Homeless Meters - the future is here!

Post by **faceless** » Tue May 13, 2008 4:17 pm

[web]https://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.c ... 10L13S.DTL[/web]

This is just incredible. To stand there on the street and put money in a machine, while the person stands there begging is just a total insult - why then would they want to get back into society? That last idea about giving homeless people credit-card swipers definitely takes the biscuit though!

pirtybirdy · Post by **pirtybirdy** » Tue May 13, 2008 4:31 pm

It's of my opinion that this is a dumb idea. Coming from New York, I have to say I've never come across an "aggressive panhandler". Have I just been lucky all these years? Most times they are polite when asking for spare change, and I always give some if I have it handy to give. Yes, I may be supporting a habit, but maybe not. Maybe this person needs to eat. I'm not going to miss the loose change. My problem is, I don't trust the agencies to dole it out without putting dopey restrictions on who gets it and how they get it, how much they get. If a guy/gal wants some spare change to buy something strictly for themselves, why not? If they are an alcoholic or a druggy, it's not going to stop them anyway...Only they can stop themselves by wanting to. This smells like another bad idea.

Brown Sauce · Post by **Brown Sauce** » Tue May 13, 2008 5:33 pm

"The reason people are panhandling is because there's a market for panhandling," Mayor Gavin Newsom said Monday.

wrong Mr Market analyst. The reason a lot of people beg is that this lifestyle is perhaps the only way to anything like real freedom left in the urban environment.

He and his mates will be saying next that they only spend the money on booze and/or ciggies, like they never touch a drop, or never smoked until it became politically antisocial ?

Kezza · Post by **Kezza** » Tue May 13, 2008 6:34 pm

A lot of the panhandlers in my area have regular spots - so you know where to find them/recognise them. Instead of giving money (which I don't often have - I use a debit card for just about everything), I often give a bottle of water or buy them a sandwich (for the guy outside of the sandwich shop). But if I have change, yeah, I'll give it.

As for the rest, I often have to say, "No, sorry" but I always try to look them in the eye when I do so because they're human beings and I often think that phrase: "There but for the grace of God.....could've been me." As we all know, people are homeless for a myriad of reasons, not all drug/alcohol related.