what would you do?

These days I'm dubious about a lot of the homeless people...still a kind thought though.I think usually your better off buying a cup of tea or some food instead of givin' em cash !!

Hey anyways why didn't you do the exams this time around ?

That is a really selfless thing to do.....and good karma, but...
im the same as stevej...i dont give homeless people my money. I used to buy an extra meal in macdonalds when my son was a nipper and get him to take it out to the guy.
So many of them just buy drugs or booze with it..and in all honesty im not very sympathetic towrds people like that who dont help themselves....also one of the rules on the street is you never ask a woman for money especially one with children so anyone that does, is pretty much a blagger....!!
but thats my opnion and the first one i have ever expressed on here.....:huh:

rachy1975 wrote: »

That is a really selfless thing to do.....and good karma, but...
im the same as stevej...i dont give homeless people my money. I used to buy an extra meal in macdonalds when my son was a nipper and get him to take it out to the guy.
So many of them just buy drugs or booze with it..and in all honesty im not very sympathetic towrds people like that who dont help themselves....also one of the rules on the street is you never ask a woman for money especially one with children so anyone that does, is pretty much a blagger....!!
but thats my opnion and the first one i have ever expressed on here.....:huh:

I think the instinct for food and shelter is more important then these "rules" that you talk of :huh: Good that you are teaching your son to have some social morals though, when I was a kid my parents would have crossed the street rather than walk past a homeless person! :mad2:

rachy1975 wrote: »

I wouldnt let my life get that bad....speaking as someone who has been homeless 3 times....not once have i slept in a shop doorway
get off your ass and do something, there is help and options there if dont feel sorry for yourself and do something about it!!!

Not sure its that black and white actually. Some people have other probelms alongside the fact they are homeless, such as addiction?

I wont bother discussing this if you obviously have such narrow minded views on addiction. Ive experienced serious addiction in my life, affecting a close family member, and most of my younger years were spent helping this person try to beat it, so dont come with that easy answer nonsense.

Paul.

I dont really want to talk about my experiences on here, but suffice to say, lets leave it.

Paul24 wrote: »

when I was a kid my parents would have crossed the street rather than walk past a homeless person! :mad2:

Nothing wrong with that, some of them are aggressive. There's this bloke where I live who instead of just sitting on the floor with a card or something, deliberately stands in your way with his hand out. You say 'sorry, mate' and try to walk around and he'll move over to block you. And he isn't exactly small either, if I was a woman I'd feel very threatened by him. Obviously not all of them are like that, but for the sake of the ones who are, I don't blame people for actively trying to avoid them.

Paul24 wrote: »

Oh Matt - and you always come across as having such a caring social conscience :-)

:confused1:

I'm not going to put myself through that situation just to spare the guy's feelings. If he sat on the floor or whatever then fine, but deliberately making people uncomfortable is too much. I'll cross the street thanks and I don't blame others for doing the same

Paul24 wrote: »

I dont in that situation either, there arent many spritely homeless people on their feet that Ive seen though, not denying they exist. That is a different story.

I've seen enough to be wary

Paul24 wrote: »

I think the more sensible way is donating to an official registered charity for the homeless.

More sensible than what? Avoiding unnecessary confrontations? That doesn't make sense. My £5 a month or whatever, isn't going to stop that bloke from being a jerk

Fair enough, I will continue to avoid :001_smile:

Most of us on this forum are professional people with the inner strength and resolution to get where we are today. Many of us can also call on the support of loved ones and others to help us when we've had days of doubt. There have been endless threads and comments on here all this week about exam worries. Now imagine worrying where your next meal comes from or where you're gonna be sleeping tonight. Whether you'll receive abuse or perhaps a beating for simply sleeping in a shop doorway because that's still safer than sleeping somewhere more private and even more dangerous. Imagine having no hope. If I was homeless - and I so very nearly was a few years ago - I think I'd drink alcohol all day with what little I had, at least it would dull the pain of living for nothing.

Not everyone has our characteristics and/or a family/social network to help them in their time of need so what sort of people would we be if we simply abandoned them to their fate?

What would I do?

Well I'd like to think something similar, but I'm always wary about opening my purse in the middle of the street. A few years ago, on holiday I soon learnt to keep a couple of dollars in my pocket as we were always getting approached "for a dollar".

I tend to buy the Big Issue, even in rural North Yorks we have an occasional seller. Mind you I did feel sorry for one in winter and bought her a soup as well, she looked so cold in her sandals. She refused it, don't know if she thought I was gonna poison her or what?! I remember feeling a bit miffed at the time, not very charitable I know. :blushing:

I've been very lucky in my life, try not to judge people for where they find themselves, and think, but for the grace of God/fate/whatever it could be me in that position.

mark130273 wrote: »

im sorry to say but i hav seen a couple of programme in london that was on some news prgramme they studied some homeless people and followed them round and some of them were really bad . then in the second half of the show they folowed one person and he asked for money all day from morning till early nightime and then when he got up and walked off they followed him round the corner and he got into a brand new car and drove home to a nice house. he was doing this as a profession and was making about 150-200 a day !!!Since then i am very wary of who im giving money too ?

I just think for every bogus homeless person there is (wont hazard a guess at a figure) there are many more who are in fact in dire need, and Im willing to take the gamble that the odd one might not in fact need my couple of quid / cigarette. Its not as though Im ever going to know about it.