Sorry I made a mistake...

[Michel]

Need $ 4 for Greyhound bus ticket to go back home

  This is what was written on the cardboard sign held by a girl panhandling on Robson Street at lunch time. I see a lot of these panhandlers holding sad signs in Dowtown Van. The HIV guy at Burrard station in the morning is quite pathetic.

  Do you believe these stories ?

[Lise]

Nope. The sad part is I know most of them would proably use the money to get drugs or alcohol.  They would rather blow the money on that than looking for food.  

[Michel]

Sad sad sad...

  Some looks convincing but I can not forget that these kind of fake panhandlers were already operating in middle age time. I feel sorry for the few who really might need help and are loss in the multitude of fake panhandlers (well actualy the fakers need help too, but not the same kind).

[Sportsdude]

the real homeless don't panhandle. That's from my experiences. The ones that do are doing it for other reasons like Lise said.  

[Michel]

the real homeless don't panhandle

  Wow, I'm surprised !

[Sportsdude]

how so?

 

[Michel]

I don't know, I think a lot of homeless are panhandling. Now if you tell me thats it's very often for alcool and drugs instead of food or a room, I would agree. But saying that real homeless don't ask for money...

[purelife]

I prefer to give food to the homeless rather than money.  Sometimes, I would give part of my lunch to the homeless guy by 7-11 on Thurlow or buy a chocolate bar and hand it to them.  I don't do it too often though, just once in a while.

  I wouldn't trust them with money.

[Sportsdude]

 I think I said if they don't have a drug and alcohol problem. If they do then yeah they need money to keep their fix up.    

[Michel]

^^ smart decision PL, I should do the same instead of feeling bad...  

[purelife]

So, buy me a hotdog, Michel?  I need food!  

  I'll beg at the corner of Burrad and Robson.

[Michel]

lol now look at that... PL asking for food...

  If you're as preety as you're according to your virtual reputation, there's no way I'll ever be able to offer you a hotdog if you ask for it on the street, since there will be tons of "gentlemen" in front of me proposing to offer you one...

[weird al]

I'm sure there'll be no shortage of offers.

  There is one sort of panhandler that I will help out: the old and sober. These conditions can't be faked.

[Michel]

True, but twice I saw some with a card saying "clean and sober". Clean... yeah, ok, but isn't a little bit snobbish for a homeless ?    

[observer]

of course they have a drug problem - how on earth do you think they got there?  if you say due to deinstitutionalization then that fits within "have a drug problem" because most should be on prescription drugs, probably you too baby!