"Have you got 50p?"

[Bittern]

I always find they start with, "see what it is mate......".

Nah, I get it when I'm walking past. So, I suppose I get their "greeting". lol

 

[Statto]

Few years ago walking out of Conway Park, i got one[although he wasn't a drunk or Druggy] asking me to lend me money as he had no money to get home, i told him i haven't got any money[well i did have money but wasn't going to give him any], wouldn't get it into his head, kept harassing me for money, in the end i said i had to go for my bus, & left not given him any money.

I also got one of the notorious ones in Liverpool whilst waiting for a bus, i refused to give him money, i got abuse from him & he's been done a few times for aggressive begging.

 

[bb21]

Only done it twice in the streets, both in deep winter. Once in Aberdeen in high December, 11 o'clock at night and the poor lass looked like she was genuinely starving/dying, so I gave her £2 and watched her go into McD. That was back in 1999 and it was a good amount. She seemed genuinely surprised. The other was in January sometime, some young guy looked down on his luck and I felt really sorry for him so gave him £2. He reminded me of the days when I went through a rough patch myself.

Otherwise I have done it a few times at the bus station however only if they seemed genuine. I normally grill them about where they're going, which bus they're taking and how much they need in fares. If it sounds about right then I usually oblige, as it normally is the last bus. Only recently I had a well-dressed 15-year-old lad saying he needed £2.70 to get on the last bus on the 158 back to Hinckley, so I escorted him onto the 158 and paid his fare. He was rather grateful. Maybe I just looked charitable.

 

[142094]

Anyone been on the Paris Metro? Although it is still begging, when I was there a few years ago people would walk from carriage to carriage spouting a good story to all on the train (in French so I had little idea of what they were saying) and then walk up and down the carriage collecting the odd few cents.

At least the Romanians play the squeeze-box over here but I still won't give them money until they learn how to play 'The Saints Go Marching In' properly.

 

[150222]

That isn't just on the metro. Paris is full of beggers.

 

[Lampshade]

Best one I've encountered is when I was in college an obvious crackhead walks up to me and my mate and said his wife was having a baby and they were trying to get some money together to get to the hospital. I said "no it's alright mate, I'll call you an ambulance".

He ran off.

 

[valenta]

Best one I've encountered is when I was in college an obvious crackhead walks up to me and my mate and said his wife was having a baby and they were trying to get some money together to get to the hospital. I said "no it's alright mate, I'll call you an ambulance".

He ran off.

Ingenious answer. The crackpot ideas that some people come up with are pathetic.

 

[LexyBoy]

I was once approached at Waterloo by a scouser who spun a long yarn about how he needed to get back to Liverpool that night and could I 'lend' him the fare. I politely explained that if he didn't have enough for his fare, BTP would be able to arrange for him to travel (as explained by Rail-Britain here http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=50130) and pointed in the general direction of the BTP office. I didn't get a chance to point out that he was at the wrong station for Liverpool as I couldn't see him for dust! Very strange, I was only trying to help.

This has happened twice to me at Reading. Both times my suspicions were raised immediately as their story was a bit too practised, and they immediately went for the "I've already got £9" (showing the coins in their hand). The second time I told the guy to talk to the ticket office, but he walked away whilst I was talking, having realised if wasn't getting any money. Both times it was a fairly smartly dressed guy (dunno if the same person). Funny, as my first approach would be to ask the ticket office or BTP, then phone a friend, rather than begging off strangers.

Next time they're begging for the fare to London I'll try the "you've already got £9? Well, no problem, you've got enough for the train to Slough and then the bus into London!"

Also had a lad on the Cowley Road in Oxford asking for the bus fare to Abingdon. Didn't seem like the usual scrote, so maybe a genuine request, but I couldn't get over someone begging for the bus fare instead of just walking! It was a lovely day anyway!

 

[Greenback]

When I worked there, Reading station was full of professional beggars. The same people regularly used to hang around the TVM's touting for cash. Some got bought tickets to wherever they were supposed to be going, and then went back for them to be non issued.

When it wasn't too busy I used to put on civvies and go out to warn them and their victims.

 

[4SRKT]

I am not sure what happened to this guy, but I immediately suspected he was up to no good whatsoever. .

Anyway. it was a lovely welcome back to the UK hmm..

Because after all they don't have beggars in other countries, do they?

I'm much more sympathetic to beggars in places like here in Bradford, and will usually spare some change for them. It must be pretty crap for them and frankly I don't care what they spend it on. When in York yesterday I noticed (not for the first time - I grew up there and was very aware of this at the time) that a city with about 1/3 the population of Bradford seems to have considerable more than 3 times the number of beggars. This leads me to suspect that they aren't all actually from York, so I never give to beggars there (which I guess is rough on the genuine York homeless).

They have an announcement at Leeds station that they play from time to time asking people not to give money to beggars on the grounds that Network Rail gives money to homeless charities (how very Corporately Responsible of them; they must feel *incredibly* virtuous). I hate it whenever I hear this announcement because I then have to go off looking for a beggar to give a quid to :mad:

 

[WestCoast]

Because after all they don't have beggars in other countries, do they?

You haven't really read the incident, have you? Of course beggars exist abroad, that's not what I was saying at all! This guy was no needy beggar though.

That "welcome home" was receiving a mouthful of foul abuse for politely refusing someone who was up to no good! He boarded the train in Wilmslow and I suspect he left in Alderley Edge, both very affluent areas. Make your own mind up, he seemed rather drunk too.

Yes, I have experienced (what looked like genuine) beggars abroad, some come through the trains occasionally in Germany, and I've experienced it on metros including Prague, Paris and Santa Cruz. This guy was a scammer/abusive drunk.

They have an announcement at Leeds station that they play from time to time asking people not to give money to beggars on the grounds that Network Rail gives money to homeless charities (how very Corporately Responsible of them; they must feel *incredibly* virtuous). I hate it whenever I hear this announcement because I then have to go off looking for a beggar to give a quid to :mad:

They obviously believe it makes them sound nicer, what would you rather they say?

I appreciate the difficult position some of these people are in and I have seen some of the good work Shelter do in the community with soup kitchens and overnight hostel accommodation (which is severely limited in some areas).

These scammers or fakes trawling trains are making people less likely to give money to genuine cases.

 

[4SRKT]

You haven't really read the incident, have you? Of course beggars exist abroad, that's not what I was saying at all! This guy was no needy beggar though.

That "welcome home" was receiving a mouthful of foul abuse for politely refusing someone who was up to no good! He boarded the train in Wilmslow and I suspect he left in Alderley Edge, both very affluent areas. Make your own mind up, he seemed rather drunk too.

Yes, I have experienced (what looked like genuine) beggars abroad, some come through the trains occasionally in Germany, and I've experienced it on metros including Prague, Paris and Santa Cruz. This guy was a scammer/abusive drunk.

I have read it and I agree the incident was nasty and unnecessary. I don't see why you felt you had to add the comment about a nice welcome back to the UK, that's all.

 

[WestCoast]

I have read it and I agree the incident was nasty and unnecessary. I don't see why you felt you had to add the comment about a nice welcome back to the UK, that's all.

It wasn't meant to sound bad or critical of the country, it was purely a throwaway comment since I had boarded the train at Manchester Airport, so it was literally the first UK train ride for about three and half weeks.

Nevertheless, I can't say that UK hasn't suffered a certain amount of bad press over recent events in the world's media, they have all been watching the Olympic City and the country carefully. Although, the efforts of the community clean-up and help given to those who have suffered was heart warming and shows that most people are good people!

 

[Lampshade]

Following on from the example Yorkie gave, a couple of years ago I got on the train at Oxford Road (Manchester) heading towards Preston, while I was waiting on the platform a guy walks onto the station and starts saying some 'crackhead' had had it away with his wife's luggage and he needs enough money to buy another ticket to London (he already had one, but people often discard used tickets near the entrance), people gave him money and he even boarded our train scrounging off everyone, got off at Bolton (having already collected half the money he needed) and boarded a packed train back to Manchester where no doubt he got the rest.

I still wonder whether or not he was genuine, but the cynic in me doesn't think so, any normal person wouldn't have left their family stranded in Manchester after they'd just been robbed while he went begging.

 

[exile]

The most polite beggar I've come across was in Italy. He left a business card in each train compartment!

 

[scotsman]

Buchanan Street Junkie: "You got a spare 50p pal?" "Naw, spent it all on eh bus mate"

Same answer everytime

 

[WestCoast]

The most polite beggar I've come across was in Italy. He left a business card in each train compartment!

Adds a whole new meaning to the term, "professional begging".

I did once get a beggar on a tram in Madrid, who was holding some sort of card with details on it. Unfortunately, my Spanish is on the minimal side....

 

[Minilad]

Once when on the New York subway a black lad got on and spontaneously burst into song. Pretty good he was too to be fair. After he finished he came round the carriage with a cap held out apologising for his poor singing as he had a bit of a cold !
Good time to get rid of some of the shrapnel I had amassed !

 

[bb21]

Once when on the New York subway a black lad got on and spontaneously burst into song. Pretty good he was too to be fair. After he finished he came round the carriage with a cap held out apologising for his poor singing as he had a bit of a cold !
Good time to get rid of some of the shrapnel I had amassed !

At least he worked for it, well, sort of.

 

[NSEFAN]

I always decline, saying I only have my card. I don't want to risk paying for someone elses addiction (I do that already when I pay my NI for the NHS! )

An interesting test on the ones who are 'hungry' would be to buy a Tesco meal deal or something and offer it to them. The ones who are genuine will be thankful, but those trying it on will decline.

 

[4SRKT]

I always decline, saying I only have my card. I don't want to risk paying for someone elses addiction (I do that already when I pay my NI for the NHS! )

An interesting test on the ones who are 'hungry' would be to buy a Tesco meal deal or something and offer it to them. The ones who are genuine will be thankful, but those trying it on will decline.

I doubt anyone would actually decline. They may be less happy, but would anyone decline a free nosh up? Giving things other than money is a good idea IMHO. When I used to smoke I used to give 'em fags.

 

[HST Power]

Came of the train at Letchworth a few months ago and having endured yet another long slog in London, I decided to go and get some chips. I was 10p short, but a rather nice fellow standing in the next queue bailed me out!

 

[Eagle]

I am totally guilty of asking people for money on the streets and in railway stations on a regular basis... not that I make any gain out of it, as a volunteer charity collector.

I usually try to avoid beggars simply because I know I can and will make far more money than them in a given time, and that doesn't seem fair. One time, outside Leeds station, I had a really excellent spot and a beggar set up 10 m down the street from me. Now Leeds has council-employed street police (they're the only ones in the country that I've encountered who actually check that I have a valid licence to conduct a charitable collection) who moved him on, but he kept coming back. Three or four times this happened over about an hour. In that time not a single person gave him a penny, and I made £30 or so for children's cancer.

Of course, the existence of a charitable cause probably helps me. That, and the fursuits.

 

[W-on-Sea]

One on the outer eastern reaches of the District Line tube once (stinking of drink, said he had to get back to a hospital in Hornchurch, despite being on the train going away from Hornchurch), once I'd told him I'd no chance, replied by saying "that's no problem, I've got plenty". He then proceeded to take off his very sweaty trainers to reveal that they were stuffed with pound coins.....

The beggars in Italy (Milan seems to be particularly bad) who press a card into your hand listing the sign-language alphabet and then expect to you give money to them in return for this "gift" are particularly persistent and annoying.

And the Paris Metro seems to win for lengthy hard-luck stories.

 

[Flamingo]

I was going through London a while ago, and a beggar was sitting with a sign in front of him "Falklands War Veteran, Please Help".
I dropped in £1, and he said "Muchas gracias, Senor"

 

[es373]

Chances are the guy was indeed not a Falklands war veteran. A lot of them put signs out to make you feel bad.
Next time you see him, ask him what regiment he was in, who was his commanding officer then watch his eyes look everywhere else but at you.

 

[Hydro]

It's an old joke...!

 

[es373]

My bad!

 

[142094]

I doubt anyone would actually decline. They may be less happy, but would anyone decline a free nosh up? Giving things other than money is a good idea IMHO. When I used to smoke I used to give 'em fags.

Often see the ones picking up the dicarded fag ends on pavements. Probably **** and doggy doo doo on them an all. :-x

 

[es373]

I used to have a tramp follow me around where I used to work waiting for me to throw my smoke away! Ended up giving him a pack of 20 after a few weeks.
Couldn't get rid of the guy after that!