What do you do if the beggar is a newbie trucker? Not making enough to eat yet. Schlepped into the truck stop diner to get away from the snoring trainer. Huddled into a corner failing to make himself happy with a cup of coffee and stick of beef jerky. Wondering how he let himself get talked into this...
Been there, done that. Lived for 6 months on $100 advances. It sucks, but there's ways to get by with one's pride intact.
I have lived in this big city for 8 years. I drive the same streets all the time. It has ALWAYS been the same people. At the same intersections. At the same time of day. With the same signs. With the same walk. With the same routines. They work the suckers around half a day. Making sure they are in the shade of a building. When they get enough to satisfy their "needs" for the evening they are gone. It is all tax free $. I once thought about how many times a stop light turned green every hour. And if they could get $2-$3 every time that stop light cycled...they are making some good coin! And it does happen. I have been stopped waaaay back in a line at a red light. Once somebody up front gives money it is like a chain reaction of guilt! A lot of cars role down the window. Do not feel guilty! Watch them in your mirrors when the light turns green and you pull through the intersection. They will be walking back and setting up for the next wave of suckers. Most work in pairs. One either hiding waiting his shift. Or across working the next intersection. I could write a book about these bums that do not want to work. Probably drawing food stamps also. Then you got the ones that hit you up in parking lots. Bus fare. Gas. Broken fan belt. (Fished out of a dumpster by a garage. I asked the hotel I was checking in at and the guy had been doing it for months.) OH! Another classic just popped into mind. I"m down in Florida at a red light. There is a guy with a girl and dog panhandling at the intersection. Hmmmm. I have seen them before. AHA! I remembered them from a cold city that is warm in the summer. They follow the sun...what a life. I have no remorse for giving $ to these pros.
one time out of many, one man walked up to me and asked if I had a few dollars to spare... I spoke in another language & he immediately walked away. was in Birmingham AL flying J. years ago. all I do is speak, Russian, German or Hungarian & they think I do not know any english.
I was at a Lowe's picking up some things and a guy had a sign that said will work for food. I rolled down my window and offered him some work, I needed my yard raked. He laughed at me and declined. They don't want to work, they want everyone to give it to them. Another guy was always working a exit to a shopping center, Sign said homeless with children or something. It was the end of his shift one day and I happened to be there, I was amazed to see him climb into a newer Mercedes. I am sure these people are making a killing off of other peoples stupidity and gullibility. No cash is often the excuse I use or I tell them I am living on a credit card.
Oh and OP to seriously answer your question, if they approach me while I am parked, I just say no and jump back in my sleeper before they try to renegotiate. They will just leave as they don't want any problems. Haha, one night in Youngstown there was a weird woman on the CB who kept asking everyone for a ride for hours. A few drivers offered her a ride, she would look at the driver, and then refuse. She wasn't working either, I guess she just needed a ride. She pissed off one driver by calling him a ###### when he told her to #### and he actually called the police on her. The police came and arrested her.
I usually say F off ya vagrant! The other favorite is when you see them coming beat them to it and ask them if they can spare some money or change. Adam
