People with ‘sob stories’ going round the Sheffield area

[the_bloke 17]

I ignore them. Blatantly.

 

After years of walking to work in the city centre from the train station, I see the same people asking for money in the same spots so often it just becomes annoying. The guy with the dog outside the station I find especially galling, considering he's a well known heroin addict who lives up on the Manor.

 

All these beggars do is make people less inclined to help the genuinely homeless people, as everyone ends up assuming they are all in on the scam.

[woodmally 10]

I ignore them. Blatantly.

 

After years of walking to work in the city centre from the train station, I see the same people asking for money in the same spots so often it just becomes annoying. The guy with the dog outside the station I find especially galling, considering he's a well known heroin addict who lives up on the Manor.

 

All these beggars do is make people less inclined to help the genuinely homeless people, as everyone ends up assuming they are all in on the scam.

 

They tried a crackdown on this last year. Seems its not very successful.

 

http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/sheffield-railway-station-beggars-banned-in-new-crackdown-1-7387348

[the_bloke 17]

They tried a crackdown on this last year. Seems its not very successful.

 

http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/sheffield-railway-station-beggars-banned-in-new-crackdown-1-7387348

 

It was quiet for a while, but by September when the numbers of travellers through the station increased the beggars started appearing again.

 

It seems to have prevented them from actually being inside the station now; until the crackdown they would sometimes hang around the tram end of the bridge, stopping people who were trying to get up and down the stairs to the last platforms.

[woodmally 10]

It was quiet for a while, but by September when the numbers of travellers through the station increased the beggars started appearing again.

 

It seems to have prevented them from actually being inside the station now; until the crackdown they would sometimes hang around the tram end of the bridge, stopping people who were trying to get up and down the stairs to the last platforms.

 

Yep they often hassle people at the tramstop end. I remember last year being hassled by one at the cash point. I reported him to the security guard and he moved him on.

[Emmabroooksy 10]

Food is much better to give than money imo, or dog treats for the dog etc.

 

I once bought a very hungry homeless man a meal deal from Sainsburys, wih a triple sandwich in. He declined the lot 'cos he was vegetarian, and the cheese sandwich was in the same wrapper as a ham one!

I'd never even considered the idea he might not want it, from then I got only veggie ones just in case!

[TORONTONY 10]

Yep they often hassle people at the tramstop end. I remember last year being hassled by one at the cash point. I reported him to the security guard and he moved him on.

 

Yes ,I got one in a busy subway station here in Toronto. he had on 150$ jeans hanging around his knees, 50$ glittery baseball hat tilted to one side and his hoodie was a good 300 dollars worth. Anyway he put his face almost up to mine and spouted, " I need some change man", or words to that effect, there was no please or reason for the money given to me, a cheaply dressed senior. I replied "I only have a 100$ bill". "well go and get a pop or something at that store", he retorted. I just smiled, brushed him aside and headed for the escalator. When we were about 10 yards apart with about 30 people between us, he yelled, " you old mother f**ker," to which I yelled back, " correct, and your mother could be next". That got a few giggles LOL. I must admit,i would have acted totally .different had there been no people around

[AlexAtkin 10]

I had the weirdest experience a couple of days ago.

 

Stood at the bus stop on High Street just down from McDonalds at around 5:30pm and someone walked down the whole line holding a cup in front of us. I had my headphones in so didn't hear what they were saying, but it seemed damn cheeky.

Edited January 24, 2016 by AlexAtkin

[woodmally 10]

I had the weirdest experience a couple of days ago.

 

Stood at the bus stop on High Street just down from McDonalds at around 5:30pm and someone walked down the whole line holding a cup in front of us. I had my headphones in so didn't hear what they were saying, but it seemed damn cheeky.

 

I dont know as you havent said but I would hazard a guess they are not English. This isnt a racist comment but based on the fact that they are doing this because their english isnt great. Therefore needing to visually point out they need money.

 

Worryingly if they are not its possibly some Romanian people that frequent our town centre. I worry about this group as I am concerned that they are being exploited by gangs.

[Mr Bloke 1,445]

I dont know as you havent said but I would hazard a guess they are not English. This isnt a racist comment but based on the fact that they are doing this because their english isnt great. Therefore needing to visually point out they need money.

 

Worryingly if they are not its possibly some Romanian people that frequent our town centre. I worry about this group as I am concerned that they are being exploited by gangs.

... or it could have been some kindly McDonalds employee handing out free hot drinks to a bus queue of cold commuters?

[Mighty Clean 10]

When they ask for some change as they have lost there wallet and all the way from such as Doncaster I just say I know how you **** 1ng feel I'm trying to get back to Narnina,would you help me buy a wardrobe if I help you find your wallet... The amazed faces I've seen doing this gives them a funny yet polite answer to there supposed worries.

 

Turn there problems around with humour I always say fake or otherwise as if they are genuine making someone smile always helps and if there fake it will just show to them your not the only clown on the street that day!

[Chelle-82 10]

I very rarely give money to anyone anymore.. I might chuck the odd quid in an animal charity box and I'll donate to work colleagues that are raising money by doing a run or something like that but I certainly don't give anything to people that come up to me on the street and ask!

 

A good few years back I went down town with the girlies for a few beverages and on my way to get a taxi back home I walked passed this homeless woman and her dog, it was a freezing cold night and I was obviously a little tipsy because I gave the woman a fiver and I said that she better make sure that dog got something to eat and she told me to EFF OFF!!!!! she took the fiver then swore at me!! cheeky mare... that was the last time I gave money to someone in the street.

 

When I used to work in town I regularly bought this homeless chap a cup of coffee and i would sit with him outside the cathedral on my lunch break... not seen him around for quite some time and I wonder what happened to him and if he's OK. I liked him, he was a lovely man.

[Super Hans 10]

A homeless drunk guy asked me for 7p for bus fare the other day!

 

I was gutted i had no change on me cause i was genuinely curious on how that one worked. Im pretty sure he didnt need 7p for bus fair.

 

Any ideas?

 

I'm guessing it's a psychological trick, they ask for 7p to make you feel sorry for them that they're not being so greedy as to ask for more, so you're perhaps more willing to give him more money like 50p or a quid or summat.

 

I've never given homeless money I think because I live in the centre I see them every day and I'm more inclined to their tricks. Other week though against my better judgement I was inebriated and this guy outside McDonalds about 11pm I asked him if he wanted a drink expecting him to say a tea or coffee or summat, no, I **** you not he asked for these specialty lattes with vanilla and the lot, unbelievable.

 

Does anyone know the story of the woman who sits in the doorway of the closed GT News on high Street? She sits there all day rain or shine, never asks for money but she looks strangely affluent in a way