I was absolutely disgusted to read the bitch bemoaning panhandlers on Spring Garden Road last week. If you’re more uncomfortable by people standing/sitting in one place with a Tim Horton’s cup asking you for change than people living in your city falling into such extreme impoverishment, you really need some serious reorganizing of your values. I have lived here for 20-plus years I have never once been chased down, screamed at, or verbally abused by a Spring Garden Road panhandler when I couldn’t fulfill a request for change. Instead, I was often met with a ‘have a nice day’, ‘that’s okay’, or even the occasional ‘god bless’. I say this as somebody who would very frequently walk up and down that street to go to class or work for more than a decade. I really hope you never find yourself in circumstances where you have to choose between panhandling and going hungry.—Maybe re-evaluate what actual ‘harassment’ is
This article appears in Jul 11-17, 2019.
I worked in downtown Halifax for 25 years and here’s my conclusions of street bums: 1. Your contribution feeds their addictions, 2. Some bums are phony as a 6.5 dollar bill – always check footwear – if they’re better than yours, keep walking and 3. I have been screamed/sworn at by such people so your experience isn’t the only valid one. 4. Better to give your money to homeless shelters/soup kitchens where it will do the most good.
I agree with the post above. (Lobster Claw). I look to see if they are smoking. Most are. As for the growing numbers at intersection. That another bitch.
I have two things to say here. One, while I agree that most don’t follow you and harass you, I did have one exception. On Spring Garden Road in front of the Shoppers Drug Mart several years back, one of them, a black man (his color will be important to the story in a moment) gave me the usual request for spare change. I told him I had none to spare which was the truth, and I walked down to the bus stop. I heard his voice again behind me and he had followed me and started saying, “Why not? Because I’m black? You son of a….” etc. I was not aware that I had made any racial comment at all, in fact I’m sure I didn’t in turning him down. Fortunately, my bus came at that moment and I avoided an argument by boarding.
Two, while I’m aware that some of them are “phony” as one of the other commenters said, I know of one who certainly wasn’t. He went by the name of Pops and could be found on Spring Garden Road. He wasn’t actually homeless, and even had a job–but he also had massive expenses for a medical condition that he had which MSI didn’t cover. So he was forced to beg on the streets in order to make ends meet. Sadly, his medical problems won out in the end and he is gone now.
@ Lobster Claw. You forgot to mention cell phone.
@ OB.
So you don’t mind the panhandlers walking out in the middle of the road at Windsor Exchange, being a nuisance and a distraction?
Just because you haven’t experienced it yourself doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen, OB.
https://i.imgur.com/IMeT6HE.png