How do you interact with the homeless?

I don't know if he was homeless, but the first time I ever went to the Port Authority bus terminal in NYC, I must've looked a bit bewildered trying to figure out where my platform was, and some shabby-looking guy came up to me and offered to show me the way. After he did so, he asked me for a couple of bucks, which I reluctantly gave him. He then yelled at me for not giving him the twenty he saw in my wallet.

So I tend to ignore anyone who approaches me in NYC unless they're just asking for directions.

If I have restaurant leftovers with me, then they are offered. Otherwise it's usually just a "sorry" since I'm typically cashless.

I try to avoid them. Whenever they approach me I always respond with either "I'm sorry sir" or "I'm sorry ma'am."

My friend offered to buy a meal a couple years back and I had to deal with the dude inappropriately touching my arm while we were waiting on line. It's sad not to help someone but I rather not go through another interaction like that.

Masquerade Overture said:

Ignore.

I will admit I've had Patrick Bateman-like thoughts towards them occasionally.

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And people wonder why the poor are villified.
Actually, a lot of the thread explains it quite well.

Ignore them, sometimes go the other way if they look particularly intimidating. Sounds silly, but some of them legit look crazy and why take a chance if I dont have to, no big deal on my part.

Look the other way when Im at a stop light in my car and just dont make eye contact. Sad but true.

I barely do. I don't think I've seen many homeless people in Singapore. But the ones I run into in the US either walk up asking for money or are clearly on drugs.

But I'll give money or food if they have a funny sign or something.

I'm ignoring ppl who are obviously on drugs though. That person isn't gonna buy food or anything useful with the money

Look them in the eye and wave hello or give the verbal nod. I think one of the saddest things is not acknowledging another human being as being there and alive in front of you. Of course I'm a huge guy and while a few homeless guys have been obviously crazy none of them have ever bothered me and I've lived in San Francisco, NYC, and London. On the flip side I totally told my wife and daughters to completely avoid looking at homeless men and never stare at anyone else because it is a bit of a privilege as a big guy to not worry about someone else attacking me and most women may not be able to do that.

I rarely give money though, only if I see a dog (weak spot) or if they look really hungry I'll go buy some fast food if its nearby and give it to them. I know most of the time the money will be used for alcohol or drugs but meh, thats ok with me too, if life has beaten you down who am I to tell you how to live your life. I've gotten scammed a number of times by the old mom with young kids needs gas money at a grocery store but I don't care, maybe sometimes its actually for gas/bus money and if its not that poor lady has a much tougher life than me.

If I have a few spare coins I tend to accumulate enough until I have maybe a dollar or more worth and I give it to one of the homeless near a stop light. I'm not going to use the money, might as well give it to someone that will. If I don't have money to spare I tend to ignore them as they seem to be popping up in more and more stop lights and don't want to give them the false hope I have something to give.

Was doing some Christmas Eve shopping in town and noticed a homeless guy with his dog looking pretty fucking cold.

On my way back I grabbed them a couple of Double Cheeseburgers and coffee from McDonald's.

Guilty for ignoring 99% of the time.

I don't live in the city but was dating a girl that lived in the city once. I would always talk to them since I thought it would be rude to just ignore them. My ex was always yelling at me to not respond to them.

Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. If they ask for help and appear genuine, I would often give them cash if I have extra in hand.

Like other human beings, because well, they're people too.

This thread is just...

I ignore them. Our social-net is so strong that someone who lives on the streets here made the decision to do so. (Germany) Beside there are not so much homeless here.

This is not the USA where a bad decision or bad luck leads to losing a roof over the head.

Y'all are a bit sick.

I try and get them housing. They need homes.

It's really bad in Los Angeles. Income inequality is ridiculous

I sometimes give them money if I'm in a good mood and try to be nice. I feel like it's easy to subconsciously view homeless people almost as objects rather than fellow people so I try to check myself when I think like that. Drunk me apparently loves homeless people though, since I've had a few drunken conversations with random homeless folks when I've been out bar-hopping in the city. I do stay away from the homeless folks who act super drugged out or otherwise "off" though because safety.

Give em a few bucks, I usually carry a few dollar bills (also for emergencies if ever) when Im out and about running just to hand to the homeless.

DC has always had a significant amount of homeless. I rarely have cash, but when I do I give a few bucks. Many of them hang out in the same spots everyday, so I've gotten to know several of them on a superficial level.

I mean, I ignore them for the most part but if they come talk to me i talk. A new shelter opened near me and homeless folks chit chat with me and I engage them. A homeless dude chills on my apartment stoop every now and then and I'm cordial. Only less than a handful in the area make trouble.

Avoid eye contact and pretend they're not there.

Sadly, avoid and pretend they are not there.

It feels fucking horrible to write that out. Most of the time they are just normal people who've ended up in a bad situation.

I don't carry money so I wouldn't be able to give them that anyway.

Completely blank them. If they try to talk to me I just totally ghost them.

Ellis said:

Was doing some Christmas Eve shopping in town and noticed a homeless guy with his dog looking pretty fucking cold.

On my way back I grabbed them a couple of Double Cheeseburgers and coffee from McDonald's.

Guilty for ignoring 99% of the time.

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I had this guy I was working with, who wasn't used to cities. He encountered a homeless guy in the doorway of a Burger King. Despite my warning, he ended up buying the guy a couple cheeseburgers. When he gave it to the guy on the way out, he just unwrapped it and tried smush it in his face while yelling at him.

I live in Santa Monica, CA. I have to interact on a daily basis because they are everywhere. In my Ally walking aimlessly in my neighborhood, in front of Starbucks, CVS, my house, they are everywhere. I get to hear them screaming for no reason at all hours of the night,

It's about as bad as it has ever been. I have to accompany my wife to walk the dog, and go to her car because it's unsafe. Crime and burglary is all out of control, and the city's answer was to build dozens of low income housing structures and soup kitchens next to multi million dollar places. And no one seems to care in fact they built a metro so all the homeless can come straight from downtown LA to Santa Monica with ease.

We had to build 4 12 foot steel gates to keep people out after burglary attempts.
My place is on a block where each property is close to 2 million plus each In value and this is what we have to put up with.

At this point ignore, unless I see a little kid or baby. It is the best coping mechanism especially if you work in NYC.

I avoid them. Had a bad experience where I gave a homeless man a bit of cash and he started trying to sell me hard drugs and kept following me til I ducked into a nearby store.

I'm volunteering at a cold weather shelter for the homeless as I type this.

Masquerade Overture said:

Ignore.

I will admit I've had Patrick Bateman-like thoughts towards them occasionally.

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Da fuck is wrong with you?

If you want to help out the homeless don't give out money to panhandlers. Donate time or money to homeless organizations or soup kitchens.Unless you don't mind your money going to drugs and booze.

I see the same 5 or 6 homeless people on my commute everyday. One lady I've seen on the same street corner almost everyday for 10+ years I kid you not. I either ignore them or just tell them I don't have cash (which is true 90% of the time)

I give them a little money from time to time

As one of them I still help em if I can, yeah plenty are products if thier own doing, but other have just has shit strings of luck...

Don't judge em all buy a few bad examples.

Avoid/Ignore

I work in downtown San Francisco that's on the edge of the tenderloin so I find myself coming across them quite a bit. I had an altercation with an aggressive homeless person who was stealing tips when I worked at Starbucks and as much as it sucks to admit, it's had me apprehensive to engage with them as a result. Every now and then I'll come across someone and have a good conversation but there's people you meet who are genuinely down on their luck and others who are very much far gone (as a result of substance abuse or whatever) and it's heartbreaking to see.

Dicer said:

As one of them I still help em if I can, yeah plenty are products if thier own doing, but other have just has shit strings of luck...

Don't judge em all buy a few bad examples.

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Even the bad examples are stuck in a real bind. They need housing first.

Housing first is how you deal with the problem.

Ignore them.

Occasionally get annoyed by them, but then remember that while this stranger may be smelly/slightly deranged/uncomfortable to be around... I'm of sound mind and body and, y'know, have a home. So I can't complain much.

BossAttack said:

Da fuck is wrong with you?

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Mortal misanthropy. I have messed up thoughts all the time towards all sectors, denominations, and classes of my fellow man.

I'm just not psychopathic enough to act on said thoughts.

Living close to Philadelphia, I generally ignore. If I have a dollar in my pocket (i.e., I don't have to reach for my wallet), I might give one in certain cases. Other than that, I say "I'm sorry," and keep walking.

I do everything in my power to ignore them. I hate it, but it's true.

Edit: I do donate to reputable charities also

Sometimes I go grab them a cup of hot cocoa, especially during winter. Maybe a sandwich or something. I never give them money.

I don't ignore them but, due to the potential for alcohol and drugs, I won't give them money either, I usually just apologise and tell them I don't have anything on me, but talk to them like they're you know, people. I've actually ended up in conversations with some of them and, really, it's a case that I know, under different circumstances, that could be me. If I've time, I have bought tea/coffee/sandwiches for them and I've given up at least 2 umbrellas because they needed them more than I did.

Liquidsnake said:

Crime and burglary is all out of control, and the city's answer was to build dozens of low income housing structures and soup kitchens next to multi million dollar places. And no one seems to care in fact they built a metro so all the homeless can come straight from downtown LA to Santa Monica with ease.

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How is building homes for poor people and transportation for the masses (in a city that's in desperate need of it) exactly bad for a city again?

Give them change if I have any, or just ignore them.

I work downtown and smoke so I interact with homeless daily. I'm not a big fan of just straight up ignoring unless I'm in a rush. If they're asking for money I usually just say "No, sorry" and if they're asking for a cigarette I say I left the pack inside.

Ignore most of the time. If they ask me I'll say "no cash sorry

Very rarely give some petty cash.

Will judge them if they're using kids as props. See it a lot and I'm only reassured by the fact that the kids probably aren't homeless but likely just poor.

RastaMentality said:

How is building homes for poor people and transportation for the masses (in a city that's in desperate need of it) exactly bad for a city again?

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NIMBY.

There's hardly any homeless people on the streets where I live. I give nothing to beggars because I don't carry cash.

capitalCORN said:

NIMBY.

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It's like reading a direct quote from the Show Me a Hero script. all the way up to the literal steel ivory tower they built.

I really hate to ignore them, especially around holiday time but there's been a few that I've realized are just professional scammers. One guy would have his buddy drop him off in different areas on a moped in my city, freakin gave that guy 20 bucks outside a resturant (saying he was starving) and now I feel like a sucker whenever i see him around. That was my lesson to just buy them the food, dumb me.

I donate to housing programs when I can. I also donate clothes, books, food, and money when I can.

Usually just ignore them and try not to make eye contact. Makes me feel like shit but most of the homeless here just spend money they get on smokes and booze.

RastaMentality said:

It's like reading a direct quote from the Show Me a Hero script. all the way up to the literal steel ivory tower they built.

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The show sounds interesting. Will have to look for it.

I've been homeless myself, so I'll spare what change I can. I also donate to Shelter. Just saw this relevant article:

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/jan/01/homelessness-study-us-youth-1-in-10