If I can spare it, I tend to drop a quid or two to big issue sellers, buskers... Been in that situation myself in the past so like to return the favour. Have also given bus fare to people in front of me on the bus if they're short.
I give money to people begging(hate that word), or those that present as homeless. I try to make it something substantial like a tenner if I'm flush enough. I'll also talk to them for a while or more accurately, listen to them. Quite frequently if you offer 10 or 20 quid they will try to refuse it. On Christmas Eve I was in Colchester town centre after the shops shut and got talking to a guy that had been secretly camping in the park. He left his tent for a while but on the way back he saw two cops walking away from the direction of where his tent was set up. When he got there he found it in flames. He was pretty sure the cops had done it which doesn't surprise me as Colchester police have actioned an anti homeless initiative.
I gave him £50 which was the best fifty quid I spent that Christmas. I don't know if I'd set a limit but that's the most I've ever given
I give money to buskers who I believe have taken up a noble profession but only if I enjoy what their doing.
I think if you stop, stand and watch a street performance and don't cough up something before you move on, you're kind of a shit. Not really 'giving' money to a stranger there, just sort of paying up.
Regarding folks just asking for something spare, sure, if I've got something to spare. I would probably put the limit at a fiver for the random ask.
If the person is asking in a high repression area I usually always try to find something to support their efforts. I know it's the same story everywhere, but I've seen some fucked up shit happen in my town over the years with the cops trying to push houseless folks out of downtown so yuppies can enjoy a microbrew in some kind of douche-totality.
Had some jerk approach me after I passed some money to a fella and ask me to not support 'panhandling' downtown. Told him I'd be happy to trade him for the five folks they ran out the other day and he promptly fucked off.
Have you ever done it? Under what circumstances? And how much/what would be your limit?
- yes
- to someone who looks like s/he really needs it. i do this almost daily, you get lots of opportunities here in nyc. also to street musicians, if i actually stay a bit and listen. not long ago in 14th street station there was a trio, two trombones and a cello, so that's worth something right there. they were also pretty bad, so i gave a little extra, imagining they were paying for lessons.
I give a little to musicians, I think it's out of order not to if you listen. I saw a guy filming a musician who then ignored the guy when he came round, that annoyed me.
I don't give money to people begging because I have been conned a few times and I get too many people asking all the time, which isn't too much of a reason , but you just tune it out when you hear the same spiel all the time. Honestly I'd rather do nothing than get conned which is a pretty crappy way of thinking really.
I used to give money to my local big issue seller outside my old work and when she came in I'd reduce the prices on everything she bought.
Last time I gave was to a young bloke who came down a crowded evening tube looking like he was at the end of his tether, probably having been completely ignored in every carriage. He was desperately asking for anything anyone could spare and he just crumbled and fell down on his hands and knees on the floor and no-one batted an eyelid, just stepped over him getting on and off. I got down on the floor with him and said "Come on brother, get up, don't be sittin' on the floor, get onto a seat and tell me how I can help you," but he just kept crying and crying and when he finally got up onto a seat he fell asleep in exhaustion, then was suddenly awake at Covent Garden and ran off the train. I called him back and shoved a twenty into his hand as the doors closed. Some guy came over to me and said "Have my seat mate, that was amazing," and I said no thanks, wondering why it had become so amazing to help someone even in the trivial, transient way I had.
If I can spare it, I tend to
If I can spare it, I tend to drop a quid or two to big issue sellers, buskers... Been in that situation myself in the past so like to return the favour. Have also given bus fare to people in front of me on the bus if they're short.
I give money to people
I give money to people begging(hate that word), or those that present as homeless. I try to make it something substantial like a tenner if I'm flush enough. I'll also talk to them for a while or more accurately, listen to them. Quite frequently if you offer 10 or 20 quid they will try to refuse it. On Christmas Eve I was in Colchester town centre after the shops shut and got talking to a guy that had been secretly camping in the park. He left his tent for a while but on the way back he saw two cops walking away from the direction of where his tent was set up. When he got there he found it in flames. He was pretty sure the cops had done it which doesn't surprise me as Colchester police have actioned an anti homeless initiative.
I gave him £50 which was the best fifty quid I spent that Christmas. I don't know if I'd set a limit but that's the most I've ever given
I give money to buskers who I believe have taken up a noble profession but only if I enjoy what their doing.
I think if you stop, stand
I think if you stop, stand and watch a street performance and don't cough up something before you move on, you're kind of a shit. Not really 'giving' money to a stranger there, just sort of paying up.
Regarding folks just asking for something spare, sure, if I've got something to spare. I would probably put the limit at a fiver for the random ask.
If the person is asking in a high repression area I usually always try to find something to support their efforts. I know it's the same story everywhere, but I've seen some fucked up shit happen in my town over the years with the cops trying to push houseless folks out of downtown so yuppies can enjoy a microbrew in some kind of douche-totality.
Had some jerk approach me after I passed some money to a fella and ask me to not support 'panhandling' downtown. Told him I'd be happy to trade him for the five folks they ran out the other day and he promptly fucked off.
wojtek wrote: Have you ever
wojtek
- yes
- to someone who looks like s/he really needs it. i do this almost daily, you get lots of opportunities here in nyc. also to street musicians, if i actually stay a bit and listen. not long ago in 14th street station there was a trio, two trombones and a cello, so that's worth something right there. they were also pretty bad, so i gave a little extra, imagining they were paying for lessons.
- i empty my change to the first one i see.
I give a little to musicians,
I give a little to musicians, I think it's out of order not to if you listen. I saw a guy filming a musician who then ignored the guy when he came round, that annoyed me.
I don't give money to people begging because I have been conned a few times and I get too many people asking all the time, which isn't too much of a reason , but you just tune it out when you hear the same spiel all the time. Honestly I'd rather do nothing than get conned which is a pretty crappy way of thinking really.
I used to give money to my local big issue seller outside my old work and when she came in I'd reduce the prices on everything she bought.
It would depend on their
It would depend on their circumstances and of course what I could spare...
Last time I gave was to a
Last time I gave was to a young bloke who came down a crowded evening tube looking like he was at the end of his tether, probably having been completely ignored in every carriage. He was desperately asking for anything anyone could spare and he just crumbled and fell down on his hands and knees on the floor and no-one batted an eyelid, just stepped over him getting on and off. I got down on the floor with him and said "Come on brother, get up, don't be sittin' on the floor, get onto a seat and tell me how I can help you," but he just kept crying and crying and when he finally got up onto a seat he fell asleep in exhaustion, then was suddenly awake at Covent Garden and ran off the train. I called him back and shoved a twenty into his hand as the doors closed. Some guy came over to me and said "Have my seat mate, that was amazing," and I said no thanks, wondering why it had become so amazing to help someone even in the trivial, transient way I had.