Beggar on the bus

Shel1951

A while back I was in a conference in Dublin, at the break I took a wander and was approached by a young man tidying dressed who asked for a few euros, I asked him the reason and he said he had locked himself out of his car by leaving the keys etc in the car and shut the door, he needed to get the luas(tram) home to get the spare key, of course I gave him the fare, and I would have given that young man a pound or two , I have 2 young sons and would hate if no one helped them in time of need,

A very common scam in my city, I used to pass one of the beggars’ favourite spots on my commute and was asked about once a fortnight.
They usually wanted bus fare to places I would consider to be walking distance if I was in a similar situation.

Oldnproud I have been doing this since the early 90s when I first worked with homeless people.

These days I see only two people locally - one a lovely man who isn't actually homeless now - in supported housing - and the other an older woman - generally outside Tesco as she gets "moved on" if in town (by a private security company). I always chat to her, and at Tesco will buy her something she fancies. I know the story of her life and family now.

If I go into a city I do revert to coins in my pocket though.

Ah the power of a child beggar.
May I recommend a novel by Lissa Evans - Crooked Heart - set in 1940 an unwanted little lad is evacuated and sets up a chugging business with his savvy 'mother'. Good read. Check it out on Amazon.

A woman sits outside of Home Bargains here. She doesn’t ask for money but food, to feed her children. Chooses fruit, milk, cheese and I believe she’s completely genuine. I always help when I can.
Would certainly give £1 to the man in OP. I’m baffled by the suggestion that we should ignore the person and look out of the window. Why is it ok to be rude to people just because they’re down on their luck?

Giving to charities to help homeless people and those with drug addiction is quite different from giving cash to strangers who are begging. They will almost certainly spend it on drugs and I don't want to be party to their addiction.

Years ago there used to be a ‘homeless’ man always sitting outside our local M&S with his dog, asking for money. Now and then I’d give him something.

It had been going on for a few years before a journalist on the local paper revealed that in fact he had his own flat, owned, not rented, and plenty of ‘mugs’ money’ in the bank.

Since then I give only to the Sally Army, Crisis, and St Mungo’s.

There was also the case of a dd who bought a Big Mac for a man sitting on the street on a cold winter’s night in central London, with a ‘ Homeless and Hungry’ placard.

He told her to fuck off, he wanted money.

I find telling anyone who asks me to set up a direct debit or card payment that my son has Power of Attorney over my finances halts the conversation immediately!

There’s a youngish bloke who begs at a local retail park, he’s been a regular for several years. He begs because it’s easier than working, he told me, and he flies back and forth to Macedonia, where he’s from, for holidays to see his family. His family seems to increase by a new baby each year - I think he’s up to four or five now, I forget quite how many. I bet he doesn’t pay tax on his earnings, either. 🤦‍♀️

I was a bit spooked by the incident - I thought of an old Clint Eastwood film where a bus full of passengers (children on a school bus?) was hijacked and I briefly wondered if the same thing would happen. My vivid imagination at play there! I don’t give to beggars, as they may not be genuine. I didn’t like the way the beggar eyeballed everyone individually - quite threatening, although he went off on his way once someone gave him £1.

Tworedroses

Calendargirl

He shouldn’t have been on the bus in the first place, if he hadn’t paid the driver!

And I would have said no.

Completely agree.

It is explained in the first post that he had ‘swept past the driver’.

I would have given him £1 if I had one in my pocket.
I once gave money to a young man who told me he wanted it to buy a bottle of wine, because he was going to spend the night in a homeless hostel, and needed to be ‘ off his face’ to get through the night!

Sitting having a coffee whilst waiting for a train at Kings Cross I was approached by 4 beggars. Not all at once but I had made the mistake of giving a couple of pounds to the first one.
I was on my own and felt quite uncomfortable so took the coffee and went and stood by the gate near a member of staff.
It’s a shame we can’t buy tokens that could be exchanged for what was needed. Not drugs obviously!

It is explained in the first post that he had ‘swept past the driver’

So?

We may as well all ‘sweep past the driver’ then, and no one need bother paying for a ticket!

The driver should have ordered him off the bus, not easy I know, but if things like this happen and they just get away with it…..

I remember the days of bus conductors, perhaps we need to bring them back.