St Louis Homeless and Panhandlers

tax guru · PostSep 25, 2006#3762006-09-25T01:19+00:00

I ride the subway everyday and unfortunately during rush hour it is common to get 2-3 requests for money a day. The requests have come a long way over the years but generally take 2 or 3 forms. The panhaddler will start in one car and work his or her way through the entire train. Common stories are: (1) I work for blah, blah organization and I'm raising money for the homeless. We buy sandwiches etc. (2) (usually a lady) I was laid off and I need to raise money for my children (sometimes carrying a baby), and (3) (youths) We are selling candy bars or just asking for donations to buy uniforms for our basketball or soccer team.

Another favorite is to stand right outside the subway and ask for a quarter for a ride because he/she needs to get home. The same person will stand there for an hour collecting change.

The panhandlers are NOT aggressive or overly annoying. They tell their story and hold out their cub or hat and move on.

Ironically, minorities and younger people seem to give more than well dressed suit types. Take from that what you will.

bastiat · PostSep 25, 2006#3772006-09-25T03:44+00:00

Tax Guru wrote:I ride the subway everyday and unfortunately during rush hour it is common to get 2-3 requests for money a day. The requests have come a long way over the years but generally take 2 or 3 forms. The panhaddler will start in one car and work his or her way through the entire train. Common stories are: (1) I work for blah, blah organization and I'm raising money for the homeless. We buy sandwiches etc. (2) (usually a lady) I was laid off and I need to raise money for my children (sometimes carrying a baby), and (3) (youths) We are selling candy bars or just asking for donations to buy uniforms for our basketball or soccer team.

Another favorite is to stand right outside the subway and ask for a quarter for a ride because he/she needs to get home. The same person will stand there for an hour collecting change.

The panhandlers are NOT aggressive or overly annoying. They tell their story and hold out their cub or hat and move on.

Ironically, minorities and younger people seem to give more than well dressed suit types. Take from that what you will.

Why aren't they kicked off of the trains? That is an outrage, people should not have to be harassed just to get to work. If I were running a business of transporting people, I would want to make the ride as nice as possible to attract riders, not cave to a politically protected parasite class.

Are you insinuating that well dressed suit types are smarter than minorities and young people?

I was downtown looking at the Park Pacific the other day. I asked about the homeless problem and the sales lady said that the homeless have only been a problem since the building was vacated and they had basically been given free reign. She said that was to change once the park renovations happen. As I was leaving, I was treated to a nice shot of a homeless man relieving himself on a park tree. Ah, the city, the center of civilization...

tax guru · PostSep 25, 2006#3782006-09-25T04:01+00:00

^ I didn't want to insinuate anything because that would probably start a whole new thread. Ergo, "Take from that what you will."

As far as the MTA (pseudo govt org that runs the subway) is concerned, they have a monopoly so I don't know how much they worry about that sort of thing. I'll say this, the train is a much safer place than it was 15 years ago. But NYC as a whole is a lot safer than it was 15 years ago.

As for the homeless assembling in one place, in New York the homeless always occupy areas where no private person has a right to complain. Vacant properties are a prime example. And this sort of makes sense to me. It's an area where they can exist without being bothered, and yet they are close to services and people who they can ask for money.

Hopefully, as St. Louis begins to fill in and vacant properties begin to dissapear, the homeless will have a tougher time taking over an area.

That said, like most of you, I would like to think that adequate housing and services could be provided for them to take care of their needs.

stlmike · PostSep 25, 2006#3792006-09-25T14:33+00:00

I'm sure my Chicago buds can attest that panhandeling on most parts of the CTA is rare. However, once you pass Chinatown going south on the red line, it's like a light switch goes on and suddenly out come the panhandelers and people selling bootleg DVDs.

They're not scary, not aggressive, and easy to ignore. I'd prefer that they got kicked out because it's definately an inappropriate place for this. But I know you really can't stop everyone. You can't have a patrolman on every car and I'm not going to call the police everytime I see this... I have a life.

tax guru · PostSep 25, 2006#3802006-09-25T15:04+00:00

I actually don't mind the DVD salesmen. While I don't condone it, and I don't buy the DVD's anymore because they are poor quality, I don't think they are anywhere near as bad as panhandlers. Like the battery and toy salesmen/ladies, they are at least providing a service and not asking for anything for FREE. They also rarely say anything and simply walk through the cars without bothering anybody.

As for the panhandlers, I couldn't agree more, I wish the MTA (NY's version) could put a stop to them.

jeff · PostSep 25, 2006#3812006-09-25T21:34+00:00

stlmike wrote:I'm sure my Chicago buds can attest that panhandeling on most parts of the CTA is rare. However, once you pass Chinatown going south on the red line, it's like a light switch goes on and suddenly out come the panhandelers and people selling bootleg DVDs.

They're not scary, not aggressive, and easy to ignore. I'd prefer that they got kicked out because it's definately an inappropriate place for this. But I know you really can't stop everyone. You can't have a patrolman on every car and I'm not going to call the police everytime I see this... I have a life.

I actually get panhandled/solicited for stolen goods about half the time I take the train in Chicago. It seems to happen most often during off-peak hours. I guess maybe there are fewer patrol guys on at than time. Amazingly, though, I've seen beggers doing there thing right next to CTA employees who don't say a thing. Go figure.

PostSep 25, 2006#3822006-09-25T21:42+00:00

Tax Guru wrote:
Ironically, minorities and younger people seem to give more than well dressed suit types. Take from that what you will.

Okay, this reminds me of something I really hate about pan-handlers. Almost every time I'm on the train or out at night amongst a racially mixed crowd, the (mostly black) panhandlers skip all the black people and immediately start harrassing the white and asian people. It doesn't matter whether I'm dressed up or down, if I'm the only white guy or in the majority; this racial selection of panhandling happens about every time. I don't like to give money to any panhandler, but especially not racist ones!

tax guru · PostSep 25, 2006#3832006-09-25T21:48+00:00

The panhandlers on the subway in NYC do not discriminate. They will ask anyone for money. 100% class.

Alex Ihnen · PostSep 25, 2006#3842006-09-25T21:52+00:00

Okay, this reminds me of something I really hate about pan-handlers. Almost every time I'm on the train or out at night amongst a racially mixed crowd, the (mostly black) panhandlers skip all the black people and immediately start harrassing the white and asian people. It doesn't matter whether I'm dressed up or down, if I'm the only white guy or in the majority; this racial selection of panhandling happens about every time. I don't like to give money to any panhandler, but especially not racist ones!

I've seen this as well at Schuck's and elsewhere. I've also seen a panhandler get a less than receptive - make that downright hostile - reaction, something along the lines of "get off your a** and get a job!" Somehow I don't belive I could get away with that.

dweebe · PostOct 06, 2006#3852006-10-06T19:12+00:00

Saw something interesting today at Hobo park.

Girlfriend drove down today and we went to lunch at Zuzu. As we were driving back past Lucas Park there was a guy naked from the waist down cleaning himself in the fountain. I did a triple take as we passed by. (this was around 1:30pm today)

Thanks for making the area classy Mr. Rice.

the central scrutinizer · PostOct 06, 2006#3862006-10-06T19:41+00:00

dweebe wrote:Saw something interesting today at Hobo park.

Girlfriend drove down today and we went to lunch at Zuzu. As we were driving back past Lucas Park there was a guy naked from the waist down cleaning himself in the fountain. I did a triple take as we passed by. (this was around 1:30pm today)

Thanks for making the area classy Mr. Rice.

If we want this to change, we have to act. You should have stopped your car and called the police. And taken a picture if possible (camera phone?). Then when they show up, point the guy out.

stlmike · PostOct 06, 2006#3872006-10-06T19:43+00:00

That is pretty bad.

dweebe · PostOct 06, 2006#3882006-10-06T20:04+00:00

The Central Scrutinizer wrote:
dweebe wrote:Saw something interesting today at Hobo park.

Girlfriend drove down today and we went to lunch at Zuzu. As we were driving back past Lucas Park there was a guy naked from the waist down cleaning himself in the fountain. I did a triple take as we passed by. (this was around 1:30pm today)

Thanks for making the area classy Mr. Rice.

If we want this to change, we have to act. You should have stopped your car and called the police. And taken a picture if possible (camera phone?). Then when they show up, point the guy out.

Had a delivery truck right behind me so I couldn't stop and left my cell phone at my desk so I couldn't call. (knocks self on head)

the central scrutinizer · PostOct 06, 2006#3892006-10-06T20:12+00:00

dweebe wrote:
The Central Scrutinizer wrote:
dweebe wrote:Saw something interesting today at Hobo park.

Girlfriend drove down today and we went to lunch at Zuzu. As we were driving back past Lucas Park there was a guy naked from the waist down cleaning himself in the fountain. I did a triple take as we passed by. (this was around 1:30pm today)

Thanks for making the area classy Mr. Rice.

If we want this to change, we have to act. You should have stopped your car and called the police. And taken a picture if possible (camera phone?). Then when they show up, point the guy out.

Had a delivery truck right behind me so I couldn't stop and left my cell phone at my desk so I couldn't call. (knocks self on head)

Yeah, you don't want to get rear ended!

I wasn't picking on you, but just in general, I always hear people mention stuff like this, but they never do anything about it.

"I got about 2 hours of sleep last night because the neighbors were having a loud party", "The guy across the street has a car up on blocks in his front yard, and it just makes the whole neighborhood look terrible", etc...

People complain, but they don't do anything about it.

matt · PostOct 06, 2006#3902006-10-06T20:34+00:00

It's nothing new. Without going into graphic detail, a friend told me they saw two have sex in the park the other morning. We've got an emerging little red light district down at ole Larry's Place.

In Soulard Park, you can catch 'em having sex fairly frequently if you go looking.

Maybe St. Louis Effort for Aids should start making a big deal about passing out condoms in the parks?

stlmike · PostOct 06, 2006#3912006-10-06T20:51+00:00

^ Okay, that's just unacceptable.

There are lots of homeless people in any major city's central business district / downtown. To some extent, it just comes along with living in a dense urban core and any urbanite has to get used to some grit, somepeople who, for whatever reason, just don't make it. However, you don't exactly see homeless people having sexual intercourse in the middle of a public park. This is ridiculous.

This is the kind of thing where you stop what you're doing and find a phone.

crbswiss · PostOct 06, 2006#3922006-10-06T20:58+00:00

This type of thing comes with living in an urban evironment. A number of times now I've seen people having sex in the park along lake Michigan late at night, and it isn't the homeless. As long as its out of site of most people (i.e. late at night when parks are closed anyway) and they don't run around naked they can fornicate as much as they want as long as I'm concerned. If the police catch them fine, if they don't I won't be up in arms about it. However, I agree that the naked guy in the fountain in broad daylight should be delt with.

stlmike · PostOct 06, 2006#3932006-10-06T21:01+00:00

Well, Lake Michigan is separated from the city enough where it seems private enough to seem slightly more appropriate, and it's also on the lake... on a beach. Maybe this is just a taste issue, but i wouldn't exactly call the park infront of the central library intimate or private. I also got the impression this was going on in broad daylight.

crbswiss · PostOct 06, 2006#3942006-10-06T21:05+00:00

True, and I'm not entirely certain where Soulard park is located, so as far as visibility I have no idea.

steve · PostOct 06, 2006#3952006-10-06T21:06+00:00

In Rome, I saw two people having sex on the ruins of the Circus Maximus. I don't think they were homeless.

This is, by the way, a totally pointless anecdote. The past couple of posts made me think of it.

stlmike · PostOct 06, 2006#3962006-10-06T21:10+00:00

Okay, yeah. I re-read it. He said they were having sex in Lucas Park "the other morning." That's in easy public view, and it's also really close to the Day Care place. Lake Michigan at night is comprable to the Arch grounds at night. This is more comprable to Daley Plaza in the morning. Obviously not as crowded, nor as stupid...

crbswiss · PostOct 06, 2006#3972006-10-06T21:15+00:00

I light of recent events I retract my statement.

tax guru · PostOct 06, 2006#3982006-10-06T21:18+00:00

I almost had sex under the arch. -- this is the new topic right?

crbswiss · PostOct 06, 2006#3992006-10-06T21:21+00:00

Does that mean you were arrested?

tax guru · PostOct 06, 2006#4002006-10-06T21:34+00:00

How could I be arrested? Nobody does anything when they see you. They just go home, log on, and complain in the forum. The reason it was "almost" was because my lady friend just didn't think it was as cool as I did to do it in a public place.

St Louis Homeless and Panhandlers

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