How to handle beggars when travelling

[PLANT]

I was on the subway in New york and was asked for money.....
" Look mate my Au dollar is worth less than you US dollar"
Silence followed.

 

[medhead]

Never donate to beggars. I always ignore them. Same rule goes for charity collectors - although I did have fun once calling the Greenpeace promoter a racist with blood on his hands.

I ask them why they oppose vital cancer therapy and medical treatments.

Worst I had was in Beijing almost 15yrs ago...
Young kid couldn't have been more than six held onto my leg as I kept on walking for about 20m

But I agree - simply ignore them.
much as I do to those in my area of Sydney...

One older guy is a regular - albeit he will never get anything from me as he once swore at me when I didn't give him anything.. Albeit I think he is somewhat of a professional as I saw him one day out in the other suburbs doing the same thing

The south africans are amateurs compared to china then. It was usually enough to ask them "Which part of no don't you understand." I did have one guy tell me how great Australians were at rugby and then list off ex-wallabies like Sterling Mortlock.

there are a number of regulars I see around my Sydney location. I stopped feeling sorry for one guy when he was in the line at the coffee shop cashing in his change for notes. They told me he was there everyday picking up a decent swag of notes.

 

[AnnaB]

there are a number of regulars I see around my Sydney location. I stopped feeling sorry for one guy when he was in the line at the coffee shop cashing in his change for notes. They told me he was there everyday picking up a decent swag of notes.

A few years ago my bus was cancelled and I had to sit at the bus station for an hour to wait for my next one. I observed one of the regular beggars doing his thing and during that hour he raked in more that I got as a pay for two days.

 

[Denali]

Worse beggers Ive found are Paris and Rome... uggh, they make me want to nuke one in particular begging nationality and yes, I know how ugly that sounds.

Last month we were in Siem Reap and its a popular scam to walk around with a baby (often someone elses baby) and have someone buy formula and they then return it for a fraction of the cost. I warned a couple about this on Pub Street and the woman swore at me. Its a popular scam, they should put a sign up at the airport about it.

In Paris, I healed a deaf and dumb woman (she was pushing this disabled fundraising scam) because after a week of the begging and being hassled constantly I had enough and I loudly said, "Just leave me alone!" and she regained her use of speech and told me to F off.

No beggars but in the US, I find im more giving, usually to the person collecting cans/pushing a trolley late at night or Ive bought coffee or a meal for the homeless or transient person behind me at McDonalds or Starbucks. They don't ask, I offer and its always been politely accepted. My rule is if you ask, the answer is no.

My biggest WTF about scams are the people that fall for them - it seems many don't google the place they are travelling to and the word scams before they travel.

 

[Danger]

I'm confused by the article. It clearly states "Here's how to handle beggars when you travel" but for the life of me I can't find the how. The article even ends at odds with the title, asking readers for their 'how'.

 

[UP4014]

If someone is begging and they look dirty I might offer them a snack at a nearby takeaway. The genuine ones seem to take it but a couple have said no!

I gave a can of beer to a guy sitting in a park (as I walked through with a carton I ripped one out) he was most pleased.

Matt

 

[JohnK]

Somehow I doubt that...on the couple that is being the richest couple in Pattaya.

Yes there are "professional" beggars of all ages...but there are also genuine beggars.

Absolutely agree there are genuine beggars but are you able to tell?

The lady with one leg in Pattaya that used to visit all the bars up and down Soi 8 Beach Road Pattaya taking instant photos for 100 baht was an very rich person. There are lots of drunk people in Pattaya who would not blink an eyelid handing over 100 baht at 11:00pm or midnight. She would easily make 2,000-3,000 baht a night in high season.

Oh and from 2006-2007 onwards the 5-6 twin girls were doing a roaring trade with the fluoro wrist bands. Hand over 20 baht and you get a fluoro wristband and most blokes would hand the fluro wristband back to them. That gig lasted a few years until the twin girls reach 13-14 years of age and developed breasts and they were now cute for different reasons to the drunks in the bars. Haven't seen them for a few years.

 

[Freq Flier 2013]

What is everyone's though of giving money to street performers. Ie playing music or juggling..?
I must admit that I give a few bucks to the music performing people every now and then.

 

[trippin_the_rift]

There are beggars, people in need and scammers. Big difference between the three.

I'll unconditionally help people in need every time.

 

[dajop]

There are beggars, people in need and scammers. Big difference between the three.

I agree, the main trouble is that it's not always easy to differentiate between the three groups, particular outside one's own culture.

 

[dajop]

A post from somewhere where begging is (almost) non existent. If in Singapore, don't ever give money to beggars. Only twice in my 7.5 years of living here I have seen beggars, and they were extremely selective in whom they begged to, I noticed both times they only begged to ang-mohs (white people), steering well clear of anybody of chinese, malay or indian descent. And neither of the two looked like they came from the truly poverty stricken part of society.

On the other hand, if at a hawker stall, and someone is offering to sell tissues, worth considering buying from. Typically they are from a disenfranchised part of society (partially disabled) and make or supplement their living by selling tissues at significant mark up to supermarket prices.

Sometimes there's a very fine line between begging and entrepreneurship. Other times there's a fine line between scamming and entrepreneurship.

 

[tuapekastar]

On the other hand, if at a hawker stall, and someone is offering to sell tissues, worth considering buying from. Typically they are from a disenfranchised part of society (partially disabled) and make or supplement their living by selling tissues at significant mark up to supermarket prices.

Agree here, both from a philanthropic viewpoint, and from a damn need for those tissues after a feed of something spicy!

 

[marki]

I have seen begging in many forms, but well to do people begging with their lovely german-Shepards to get a few more do$$ars or Romanian folk with their drugged sleeping child not necessarily the mother asking for money at ATM's are highly reformed ways of begging.

On the tube in the UK one person was into putting out tissues in small packets next to people with empty seats next to them with a note attached asking for money. (a sorry tail printed on the note). I will leave it at that The majority unfortunately are just there to make a quick buck as I do see many a people giving out hundreds of dollars.

 

[Denali]

What is everyone's though of giving money to street performers. Ie playing music or juggling..?
I must admit that I give a few bucks to the music performing people every now and then.

My husband insisted on giving money to a guy in Seattle that had a drum set made from plastic buckets because the sound was really good... Husband has a soft spot for good or young buskers (young, to encourage them because busking is hard, not to be creepy). Oh and Elmo and Cookie Monster in Times Square.

 

[vetrade]

I hate getting pestered by scammers when travelling. The ones that instantly come to mind are the gypsies around the Eiffel Tower and Montmatre who invade your personal space in groups trying to pick your pockets (often to the point of grabbing your arm or clothes to distract you). Over the years I have put together a selection of swear words and phrases in French, Italian, Spanish etc. and their correct pronunciations. Quite easy to find some rippers by Googling that would have you banned from polite company very quickly!

Have found it much more effective to tell scammers to f^#k off in their own language than English. Must be delivered with sufficient venom as well though!

 

[JohnK]

Have found it much more effective to tell scammers to f^#k off in their own language than English. Must be delivered with sufficient venom as well though!

In my experience it is just as effective to scream <!@$@%> off in English to the gypsy scammers in Paris as they approach. They undersrand quickly that you're onto their scam.

 

[Boca68]

I knew I had this pic somewhere, took me ages to find it..lol. Taken in Sevilla , Spain 2013.
Translation: Help to buy a chalet in Marbella and a Ferrari.

At least his honest....sort of

 

[marki]

I hate getting pestered by scammers when travelling. The ones that instantly come to mind are the gypsies around the Eiffel Tower and Montmatre who invade your personal space in groups trying to pick your pockets (often to the point of grabbing your arm or clothes to distract you). Over the years I have put together a selection of swear words and phrases in French, Italian, Spanish etc. and their correct pronunciations. Quite easy to find some rippers by Googling that would have you banned from polite company very quickly!

Have found it much more effective to tell scammers to <!@$@%> off in their own language than English. Must be delivered with sufficient venom as well though!

<!@$@%> Off is very understandable in English in every country I have been so far ( so it's a universal language )

 

[vetrade]

<!@$@%> Off is very understandable in English in every country I have been so far ( so it's a universal language )

Oh yes, I'm sure they understand "<!@$@%> Off" but IME using English only invites them to swear at you back in French, Italian or whatever because they assume you don't understand what they are saying. On the other hand I think they back off much quicker if they think you do understand their language.

Example: I had a gypsy (30's male) approach me near the Seine with the "I found a gold ring; did you drop it?" trick. When I just waved him away he started following me, speaking animatedly in French. I really had no idea what he was saying until I picked up on a word that made me realise he was having fun abusing me, assuming I didn't understand. He backed off quickly when I feigned my best French accent to tell him what he should do to his mother.

 

[harvyk]

My strategy is simple, ignore them and if they are moving around, or doing anything which I would call "distracting" I keep a very close eye on my wallet, just in case it is all a pick pocketing scam.
Most beggars I've come across simply sit there looking sad. I'm in no real position to judge the accuracy of their story, and even if I could, I far prefer to give my money to charities which I trust, that way the money is put towards actual programs to improve the situation, rather than one more meal for one person.