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mrklixx · 08-05-2009, 02:42 PM

I've seen several different news stories on how the off-ramp "down on my luck" sign people make like $300-$400 a day, then blow almost all of it on booze, cigs, and drugs.

There is a man and woman couple that I see all the time around here that have been doing it for at least 15 years.

The major metropolitan area I live near hosts a great big 4th of July Festival every year. I don't attend them anymore because I don't like crowds and heat, but several years ago I went fairly regularly. So one year I went with some friends, and because of the crowds we had to park pretty far away from the main area. So on our hike up to the area a guy comes up to us and tels us that he has run out of gas, and his wife and kids are baking in the hot car, and could he bum a cuople of dollars so he can get his kids home. Now, I don't know about anyone else, but I seem to attract beggars, so I know that the "my car broke down/ran out of gas" schtick is beggar 101. One of the guys in our group was not to bright and he gives the guy $5. Like I said, this was many years ago, it would have been at least half a tank of gas. So when the guy leaves, we tell our buddy "you know he's gonna buy booze with that money", but he would't believe us. So one year later, I'm at the festival again, with a different group of people, when guess who walks up to us in a parking garage? The same dude, with the same story. I said to him "Didn't you run out of gas here last year?" And he was like "Nah, man I'm from out of town, I don't even live around here". And knowing that he was pretty much busted, and was not getting any cash, he scampered off to harass some other people in the garage.

I think that the fear/annoyance factor is a big part of it. I think alot of people would rather shell out a buck than risk some kind of escelation.

08-05-2009, 02:42 PM	#18 (permalink)
mrklixx President Rick Location: location location	I've seen several different news stories on how the off-ramp "down on my luck" sign people make like $300-$400 a day, then blow almost all of it on booze, cigs, and drugs. There is a man and woman couple that I see all the time around here that have been doing it for at least 15 years. The major metropolitan area I live near hosts a great big 4th of July Festival every year. I don't attend them anymore because I don't like crowds and heat, but several years ago I went fairly regularly. So one year I went with some friends, and because of the crowds we had to park pretty far away from the main area. So on our hike up to the area a guy comes up to us and tels us that he has run out of gas, and his wife and kids are baking in the hot car, and could he bum a cuople of dollars so he can get his kids home. Now, I don't know about anyone else, but I seem to attract beggars, so I know that the "my car broke down/ran out of gas" schtick is beggar 101. One of the guys in our group was not to bright and he gives the guy $5. Like I said, this was many years ago, it would have been at least half a tank of gas. So when the guy leaves, we tell our buddy "you know he's gonna buy booze with that money", but he would't believe us. So one year later, I'm at the festival again, with a different group of people, when guess who walks up to us in a parking garage? The same dude, with the same story. I said to him "Didn't you run out of gas here last year?" And he was like "Nah, man I'm from out of town, I don't even live around here". And knowing that he was pretty much busted, and was not getting any cash, he scampered off to harass some other people in the garage. I think that the fear/annoyance factor is a big part of it. I think alot of people would rather shell out a buck than risk some kind of escelation. __________________ This post is content. If you don't like it then you are not content. Or perhaps just incontinent. This is not a link - Do not click here I hate animated avatars.