So there is this guy sitting in front of the shopping center most days when I go for my shopping. He sits there, smoking, with a pet dog and not looking starved begging for money or just glaring at everyone for no reason. I feel very uncomfortable with that guy around especially since he obviously isn’t homeless.

He has clean looking cloths and doesn’t look starved or underfed. So I don’t beleave he is homeless.
Anyone got any thoughts on what I could do about this? I wouldn’t mind helping someone in need but feeding someone’s “addiction(s)” is not really what I have in mind :/

20 comments

  2. These people are working for organizations, and use pets or even kids in order to get more money. I thought this is common knowledge

  5. >I feel very uncomfortable with that guy around especially since he obviously isn’t homeless.

    Homeless or not, is begging an enviable situation? It’s likely not a hobby, just go on with your day and be happy you’re not at his place

  6. Ignore. Mostly they are organized. At the end of the day they are picked up by a van or walk to their car ( in LU could use free public transport) and go home. And tomorrow they return to their ‘work’.

  10. What can also be questioned is the belief that when a person asks for money they need to look « poor» to merit a well off’s person handout.

  11. Short answer, yes. He is a person in a public place. It is entirely within your right and power to ignore him sitting there just like any other pedestrian you walk by.

    So he looks at people walking by. For entertainment perhaps? Trying to get by the way he can? Don’t you think he could think of more pleasurable ways to spend his time than begging if he could? He is asking for help because he decided it is the best he could do. Shaming homeless people for their situation, other than speaking volumes of the people doing it, is just incredibly unproductive.

    What led you to believe that he isn’t homeless? He wears clean clothes perhaps. Why does it bother you that he has clean clothes? Do you value cleanliness? He might!

    So what if he is overweight, or as some here speculate mentally ill, addicted or works with an organisation of any kind? There is nothing wrong with any of those things and they don’t impact your shopping trip the slightest bit.

    On what you could do about this:

    Talk to him. Most homeless people are ostracised exactly like this from society. Imagine if people looked at you as other. Glared at you, on their way to spend an unimaginable amount of money. It is not great for anyone’s mental health. I am sure there is something you could learn from him. How to survive the streets for instance?

    Short on time, unable to talk? Buy him food. Give him money. He is asking for help, money. So what if he spends it on dope or pools it with other homeless people? Most homeless people operate like taxi drivers do, they have goals money they want to gather once they reach it they get to the things they rather be doing, beers, drugs, work or otherwise.

    If you are more interested in systematic solutions. You could look up soup kitchens like [https://servethecity.lu/](https://servethecity.lu/). Or read up on your theory.

    ​

    Feel a little compassion for all people.

  12. You can have clean clothes and be fed, but still be homeless. There’s a lot of homeless people who have jobs, just no home. Not defending the guy, but those aren’t always clear indicators.

  15. I think you’re an Ass for posting his picture here.
    You don’t seem to know the guy’s story
    So why not talk to him and find out ?

    I don’t know the guy but I’ve seen this happening in Germany and Spain with old folks that worked their whole life.

    Pension comes but it doesn’t get you far, some have a skill and use it but others don’t and have to resort to begging or even doing other stuff most wouldn’t.

    If I had a relative in need I wouldn’t like to see his picture here on Reddit.
    I’m not a Lawyer but I think you could get some kind of trouble for posting a pic of someone without consent

  16. “Anyone got thoughts on what i could do about this”

    You could mind your damn business

    A person doesn’t need to be homeless to need money

    “I feel very uncomfortable with that guy around”

    It’s bad enough that you have posted a picture of this person for the world to see, but you’d like to have some sort of violent coercion to shift them out of site?

    You ghoul

  17. Being/causing a nuisance in public spaces is wrong. I am very uncomfortable & feel unsafe with beggars or drunks everywhere in the city and neighboring villages but no one seems to want to address the issue as it sounds politically incorrect. OP you have every right to feel uncomfortable if you feel triggered and these issues must be brought up for solutions (both for them and us).

  18. Turn the question upside down: what is wrong with the kind of socio-cultural economic society we live in, that forces people in these situations and life choices?

    (Question: did you ask permission to take his photo? If so, well done. If not, ask yourself why you did not respect the man’s privacy? Might it have something to do with the fact, that homeless people and beggars are often not considered equals among ‘ordinary’ citizens with more favourable economic opportunities?)

    Most folks kn the streets like this think it unbearable of being ignored. Why not talk to the good man and ask a bit about him, history and story. It will show compassion and that someone cares.

    Try it. You will be fascinated how much you have in common.

    Humans of the world, unite!

  20. Buy him a coffee , exchange few words with him . Ask him of his situation . Chances are he will be greeting you from now on, these people love to talk as very few pay attention to them.

Leave a Reply