Beggars, homeless, street drinkers & drug users in Sheffield!

[addylewis 10]

It's hard to feel sorry for them when they're a constant nuisance - I had one guy ask me for money the second I stepped off the bus (he was waiting at the bus stop) then proceeded to follow me and talk AT me whilst I was walking...I got off the 120 outside Cavendish and was walking to West Street Live...he walked with me all the way (to my annoyance).  I had the homeless scouse guy ask if he should wait outside the shop for me (which I was actually only going IN because I wanted the guy to leave me alone).  I was on my way to the bus stop outside McDonalds after band rehearsal and de-toured to avoid the homeless drunks fighting outside, THEN was asked for money by some guy claiming to be a rapper who'd started talking AT me and FOLLOWING me to the other bus stop...DURING MY DETOUR to AVOID SCROUNGERS - this kind of thing for pedestrians who rely on public transport is a real pain in the arse...once I was playing a gig, and every time I went outside to smoke the SAME homeless guy came up to me and asked for money...I avoid town like the plague unless I'm playing in the bands nowadays because of the CONSTANT harassment...

[woodmally 10]

Saw a dealer take money from the homeless guy outside the former a Yorkshire bank next to Fitzallan Square tram stop. So blatantly too. And people are shocked why we have no compassion when they spend the money they get on drugs and have the cheek to ask us for it. 

[*_ash_* 88]

3 hours ago, woodmally said:

Saw a dealer take money from the homeless guy outside the former a Yorkshire bank next to Fitzallan Square tram stop. So blatantly too. And people are shocked why we have no compassion when they spend the money they get on drugs and have the cheek to ask us for it. 

At least when Fitzalan Sq is finished, they'll have somewhere more comfy to deal around.

[woodmally 10]

I wonder if any ideas come out of this conference? Or will it just be another glorified talking shop. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-46428360

Edited December 4, 2018 by woodmally

[fill 10]

On 12/1/2018 at 6:55 PM, woodmally said:

Saw a dealer take money from the homeless guy outside the former a Yorkshire bank next to Fitzallan Square tram stop. So blatantly too. And people are shocked why we have no compassion when they spend the money they get on drugs and have the cheek to ask us for it. 

im just interested...   i'd like to get this straight .... when those that have little or nothing choose to spend a little of what they do have to (in their opinion) to enhance their existence a little if only by burying reality for a while you think you have the right to judge them for making one of the few decisions they are still empowered to make.  

 

im not saying they are right to buy or drugs ..or wrong..  in fact many people would have many drugs freely available to us all...  what I am questioning is how you think you are in postition to either pass judgement on others or even if you have sufficent experience to be able to make informed decisions on how others conduct their lives to simply get through today.

[Anna B 1,414]

10 minutes ago, fill said:

im just interested...   i'd like to get this straight .... when those that have little or nothing choose to spend a little of what they do have to (in their opinion) to enhance their existence a little if only by burying reality for a while you think you have the right to judge them for making one of the few decisions they are still empowered to make.  

 

im not saying they are right to buy or drugs ..or wrong..  in fact many people would have many drugs freely available to us all...  what I am questioning is how you think you are in postition to either pass judgement on others or even if you have sufficent experience to be able to make informed decisions on how others conduct their lives to simply get through today.

I have to agree.

 

I don't think any of us who have not had to endure what they have endure can imagine just what their lives are like. Even people who have 'slept out' as say, part of a charity or awareness raising event, have the comfort of knowing they have a warm bed waiting for them tomorrow and a life to go back to.  Being truly homeless and sleeping rough, with very little hope of a better life  is a whole different matter.

 

Their problems are usually multiple, complex, and not easily or quickly sorted. I think I might be using drugs as a means of escaping a pretty horrible exsistence,  if I was in their shoes.

[fill 10]

Just now, Anna B said:

I have to agree.

 

I don't think any of us who have not had to endure what they have endure can imagine just what their lives are like. Even people who have 'slept out' as say, part of a charity or awareness raising event, have the comfort of knowing they have a warm bed waiting for them tomorrow and a life to go back to.  Being truly homeless and sleeping rough, with very little hope of a better life  is a whole different matter.

 

Their problems are usually multiple, complex, and not easily or quickly sorted. I think I might be using drugs as a means of escaping a pretty horrible exsistence,  if I was in their shoes.

well said Anna

 

in their case it might help to think of whatever substance they choose to use or abuse ( which is after all only a matter of opinion) as anaesthetic against some of the realities of life.

[Cyclone 10]

I know this is 135 pages long, but I think we covered reasons why the genuinely homeless turn to drink and drugs back in the early teens of pages!  They have a grindingly hard and harsh existence.  It's self medication effectively.

[lazarus 68]

Just why are beggars tolerated? most of them smoke, have a mobile so they are not that hard up, the immigrants that play accordians for money just why aren't they sent home to busk, one bloke just blows a recorder without any tune at all and usually near the Halifax on High Street an middle eastern woman holds her hand out while pretending to mouth words. She is not homeless she's picked up by car and driven away. It's the older people who are usually conned by beggars.

[woodmally 10]

7 hours ago, lazarus said:

Just why are beggars tolerated? most of them smoke, have a mobile so they are not that hard up, the immigrants that play accordians for money just why aren't they sent home to busk, one bloke just blows a recorder without any tune at all and usually near the Halifax on High Street an middle eastern woman holds her hand out while pretending to mouth words. She is not homeless she's picked up by car and driven away. It's the older people who are usually conned by beggars.

Firstly the old woman and the cup is run by a few gangs sadly so I think she is being exploited.    You see a few of them round the city. As for the rest of the beggars the reason they are tolerated is because of a few things. Firstly you will find it a lot on here what I call "If you have walked a mile their shoes" or "There by the grace of God" brigade. People who feel sorry for them who some how think its not their fault they are on the streets even though they have all been offered help and accommodation and thrown it in peoples faces. Also as we have an influx of students who are trying to help they feel the need to give them money. So these people spend it on drugs  and dont seek the help. I remember when Tent City was up near Park Hill I would look out of my road and a queue of homeless outside Park Library waiting for their fix from the local dealers.  To top it all the police do nothing. People can see them dealing in the city centre.  Whats needed is a 0 tolerance stop and search and the drugs confiscated every day till they realise taking drugs is unworkable in the city centre as opposed to being openly dealt by guys on bicycles outside the Bankers Draft and the old LLoyds Building near the Cathedral. 

Edited December 10, 2018 by woodmally

[Cyclone 10]

7 hours ago, lazarus said:

Just why are beggars tolerated? most of them smoke, have a mobile so they are not that hard up, the immigrants that play accordians for money just why aren't they sent home to busk, one bloke just blows a recorder without any tune at all and usually near the Halifax on High Street an middle eastern woman holds her hand out while pretending to mouth words. She is not homeless she's picked up by car and driven away. It's the older people who are usually conned by beggars.

And I suppose the bloke in a sleeping bag outside Tesco's on Derek Dooley Way at gone 10 last night was just working the late shift...

[woodmally 10]

40 minutes ago, Cyclone said:

And I suppose the bloke in a sleeping bag outside Tesco's on Derek Dooley Way at gone 10 last night was just working the late shift...

No but has he been offered accommodation?  Maybe read this blog and let me know your thoughts. http://www.helpushelp.uk/blog/our-outreach-teams-out-on-the-streets-daily