To the guy on spring garden, the bridge terminal, mumford, or just about any god damn bus stop/area were people walk. STOP asking me for money or a smoke. I have told you off many times, and every time you see me you walk over super straight backed, chin in the air asking me for change. On Sunday you did it TWICE within twenty fucking minutes! Do you seriously think badgering people for money all day is going to get you anywhere? Spend you time DOING SOMETHING FOR YOURSELF and get a fucking job. Ya, you probably dont want to its easier to walk around wanting people to pitty you and pass their hard earned money off to you like you deserve it – you really dont.
—no.
This article appears in Dec 3-9, 2009.
Agreed.
Stop supporting the lazy.
There are better people in this world to support.
is this the guy with dirty blonde hair thats like probably less than 20 years old but looks war torn and cracked out? fuck i hate that guy, i almost felt bad when i was walking by the shelter on brunswick the other day at 6:45AM and he walked out amongst a bunch of old homeless men, then i remembered seeing him smoking crack after asking me for toonies for the bus like 7 times in 5 days and chuckled while continuing to walk to work, fuck this kid.
That guy always looks like he wants to just beat me up and take my money.
“oh nooooooooo”
I hate giving change to people who ask for it at the bus stop, but I know the dude you’re talking about and I think there are more issues going on with him than just laziness. The dude needs to be in some kind of institution getting real help. He’ll never get it though, not in this city.
I had some guy ask my and I for change outside of a liqour store. And my friend cheerfully said “No”. Then on our way out, 5 minutes later, he asked again. Yes, you totally deserve my money NOW. At least stand outside of a grocery store or by a bus stop, not a fucking liqour store. Not that I would give you money anyway.
I get a kick when people ask for bus tickets… Especially since I use a bus pass 😀
Ya, sorry that was totally random
I also know the guy you’re talking about and as much of an annoying pain in the ass he is, it’s sad to see how fucked up his life is at such a young age. I can’t help but to feel sorry for him and want to punch him in the nose all at the same time.
melectric, if it’s the one behind springgarden, buddy tinkers away on a blackberry when no-one’s around.
no need to help him out…..
Like I’ve said, there’s no easy way to weed out the scammers from those truly in need so treat them all the same. Can’t wait for my shuffle to charge so I can walk home listening to decent music and not the fucking panhandler remixes…
I watched a lady give the guy a bus ticket one day and he refused it. He just asked for toonies but because he was at Scotia Square, everyone thought he wanted a bus ride. I told him asking for toonies was just going to net him tickets, he obviously didn’t listen.
I just keep walking whenever someone asks me for money.
There smokers they might as well be smoking crack. They need money to support this disgusting habit. A piece of shit in the toilet of society.
The spare change zombies are infesting SGR at an alarming rate.
I say spare a punch in the face ever time they ask – see how long it takes before they stop asking – deal with whatever sociatal problem (s) they have and live like the rest of us and support themselves? I’m quessing not long
That kid drives me crazy. I frequently get badgered by him at Scotia Square. And the other day, on Barrington, he gave me the dirtiest look and asked “can you buy me some food?”. It wasn’t what he said so much as how he said it — there was a sense of entitlement that I didn’t appreciate. At all.
Especially since, yeah… everyone knows he’s a major crack-head. Christ.
The other night while walking to the north end on robie a man asked to BUY a cigarette. I’m always impressed when people ask to pay for a cigarette. I politely told him I didn’t have any, but good for him not just begging me for one.
killerb – hows the apartment ?
that young guy asked me for money so ..one day i said ..ok enough ….if i give you this today, ( like 86 cents) never ask me again…and to this day ..he sees me and remembers not to ask me…slight progress
That guy drives me crazy, glad to hear I’m not the only one…I had never seen him prior to late August/early Sept but he’s the only panhandler I’ve encountered who consistently asks for a toonie (one time he even asked me for TWO toonies…yeah sure bud, I’m just gonna give you 4 bucks, just because…ha!). Lately he seems to have changed his tune to “can you please buy me some food?”…which to me basically means he wants at least 5 bucks or more.
NEVER give money to these people. They only use it to buy Lysol, Listerine, and cheap drugs. Do you honestly think they are using the money to better their lives. You’re better off just handing them a noose.
I hate this guy and refuse to feel bad telling him to ‘fuck off’ or by shoving my hand in his face to cut him off.
The bitch in the white/purple jacket with curly hair is just as annoying.
Pretty soon I’m going to start making them sing and dance for a penny. If they don’t want to work for it, well, I’ll just keep the penny 😀
You know, you could just say, “Sorry, no.”
But yeah, tough guys, a punch in the face works too.
Merry Christmas to all!
Wow, rudeness. Who is being rude now, the panhandlers or those of you that can’t control your temper with them? I’m not denying that it’s hard to know what each one really needs, but come-on, do you think they live an easy life? Just say no thanks and keep walking. Common courtesy. Do it so if or when YOUR luck runs out, the world will repay kindly. Without details, some “pan handlers” had it hard for years. If you were born to the same circumstances… you’d be on the same road. Don’t think yourself above it! “Equal opportunity” works for those who is born without being poor, hungry, beaten or raped. Otherwise, it doesn’t matter that schools are public and open to everyone – your odds are lower. Please educate yourself on the lack of available resources for mental illnesses, the statistics of children that are neglected, etc., before making your judgments. Otherwise, a simple “no thanks” is fair.
last time i checked crackhead doesn’t fall under “mental illness ” its falls under to bad your retarded and smoke the shit . Anyways I smoke weed and drink beer – I work all day and pay for all my own things. Mental illness might be a factor in like 15 percent – the others just are either addicted to stupid things or are just plain lazy to work because they get free hand outs – some of these fuckers make more then me in a day – blow off and educate yourself I spent years working with street people with outreach programs . Theres support – and yea if they have a mental illness or missing their legs or something – you bet i will toss them a couple loonies and buy them lunch – and of my knowledge or resourses for them . We’re talking about ragged assed crackers and boozehounds that smoked and drank themselves into stupidity – no fuckin pity for them .
I have yet to meet a crackhead or an alcoholic who is mentally stable, hog. Don’t you know addiction is a SYMPTOM of bigger problems? Life isn’t black and white. I have also yet to meet a street bum I’m willing to hire for anything. Do the math and you’re an ass, especially if these people make more than you do in a day like you say. Smoke another one there hog. You know dope makes you smarter. Oh huh, that’s it.
give it up, its cold and if you have a few cents hand it over you scrooge!
It’s really tough a lot of times to determine what can be considered someone’s own fault and what has been completely beyond their control. Most times it is somewhere in between. People do have choices of course, but then their environment they live and have grown up in also often influences how their life will pan out. Don’t they say that violence breeds violence, poverty breeds poverty and all that? Things like mental illness can be genetic, and often times without proper diagnosis and treatment these people turn to alcohol and drugs to ease the pain of their problems. Aren’t most of us guilty of perhaps having a few too many drinks after a relationship or job has just ended, after all (either to mourn or to celebrate!)?
Mental illness can be a killer and take a huge toll on people with it and those who love them. A close family member of mine has had a few episodes where they went of their medication and were living on the streets for a couple of days. If it wasn’t for the people they knew here and their family that cared about and understood them, this person would probably still be living on the streets. Unfortunately I think this is the case with a lot of people who are even less fortunate. Many people don’t have proper family, friends, and finances to help them.
God damnit, listen to me, I’m a bleeding heart communist! Really, I’m mostly in favour of “tough love”-style approaches. I don’t think the homeless should be mis-treated, of course, but I don’t think people should continue to just feel sorry for them and give them money. I don’t like seeing homeless as much as the next person and do think a lot of them are there from their own doing in some way or another, but many of them come from different, oftentimes less priveledged backgrounds than most of us (both in terms of income and education). Some do have serious problems they can’t help or circumstances beyond their control that led them (but not necessarily forced them) there while some are just lazy fuckers expecting an easy handout.
Unfortunately, I really don’t think there is a 100% solution to the problem. We can’t arrest them, that would be a violation of their rights. Giving them more money, either a few coins on Spring Garden Road or government programs, is just going to encourage more people to be “homeless panhandlers” and abuse the system. Just look at Norway! Great social programs there, some of the best in the world with a huge social security net, yet Oslo still has one of the worst heroin problems in Europe and still has plenty of homeless. Begging and homelessess is something which has been happening for thousands of years and is not going away any time soon.
pretty fucking soon people,we might all be on the street doing this too.the governments are either taxing the shit out of us,or giving jobs,that we could do to people who could care less if they worked.there are thse out on the street that can get over 200 bucks a day.there is a guy who actually teaches you how to look pathetic and gives you storylines too.then he rents you a spot,and you do your thing.i have followed this dude for a number of times and even called the cops about it.there is no law being broken,so they can’t do shit to him.bet you your looney,he makes about a grand a day.lives in the south ened in a place that costs about a million bucks too.and the thing is,he never pays a cent in taxes,and they can’t touch him for that either.make the dope trade look sick in comparision.then there is the red headed guy,fuzzy hair and all,that has a nice little trust fund,from an accident.doesn’t have to pay for nothing.maybe someone should think twice about calling these people losers,they seem to be smarter than most of us hard work stressed assholes.
qpmzwonxeibcruv, “I don’t think people should continue to just feel sorry for them and give them money”
Why do you think it’s up to you to say what somebody should or should not do for another person? Whether you buy a guy a drink, give him a few bucks or even just some encouraging words you’re intentions are good. Anything else puts you in a position of BLIND judgement. In reality, nobody is comfortable with that. Cough up your change and move on or just move on. Either way, leave the judgement to God, you’re simply not qualified.
I’ve never seen so much bitching about the homeless, save for Halifax. I’m originally from Vancouver, and well…the citizens there were usually sympathetic to the homeless. We have so few bums here in Halifax, honestly, that everyone knows which ones we are talking about. People here think that people love being homeless; that if they just ‘wanted’ to, they could get a job. Well, it’s hard enough having an apartment, with electricity, heat and food on my salary, which is at least above the poverty level. AND it was tough getting this job.
qpmzwonxeibcruv – that shit was way too long…
sarey – i don’t mind most homeless people and i will give them some change from time to time – but that kid that most people here are talking about is such a dick that it’s impossible to feel bad for him.
God here.
I judge qpmzwonxeibcruv correct.
Also, I’m cool with gay marriage and abortion. In case anyone was still wondering.
thanks god
Yes, we’re all Scrooges because we refuse to help a drug head or schemer. Go do your best impersonation of a lemming, susanle. Or at least explain how and why paying for someone else’s drugs/booze is society’s responsibility.
For the same reason people put insta-processed food in the food bank hamper. It’s shit. It’s garbage! I wouldn’t feed it to my dog! BUT the contributor feels like they’re doing something noble in giving AND hungry families appreciate the SHIT. So, putting GARBAGE in a food hamper is no different than tossing your favorite alcoholic a buck or two.
It’s NOT up to you to play mommy in teaching the weary life lessons so knock it off! Geese, the church gets knocked for that all the time…. conditional soup kitchens… you can eat but only if we get to preach at you. Yeah, whatever. Cough up your change or don’t but don’t pretend to know what’s good for other people ESPECIALLY when they’re telling you what they want. The hungry would tell you to suck rocks if you started reading the list of preservatives in the SHIT doled out to them as a donated meal so you can presume the same given lectures over their brain on drugs.
Keep in mind, addiction is a SYMPTOM of something you likely wouldn’t think twice about funding in a charitable or taxable fashion. In fact, you often do. Gotta love socialistic living and if you don’t you just feel free to pack your bags and leave the country.
I like Sebastians idea the best, I now carry a pocketful of nooses (is that the correct plural?) and ask the bums to go and do the obvious, they of course ask for spare change to buy something to throw the noose over…..
Ohh kay, OK. I read your response looking for an argument and couldn’t see one. I was stating my opinion with “I thinks” and “shoulds” like you state yours. Actually I agree with you mostly, I suppose we’re just seeing the issue from two similar but different angles. However, old cliche… don’t they say the road to hell is paved with good intentions? Peoples’ intentions need to be well placed, and I don’t think pouring money to these people helps anyone. I’m all for the encouraging words though!
neville, you’re right – I tend to get a bit rambly at 4am. I thought of going through and editing it for length but naahhh (I was tired but couldn’t sleep… damn insomnia lately!), if people want to read it they will and if not, they won’t, so that’s cool.
sarey, too true about the legions of homeless in Vancouver. The Downtown Eastside is fucked! Halifax has no idea…
qpmzwonxeibcruv, why do you think denying a person what they ask for is better than giving them what they ask for? Are you their dad? Are you their god? Are these your children? Is it up to you to decide what’s good for people not in your care and not in your charge? Do you really have enough information to determine if a few bucks is going to help or hurt someone? (as if a few bucks in their pocket will hurt anybody) Why can’t you just let them be what and who they are? Why is your caring and your charity conditional? If your thoughts or opinions were wanted or needed they would have asked for them. They didn’t. They asked for your change.
Give a man a fish you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.
HOWEVER
You can lead a horse to water. You can’t make it drink.
These bums don’t WANT to listen to you or learn from you. It’s NOT your job and it’s certainly their prerogative to blow off yet another asshole who presumes to tell them what to do nd how to live. It’s NOT what they asked for. They resent your unsolicited advice. If you think you’re paying for an audience to preach to keep your money and move on.
And since we’re on the subject, there are few homeless and less fortunate whose lives wouldn’t improve dramatically if they had your resources (which they could take further than you having survived the have-not experience) yet you judge what’s become of them without ever walking in those shoes, without asking a question or lending a hand. Like I said, leave the judgement to those who are qualified. I’ll guarantee that person’s not you.
kay, don’t you ever get tired of reading your screen-name and being wrong?
No because kay always has contraditions there in her posts – and yea – if i smash a bottle over them drunk bums heads – tell em to stop drinking and get a job and stop suckin the welfare tit – I AM THEIR DADDY . Fuck your boring KAy always wrong – sociolgy school hasn’t taught you fuck all – educate yourself by working with these people and seeing what it’s all about and see your half right – and we’re all right !! Sucks to be you – fuckin reading books and being an armchair sociologist and not knowing fuck all about the street .
Kay, I think it is very foolish for people to constantly say that other people haven’t got the right to form opinions or make judgments on the choices of others.
I believe that people living in the same society should be required to form opinions and make judgments on others. Otherwise no society would be able to form a general moral concensus.
I fully support freedom of speech (and all the other freedoms) but that freedom does not give you freedom from being disagreed with.
If you want to purport a viewpoint, ideology, system of belief, or lifestyle be prepared to have at least one person out in the big wide world disagree with you.
A little bit of debate never hurt anyone.