I understand why so many bums hang around truck stops now

Have some fun with em. If you start to walk in and see them approaching, turn aND ask if they have 5 for something to eat.

 

This more common than people think.
20 20 did a show and showed in many cities they busted on camera several of these scumbags. They also caught on camera several tag teams that work in shifts, same ramp or corner every day.

They followed a few with cameras and caught them at their very nice vehicles stripping off their bum clothes and taking off in their cars and suv's.

This is the other reason I never give out cash

 

I literally started with nothing.
Still got most of it.
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Seriously; I have on occasions helped people out.
My Freightliner tow-truck is a "service."
You call me for my service, its hourly plus mileage.
Had more than one occasion where it was end of the line and time to pay up.
The bill is cheaper than all within a 50 mile radius, and the guy is digging in the bottom
of his old lady's purse for change? Dude, I told you up front how much??? Really?
Usually if its sincere - I let it go, and knock 5 bucks off.
No way to do business, I know.
Then there's the calls - "How much from here to here?" I give a price.
"How about $20 less?"
"Next time you're in Walmart with your EBT card, buying the Filet Mignon steaks
that I can't afford, ask them if they will take $20 less."

That's why my back hurts, carrying around the meatlings for 40+ yrs. Meat with Eyes.

 

l nominate this for post of the year! People who never worked in the system, just have no idea.
These street people are often victimized by other street people, or gangs. Then, if they get busted and go to jail, they are going to be victimized much worse. It doesn't matter what lockup you're talking about, city holding jail, county jail, state or federal prison.

I witnessed it leaving Sapp Bros in Commerce City, many years ago. Beater van stopped beside beggar at freeway ramp beggar that had been working the corner, got into the van after his replacement got out.
While I've never made a practice of giving to these folks, I have, on occasion, when I felt it was legitimate.

 

I was in Little Rock and a sad little old man came to my truck
Said he and the missus were stranded
Needed 80 bucks for a radiator so he could get to Nashville
I said I'd give him ten but only had a 20
He gave me two soggy fives that reeked of whiskey
Another driver on the cb asked me which way he was going today
I said, Nashville, why?
He said, cuz two days ago he needed a radiator to get to dallas.

 

Nashville had a sale on radiators when he spoke to you.

 

So he'd made the Dallas run, and now needed to get to Nashville. So? You know how hard Texas can be on those radiators...

 

I was homeless at one time and recovered from it without government help. I got a lot of help from churches which is partly why I'm active in church now.

The issue with poor people is that when they do get some cash flow, they want nice things to compensate for the hard burden of being homeless. That's why they develop the "spend, spend, spend" mentality. I had to work hard to overcome that.

15 years after being homeless I'm now a homeowner, married, and have 2 cars. I buy nice things after I save up for them. By nice things, I have a 65" TV, nice surround sound system, new appliances and furniture, and I'm buying a grandfather clock this week. Why? Just because I want one to annoy my wife at midnight when it chimes 12 times. Lol