Beggars!

[johntea]

Always 3-5 beggars trying to walk between Bradford Forster Square and Bradford Interchange, they're literally bang outside the stations too!

Some of them must get some fantastic advance fares though, one guy said he needed 80p to get his train ticket to London once

We have a scheme at work where we can donate shower gels / blankets etc to the people that support the actual homeless, would much rather do that than ever give any money out as that just gets blown on drugs / drink / gambling...

 

[Busaholic]

Happens nearly every time I travel in South London. Far less common on my London area journeys north of the river and I have never encountered it anywhere outside the South East.

I've not lived in SE London since 1988, and was experiencing begging on local trains on occasion even then. There has also been a tradition of religious 'loonies' in the Bromley and Orpington area and, on occasion, they would get on a train and harangue the assembled throng just trying to get home from work, or whatever. Never seemed to happen in the morning, though.

 

[jon0844]

I miss the religious ones that try and convert you. Once had a great conversation with one from King's Cross and was most upset when he left at Finsbury Park.

I ended up asking him loads of questions, rather than the other way round.

Must be coming up to ten years since I've seen anyone preaching on a train.

 

[deltic1989]

I miss the religious ones that try and convert you. Once had a great conversation with one from King's Cross and was most upset when he left at Finsbury Park.

I ended up asking him loads of questions, rather than the other way round.

Must be coming up to ten years since I've seen anyone preaching on a train.

They seem to have moved to the station entrances now.
Although in fairness to them, whenever I have seen the Jehovah's Witnesses at Nottingham, they tend to stand there holding their literature, and only speak to people who speak to them.

 

[DarloRich]

They seem to have moved to the station entrances now.
Although in fairness to them, whenever I have seen the Jehovah's Witnesses at Nottingham, they tend to stand there holding their literature, and only speak to people who speak to them.

They have changed tactics. They say they get better results by not approaching people and allowing the curious to approach them.

Being the cynic I am I wonder if their risk assessment highlighted that putting their members at risk of a confrontation by knocking on doors wasnt a good idea, that their members didn't like being exposed to people less than willing to absorb the word of the lord or that it improves their reputation and make their message mean more.

 

[Southwest]

Always 3-5 beggars trying to walk between Bradford Forster Square and Bradford Interchange, they're literally bang outside the stations too!

That's a bit ott for a railway station.

 

[jon0844]

They have changed tactics. They say they get better results by not approaching people and allowing the curious to approach them.

Being the cynic I am I wonder if their risk assessment highlighted that putting their members at risk of a confrontation by knocking on doors wasnt a good idea, that their members didn't like being exposed to people less than willing to absorb the word of the lord or that it improves their reputation and make their message mean more.

They do still knock on doors, and usually when I'm off sick and sleeping.

But at stations they have those stands and are just outside railway property (it appears) so sometimes I wonder if I should get talking and then ask them to walk with me to my platform... Then watch them struggle with the invisible force field...

 

[randyrippley]

Must be coming up to ten years since I've seen anyone preaching on a train.

try riding Manchester-Preston trains. Plenty of preaching Mormons on those due to the European HQ temple at Chorley. Can be quite fun teasing the females with offers of a night in the pub, etc

 

[talldave]

They have changed tactics. They say they get better results by not approaching people and allowing the curious to approach them.

Being the cynic I am I wonder if their risk assessment highlighted that putting their members at risk of a confrontation by knocking on doors wasnt a good idea, that their members didn't like being exposed to people less than willing to absorb the word of the lord or that it improves their reputation and make their message mean more.

The JWs are parasites. I complained to TfL about them blocking Tower Hill station entrance, they replied that they shouldn't be there and to report them to staff. But at National Rail stations, they seem to lurk just far enough away from the entrances as to appear out of station juristriction. If they speak to me they get a full on stream of expletives that let them know that I have direct first hand experience of how they destroy families.

 

[DarloRich]

They do still knock on doors, and usually when I'm off sick and sleeping.

But at stations they have those stands and are just outside railway property (it appears) so sometimes I wonder if I should get talking and then ask them to walk with me to my platform... Then watch them struggle with the invisible force field...

they came to mine the other week. First time for ages

The JWs are parasites. I complained to TfL about them blocking Tower Hill station entrance, they replied that they shouldn't be there and to report them to staff. But at National Rail stations, they seem to lurk just far enough away from the entrances as to appear out of station juristriction. If they speak to me they get a full on stream of expletives that let them know that I have direct first hand experience of how they destroy families.

I am not supporting them in any way!My views on religion wouldn't meet with their approval! I am simply saying they have changed their approach and they suggest it is having better results for them and their followers.

 

[Southwest]

Just heard an announcement to watch out for Tissue Beggars, whatever next?

 

[jon0844]

Just heard an announcement to watch out for Tissue Beggars, whatever next?

Loads of these at Welwyn Garden City now. I assume the beggars are using the all station stoppers and then returning to London when they turn.

Not actually seen any for ages though. Perhaps the announcements are helping, as I don't even think I've see any at all this year (on GN or AGA).

 

[northken]

I was at Bromley North station with my friend when this huge man with a huge snake on his shoulders approached us for some spare change. My friend is 6ft tall but he was petrified!

 

[NorthernSpirit]

That 8p bloke has returned to Huddersfield again. He may be 6ft and has a scar on his face but he still wants 8p for his drugs / rail ticket / every excuse under the sun.

 

[Zamracene749]

I had a scruffily dressed bloke come up to me on the airport bus into Prague once, jabbering angrily and trying to sell me some sort of badge thing.

After a few refusals in my very basic Czech and then in angrier English, a helpful local explained that he was in fact a plain clothed ticket inspector that wanted to see my ticket and that the badge was his DPP ID. Oooopsy

Back on topic though, I've only really witnessed begging in Europe on trams in Romania and on the odd local train in Poland. Czech seems to be relatively free of them, Slovakia and Hungary also. London and the UK on the other hand- with violent threats in Kings cross in the 80s, Fort William subway and Oxford in the 90s, Hull in the 2000s......

 

[silverfoxcc]

try riding Manchester-Preston trains. Plenty of preaching Mormons on those due to the European HQ temple at Chorley. Can be quite fun teasing the females with offers of a night in the pub, etc

Randy

Google Joyce Mckinney. Ask if they have heard of her. you may strike lucky!!!!

 

[2HAP]

Joyce McKinney

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mormon_sex_in_chains_case

 

[Requeststop]

I can't remember exactly where, but certainly in the South East back in February, I was approached by a man asking for money as he hadn't any money for a fare. Didn't say how much he needed, nor where he was going to. I didn't give him any as I support a Thai family as my charity. A couple of minutes later, the conductor/inspector came along and I mentioned the incident. "Oh him again" he said, and moved forward. After the next station the inspector came back and said that he couldn't find him, but the CCTV would get evidence.

 

[gary47]

When I used to travel with Virgin xcountry, we used to have long stops at Birmingham new St, they always used to walk all the way down the train begging. They are a right nuisance at Liverpool lime St as well.

 

[sonic2009]

The Piccadilly between Cockfosters and Finsbury Park is very popular with this scam.

I saw last week two men playing the accordion moving from carriage to carriage on the Piccadilly Line also, seeming to cover up the instruments whilst moving carriages.

 

[londonbridge]

The JWs are parasites. I complained to TfL about them blocking Tower Hill station entrance, they replied that they shouldn't be there and to report them to staff. But at National Rail stations, they seem to lurk just far enough away from the entrances as to appear out of station juristriction.

There's one of them I often see at Wallington, she tends to stand at the bottom of the steps by the bridge in Manor Road. Technically not on railway property but still close enough to target those using the exit next to Lidl.

 

[70014IronDuke]

The JWs are parasites. I complained to TfL about them blocking Tower Hill station entrance, they replied that they shouldn't be there and to report them to staff. But at National Rail stations, they seem to lurk just far enough away from the entrances as to appear out of station juristriction. If they speak to me they get a full on stream of expletives that let them know that I have direct first hand experience of how they destroy families.

Why the vitriol? Why mix up JWs (or, as others have done, Mormons) with beggars? Why call them parasites? That is patently untrue in the context you give.

You may not agree with them, you may believe they are deluded, or morely likely, I suspect, from your tone here, you don't want anything to do with them. Fair enough, but - unless their practices have changed - they are certainly no more parasites than any minister from the CoE or Catholic churches.

In my digs in Derby many years ago, the family (or most of them) became JWs. They were perfectly fine, hard working people. They didn't push us lodgers, we sometimes talked about their beliefs, but that was all.

Are all immigrants with coloured skin parasites? Perhaps you think they are, in line with what certain papers would have us believe. But I don't think it is appropriate for you to give vent to your views on here about them: ditto JWs.

 

[NorthernSpirit]

I find that 6ft 8p guy outside of Huddersfield railway station a parasite.

 

[Busaholic]

I was at Bromley North station with my friend when this huge man with a huge snake on his shoulders approached us for some spare change. My friend is 6ft tall but he was petrified!

The 'change' wasn't for him of course, it was for the snake! The stuff of nightmares - I had snake nightmares as a kid, and my grandparents lived in Bromley, so that would have freaked me out!

 

[talldave]

Why the vitriol? Why mix up JWs (or, as others have done, Mormons) with beggars? Why call them parasites? That is patently untrue in the context you give.

You may not agree with them, you may believe they are deluded, or morely likely, I suspect, from your tone here, you don't want anything to do with them. Fair enough, but - unless their practices have changed - they are certainly no more parasites than any minister from the CoE or Catholic churches.

In my digs in Derby many years ago, the family (or most of them) became JWs. They were perfectly fine, hard working people. They didn't push us lodgers, we sometimes talked about their beliefs, but that was all.

Are all immigrants with coloured skin parasites? Perhaps you think they are, in line with what certain papers would have us believe. But I don't think it is appropriate for you to give vent to your views on here about them: ditto JWs.

My post gave the reason for the vitriol. In the context of undesirable people hassling people around stations they're relevant. If I can save just one person from the destructive effect of JWs my efforts would be worthwhile.

I don't think it's appropriate to speculate on my views on immigrants. As it happens, I don't have any, unless they're JWs or begging on the railway.

 

[Springs Branch]

Things are sometimes (but not always) more laid-back Down Under.

Last Sunday morning my wife and I were in Sydney and walking across the small park in front of Central station heading for the main concourse. A young guy came to walk alongside us, obviously keen to engage in conversation.

His story was he had come into Sydney for a Saturday night out, caught a late train home to Gosford (which is about 50 miles to the north), fallen asleep, missed his stop and not woken up until the train arrived back in Sydney early Sunday morning.

"Here we go", I thought to myself, cut him short and said "and I suppose now you need to borrow the train fare to get home?"

The guy looked surprised, and said "Oh, no. I don't need money. It's just such a crazy thing to happen I wanted to tell someone about it". And he walked on happily towards the station.

 

[syorksdeano]

For those in Sheffield, you will be pleased to hear that Gemma is back.

For those that don't know Gemma her stories on why she needs the money are 'interesting' if not amusing

Sent from my HUAWEI Y560-L01 using Tapatalk

 

[NorthernSpirit]

I find that 6ft 8p guy outside of Huddersfield railway station a parasite.

This is the moron who keeps asking for 8p:

http://www.examiner.co.uk/news/west-yorkshire-news/meet-dean-grundell-hes-serial-4971269

 

[asylumxl]

This is the moron who keeps asking for 8p:

http://www.examiner.co.uk/news/west-yorkshire-news/meet-dean-grundell-hes-serial-4971269

So I'm guessing since that's from 2011 he never got imprisoned?

 

[NorthernSpirit]

So I'm guessing since that's from 2011 he never got imprisoned?

He's probably been cuffed a few times, so there's a possibility that he has been banged up for a short period of time. As of 2016, you can add a scar to the right hand side of his face, so he's probably been glassed whilst in Her Majestys Pleasure.