Panhandlers

[Anonymous]

Bethesda is also ghetto now and is pretty much like Baltimore. Get off the beltway exit to Bethesda and your immediately swarmed by panhandlers, flower sellers, and what look like gypsies. So many beggars.

[Anonymous]

I personally see no reason why I cannot donate a dollar or two for a person in need. Also soup kitchens may not provide adequate edible food or may have limited hours, thus the reason for why people may panhandle. It's no small sweat off anyone's back to be kind and give a dollar or two.


I will never understand why wealthy people are bothered by a person in need. I guess the would rather have the money funneled into 503(c)(s) and potentially mismanaged than to actually do good when the need is right in front of them???

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I personally see no reason why I cannot donate a dollar or two for a person in need. Also soup kitchens may not provide adequate edible food or may have limited hours, thus the reason for why people may panhandle. It's no small sweat off anyone's back to be kind and give a dollar or two.


I will never understand why wealthy people are bothered by a person in need. I guess the would rather have the money funneled into 503(c)(s) and potentially mismanaged than to actually do good when the need is right in front of them???

Sure I have a dollar. I feel intimidated by grown men stepping forward out of doorways and asking me for it in an entitled or gruff way as often is the case..sometimes followed by a nasty comment or mockery if I don't fork over money. This happens. It's uncomfortable . Unecessary. Even when the person is pleasant it can be a really weird interaction. It's playing on a power /societal dynamic. Do you basically just enjoy feeling "above" the person, or like a savior? I'm fine with my social interactions being a polite smile or greeting in the street, and giving to a charity of my choice. And yes , I think we could then get back to really giving to the people in need - the lost child, the person without metro fare, without burn out. Id like society to get back to more genuine interactions. These are constant scams.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I personally see no reason why I cannot donate a dollar or two for a person in need. Also soup kitchens may not provide adequate edible food or may have limited hours, thus the reason for why people may panhandle. It's no small sweat off anyone's back to be kind and give a dollar or two.


I will never understand why wealthy people are bothered by a person in need. I guess the would rather have the money funneled into 503(c)(s) and potentially mismanaged than to actually do good when the need is right in front of them???

Sure I have a dollar. I feel intimidated by grown men stepping forward out of doorways and asking me for it in an entitled or gruff way as often is the case..sometimes followed by a nasty comment or mockery if I don't fork over money. This happens. It's uncomfortable . Unecessary. Even when the person is pleasant it can be a really weird interaction. It's playing on a power /societal dynamic. Do you basically just enjoy feeling "above" the person, or like a savior? I'm fine with my social interactions being a polite smile or greeting in the street, and giving to a charity of my choice. And yes , I think we could then get back to really giving to the people in need - the lost child, the person without metro fare, without burn out. Id like society to get back to more genuine interactions. These are constant scams.

Lot’s of excuses and assumptions (as usual) right there. Many are women and just sit there holding a sign.

[Anonymous]

To the pp, you should move to the suburbs or on a farm if you cannot handle a pandhandler who is grumpy. Obviously, if you were poor, hungry, cold and tired, you would have an attitude as well. It's mind blowing how "scared" you are to be nice and yet you also want to be a city dweller. Panhandlers come with the territory.
Being kind has nothing to do with being a savior.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To the pp, you should move to the suburbs or on a farm if you cannot handle a pandhandler who is grumpy. Obviously, if you were poor, hungry, cold and tired, you would have an attitude as well. It's mind blowing how "scared" you are to be nice and yet you also want to be a city dweller. Panhandlers come with the territory.
Being kind has nothing to do with being a savior.

I can and do handle panhandlers who are grumpy. It doesn't mean I have to lie back and enjoy it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Bethesda is also ghetto now and is pretty much like Baltimore. Get off the beltway exit to Bethesda and your immediately swarmed by panhandlers, flower sellers, and what look like gypsies. So many beggars.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I always give a dollar to anyone who asks. I can easily afford it and I would want the same if I was in need. Grown adults don't need your judgment they need your empathy.

I really hate you for doing this. It’s your right, but to me it’s abuse of our shared space. If you want to give people cash gifts that’s fine. Do it in your house. I’m sure if you post an ad, people will show up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I personally see no reason why I cannot donate a dollar or two for a person in need. Also soup kitchens may not provide adequate edible food or may have limited hours, thus the reason for why people may panhandle. It's no small sweat off anyone's back to be kind and give a dollar or two.


I will never understand why wealthy people are bothered by a person in need. I guess the would rather have the money funneled into 503(c)(s) and potentially mismanaged than to actually do good when the need is right in front of them???

I’m not bothered by the beggars honestly as much as I am by you. To me what you do is much worse.

[Anonymous]

From my daily commute, I now recognize the Vienna-Falls Church “regulars”: the overweight mid 30s woman in leggings and a baseball cap w/ ponytail at Nutley St/Pan Am medians who seems to be the ringleader and partnered with an ever changing male. They coordinate their breaks and schedules. Then a few miles down by Unique it’s the grizzled rail thin limping man with a sign who waves and sits atop an overturned grocery cart.

Next time you see the curbside panhandlers, notice the overflowing trash, empty water bottles, food wrappers all around and along the median strips and falling into the sewer drain.

There’s also an abandoned homeless/panhandler shopping cart facing Gallows Road just down from Unique. Had been covered with a trash bag tarp that’s blown off. Contents are now wet blankets and full target grocery bags. It’s been there for two weeks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I always give a dollar to anyone who asks. I can easily afford it and I would want the same if I was in need. Grown adults don't need your judgment they need your empathy.

You're part of the problem. Our taxes pay to help them out. Now we have panhandlers on every street corner. And they use the money for drugs.

Would you give money if someone who didn't "look" homeless or like an addict approached you and explained that they lost their phone and wallet?
This has happened to people I know. No money, no phone, too far from home to walk. They had to ask strangers for money to take the subway.

Absolutely not. I’m happy to call 311 for them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I always say no firmly and sometimes suggest food pantries, etc. They don't seem to want that information.

Like any other unsolicited advice.

They aren't soliciting advice but they ARE soliciting money. Pfffffffttttttttt to that.

[Anonymous]

There are plenty of places for someone in need to get a free meal.

STOP ENABLING PANHANDLERS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:From my daily commute, I now recognize the Vienna-Falls Church “regulars”: the overweight mid 30s woman in leggings and a baseball cap w/ ponytail at Nutley St/Pan Am medians who seems to be the ringleader and partnered with an ever changing male. They coordinate their breaks and schedules. Then a few miles down by Unique it’s the grizzled rail thin limping man with a sign who waves and sits atop an overturned grocery cart.

Next time you see the curbside panhandlers, notice the overflowing trash, empty water bottles, food wrappers all around and along the median strips and falling into the sewer drain.

There’s also an abandoned homeless/panhandler shopping cart facing Gallows Road just down from Unique. Had been covered with a trash bag tarp that’s blown off. Contents are now wet blankets and full target grocery bags. It’s been there for two weeks.

This is vastly different from city homeless persons who are very clearly unclean, hungry and look disheveled.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I always give a dollar to anyone who asks. I can easily afford it and I would want the same if I was in need. Grown adults don't need your judgment they need your empathy.

I really hate you for doing this. It’s your right, but to me it’s abuse of our shared space. If you want to give people cash gifts that’s fine. Do it in your house. I’m sure if you post an ad, people will show up.

You are pathetic, abuse of shared space?

The way people attempt to make themselves victims. You better hope that you or your children never. ever become homeless or fall on hard times because this sentence will come back to your memory and you will have to eat those words instead of a warm meal.