have that assurance but not everyone does.


  • #75
    shuffles88
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 239 ✭✭shuffles88


    The shoeless beggar took his shoes off in order to manipulate people and then several more beggars copied this move to evoke more sympathy. I saw 3 others on the same day that I saw him. Ask yourself how often do you see barefoot beggars at any other time of the year? The point was that they weren't looking for new shoes they wanted money.


  • #76
    mattjack
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,389 ✭✭✭mattjack


    shuffles88 wrote: »
    The shoeless beggar took his shoes off in order to manipulate people and then several more beggars copied this move to evoke more sympathy. I saw 3 others on the same day that I saw him. Ask yourself how often do you see barefoot beggars at any other time of the year? The point was that they weren't looking for new shoes they wanted money.

    Try look at it from a different way , what sort of state of mind do you think he has if he would be prepared to act that way , how much money do you think he would get and if its that viable why arent more doing it .

    He's hardly making a fortune from it .


  • #77
    shuffles88
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 239 ✭✭shuffles88


    mattjack wrote: »
    Try look at it from a different way , what sort of state of mind do you think he has if he would be prepared to act that way , how much money do you think he would get and if its that viable why arent more doing it .

    He's hardly making a fortune from it .

    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056437302

    The article itself has been closed off by the Irish Times paywall but quoted in the first post you'll see how genuine this guy is.


  • #78
    mattjack
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,389 ✭✭✭mattjack


    shuffles88 wrote: »
    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056437302

    The article itself has been closed off by the Irish Times paywall but quoted in the first post you'll see how genuine this guy is.

    Yep , I take your point .


  • #79
    Handsome Bob
    Closed Accounts Posts: 22,905 ✭✭✭✭Handsome Bob


    There's no point in denying there's some major chancers on the street. There are, but you don't have to be homeless to be a chancer.

    Having said that though, you'd have to wonder why someone is carrying €1,800 in €50 notes. Leisure money, I doubt it was.


  • #80
    shuffles88
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 239 ✭✭shuffles88


    mattjack wrote: »
    Yep , I take your point .

    I'm not actually a heartless villain by the way! I know there are genuine cases but I just abhor anyone who can be so manipulative.

    I'll always give to the Simon Community over the man begging on the street though because I know that however small my donation may be its going to help several people not just one.


  • #81
    mattjack
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,389 ✭✭✭mattjack


    shuffles88 wrote: »
    I'm not actually a heartless villain by the way! I know there are genuine cases but I just abhor anyone who can be so manipulative.

    I'll always give to the Simon Community over the man begging on the street though because I know that however small my donation may be its going to help several people not just one.

    No problem , I'll always think differently ... I work with homeless and people within addiction.


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  • #82
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 6,321 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Deleted User wrote: »
    You have absolutely no idea what he has been through to make him want to sit in the freezing cold with no shoes on. Perhaps he had the sh*t kicked out of him for his last pair of shoes? Perhaps he is genuinely afraid of people who think "look at his lovely new shoes, I can't afford them, he must be a scammer". You just have no idea!



    Because people can be c*nts, which this story - whichever version of it you choose to believe - proves.

    People's understanding of homelessness is often distorted by the few who do scam.

    There are many reasons that people end up on the streets, kicked out of home for getting pregnant, being gay, going to a parent to tell them the other parent is sexually abusing them, drugs, alcohol, losing their job and not affording the rent, abusive partners. The list goes on.

    Hostels and B&Bs are a great idea in theory, but you must be out of most of them between the hours of 10am and 6pm so end up roaming the streets for the day anyway. Then there are "gangs" within some of these hostels which makes it impossible for others to stay without fear of violence, theft, or abuse.

    I agree that there are resources there for those who know where to look, but my god it's one scary world out there for those who don't.

    I will help those that I can - I always will - if I get scammed once or twice along the way so be it. I'm not broke, I'm not struggling, hopefully I never will be. We all think we're better than that, that it would never happen to us, and it's great that we have that assurance but not everyone does.


    Thats great, you keep doing that, I, on the other hand, choose to give my donations to those I know are genuine. Your man with no shoes will not be one of them. Hope thats ok with you


  • #83
    Femme_Fatale
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,628 ✭✭✭Femme_Fatale


    Deleted User wrote: »
    I will help those that I can - I always will - if I get scammed once or twice along the way so be it. I'm not broke, I'm not struggling, hopefully I never will be. We all think we're better than that, that it would never happen to us, and it's great that we have that assurance but not everyone does.
    Yeh, no matter what, I'm still a lot better off than some bloke probably not right in the head taking his shoes of in St Stephen's Green for a couple of bucks.


  • #84
    moc moc a moc
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,298 ✭✭✭moc moc a moc


    Killer Wench wrote: »
    But the thing that got me? Both signs were laminated.

    I've seen people begging with gel in their hair, or even bleached/coloured hair. One Roma kid I came across had jeans and shoes nicer than mine. One was playing with his iPhone in one hand, holding the Big Issue in the other.. Makes you wonder what kind of idiots actually give these people money.


  • #85
    Foxhound38
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,547 ✭✭✭Foxhound38


    username_x wrote: »
    Was just speaking to a friend of mine who walked past a woman in the street today with two young kids begging for food. She wasn't asking for money, just for something simple like a loaf of bread. Apparently had tears in her eyes saying all she wanted to do was feed her children and she couldn't afford to. She was now homeless because she couldn't afford her rent and was kicked out.

    Really made me think, I'd be likely to just walk past someone asking for money on the streets, but the thoughts of a woman asking for food for her kids was just heartbreaking, it's the first time I've ever heard of something like this. It's just shocking how bad the country has become that a woman is forced to beg for food on the streets to fed her kids. Out in that weather and everything :(

    If she's an EU citizen then she has the same benefit entitlements (dole, rent allowance etc) as everyone else and plenty of people live just fine on them. So the big question is why she was on the streets?

    As for the Roma if she is one, it's true that they don't get benefits because they don't satisfy residency requirements. But they generally band together 5 or 6 to a bedsit (illegally I might add, but Landlords often turn a blind eye to it as long as they get paid) - if each of the 5 or 6 is out on the beg, there's more than enough for food and rent.

    Regardless of what Pavee Point might tell you, unfortunately begging and in some cases stealing (but more generally scavenging - stripping out wiring and the like to take the metal) has become part of Roma culture as they see it. It mightn't have always been that way, but it certaintly is now.

    To a certain extent it's understandable when you think about it - no education (they don't tend to enroll their kids and the State doesn't push the issue), little english, no benefits and generally living in overcrowded slums. What would you do?


  • #86
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 6,321 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Femme_Fatale wrote: »
    Yeh, no matter what, I'm still a lot better off than some bloke probably not right in the head taking his shoes of in St Stephen's Green for a couple of bucks.

    But would'nt the gardai who have arrested him before, have mentioned he had a mental health problem? In the report, mentioned a few posts above, from 2011, there is no mention from the gardai that the man had any issues, just that he was manipulative.


  • #87
    Bog Standard User
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 847 ✭✭✭Bog Standard User


    i dont help beggars... most of them are either professional beggars (roma) or junkies/alcoholics

    giving the addicts money doesnt help them cos they just buy more drugs.

    giving the roma money just keeps them sticking around.


  • #88
    Handsome Bob
    Closed Accounts Posts: 22,905 ✭✭✭✭Handsome Bob


    Jake1 wrote: »
    But would'nt the gardai who have arrested him before, have mentioned he had a mental health problem? In the report, mentioned a few posts above, from 2011, there is no mention from the gardai that the man had any issues, just that he was manipulative.

    To be honest the Gardai are not the ones to decide if a homeless person has mental health problems.


  • #89
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 168 ✭✭ [Deleted User]


    You know the leg trick some of them pull?

    Was walking back to a car park with my mother. She was walking behind me and gave one of these guys a fiver. I was raging and tried explaining to her that it was a scam, and her response was that he was about the same age as me, the poor fella. Anyway we're driving out of the car park and legless guy and his friend jog across the road in front of us. It's people like her that keep the career beggars in operation.


  • #90
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    What do people think of schemes like 'The Big Issue'? To be honest when I was in Ireland I actually thought it was a scam as I only ever saw it sold by romani people.. even here in Vienna it is the same case, but there is also another newspaper called Augustin written by homeless people living here and then sold by them on the street as a chance to do something, which I think is fantastic


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  • #91
    steddyeddy
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 27,565 ✭✭✭✭steddyeddy


    username_x wrote: »
    Was just speaking to a friend of mine who walked past a woman in the street today with two young kids begging for food. She wasn't asking for money, just for something simple like a loaf of bread. Apparently had tears in her eyes saying all she wanted to do was feed her children and she couldn't afford to. She was now homeless because she couldn't afford her rent and was kicked out.

    Really made me think, I'd be likely to just walk past someone asking for money on the streets, but the thoughts of a woman asking for food for her kids was just heartbreaking, it's the first time I've ever heard of something like this. It's just shocking how bad the country has become that a woman is forced to beg for food on the streets to fed her kids. Out in that weather and everything :(


    I would find the landlord who kicked her out to be honest. Low lives like that make me sick.


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