Please anyone with some good ” spare change” stories, I’d love to hear them. This is an ongoing epidemic that is getting way out of control. I am quite annoyed day in, day out being asked for spare change. If it isn’t the bums, you’ve got the street charities, organizations calling you..and the list goes on. Go ask the government. They seem to have lots of money to throw around.
—No change for you…NEXT!
This article appears in Nov 19-25, 2009.
What gauls the fuck out of me is the number of able-bodied young men are out there shaking their goddamn Tim’s cups – I’ve said it time and time again – for one valid bum, you’ll have nine posers who can throw out a sob story faster than the writers of Coronation Street.
My line lately is ” Yes, yes I do have some change.”
I don’t give them any, but I feel I’m being polite by responding to their question.
Walking in downtown Toronto a few years back I had a guy hold out his empty hand to ask for some change. The thing was, in his other hand he had twonies stacked from the base of his palm to the end of his middle finger – he had more money in his hand than I had in my bank account! Seeing this, I asked HIM to spare some change (he didn’t)
I often ask them what it’s for, then offer to take them to get it. Usually it’s a no, and I know that it’s terribly arrogant to do such a thing, but I like to know how my money is spent.
I like that More. My favourite is still “Sorry, all I have is twenties.”
Or how about “Yes, I have some change, but it’s far from spare.”?
the ultimate happened to me last aug. on spring garden: a drunk guy got out of a cab looked me in the eyes and asked me if i had spare change; i was so caught off guard all i could say was get a effn grip brother!
My daughter partied til dawn one time, overspent, and so she and her friend had to wait for the first bus. It was cold, so they sat huddled in a doorway near the stop. Some man walked up to her, passed her $20 and simply walked off. She was so astounded that it took a few seconds to register what had happened. She had to run to catch up to him and explain that they were not homeless, just stupid = ). He wouldn’t take the money back and insisted she use it to get a cab home.
Being the mother of the stupid girl, I was thankful for his concern and kindness.
I work at a certain supplier of booze and I recognize each and every person I have ever given change too (I don’t give anymore) from both Halifax and Dartmouth. They take your money and they all buy Faxe 10% or some Holsten.
Funniest spare change story is one I saw one day while working, a customer came in and noticed the bum he just gave 5 bucks to for “peanut butter” for the bum’s kids (the bum was buying a Faxe) and he just lost it “THATS A FUNNY LOOKIN JAR OF PEANUT BUTTER!!” the bum didn’t even say a word, just slunk out.
Yea it can be a pain in the butt. Last week I was asked 6 times in a 4 block span of Spring Garden. Had a funny moment with a drunk asking for money a few summers ago.
I was sitting(midweek afternoon) on the wall in front of the Spring Garden library when I noticed a guy passed out on the other side of the wall directly behind me. He looked up at me, sat up and asked, and I quote “hey buddy would you have a quarter so I can get a coffee before the liquor store closes.” I laughed so hard i gave him 50 cents so he could get more coffee.
the thing is i have gotten myself in the shits and been on the skids in the skid capital of canada the downtown east side of vancouver; but i never panned for a single cent there ways to live ie:soup kitchens under the table jobs rolling butts if you smoke etc. i have heard all the bullshit bleeding heart crapola if you want it enough you can crall out of thr muck!
I once gave 50 dollars to a bum who had made a fishing pole out of a stick and street garbage and was trolling the sidewalk from a ledge. I was outrageously flush and just so nice to see some innovation instead of just sitting on his arse rattling a Tim’s cup.
The worst has to be a young gentleman who always seems to hang around the bus stops near Scotia Square. One day he asked me three times if I had any spare change (I really don’t, I’m scraping by myself). The third time I was so pissed off and annoyed that I all but yelled “I didn’t have it the first two times that you asked! FUCK OFF.”
I encountered him again when waiting outside of Neptune last week for someone. Again, I told him I had nothing. He kept going up to people asking if they could spare him change or buy him food. One lady happened to be walking by with a container of food and offered it to him. He said he didn’t want it. WHAT THE HELL.
That guy is the worst!
Then again, I’m off to India for a month. You should see the beggars there.
last comment from me the absolute worst was when i was in bc people from all over can. would hitch to van. roll into the welfare store get money for rent clothing allow. living expens. skypass then jump on a bus to whistler and rent ski/boards and ski until their money ran out then go back to the farewell store and get a voucher for a bus ride home cause they were “broke and unable to find work”
i was down on Skingarden road a few summers back, right by the library, i saw a panhandler and was going to give him some change, however i only had a 20 and was going to grab a dog from the vendor so i could give him change. He got me before i could get my dog and i said i only have a 20. He didnt let me finish and instead yelled…well go make change at that vendor. Well that was one bum that wasnt getting any change.
martym, how could you possibly know this? Outside of hearing a person or two say that they did this, there is no way you could know what people from all over Canada were doing.
If a bum gives you a hard time, call the cops and report them.
I’ve been destitute and never once begged for money. There are charitable organizations in place to help people so they don’t have to go begging on the street, although what a lot of these people would need is a booze bank. I offered one guy in Montreal some of my food instead of cash but he refused. Go figure!
hkm i lived in the area i did not here it one or two times i heard ; saw; worked with etc oh probably 100 people in the bc welfare loop i’m not new here i’ve been around the shit block if you know what imean!
I offered a guy to share my coffee and bagel at a bus stop one morning because I had no cash on me. Although he hesitated to take my breakfast, once I assured him I can never finish it anyway, we had a very nice breakfast together. And, this wasn’t the first time I shared my food with a homeless person.
estimatedwarbear, at least there’s this:
I was once asked for change when I was holding half a pizza in a doggie-box. I motioned with the box and asked “Do you want this pizza?”, and it was graciously accepted. That wasn’t around here, though.
Cuja12, the kind of pushiness you saw (and sometimes it’s worse) makes my blood boil. …and it’s incredibly stupid. I hate to think it actually works on anybody. Scared into sparing change? …sounds a bit like robbery.
Tell them ” The only difference between me and you IS the spare change in my pocket.”
estimtatedwarbear-
I know jus the guy you mean. He drives me nuts with his freakin’ asking every single person at that stop multiple times. He just walks up and down the sidewalk without paying attention to who he’s already asked. Once, I answered pretty much the same you did when he’d asked for the third time. I said that I hadn’t magically produced anymore change since the last time you asked. Lately, I’ve just started turning away from him and not even acknowledging that he spoke to me.
I can deal with the panhandlers when I’m walking down the street and I only have to say no and can keep going, but when waiting for a bus a person shouldn’t have to put up with repeated harassment from the same guy. He’s got a captive audience and he knows it.
Yes, he should be reported to the police. No, it won’t be me that calls. Why? Because I’m a wimp and know it.
Yeah, I know what you mean. But, I find people like those you are talking about are the few compared to the many who really need help (and hate that they do). The problem is that the few bad ones cause some people to make sweeping negative comments, which cause the better off people to believe them and so they harden their hearts. So, when someone truly needs a little help, not only can they not get it, but they are treated badly.
I share food whenever I can… there is a guy with a beard who usually happens to be hanging out by the Library on SG with his shopping cart – and it seems coincidental that every time I am coming from a date for Chinese downtown and then going to a movie I run into him. Its become so regular that I often order way more than me and my girl can eat, so I get whats left packed up in some Styrofoam with some chopsticks and napkins and drop it off to him as we pass the library. He always seems genuinely thankful, and it feels good to help someone out.
Then there is the super thin jesus-looking guy who hangs out in front of timmies on SG too – one morning I was walking by and he said good morning! not can I have some of your hard earned money… and as I was in the lineup for breakie and Mc’D’s I ended up ordering him an egg mcmuffin meal and delivering it to him.
I’d much rather do little things like that every now and then as finances allow vs. giving bums my “spare” change. I think the people who aren’t junkies or drunks do appreciate it – at least that’s my experience!
frenchie i did not know we were graded on our grammar i’m old school (semi comp. illiterate) as far as school my father was a english/latin teacher and he instilled the importance of ed. believe me; as i referred to earlier i had some issues shall we say and went to college twice and dropped out twice but i’m starting to get my shit together now and believe me the on e thing i am not is stupid capice!
India? Lucky! Are you going into the Himalayas, at all?
Frenchie, I guess some people use their phones to write on here, so much is given up in favour of expediency.
“believe me the on e thing i am not is stupid”
heh… you can’t make that stuff up….
I’m STILL laughing at that!!!!
ahh excuse me i like meant to do that yea thats it meant to
@ martym – so street people hire other street people to roll butts?! WTf – did you mean under the table in the literal sense?
@ ML – This one time in Mumbai a lady talked me into buying a bag of rice for her starving family. I think I got fleeced though as it turned out to be way more expense than I thought it would be.
no you find butts on the street and roll them into cigs; under the table jobs are: your on farewell and you go aound to bus. and ask them if they need any odd jobs done for a couple of bucks(under the table must be an on. term)
under the table = paid in cash… no cheque, taxes, paper trail…
as if the government is watching you at all times, so you slide the envelope under the table so no-one sees…..
the gov’t is watching you i actually got caught working sur la table 3 years after the fact when revenue canada did a audit on a bankrupt business i was working for and collecting ei at the same time i got fined double the benefits they payed me that fuckn hurt
I can’t stand the quinpool guys, two in particular. One guy sits outside of the nslc and juggles tennis balls or something, but only when you get within about 5 feet of him. then he stops and sits there on his ass. So annoying. I understand some people have issues, and it can be hard, but nothing about this guy appears to be “troubled”. Just fuckin lazy.
the native guy on quinpool is worse he’s fuckn belligerent when he’s jonesn fer booze and he’s scared me a couple of times and i don’t scare that easy
martym, how? if there’s no paper trail then how would they link you?
and on another note, are we supposed to claim gambling winnings from… say…. the casino?
or is this more under the table type stuff as well?
winnings tech. yes but it’s on the honour system unlike the states where they ding at the window; they caught me becauser the owner went bankrupt and the gov. did a forensic aedit on his ass and he couldn’t account for some of nis cash flow so he ratted me out rather then take the rap the dirty fuck(he was a numbered co. so he didn’t go personally bankreupt)
I post from my phone and my posts don’t look like they’re coming from my ass so that’s no excuse.
A couple of months ago I was waiting at a bus stop on Barrington with my friend, guy comes up to us:
‘Do you have any change? I need money, for groceries tomorrow.’
We kinda like shake our heads and try to avoid eye contact, but he persists
‘Please, I need like ten bucks.’
And of course I’m thinking ten bucks ain’t change buddy. My friend opens her wallet and hands over a couple of dimes and quarters, he takes them and says
‘Don’t you have like and twoonies or something.’
And she closes her wallet and says no, guy walks away without a thank you. Geez.
Obviously what’s missing is a “pan-handler code of ethics.” One where a pan-handler is obligated to memorize the hundreds of faces they solicit in the course of a day so they don’t make the dreaded, “second ask,” and end up enraging a prospective donor that has already told them, “no.”
Or, maybe you should be content in the knowledge that it’s them and not you that sees begging for people’s pocket change as the only way to create an income.
If you don’t want to give don’t, but resist the urge to extol your moral superiority and self-righteous indignation at the fact that some people in this world do what they need to do to get by.
virgomom a thousand pardons if my posts aren’t up to your lofty standards i was unaware that this was a condition of posting bitches to this forum i guess i’m just a dumass
martym, I’m not going to criticize your English, but “sur la table” means “on the table”, so there should have been no way you could be busted. 😉
a:believe me I got busted B:I’m a dumass blockhead and thought sur was under soc le bleu tabernac
Sorry martym, I can’t help myself, it’s dumbass = D
I had a couple professors at Dal who couldn’t spell if their life depended on it, so spelling is not the mark of intelligence.
actually i gots good spelling i they learned me at the learn’n derby yep i reckon
besides thats the european spelling of dumbass
OP, they’re just people. Get a coping skill.
Soc le bleu. Priceless.
If you think it’s bad here, Vancouver is about 100 times worse! Not just panhandlers, but way more junkies too, with people openly smoking crack and shooting up right in the middle of busy streets. Nice views of the mountains, sure, but huge social issues on the streets. No one will genuinely just try to help you out with directions or anything either, it seemed like they always wanted something out of you. I never really had anything too horrible happen to me from them when I was there though, but one woman did tell me that she would “pray to God that something bad happens to [me].”
My favourite panhandler in Halifax, who has already been mentioned here, is the skinny Jesus guy who tends to hand out in front of the Timmies on Spring Garden. He’s almost always so cheery and positive, which is a nice change. That petite olive skinned crackhead with the curly dark hair kind of cracks me up, too, even though she can get a bit annoying.
hey qpmzwonxeibcruv skinny jesus’s name is Harold and the petite olive skinned “crackhead: with the curly dark hair is probably Margaret…just people how need a few dollars from time to time, I say give money if you want to not if you don’t – just don’t be abusive they are people too with families and friends
I agree we should treat them like people too. Just keep in mind that some people are genuinely lazy assholes and greedy pricks…even panhandlers. I treat them with the same respect they show me.
I fail to see how asking a question, even asking for help, is “disrespectful” towards anybody. Come off that high horse and admit you’re JUST a human being. We’d all get a long better that way.
I remember years ago I gave a homeless guy five dollars (I was too young to worry about bills, and what-not). He was so thankful, and a few moments later I saw him walking around with a coffee from Tim Hortons, so I know he didn’t put all of it towards booze.
There was also a guy in front of the Oasis one night, and he was holding a sign that said “Need change for booze and weed”, so I gave him a few quarters just because he was at least honest about it.
I know there’s a few of em on Portland Street towards Alderney Gate that drive me insane. There was one guy I walked by, he asked me for change, I said no. Then he asked me for a smoke, I told him no, and if that wasn’t enough he asked me for a bus ticket.
And of course, there’s the people that ask for cigarettes… GRRRR! I can afford to support my filthy, deadly habit, if someone else can’t then maybe they should quit
“Excuse me sir, can you spare some change” = respectful
“‘Please, I need like ten bucks.’ My friend opens her wallet and hands over a couple of dimes and quarters, he takes them and says: ‘Don’t you have like and twoonies or something.'” = disrespectful, ungrateful and rude.
Asking the same people for change at the bus stop multiple times in the span of a few minutes = disrespectful
Most panhandlers are not disrespectful, but it’s still annoying to be asked for change by 10 different people within the time it takes to walk the length of SGR. No wonder people lose their cool. However, some panhandlers are outright rude, they yell at you and they have this asshole-ish sense of entitlement to MY money. I’m not the type to berate these people, but I sure as shit won’t be giving them any money and I have very little sympathy for them.
the “respect” you seek is something that has alluded the most desperate and needy and PATHETIC of our society. You expect too much and will continue to feel disappointment in seeking the respect of our society’s scourge for they have experienced no such thing. The appropriate word here, Miles, is compassion or tolerance or even sympathy and it’s reasonable to expected that of YOU, not them.
Kay, we’ve had this discussion before, but- it’s elude you mean, not allude.
FWIW.
For once I agree with kay completely.
Kay, I get what you’re saying. But I don’t think it’s unrealistic or unreasonable to expect someone who is asking you for a favour to do so in a respectful manner. I understand that some people have mental health and addiction issues that can influence they way they talk to me. I also get that they spend their day getting abused by passers by and maybe that’s why they aren’t so pleasant. I also understand that there are a lot of poor people and downtrodden and homeless who are very pleasant, thankful and well mannered towards those who provide them with aid. I don’t presume to know the circumstances of those I encounter on the street and that’s why I keep my responses to giving them some change, saying “not today” or ignoring them if they are being rude or obnoxious.
“The appropriate word here, Miles, is compassion or tolerance or even sympathy and it’s reasonable to expected that of YOU, not them.”
This I disagree with however. If you are going to treat people like people, I don’t think you have to be tolerant of rudeness, no matter what the situation is of the person being rude. Homeless or panhandling or not, I don’t like assholes or bullies and I certainly don’t give them my milk money anymore.
that makes one of you.
PK— NICE.
Actually, yesterday, I made a dick move. I was DT with my Fiancee and we went to the Tim’s on Barrington to grab a bite to eat. Knowing that there’s always someone in front of it, I prepared the old song and dance “no, but I can pay for coffee/food/bus ticket” speech. He asked nicely: “spare some change sir?” But for some reason, I just plain outright said no, to which he replied: “have a nice day and God bless.” and proceeded to enter the Tims, without realizing how much of a asshole I was (especially considering that I clearly had money). So, after we were done, I took whatever change I had in my pocket and gave it to him, which amounted to about 10 bucks. Didn’t care where he spent it either. It was the fact that he sounded like he really didn’t want to be on the street (either that, or he’s a good actor. He was certainly more believable than Robert Pattinson! BA-ZING!) and that he wasn’t the slightest bit aggressive about it. The kid in the red jacket though… I can’t put to words how much I hate that kid.
Aw, Fever….breaks me heart…
Kay in not wrong here. A kind or charitable gesture should not have expectations. To ask the needy to pay you back by fulfilling your need (stroking your ego) or demanding the very thing of them that they don’t possess (solid reasoning, refinement, etc.) is to ask them to run through hoops for your change or scrape of food. Now, I don’t mean that you should reward bad behaviour, but I do mean that you should not expect anything. Give it because they truly need it or don’t give it. And, you can be firm with these people but you don’t have to be rude. If you say, I will not give you money, but I will buy you some food or a drink, and they get angry…oh well. That is the only way to weed out the starving from the addicts and posers. But, of course, this takes time and money.
Mind Snap, the guy with the ‘need money for booze and weed’ was probably being ironic. I’m sure he wasn’t surprised that he made more money enforcing people’s stereotypes than he did when he simply asked for help.
The guy who stands outside shoppers on SGR who doesn’t ask for change and just tells everyone to have a nice day had a kitten tonight! A little gray one!
Hopefully he’s not really homeless and can actually look after the kitten because that little guy was awfully adorable.
I don’t mind that guy, really. He’s upbeat, cheery, doesn’t ask for money and doesn’t harass you if you don’t give him $$$.
There’s a bitch on SGR who willingly rips people off. She has reddish-brown, curly hair and dark eyes and is very young; either in her late teens or early mid-20s. Her jacket is white and purple and she wears black Ugg boots! Her MO is to ask people for a loonie and/or bus ticket and she stops (or tries to stop) everyone that walks by her; except for me b/c I caught her being a fucking sneak. One time she was in Lawton’s holding up a huge line by trading in her “earnings” for a $20 bill. As soon as she got outside, she was asking people who were trying to get into Lawton’s or going to Oasis.
Anyways, she’s really good friends with the scraggly looking blonde guy who tells people to “have a nice day”. They’re not homeless! They actually team up together. One time I was in Subway and was trying to pay for my order and he tried to jump in front of me to trade in his “earnings”. Fuck him; I was a customer and was getting served first.
In fact, they live in the big complex on Queen St. that Alexandra’s Pizza is part of. I’ve seen them both going in and out a few times. They’re far from broke if they can afford an expensive spot like that.
One time I saw some poor student hand over a bus ticket to her so I stopped him and said, “Bud, you got ripped off. She’s only going to sell that on you.” The cunt gave me the worst stink-eye possible as if I were the asshole here. The poor, young student felt so bad knowing he got ripped off so hopefully he learned his lesson.
And kay, go fuck yourself. You telling someone to get off “their high horse” is the pot calling kettle something far worse than ‘black’.
I will sometimes part with a buck or two if they’re honest and say it’s for booze or drugs. food…naw.
So… How bout them squeegee kids?
Not all people asking for spare change are homeless.
Eh, giver… freedom of speech and all that jazz.
I LOVE lemmings… and if you catch them with the parachute before/as they jump, they will be ok….
just don’t have them march into fire or water.
The blonde kid with the red coat is too agressive, I have seen him work the bus terminal for 20+ minutes…got change? got a bus ticket? got a smoke?, on to the next person. That kind of behavior p’s me off. As for the majority, be thankful you are being asked for change, not asking for it.
There is a fundamental difference in disagreeing with homosexuality vs discriminating against it.
Flame away
Walter
Right, got the message: can you ALL stay on topic and continue to be scroogey Gerald Keddy-style panhandling haters? BTW – fess up – who on this board IS Gerald Keddy? No – scratch that – it will just become another sidetracked thread sniping at one another.
http://thechronicleherald.ca/Business/1154…
I CAN!
lazy bastards….
I guess it’s a lot easier to ask for money on a street corner than flip burgers, I will give them that.
You can set your own hours, AND you don’t have to deal with some asshat little twerp boss half your age telling you you didn’t leave the fries in long enough.
Some are just blatantly obvious in their non-homelessness (i.e.: if you got an ipod or more expensive shoes than me (i.e.: uggs) you obv. aren’t really homeless) and those are the ones who have made the real destitute look like scamming shitheads.
I have nothing against the homeless, in fact if I had more disposable income I’d help out a lot more than I currently am, it’s the scamming, entitled asshats who sour the whole thing for me.
Save your money and donate it to a homeless shelter or soup kitchen. The real homeless tend to use these services more than the alcoholics who bum money for booze.
“Nova Scotians won’t do it — all those no-good bastards sitting on the sidewalk in Halifax that can’t get work,” Mr. Keddy.
From the mouth of a Nova Scotia politician.
I feel well represented.
Gotta wonder if they conclude these are jobs no NS’s want or if they’re jobs NS’s haven’t heard of in a long time. During economic crisis might be the ideal time to post the jobs and see different results than years past.
Keep in mind that most of the non-lazy Nova Scotians are in Alberta working for a living.