today i saw someone who looked a bit like a tramp, but unfortunately he had gone b4 i had the chance to give him some money.

in my eyes, the most important thing you can do is to give money to men of the road.

so next time you see one think of me and give what you can : )

by the way, if you answer no to this, you are going to look very mean, and thats what it is if you dont give money to tramps... its just mean.

its like the lottery.. it could be you down there or your kid.

dont forget your humanity. give money to tramps : D

by the way, ive heard all the xcuses.. some of them make 400 quid a day etc.

well thats not the point.

the point is, someone is appealing to you in a direct, human way and they need something, right then and there. this isnt a faceless charity who promise to do so much for 12 pound a month. this is someone who needs a bit of help, even just the acknowledgement, right there and then. dont forget to do what you can for anyone who comes to you in need.

who is answering no ?

well i hope my friend its never you down there and need a bit of help.

and if you dont think it can happen to you, think of this-

what if you lost everything ?

your looks- no-one wants you

your mind- you dont know which way is up, let alone how to make some money.

your family- who is gonna help you now ?

Right, and it really is too late for heated debate, but...

The last tramp I saw was sitting on a bench clutching a bottle of Johnny Walker. Now I like a drop of whiskey, but I only tend to get one at Christmas or on my birthday - it's bloody expensive stuff you know!

Second point, I recently witnessed a "tramp" at work. The chap concerned I recognised, and he wore a wooden leg most of the time. (Bear with me).
On this occasion, he had ditched the wooden leg in favour of a crutch, and was hopping round the town pleading poverty. I spent 10 minutes watching his antics - he would ask a passer by for money for his bus fare (usually £1), get the required amount, turn, smile, and put his £1 coin in his top pocket. In 10 minutes, he conned four people - that's £24 an hour!!

Call me cynical, but I'm in the wrong game, and no, I don't donate.

My missus is a tramp and I'm always giving her money. :grrr:

I once saw our local Big Issue seller getting a taxi!

I buy the Big Issue every week, even though I can't stand it, and I contribute to homeless charities like Shelter.

I no longer give money directly to tramps.

well i was very drunk when i made this post, but i still give money to tramps.

i do tend to give to the very trampy looking tramps, rather than young and clean ones. also i dont like the aggressive ones. someone just sitting there politely begging i will always give money to, but if they ask, not always no.

Like Bagrec - I buy The Big Issue and donate £7 pound a month to my chosen charity. Not a lot I know, but every bit helps.

I never I dish out money on the streets - used to, but a walk through town would be costing a tenner. You got to say yes to all or none... else you are playing God and choosing who is the most deserving...

If its not 'polite begging' then its probably daylight robbery. :huh:

How's the 2nd day of the journal going?

Why the strong reaction to the Issue, Bagrec? It isn't amazing, but it is ok, I think. Some good articles now and again. Covers some stuff not often covered in the mainstream media.

I never see any tramps.

Sometimes get pestered by low level con artists who spin that story about not bringing enough bus fare and only need 44p to get home. They get nowt off me.

Where the hell do you live a tenner just to walk, I had to give up walking about three years ago, the only way I can get through town at all is either in the dead of night in slippers and on tip toes or on my bike (If mummy says I've got my training wheels on right) ^_^

I'd rather give a tramp a ciggy or a cone of chips but I am known to part with a bit of change if I get approached.

I often get a Big Issue as I find some of the articles interesting.

The amusing thing about people scrounging their bus/train fare is that the journey is invariably so short they could have walked it in the time they've spent harassing strangers for money.

Honesty is what's wanted. I was once accosted by a tramp who beckoned me over to the off licence window, 'I need that' he said pointing at a bottle of Concorde. He got some cash.

I gave the local Big Issue seller a tenner one Xmas eve - bad move - the fucker follows me down the road every time he sees me now.

44p is the cost of two single cigarettes. They are bumming money for tabs. It's the new "Y'got 10p mista" for glue money.

I like going to nightclubs and I don't mind paying for it.

In that sense, yes, I give money to Tramps.

Yeah, I realise they aren't genuinely in need of their fare, I just think they'd be advised to choose a destination that does require public transport to reach.

Yeah. Call me a snob, but the quality of the writing is sub-sixth form college magazine, smug-left awfulness.
And every other issue seems to be about green issues where there's some article telling you that you can recycle your newspapers and turn your thermostat down....
and it has shit interviews with shit pop stars.
And the letters page is a hoot of "Tony B. Liar", speak your branes ghastlyness.

The stuff written by the homeless people hidden away at the back is actually better*

If I could get away with not actually taking the damn thing, and just give my seller £1.50 I'd be happier - but he's very proud of actually selling copies.


*not really.

Bagrec, you are a snob.

I once asked a tramp for some money to get home. He told me not to beg off a beggar. Double standards if u ask me.

he was in a hurry to meet hes dealer, probably.
----------------------------------------------
Id better add that I lived for ten years as a begger in Paris.
If you get a good early morning market you can make ==60 euros in a 4 hour morning.
If you want to save, its quite hard work, you cant sleep or be drunk, (no money)
and youve got to put in the hours.
It ends up being a job like any other.

The last time I gave on the street I saw this tramp looking character walking along and gave him a five & said, "Here ya go brother" and it turned out to be Keith Richards :o They should have a union card or a certificate so I don't give good money to the unkempt wealthy.

I like giving to tramps that don't expect it. But if they give me a mean stare or block my way, all they'll ever get is my middle finger.

I'm convinced giving coins to tramps brings good luck, and that I should do it more often.

Did you then move to London & beg on the streets; is your second name Orwell :P

terrible.

got very drunk last night and feel utterly vile.

feel like i will never get anywhere with anything. ugh.

thanks for asking : )

yes me too.

Depends.

I usually try to give something here and there. But if someone approaches me pissed or off their heads on something, I'm not very tempted to feed their habit. A polite beggar will get something from me more often than not though.

The last year, we've had a floodwave of Eastern European beggars here, and they look suspiciously 'professional'. Usually fat women holding out a paper cup - quite clearly they're sent out by some pimp of sorts, it's a 'job' for them and nothing else. Few - if any - legal immigrants need to beg on the streets here.

The last year we've got our local Big Issue-type magazine, and that makes it pretty easy - I always buy it, and they get something back from actually making an effort.

That's the booze. Don't listen to the booze.

I do feel the opposite ...everytime i give ... i get cursed... i guess i am playing for satan... nobody told me... i should take more... i am not a good player for this team though

yes, youre right.

i think i might go back to my healthy diet again now that i have more energy.

red wine...good for the skin..was on the telly only this morning

This is what I call a 'classic' (if minor) example of Karma:

I was walking thru town quite late one night munching on a bag of hot chips when I was approached by a tramp - well, he was actually a glue-sniffer dressed in rags (probably the closest thing we get to tramps here). He put his hand out and said "how about a few chips, mate'. In any other time and place I would be quite happy to share, but when I looked into his face I recognised him! Many years before this incident, when I had been 'slumming' it in a bedsit, he had been my neighbour and had pinched a leather jacket off me. So I said "fuck off ya cunt' and walked on. :lol:

God it felt great. I was rapt that I recognised him in an instant and it felt good to think I had finally got the prick back in a small way.

i think that's called vengeance and u come back as a fly

That's not too bad - a fly only lives for few days. A mere few days of purgatory would be a small price to pay.

The question is: what comes after the fly?

MAGGOTS...


and i boil em alive in kettle water

Now you've really put me off ...I might forget about ever getting vengeance again. :grrr:

no... vengeance is in the eye of the beholder