Would you give a homeless guy a beer

leeaspell · #1 08-16-2019, 10:26 PM

Was sitting with some guys the other night talking about going camping and we got on the topic of homeless/beggers. Seems this summer in Whitecourt there are more homeless/beggers/panhandlers than ever before, small town so you notice when there are new people. I said I probably wont give them money but would offer the guy cold beer from the cooler on a hot summer day. Long story short, seemed to be the unpopular opinion, enabling addictions and such, which I thought was funny because im buying beer to go camping.

Would you offer them a cold brew like you would anyone else or just walk on by and give them nothing, as most people do. I dont usually carry change.

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michaelmicallef · #2 08-16-2019, 10:39 PM

Yes. Why not. Hell I would even spend some time talking with him. I always like meeting new people.

Soulcousin · #3 08-16-2019, 10:44 PM

About 10 years ago I was heading into the liquor store at 16th ave and centre street near where I lived at the time in Calgary. Fella sitting on the bench nearby asked for change for coffee/transit/etc. Told him I was going for beer and could do him one better. Went in, bought a 6pack, and brought it out. Ended up drinking a couple with the guy as we chatted and sat on the bench, having a pleasant conversation and watching the sun set on the downtown towers. Ended up leaving him with the two remaining beers in the bra. Always wondered what happened to him...

leeaspell · #4 08-16-2019, 10:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Soulcousin

About 10 years ago I was heading into the liquor store at 16th ave and centre street near where I lived at the time in Calgary. Fella sitting on the bench nearby asked for change for coffee/transit/etc. Told him I was going for beer and could do him one better. Went in, bought a 6pack, and brought it out. Ended up drinking a couple with the guy as we chatted and sat on the bench, having a pleasant conversation and watching the sun set on the downtown towers. Ended up leaving him with the two remaining beers in the bra. Always wondered what happened to him...

Reminds of a comedian I heard on Sirius. Basically she gave money to a homeless guy and her friends said " why would you do that, hes only gonna spend it on beer" she repield, " well duh....thats what I would do with it to"

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260 Rem · #5 08-16-2019, 11:23 PM

I don’t have any issue with giving a few dollars to the guys holding signs in the medians or in the Safeway parking lot. If I was ever needy enough to ask, maybe someone would do the same for me.

HunterDave · #6 08-16-2019, 11:33 PM

I heard that Panhandlers are starting to show up here in Morinville (pop 10k?). I haven’t encountered any yet but when I do they will get exactly nothing from me. I do not want them to get comfortable here and have a reason to stick around. I’d rather they leave and tell others not to bother going to Morinville because the people are too cheap to give.

I have encountered them in the city and have offered a few cigarettes or bought them a coffee or burger if i’m At McD’s but never money. I’m a NIMBY and I have no problem with that.

DiabeticKripple · #7 08-17-2019, 12:15 AM

About 2 months ago I was drinking with coworkers outside a hotel in GP. It was 4am and a bum came up and asked for a beer. I had 3 left of my pack so I just gave him all 3 and went to bed. He was sooooo happy.

Red Bullets · #8 08-17-2019, 12:37 AM

I never ever drank so I would maybe buy a bum a 0.5 percent alcohol beer. For the drunk panhandler I would give a big tip...My tip would be "Don't drink the red devil wine!"

Depending on the persons demeanor and circumstance I would give a homeless person a meal, a shower and a bed for a night or two. I would give a beggar a pair of gloves, boots and a toque and a hot chocolate to keep them warm while they are panhandling.

For anyone in crisis or desperation mode I would give what ever I was able to, within reason. Wouldn't want to create my own crisis by overextending myself.

I once had a drunken panhandler asking for change to catch the greyhound bus to get home. I drove him the 45 miles home instead. I knew if he wouldn't have gotten enough change panhandling he would just buy booze. I got him home safely and had he some change in his pocket that he had panhandled. I did my good deed for the day and all was good.

I would maybe want to learn about the persons story too. There was an old fragile woman that panhandled the streets in Toronto or New York for years. One day she was seen getting into her son's luxury car and the jig was up. Investigators learned she had 8 or 9 hundred thousand dollars in the bank. Much of it made panhandling. Sort of like the fraudulent crowd funding before the internet.

ram crazy · #9 08-17-2019, 04:02 AM

Last year while I was getting money at the drive through atm had a homeless gal ask if I had money for food. I told her to go to the A&W just across the way and wait until I’m done and that I would buy her a meal. When we went inside the lady at the till tried to kick her out and I said wait a minute miss she’s with me and I bought her a meal of her choice. She thanked me and on my way I went.

last minute · #10 08-17-2019, 04:06 AM

Quote:

Would you give a homeless guy a beer

no beer cost to much to share with a stranger .

Hunter gatherer · #11 08-17-2019, 04:38 AM

Working for highways on one of those bitter cold minus holy crap days. Walking into the grocery store going by one of the local crack heads,asked how he was casually as I walked by. His response was cold. Stopped me dead in my tracks ,reached into my pocket and pulled out about $8 in toonies loonies and gave it to him. If I was cold in my good cold weather clothes I couldn't imagine what it was like for him. I know he went to buy crack but if it made him forget about the cold for awhile the all is good. Makes you realize how good we have it

Jigger · #12 08-17-2019, 06:13 AM

Don't mind helping out a homeless guy down on his luck I've given them rides and spare change in the past. I draw the line at the local crack/ meth heads tho i wouldn't give those thieving scumbags a penny.

Bigwoodsman · #13 08-17-2019, 07:11 AM

Caught a couple of homeless guys going through our garbages at work last weekend. Asked them if they wanted work, they both turned me down. Said they didn’t want to be on a schedule. I guess you can’t help those who won’t help themselves.

BW

58thecat · #14 08-17-2019, 07:20 AM

Cook em a burger and a drink of water........but that might make'em come back like crows at the dump

58thecat · #15 08-17-2019, 07:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bigwoodsman

Caught a couple of homeless guys going through our garbages at work last weekend. Asked them if they wanted work, they both turned me down. Said they didn’t want to be on a schedule. I guess you can’t help those who won’t help themselves.

BW

Exactly......do t feel sorry for them....it's a choice....can't tell me any different.

pikeslayer22 · #16 08-17-2019, 07:26 AM

Yes

pitw · #17 08-17-2019, 07:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 58thecat

Exactly......do t feel sorry for them....it's a choice....can't tell me any different.

Kinda/sorta like people who ask for permission to hunt on private land?

sewerrat · #18 08-17-2019, 08:00 AM

My wife shops at Super store here in Red deer and always goes early in the morning, she says every time she comes out with a load of grocery's they always ask if they can put the cart away, so they have a loonie, she always says no as she always keeps that loonie in the car for the shopping carts. but we do give them the Mc Donald's coffee cards where you collect the 7 stickers on.

bobtodrick · #19 08-17-2019, 08:05 AM

Good to see all these responses.
As the saying goes, ‘but for the grace of God there go I’.
Whatever the circumstances, I’d hate to be in a position to have to beg, and if I was I sure hope I’d run into guys like you.

kingrat · #20 08-17-2019, 09:11 AM

I refuse to give them a cent or scrap. In my mind if you have time to stand there all day every day and beg for carts and harrass women and old people you can stand at tim hortons or McDonalds and work all day.
Nobody gave me anything for free. And no I dont care about addictions blah blah. Soooooo no I wouldn't give them a beer or the empty can.

Ken07AOVette · #21 08-17-2019, 09:19 AM

I used to give money all the time, when I was young and naive. Then I found out the vast majority of them lied. 'Only need another $20 to get my transmission fixed at Canadian tire so I can take little bobby to the hospital' and then I would hand them $50 nearly in tears.

Now I say I only carry plastic. A guy in Hawaii actually whipped out a square card reader on a brand new iphone.

They are very good scammers. No more from me.

Vehicle broken down, house burnt, lost parent you bet I will help. Panhandlers no.

Dean2 · #22 08-17-2019, 09:31 AM

Not all beggars are useless, addicted or lazy. About 15 years ago buddy and I are going into Tim's, guy asks for spare change, Brain asks him if he wants a tonnie or a job. Guy picks job. Guy still works for Brian to this day.

Turns out he came to Calgary thinking jobs were everywhere, ran out of money, needed food. That said it is hard to tell the professional beggars making a full time living panhandling and drug addicted leaches from the legitimately needy. If I see the same person in the same area for more than a week, they aren't looking to change their situation, they have found a good begging spot and keep working it. So I will buy a hungry person a meal, give them some paying work etc. but a free hand out of money or booze is not going to happen. Next thing you know people will be mooching dope cause he just needs a hit and his wallet was stolen.

MyAlberta · #23 08-17-2019, 09:49 AM

I’m a plastic guy, and any change I come across, I’m ok giving it away. I hate how it feels in my pockets. One of my clients is next door to Mustard seed where I’ve volunteered on occasion. I leave with a stack of their cards and hand them out when I’m asked for money. Alcohol to beggars is like feeding candy to wildlife.

260 Rem · #24 08-17-2019, 10:00 AM

I think a good percentage of panhandlers are not “lazy” but are unemployable because of “mental illness” ... and although I don’t believe in “free lunches” for the capable, I don’t try to assess the legitimacy of a person asking for a hand out. Mental illness affects employability just as much as a broken leg. If a toonie helps the guy with a broken leg have a better day, no problem. Mental illness....same thing. Just had some bad breaks ... sure.
I fully understand that it is a good idea to “give” to charities because they are well equipped to focus resources where needed ... but I also understand that some will not seek help from “organizations”.

LeroyvdH · #25 08-17-2019, 10:01 AM

Never money. If they turn down a sandwich they can kick stones. The wife and I used to go to the Vancouver Indy. Our hotel was on Robson street so we would walk there and back. Panhandlers/junkies everywhere. Only once did I give a guy a toonie. He comes up to me and says " I need one more dollar to by a hit " so I said here go deep. Wife says I thought you are against this. I said hey at least he was honest....

tri777 · #26 08-17-2019, 10:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by leeaspell

Would you offer them a cold brew like you would anyone else or just walk on by and give them nothing, as most people do.

Used to, but Double H hockey sticks "NO" as of Mid April for me,
I am now DONE this fruitless bum mooching B.S.

Had an hour to kill in Apr, so I gave said wanting bum $50 at 9am, told him
"get you a nice warm Breakfast",
I promptly got into my truck & drove away (or so he thought). I drove off, then doubled back,
and parked in another lot to watch what I had just invested in. After he deemed it clear with his
head on a swivel, he started on an approx 1km journey passing restaurant after restaurant he ended on
the far west end of town & strolled with a skip in his step into the liquor store, nearly 10mins later he came
out with 2 heavily stressed black bags & proceeded westward out of town till he was out of sight off
to his buddy's I presume.

Lesson that day:
A bum is a bum not only for a reason, it is the preferred lifestyle.
I will let those in favour of giving to these types (found above) to serve mankind in this fashion.
One can find those in Real need on this very forum going through actual 'Tough Times'.

barbless · #27 08-17-2019, 10:23 AM

In Calgary 68 st and 16 ave N.E. There has been a guy there for probably 2 yrs. now. I'm sure it's his full time job. There everyday twice a day both rush hour times. He has it figured out for sure. One of my co-workers asked him one day how much he makes and he said on a good day he could pull in close to a hundred and others maybe $20. Why would he work? Now there are two of them. They are not the squeegee guys. Just a sign and hand out. I do not contribute.

Sooner · #28 08-17-2019, 10:23 AM

I have given my spare toonies/loonies many times. Some I know I got scammed by the story after the fact, some I know I did good.

I know one guy was tattooed up big time, a real presence. But he was at the local grocery and the convenience store by my house a lot and I watched him. If he got money, he always went in and came out with food.

So one day he was walking by my driveway while I was out, recognized me from giving him some money before and asked a again. I said no problem as I see you are actually buying food. So we chatted. Him and his wife were both working and living in a tent somewhere in the industrial park beside me. Hit some hard times and were just trying to save up enough for first and last rent plus a damage deposit. That guy I helped anytime he asked. Was never more than 5 bucks here and there but by the end of the summer he was gone.

One broad seen me unloading atv's after a hunt and came over, sob story on how she had here purse stolen, coming from Lloyd and going to Rocky Mt House and needed gas. My spider senses were tingling but I gave her 20 bucks. From the deck of my truck I watched her walk back to the car, her BF came out of the convenience store with a bag full of goodies and they drove right past the pumps and gone. Now I listen to my spidey senses. Those that trigger them, get nada.

I figure do the good deed and let karma smack the liars. If I had a extra beer to give and a down and outer wanted one, sure.

bobtodrick · #29 08-17-2019, 12:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kingrat

I refuse to give them a cent or scrap. In my mind if you have time to stand there all day every day and beg for carts and harrass women and old people you can stand at tim hortons or McDonalds and work all day.
Nobody gave me anything for free. And no I dont care about addictions blah blah. Soooooo no I wouldn't give them a beer or the empty can.

‘Course so me of you aren’t worth running into 🙁

Buckhead · #30 08-17-2019, 12:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ken07AOVette

I used to give money all the time, when I was young and naive. Then I found out the vast majority of them lied. 'Only need another $20 to get my transmission fixed at Canadian tire so I can take little bobby to the hospital' and then I would hand them $50 nearly in tears.

Now I say I only carry plastic. A guy in Hawaii actually whipped out a square card reader on a brand new iphone.

They are very good scammers. No more from me.

Vehicle broken down, house burnt, lost parent you bet I will help. Panhandlers no.

Same here. One of their tricks is to hang around gas stations with an empty gas can. "Hi Sir I'm out of gas just up the road - can you spare some change."
Just for giggles I gave a guy $20 once, then I drove around the block and parked a ways away. Yep, the guy goes right to the liquor store.