beggars/big issue sellers/market research etc

[hotpink]

how do you react to someone coming up to you in the street begging for money, or asking you if you've got a couple of minutes for a survey. do you mind, do you stop everythime? or do you ignore them, or tell them to p*ss off?

[girlygirl2]

Say "Sorry" then smile politely...........

[dot.hawkes]

Big issue sellers are usually trying to turn their lfe around and so i consider them a valid reason to chip in a quid or so, and the publication is always interesting and topical.
Those doinf surveys are also usually taking a job they can do during school hours and so probably not worthy of derision, beggars are usually societies sad cases and you can tell they are usually really in despair.
Now street musicians, especially those that take a stonking ghetto blaster or kareoke machine with them, they are the scum of the earth, they are noisy out of tune and usually just hoping they get noticed. lol

[dot.hawkes]

oh and don't get me started on the guy who has been selling a ragmag in Wigan town centre for 10 months, he is just a drug dealer cos he always stands near the phonebox and answers it when it rings, the community police are always waching him , maybe they have actually caught him now, i asked him several times how long he thought a rag week lasted and he just grinned and winked at me, he was taking money off pensioners and giving them a mag with dirty jokes in and it was maddening.

[grumpii]

Never stop for market research etc. Beggars and tramps can p*ss off aswell actually, they dont even offer a service, surely they could trade as shoe cleaners or such like? I find just being asked for money cheeky, from a dirty beggar, they obviously spend it on substance/ alcohol abuse, cos soap doesnt cost much and they always look filthy.

[Trojanfarce]

I'm always polite to the Big Issue sellers and occasionally buy a copy. Anyone begging, I usually ignore and the survy people just get a "Sorry, no time".
The people who seriously get on my t*ts though are these bl00dy charity collectors who want to sign you up for donations. They make a pleasant walk through the high street a real pain in the 4rse. I find i walk about half the distance again to where i'm going, trying to avoid these parasites. Here in Cardiff, we seem to have a different set every day - they're all your best mates, all seem to be swamp donkey students who think theat they can teach you something and all think that "Hi, how are you today" is going to make me want to donate to Save the Guatamalan Cockroach Foundation. Tw4ts.
Someone get me a gun.

[4getmenot]

usually I am on lunch break when I get stopped for surveys so I just say I dont have the time. I have given food or drink to beggers but refuse to give money that will probably only be spent on drugs. And occasionaly I buy Big Issue.

[dot.hawkes]

Triohan I love Cardiff, we were at St Athan and my son was born in St davids, I would love to get back there someday, I ring the staff in the shoe dept in Howells sometimes just to hear the accent, (I worked there myself).

[tiny e.a]

People begging for money I usually say, 'no, sorry,' unless they're familiar faces who I have seen being scumbags in the past in which case I just roll my eyes and say 'no'.

Big Issue sellers if I'm not buying it I say, 'no ta mate'

Survey people I say, 'sorry, I'm in a rush' and if they're particularly pushy revert to the rolling eyes and 'noooo' again.

It's the religious people coming over that do my head in most, there're these 'buddist monks' (doubt it) who are always trying to get money off me, they do my head in.

[4getmenot]

and I have given food to the beggers dogs. I went to Cardiff once and my friend kept sitting down to talk to the beggers and check out their life stories, why they were there etc.

[Pippa68]

I would (and have) quite happily bought a sarnie & cuppa for a beggar. If that isn't good enough they can go without.

If I have time I will stop for a survey..but not often.

I always give a few quid to a busker IF they are talented!

Big Issue sellers get my custom too ~ they have bought the copies out of their benefit so are recouping..and the one in my town does a good job :o)

[Trojanfarce]

Dotty, Cardiff is great , but I only work here. The ONLY down side (and i know it happens elsewhere too) are those damn donation collectors.
Live a bit further west in the city that all Cardiff people love to hate!!!

[Coppull.8dot]

I just tell them to p1ss off.

[Octavius]

There is a guy who stands outside Boots near where I work come run, sunshine, sleet or snow trying to sell Big Issue. I give him �5 every Friday on my way home and wish him a good weekend. As said above he is trying to better himself, and although I decline to take the magazine (I find it a very dull read to be honest) I know that he has been there for a while now and not just turned up out of the blue to sponge.

I avoid market researchers and just about deign to smile. I never stop for surveys, my life is too busy. I know they are just trying to do a job, but I just detest the perky, quirky, hip �n� trendy approach to getting your attention. I just muffle sorry (sod off) and walk by. I have seen some people give their credit card details to these people on the street � how brainless is that?

Beggars I generally avoid or say that I have no change for a cup of tea etc. I used to work near a regular beggar and used to buy a cup of tea and hand it to him some mornings and he was always polite, but I never gave money. What really irritates me though are people who come rattling collection boxes inside pubs when I ham having a quiet drink and a chat. Grrrr.

[Pippa68]

That is a good point Octavius ~ I would never give those survey people my bank/credit card details. Some folk are just plain daft.

[grumpii]

Forgot to put my gripe in about who annoys me, here goes, the bl00dy gonks who try to sell you a half dead rose in a pub cos you are with a woman. They normally bring the F word out of my mouth.

[Hellyon]

Big Issue - always buy one, sometimes by them coffee and have a chat.
Street Musicians - proper ones, if they are proper ones and good I always give money, married to a musician and 'there but for the grace of god.......'
Canvassers - Polite 'No'
Beggars/Homelss - depends on circumstances but I don't give money, if I think they are genuine I go and buy coffee and a sandwich/buger and I have given blankets and clothing in the past to a homeless guy near where I worked

[dot.hawkes]

Do they still do that grumpy? What about the seafood seller, i am allergic to seafood and so why do you not get a chocolate seller coming in with a whicker basket of dairy milk eh?

[SHEHE]

I do buy the Big Issue but the ones I really detest are the "Chuggers " ( charity muggers ) talking people in to signing money away ,they get paid for doing it , so it's not all going to the charity . I can spot a Mormon at long distance , pain in the butt !!! I only give to a charity that I want to , no way I would give to beggars , so they can get drunk or buy drugs.