You should take your change, get your car cigarette lighter hot, and put the change on it til it gets hot. Fling the change at the bums. Always good for a laugh.

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I give them $18 glasses of wine.

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Has anyone else seen the family with the child in a wheelchair under 59 next to Minute Maid? They were there the last two weekends.

Walked past them the first weekend. Felt bad (for the kid and the mom, who has obvious mental/physical problems).

This past weekend, I handed the lady a $20 and she almost fell over. My kids said "Did you see the look on her face?" I figured if I spend $250 on Drayton in an afternoon, I should be able to help someone a bit too.

I occasionally buy gift cards to McDonalds, etc., and give them to the guys on the corners at intersections. Figure they can't spend that on booze.

I used to be of the mindset that I would only encourage them by giving them money, or that they might go drink it up. Now, I just do what feels right. If they waste the money on booze, that's on them. I find it is a good chance to show my kids that we should count our blessings, try to help the less fortunate, etc. The church, not the government, should be trying to help these folks... Off my soapbox.

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I occasionally buy gift cards to McDonalds, etc., and give them to the guys on the corners at intersections. Figure they can't spend that on booze.

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The reason for my stories is based on past experience, especially the bum @ Jack in the Box. Several years ago, I actually took a bum shopping at a Super Walmart and spent about $25 on random (decent) food - no sodas or desserts. I even offered him a ride home. After he declined, I walked over to Home Depot; when leaving Home Depot, there he was, without the cart, asking folks for money. My guess is that he returned it for creit or sold it for cash and went back to pan handling.

These situations are very tough. You want to be helpful but you also don't want to encourage them to continue begging on the street. Not to mention there are some trying to take advantage of people out there. The McDonalds coupon is a good idea.

As a fundraiser, the Rice Baptist Student Union sells bags to give to panhandlers containing food and New Testaments for $5 each.

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I give them $18 glasses of wine.

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Nicely played.

Guy on 290 and Fairbanks has a sign that reads

"Visions of a cheeseburger"

Has anyone else seen the shirtless guy with the sign "$0.25 or best offer" on one side, then he flips it over and it says "or a Harley" with a picture of a motorcycle. Can't remember where I was... You almost chuckle and then you see his face and get sad

i let a bum get the best of me in Chicago once. i was walking to Ditka's with my wife and he asked if i had any change and i told him "no sir i don't" and he proceeds to yell "how you gonna lie in front of your old lady?" to which I said "why don't you get a ****ing job?" and he just stomped off and called me a p-rick

Friend of mine that lives in Syracuse had a guy come up to her and say he was a student at SU and just needed a couple bucks to get to his parents house on the other side of town. She fell for it and gave it to him. About a week later same guy walks in to a fast food joint and asks her the same thing. He didnt remember her. They are all full of **** and all bums. My standard response is a kick to the groin. Man or women, doesnt matter.

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If it's someone that appears to just need help, car out of gas, broken down, flat, phone call, etc... I'll examine teh situation a little more.

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I had a guy come up to me, dressed up nice, out of breath saying, oh I just ran out of gas, I drove in from austin my brother got in a bad accident, I just got up and left, forgot my wallet, can you help me out just a couple bux for gas.. I was like sorry, no cash on me. This was in Houston

**** you not, 6 months later, same f*uckin guy came up to my group I was with (downtown houston), exact same story, same car and everything..
I totally called him out, i was like you did this to me 6 months ago remember? he pulled the I don't know what you're talking about, but quickly backed off and went to find someone else.

You know in new orleans, the homeless wanting money at least will try to entertain you. I had a guy come up and ask me and my buddy's name, he made up a little rap on the spot. Another guy started breakdancing and stuff, then you have all the guys playing saxpohones, tap dancing, etc.. I don't know if they are actually homeless, but at I'd give them money over the bums in houston anyday, they just ask you for money.

Totally agree with the above. Show me some sort of talent... ANYTHING... just seconds worth of entertainment and I'll throw you a buck. Even comical or original forms of begging (without any additional talent) increase their chances exponentially to me.

DO NOT GIVE ANYTHING TO THE BUMS. it only encourages more of their lazy BS. your not doing them or anyone else a favor. a brief 'f off' is all that is needed. Maybe then they will all migrate to California.
TIA.

you could do this:
Tell the bum to put his hand out, palm facing up. When he does it, say Ok, now turn your hand over, with palm facing down.
When he does it say "there you go, you can flip burgers, now go get a f*ucking job at the McD's

[This message has been edited by metaltim (edited 6/12/2009 10:32a).]

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a brief 'f off' is all that is needed. Maybe then they will all migrate to California.

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california has no more monies. they are giving people "i owe you"'s

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Guy on 290 and Fairbanks has a sign that reads

"Visions of a cheeseburger"

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He was at 290 and Gessner yesterday evening.

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I had a guy come up to me, dressed up nice, out of breath saying, oh I just ran out of gas, I drove in from austin my brother got in a bad accident, I just got up and left, forgot my wallet, can you help me out just a couple bux for gas.. I was like sorry, no cash on me. This was in Houston

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Had this same one tried on me....very aggressive and generally made my wife and I uncomfortable.

The best sign I saw was outside a conveince store....had a sign that read "Will Work" (crossed out), "Spare Change?" (crossed out)....Then it said "Hell people I just want a beer"...I bought the man a beer...for his honesty.

Anyone seen the Bo Diddly look alike playing his guitar at Walker and Main?

That guy rocks...

i ask them for money, then i ask them for a job.

Dude, be careful. A lot of times these are not just bums but CRACK addicts and will become violent. Had one f with me for about 5 minutes near I-45 and Scott. Just SDAY NO and walk away, don't take your eyes off them.

rarely give them money..but i will buy them a burrito or a corn dog

last weekend i had this mexican fella come up to me...the only reason i talked to him was b/c he had a brand new a&m hat on...he probably saw my former student sticker on my truck and decided to use the aggie network on me..

anyway, he didn't speak a lick of english and i don't speaka da spanish too bueno, but he was asking me something about finding some panocha for his verga...I figured he was asking for food for his tummy or something like that so i bought him a corndog..

he didn't seem too happy i guess i should've bought him a burrito instead

I am not a fan of strangers talking to me when I'm outside getting gas.

a swift taint kick would remedy that.

My favorite place to encounter bums is at that gas station at 288 and Tuam..holy crap I loooove going there at night and screwing with them!

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I ask them as they approach if they want some change, of course they say yes, to which I reply 'Change comes from within my man'

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If I was a bum, I'd probably beat you up for saying this.

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Do you think he's gonna vote for you?

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hahaha

I usually just say, i don't think so, turn around, and non-chalantly reach in my back pocket for my wallet while lifting my shirt up enough to reveal the .40 cal.

OK, not really.

Got taken by a bum and the shoe shine scam in New Orleans a few years back (actually my wife did). I figure they're ahead by $20, so I don't give them $$ anymore.

I saw a lady roll down the window and give a bum a pack of gum the other day. I thought it was kinda funny. I don't like the guys that tie their dogs out in the sun all day. PD should crack down on them. The dog could go catch its own food, but he's tied up to a dam pole in the sun!

I've had some bad luck with the bums. A couple of years ago, I was jogging near my apartment in midtown (during broad daylight), when I got approached by what I figured was a bum. Guy instead pulls a .45 out of his waist band and proceeds to confiscate my iPod. Later apprehended and convicted of aggravated assault and robbery.

Second incident was about 6 months later, I was heading home from a late night study session at UH. I get stopped on W. Gray @ Main by the light rail. While I'm stopped, a bum approaches my driver side. Since the train has passed and I'm expecting the light to turn green, I just ignore him. Next thing I know, the bum rears back and then kicks the sh*t out of my door. I had my CHL on me, but what could I do? I just drove home, pissed off as hell. Massive dent in the car door.

The bums of Houston have used up my good will. They just get a "no" from me now if they are lucky.

The best bum I ever saw used to "work" at West Gray and Bagby. He was clean-shaven and very articulate. He wore a hard hat, had a dead cell phone and a clip board with some papers clipped to it. He said he's a construction supervisor and his fan belt broke on his truck. (He would park a pick-up truck in a nearby vacant lot with its hood up and would point it out to you). He had a broken fan belt in his pocket and would show it to you. He would go to Autozone and get a receipt for a fanbelt printed out every morning with that day's date on it to show you exactly what a new fan belt would cost and said he only needed 18 dollars and 32 cents (or some random amount just below $20) to pay for it. He said his cell phone was dead & couldn't remember anyone's number. He even had business cards for his construction company with his name, address, and phone number. He would ask for your business card if you gave him a $20 so he "could pay you back when he gets back home."

I would always have to warn people coming to our office to watch out for that guy. He scammed all of us who were not warned.

If he had put half the effort into getting a real job as he did conning people out of cash, he could've made a very decent living.

i usually just give them money