People asking you for some cash at gas stations etc.

premise said:
Had something similar happen to me with a well known loser out where I live. I pumped some gas onto his pant legs and asked him if that was enough for him to get home. He didn't seem to enjoy the joke as much as me.

I like making the non-friendly finger gun (think Clint Eastwood) at panhandlers as they walk towards me; works every time.
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When I was younger and working in DC I used to ask them for money “hey man you got a dollar” when I saw them approaching. They’d just walk off. But if they caught me off guard and asked first I would say “this is like trick or treat. You’ll get the money if you do a trick I like”. That usually got and effe you and they’d leave.

This one time a guy said “no tricks but how about if I tell a joke that makes you laugh”. I said go for it. He said “what has four legs and smells like fish”. I don’t know. “Bill Clinton’s desk” (the Monica Lewinski deal was still fresh at the time). I busted out laughing and handed him 5 bucks.
 
Had one approach me at the sheetz beside cabelas in Garner tonight. He asked if I would give him money so he could go to the grocery store across the street to get food for his family and that he had been living in a hotel. I told him he could go in with me and I would buy him some burgers. Then he kept saying that groceries would last longer and I told him there was no grocery store across the street but I would buy him a burger. He said he couldn’t go in the store, and kept making excuses. He was gone when I left.
 
BBD280 said:
There's a guy here in Lumberton that rides a bicycle, his wife has been in the hospital since I got my driver's license in 1996. Same story everytime. He's learned to mostly prey on the travelers who stop along 95. He hates me and learned to steer clear of me years ago.
I've always offered to feed those that told me they were hungry (unless I've had dealings with them before) and I always will. If I recall correctly I've been taken up on it 3 times.
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His wife works at a hospital.:)
 
Chdamn said:
When I was younger and working in DC I used to ask them for money “hey man you got a dollar” when I saw them approaching. They’d just walk off. But if they caught me off guard and asked first I would say “this is like trick or treat. You’ll get the money if you do a trick I like”. That usually got and effe you and they’d leave.

This one time a guy said “no tricks but how about if I tell a joke that makes you laugh”. I said go for it. He said “what has four legs and smells like fish”. I don’t know. “Bill Clinton’s desk” (the Monica Lewinski deal was still fresh at the time). I busted out laughing and handed him 5 bucks.
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Yep, there was a few guys in Boone that would tell jokes for money, and one that would sell you odd stuff he found like rocks, carriage bolts, random papers, etc. One guy would fill up water bottles and sell them to folks coming out of bars. So many inventive ways to get money and these turds just want me to give it to them.
 
They are everywhere around Charlotte, seem's like at about every highway intersection with a light. I don't usually have my windows down, but maybe cracked a little. I had one come up and asked "hey man, got any money". I said, yeah, sure do, and rolled the window up to the stop. Dude just looked at me, lol. I could tell he was pissed, but, oh well.
 
The ones that get me shaking with rage are the human stains that claim to be disabled veterans.
I ALWAYS ask to see their VA card.
Usually they stare blankly.
The I whip out my VA card, and I say “Yeah! You know that card the VA gives you when you become a disabled veteran?”
They start stammering.
I get hyper aggressive.

Works every time.
 
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skiles said:
I am immediately doing a 360 when I see one walking up before I tell them to get lost. Poor planning and life choices on your part... isn't my problem.
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So you turn around to face them again :D


One of my closest encounters with a fight was with a guy at a gas station late one night. Was driving home from Florida and went in to use the bathroom/get a Red Bull or something and there was a guy down near the payphone (unsure if it was functional) but he was just hanging out. On my way back to the car I heard the guy talking and didn’t pay any attention. I see him start screening my path and he was getting heated while talking. He had been trying to “interview” me but he thought I was ignoring him (I was, accidentally...couldn’t hear him at first) and took it as disrespect. He is at the next pump over by now distance wise but I’m facing him. He starts telling me how he’s gonna “get in my car and drive off with it” and other threats. I tell him something like “it’ll be the last thing you ever try” or something along those lines....I wanted to disengage but didn’t want to turn my back on him more. He ended up skulking off talking junk the whole way
 
11B CIB said:
So you turn around to face them again :D


One of my closest encounters with a fight was with a guy at a gas station late one night. Was driving home from Florida and went in to use the bathroom/get a Red Bull or something and there was a guy down near the payphone (unsure if it was functional) but he was just hanging out. On my way back to the car I heard the guy talking and didn’t pay any attention. I see him start screening my path and he was getting heated while talking. He had been trying to “interview” me but he thought I was ignoring him (I was, accidentally...couldn’t hear him at first) and took it as disrespect. He is at the next pump over by now distance wise but I’m facing him. He starts telling me how he’s gonna “get in my car and drive off with it” and other threats. I tell him something like “it’ll be the last thing you ever try” or something along those lines....I wanted to disengage but didn’t want to turn my back on him more. He ended up skulking off talking junk the whole way
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A couple of years ago I had a guy ask for money to get home to WV while I was at Lowe’s hardware. I told him no and I left. Three months or so later, I was pumping gas when the same guy, with the same story asked me for money again! I was about to tear into him when the guy from the gas station came out raising hell at him and run him off. He told me that he runs him off daily and he was sorry. I told him about what I knew of him and he called the cops. I normally don’t give money to anyone but, I was leaving Walmart a couple years ago and there was a Latino family, standing in the cold rain. I just happened to catch the eyes of the father , who had a sign. It was a look of utter desperation . I was leaving for the cabin and had the dog with me and my truck packed up with gear. There were 2 small girls and the wife with him. I past him and got to the light and something said I needed to help him. I circled around and gave him $20, all the cash I had on me. I wished I had more. I figured I’d done the right thing, and if I hadn’t, it was on him and $20 wasn’t going to break me.
 
My Standard response is a no-shit "no". I always make eye contact so theres no question about it.

However, there have been a few exceptions based on a few factors.
 
Had the pleasure of spending last Thursday at Cone Emergency room in Greensboro with one of my employees. Since you cannot smoke on the property I would check on him, then walk up to the street to smoke. Strange mix of people, lots of medical professionals, day workers and plenty of homeless. My neck was sore by the end of the day by keeping it on swivel. Hospital or not, I was not going to leave my pistol in the truck, so it was in the cargo pocket on my pants. Wall at the street, so I could keep my back to it and pretty much catch everything that was going on while I caught a smoke. The oddballs mostly avoided me with solid eye contact, but was walking out one time and this tall crazy looking homeless guy started walking to intercept me. Having been there a while, I was not in the mood, so I just turned, squared up stared at him and started walking straight toward him. The look on his face was priceless when I totally changed the game! He veered right off. Only good part of the day was the Hot Dog cart. As soon as it get's dusk, they do have police officers patrolling and stationed in the emergency room.
 
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With my rugged cro-magnon looks & gorilla physique, they rarely pester me. For those that do, a simple "nope" usually gets the job done. Had one jackass try to get aggro with me in Raleigh once, about 15 years ago. Suggested he might find it in his best interests to get the hell outta my face & take his bullshit elsewhere. Fortunately for him, he took my advice.
 
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I usually don't carry cash, as the powers that be have really pushed us into a cash free/digital world of convenience. That said, I do often give money if I have it on me - as it's rarely over a couple bucks and I live quite comfortably, never really going without.

Years and years ago, when I was still in the Navy down in Charleston in Nuc School, my parents came down to see me. We were in Mount Pleasant, I was in uniform, and a guy asked me for some money for something to eat. A similar story to a bunch of these posts - car was broken down, hadn't eaten, waiting on his wife to get down there to get him.

All I had was $20 on me, which I gave to him.

As hehwalked away, my Mom told me what he was really going to spend it on, how I needed to be smarter about just giving money away.

A few minutes later he reappeared, McDonald's bag under his arm, drink in his hand........and my change.

It was at that moment that I recognized that while many people will scam you, there are people out there in much shittier situations than I, who have legitimately had to wonder about their next meal, or where they will next lay their heads, or how their kids are hungry, or will be ridiculed at school again because they smell, etc. So while I am not foolish in throwing money to all comers, there is something about being a good human being that doesn't require you to police the actions of others, or publicly shame them.

Do some deserve it? Certainly. But if we all treated each other the way we deserve to be treated, the world would be a darker place.

I am already a man with faults for which I have no easy remedy. Hatred for those less fortunate than I, regardless of the circumstance in how they got there is not among them.

Even if I have nothing on me to give, IAM at the very least polite in telling them I am unable to help.
 
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That's the crux of the issue, SPM.
How do you Refuse To Be A Victim, yet Give To Those In Need?
I think Those In Need had oughta go to great pains to differentiate themselves from Bad Guys.
One way is to go to a Church instead of a Gas Station to ask for assistance.
But I am not the one with answers.
 
MacEntyre said:
That's the crux of the issue, SPM.
How do you Refuse To Be A Victim, yet Give To Those In Need?
I think Those In Need had oughta go to great pains to differentiate themselves from Bad Guys.
One way is to go to a Church instead of a Gas Station to ask for assistance.
But I am not the one with answers.
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None of us have the answers. It may sound silly or trite, but sinner that I am, I leave it to the individual and God to handle.

But I can tell you this - were I ever to be laid low by life in such a way as I had to beg, I certainly hope for someone willing to see me as human rather than as just some trash without his shit together.

Now, that's not most of the ones hitting people up for money. But in the moments when a true act of kindness rekindles some ember of faith in life, I think it worth the risk of a couple of dollars or a pocket full of loose change.

But each person must make that decision individually.
 
But how can you tell that you are not risking much more than a pocket full of chance? That's the difficulty. Not always possible.
 
I feel ashamed, but I just hit up a young feller for money in a gas station parking lot. He gave me everything in his wallet.

I was so moved that I gave him an excellent condition DD M4V5 upper.
 
MacEntyre said:
That's the crux of the issue, SPM.
How do you Refuse To Be A Victim, yet Give To Those In Need?
I think Those In Need had oughta go to great pains to differentiate themselves from Bad Guys.
One way is to go to a Church instead of a Gas Station to ask for assistance.
But I am not the one with answers.
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I feel no need to supply another human anything. Especially considering other people( I'm pretty sure i don't care for) get at least part of 33% of my pay check. If they want they can get part of the other 10% I donate to the church.
 
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I always offer a job to them... then try to overcome every hurdle they present that prevents them from taking me up on it. ID, ride, location etc.
People are in the shape they are in for a reason... typically that reason is the decisions they have made and continue to make.
Those that are truly unable to help themselves, draw some form of funding from the government in which I pay towards every week.
 
SPM said:
None of us have the answers. It may sound silly or trite, but sinner that I am, I leave it to the individual and God to handle.

But each person must make that decision individually.
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I have been blessed by the Lord and make a good living and I have way more than I need to be sure. That said I choose to help those, be it family or strangers I feel deserve the help. People for whatever reason that approach me at Gas Stations or in parking lots I choose not to help by giving them money. I don't feel comfortable doing it and don't like to be approached by strangers in this way. That just not the way I choose to help. I donate to charities of my choosing, give money to family members and others that are less fortunate or have a real need. But I cannot help everyone and I choose to decide who, when, where and how to help. I don't feel this makes me a bad person or someone who looks down on the less fortunate. Like anything else in life you have to make some choices.
 
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I've always tried to help people, even after being obviously lied to. I did it in good faith, what they do with the money isnt my concern.
In Rocky Mount we have about 10 people who go around pretending to be homeless, one guy even pretends to be wheelchair bound (but in the unholiest of miracles I watched him get up and walk away).
To get to my point the other day I was meeting a buddy of mine at a Starbucks to sell him a gun. Said gun, along with my carry gun are sitting in the passengers seat. As I am sitting in my car waiting for my friend, a random guy comes up, asks for money. I politely tell him that I don't have any cash, he starts getting a little irritated and pushy all the while edging closer to my car. Finally gets close enough to see the guns in my passenger seat and what do you know, all of a sudden he has someplace to be and hurried off.
I actually had my hand on my carry gun in the seat the entire time. I've been robbed a few times so I'm always cautious.
 
Typically never have a problem with beggers. Either my size/demeanor take care of it before it happens, or they can tell I’m as broke as they are.
 
MacEntyre said:
But how can you tell that you are not risking much more than a pocket full of chance? That's the difficulty. Not always possible.
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I don't know how I missed this response. In the end, I rarely have more than a pocket full of change or a couple dollars on hand anymore.

If you're talking about the inherent danger of ne'er do wells, it's all about situational awareness. If my family is with me my personal security One is significantly expanded with regards to strangers and interactions with them.

When alone, I am still wholly aware of them and my surroundings, but my options for movement and such are more expansive as well and it's just me that would need defense rather than me to ensure my family is defended.

Now, my wife also carries, so there is an additional layer there if things went badly for me. But still, different situations have different considerations.
 
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I had a guy approach me at Lowes not too long ago. He was the "pastor" at the International Sanctified Holiness Church of the Resurrected Savior who now Reigns Forever and Assures His Loved ones of Eternal Love and Happiness.... or something. Can't remember the name, but it sounded more like a theological confession than a church name. Anyway, the poor soul was down on his luck...., and funds...., and needed 20 dollars so he could get back and preside over his congregation for a special healing and deliverance and apostolic outpouring of the Holy Ghost...., again, or something like that. It sounded REALLY sanctified!

I got all excited and said "a PREACHER!!!???? a real sanctified HOLY GHOST PREACHER!!!??? Wow!!! This is awesome!!! I was having a discussion with my friend yesterday about the bible, and we were in disagreement. He says the book of Hezekiah is in the NEW TESTAMENT but got moved into the Old Testament when they changed the bible around under Constantine, and I am certain that the divine order of the books has it in the Old Testament and it should always stay there because you should not mess with the word of God.

What do you say? "

Guess what? I WAS RIGHT!!! The book of Hezekiah belongs in the OLD TESTAMENT, just like I said!

Now, you either know the punch line to this story, or you don't! If you know the punch line, the ending of the meeting will be very funny to you.
 
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