We have a lot of those panhandlers that hang out at busy intersections and in convenience store parking lots.  I usually just ignore and don't make eye contact and they give up when I don't respond.  Not lately.  They are getting more aggressive.  A few weeks ago, a guy blocked the door of my car in the Home Depot parking lot and kept demanding when I said no. 

During the Christmas season, a woman (who looked remarkably like Eartha Kitt) squatted in my door as I was trying to get out of the car at a local cafe and wouldn't go away.  I couldn't get out and I couldn't close the door.  I was getting ready to go for the pepper spray when one of the friends I was meeting came to the rescue.  He knew I'd pulled into the parking lot, and came looking for me when I didn't meet the rest of the group at the entrance. 

Last night, I made a coffee run to a convenience store.  As usual, some guy asked for money.  I didn't look at him and didn't answer...assumed that would be the end of it.  Wrong.  He actually grabbed my sleeve.  Not a tap, not a tug... a full on grab. 

I guess the economy has affected everyone's income.

I think that's just a sign that cops are too lenient towards the bums.  Same situation was in Atlanta about 5-6 years ago, then mayor pushed some legislation prohibiting aggressive panhandling in the city, and cops started chasing them.  It definitely had an effect.

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I think that's just a sign that cops are too lenient towards the bums.  Same situation was in Atlanta about 5-6 years ago, then mayor pushed some legislation prohibiting aggressive panhandling in the city, and cops started chasing them.  It definitely had an effect.

 

I wish they would do that here.  I know that sounds cold, but I've seen too many articles about these people who make a good living from this, putting on ragged clothes to go to "work" each day.  I've bought food for the ones who claim they are hungry a few times.  They just got mad because I didn't give cash.  They weren't after food.  I've also had the same person tell me the same sob story about a broken down car on the way to see some family member several days in a row, forgetting they already told me that one.  And you hear that same story from several people in one day....   That's a lot of broken down cars on the way to see sick mothers.

The beggars I hate are the ones imitating military veterans.  I actually saw a guy end his "shift" of begging at an intersection by getting up out of his wheelchair, rolling it over to his conveniently parked nearby car, putting it in the trunk, and driving off.    He was back at the same spot the next day with a sign, "will work for food"  as he sat in his "chair".   I shoulda reported him.

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