How successful would you be as a beggar?

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The Lonious Monk said:
My dad and mom used to take me and my sister to feed the homeless every Thanksgiving and some of the homeless were the kindest and nicest people ever. I remember my sister used to go home crying her eyes out. She is now a professor at one of the local universities and teaches sociology, she is also a staff member at one of the local nonprofits that work to help out the homeless. It is a huge problem here in Los Angeles and surrounding cities. My wife and I do what we can, but you always feel like it's never enough.
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My philosophy is anything is better than nothing.

Let’s face it in many cases it’s “there but for the grace of god” even if you don’t believe in a god.
 


there's a beggar that gets on our (packed) bus in the morning at times on his way into town.... he's an absolute c*nt. takes up either the whole of the backseat or of 2 other seats if that back seat is already taken. won't move for anyone and is aggressive as fuck to anyone who speaks to him. stinks of beer, obviously not homeless but that's what his sign says when he's begging.
 
Flared Hicks said:
My philosophy is anything is better than nothing.

Let’s face it in many cases it’s “there but for the grace of god” even if you don’t believe in a god.
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I agree. You have to do your part regardless. Sure we've met some that are just mentally gone, but most are just people who are just down on their luck. I can't stand it when someone paint a wide brush on all homeless as addicts.
 
I got collared in Time Square by one, gave him $3 just so I didn’t have to listen to him anymore.
 
Best beggar I ever saw was on a train in London. He stood in the middle of the carriage, asked for everyone's attention, then asked to borrow £50 til Monday. :lol: The way he did it was hilarious and people were giving him change just for being a funny bugger.

If I ever see a tramp/beggar with a dog I'll usually (always :rolleyes:) grab them a few tins of dogfood from the nearest shop and throw them a bit change, so if I ever had to beg, that's probably the route I'd go down. There's one that sits outside of McD's in the town, I've probably bought him 10 tins of dogfood in the past 3 years on top of the tenner he's had off me. I hope he's giving it to the f***ing dog. :lol:

I wouldn't beg tbh. I'd rather attempt to steal some food from Sainsbury's or some shit. If I got caught and nicked even better, food AND a roof over my head for the night. Sorted.
 
I'd make a shit beggar like, don't like asking people for money. I'd maybe go down a talented busking route, I just have no talent.
 
Flared Hicks said:
American homeless are a breed apart in my experience. They tend to be very eloquent and have a story to tell. Usually tend to be just genuinely down on their luck.

Makes you wonder if there were some kind of safety net for them, but US culture always seems to favour the haves rather than the have-nots.
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Not in Vegas. One of them has a sign with just ‘FUCK OFF’ on it. He’s obviously trying to stand out from the crowd, and does
 
I was working in Regent St years ago and a ford transit bus used to pull up at 7:30ish every morning and a bunch of “beggars” get out. They’d take up their patches in the area and still be there when we’d shut site at 5ish. One day a young presumably homeless kid came along and sat down a few yards away from one of the bussed in beggars. The bussed in beggar got chatting to him then started waving his arms about.
As I was still sceptical it was a business the lads who’d been on the job longer said watch this now.....the bussed in beggar got out a mobile phone and made a call. Five mins later the bus driver came along and accompanied by abuse from our site they both convinced the interloper to move off.
Sorry but I now ease my conscience with clear outs to the charity shop and buying their paperbacks for commute reading.
 
In China I’ve seen a form of beggimg where men bang their heads off the pavement in desperation to get money. Sometimes it is feigned, but sometimes real. I even seen one man venture into a restaurant and try and do it there. He was promptly thrown out!
 
I sit on the bridge in Durham and make noise with an accordion, everyone thinks it's a Romanian folk music :lol::lol:

I make £50 a day which keeps me, my wife, my parents, her parents and our eight kids above the bread line.
 
Flared Hicks said:
American homeless are a breed apart in my experience. They tend to be very eloquent and have a story to tell. Usually tend to be just genuinely down on their luck.

Makes you wonder if there were some kind of safety net for them, but US culture always seems to favour the haves rather than the have-nots.
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I used to work with the New York homeless. Being locked in a padded cell for four hours with homeless suffering from psychosis , usually after a psychotic or drug induced break on a friday night (I wasnt a patient btw) was one of the most eye opening and surreal experiences and akin to The Parsnip on here. I think it's just the sheer number of homleless that can be deceptive, as with anywhere, you can get anyone on the street. It has to be remembered that free care is provided for citizens who have had military service, so basically most of the older generation. My biggest concern is the winters in nyc, it's illegal to be sleeping on the street below a certain temperature and they are rounded up and put in centres which is l extremely stressful and not particularly safe.
 
Paddy O'Dors said:
There was a beggar outside Camden Market last year who quite open about what he wanted money for. His said "money needed to get stoned". I didn't give him owt like.
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My son and I were in Hollywood to see a concert earlier this year and there was a man holding up the sign that said, "I'm not going to lie, it's for drugs":lol:
 
There was a piece on R4 a few months ago where they interviewed some bewer in Brighton who was a "homeless begger". Said she clicks £50 a day minimum which with her housing benefit and dole meant she was on more than she could ever get if she went out and got a job.

Anyhow, what's the forward thinking with dossers/hobos and the cashless society? Very rare I have a wedge on me nowadays and that seems to be the way with most young people too.
 
Flared Hicks said:
The way I see it there’s a few game plans:-
  • Aggressive bastard type - might work in big cities but probably not a good game plan and likely to get beaten up somewhere down the line
  • Ashamed head down type - may work well in smaller town scenarios but mebbes not enough footfall to turn out a living
  • Considerable down on their luck type - Would work well in most one on one scenarios I reckon. Come up with a good back story and you could be on to a winner.
  • Handwritten sob story type - never did it for me personally, but obviously has it’s appeal factor.
I reckon I’d be a shit beggar, probably down in the hostel once a week on a good week scale.

What tips could the SMB chip in or are all beggars scratters not to be entertained?
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Read 'Blind Willie" by Stephen King (part of the Hearts in Atlantis quartet). That's the way to do it :lol:
 
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