Sketchy fvcker on the sidewalk at 2:30 am...

I was just driving home after my night shift along a pretty major LA street. I see a guy on the side of the road looking a little anxious, and as I get closer he starts waving his arms around trying to flag me down like he's in some kind of trouble. So thinking the guy might really need some help I stop & roll down my window. Stupid, maybe. But if I was in trouble somewhere trying to flag down cars for help I would hope someone might stop for me.

But of course the guy isn't in trouble, he just wants a ride because he's stuck out on this street corner for some unexplainable reason. A ride "right around the corner", and for my trouble he promises to give me $40 and some weed. Alarm bells go off in my head like crazy. If the place you urgently need to go is apparently so near by, why don't you just walk? If you have $40 in your pocket, why not go across the street to the gas station and have them call you a cab? Weed? I like it as much as the next guy, but I don't go around offering it to strangers in return for dangerous favors. There is no way this guy is getting in my car...

So I tell him I'm just not in the business of giving rides to people I don't know and pull away. He calls me a fag. Maybe the guy actually was in a bind and meant no harm, and if that's the case then I feel bad for him and hope he's okay. But when you're trying to get out of a bind by doing completely illogical things and can't explain yourself in a way that doesn't make you sound like some sort of conniving sociopath, people are going to fall back on self preservation and assume the worst about you.

Not that it really bothers me, but I could have done without the low brow parting insult too. If that's the reaction you have toward someone that is at least concerned enough to stop but is unwilling to do what you're asking, what do you have to yell at all the cars that don't stop at all?

You made the right call don't think twice about it. I've had a ton of people flag me down and I won't stop, maybe I'm a prick but as a truck driver you hear plenty of stories of guys stopping to help a stranded woman and another guy jumps out from behind the car, stabs you, and robs you.

Can't be nice these days. I saw a biker once stopped on the side of the road and his bike was broken down, I was in my pickup and pulled over asked if he needed a lift we could toss his bike in the back, he gives me a dirty look and says I don't need any fucking help. Yeah, that was the last time I ever tried to help anyone.

You went through all the steps and came out with the most logical response. Like cloak said, don't give it a second thought, you did the right and best thing.

just remember, if anyone does stop to give you a ride, you have to obey the rules of the road and follow the rules of "the book"

This reminds me alot of when I lived in Houston. Hometown of the most begging-est mofos on earth.

One night I was out cruising around 2am and I come to a stop light in the far left lane. Out of the corner of my eye I see this young woman, mid 20s probably come running across the damn street and I'm like oh shit here we go. I had my window rolled all the way down and she had the curtosy to stop maybe 2-3 feet away from my window and asks for a ride. I ended up saying yes because I would've felt like shit for saying no. She said something about her and her sister got in a fight and she just left her ass at a gas station. I could kinda tell she was into some bad stuff, drugs, alcohol, who knows. But she seemed straight enough so I was sure I"ll take you. Funny thing is she asks, "Would it be asking too much if you can get me a pack of cigarettes?" lol, Yes hun that would be asking a bit much. Anyways, that turned out ok, but the approach seemed kind of harmless.

Amongst the other bum-ass beggers I help out had excuses among the lines of:
-Approached me coming out of a gas station, she didnt have enough money for gas and she was on E. Here's $10.
-Leaving a McDonald's, a guy flags me down, dude had the trashed look all over his face, but he wasn't acting crazy. Wrecked his truck on the highway, was about $5 short of having enough money to rent a hotel for a night. Here's $5.
-Another time I'm cruising at night, pull up to a intersection by myself. See a bum, I ignore. Then he yells "You not gonna let me eat?" Fuck. Here's all the change in ashtray.


I hate being put on the spot by people with bad fortune. Stay away from Houston people.

-Another time I'm cruising at night, pull up to a intersection by myself. See a bum, I ignore. Then he yells "You not gonna let me eat?" Fuck. Here's all the change in ashtray...
I hate when bums make you out to be the bad guy, make me feel like shit.

I hate when bums make you out to be the bad guy, make me feel like shit.


I was at work one day on a construction site, this bum comes up to me and hes asking me for $10 because hes "starving". Now i'm standing right next to a lunch truck that we're all eating out of and I say to him, pick out whatever you want i'll buy it for you. He turns around spraying spit and screaming and than walks off in a huff. I felt bad for him before he started screaming at me for offering him perfectly good food. :screwy:

that's the one thing I can't ever get over; you know that 80% (random percentage made up by yours truely) aren't going to spend the money you might give them, on food or drink unless it comes with a % of it's own.

I work in and move around London and we have quite a few homeless people on the street. What I tend to do is give food or drink out instead of money. When I was in art school, I used to buy an extra sandwich every tuesday for this one guy who used to sit in the tube station nearby.

Most people that are bums with no home ARE unstable and crazy. I know some people land on hard times or whatever but people that just drift around as a homeless bum probably have mental problems or they are so addicted to a drug they are unstable and cant figure out how to hold down a job, have a car, or even brush some teeth every morning and take a shower.

Society needs to figure out a way to help those in such a need. Maybe something like the GOV. giving money to churches to supply warmth and food for what i consider the handicapped. That would be a tax im willing to pay if it means seeing less people holding up "hard times" scribbled in crayon on a piece of cardboard with a refrigerator box strapped to their back.

i had one guy ask me for some money for food. i give him $3, he then asks for more. wtf i didnt need to give you that money in the first place

I work in and move around London and we have quite a few homeless people on the street. What I tend to do is give food or drink out instead of money. When I was in art school, I used to buy an extra sandwich every tuesday for this one guy who used to sit in the tube station nearby.

i prefer doing that. if they seem reasonable and i don't think they're going to crack me over the head with a pipe and steal my money i'll go get food for them or they can pick it out in a Mcdonald's.

i give money to the big issue sellers in the high street (usually £5) or i give £10 to the guy in Covent Garden who sells it, he's really nice and you get a free smile with every issue you buy. even though i buy it, i've never once actually read it.

i give money to the big issue sellers in the high street (usually £5) or i give £10 to the guy in Covent Garden who sells it, he's really nice and you get a free smile with every issue you buy. even though i buy it, i've never once actually read it.

the smiley guy in the green coat on the "triangle"?


Most people that are bums with no home ARE unstable and crazy. I know some people land on hard times or whatever but people that just drift around as a homeless bum probably have mental problems or they are so addicted to a drug they are unstable and cant figure out how to hold down a job, have a car, or even brush some teeth every morning and take a shower.


wow.
just wow.

A lot of the people who are homless around here are drunks, and buy alcohol with the money that you give to them. I think it would be better to buy them food so they dont go and buy the alcohol.

Last person I let in my car was a middle aged woman while I was getting gas. She walked up with a leather jacket and fishnets on a cold night and asked for a ride "right down the road". 20 minutes later after giving me 8 directions she asks me if I play around for cash. Yes ladies and gentlemen, I accidentally picked up a hooker.

the smiley guy in the green coat on the "triangle"?

yeah, oldish. fifties or so. last few times i saw him he was on Long Acre a could hundred yards from leicester square tube and the Angus steak house (i think that's what it's called.)

Last person I let in my car was a middle aged woman while I was getting gas. She walked up with a leather jacket and fishnets on a cold night and asked for a ride "right down the road". 20 minutes later after giving me 8 directions she asks me if I play around for cash. Yes ladies and gentlemen, I accidentally picked up a hooker.

the fishnets, leather and asking for a "ride" while you were filling up with gas didn't give it away, huh?

i don't think she wanted a ride, she wanted to ride you.

Last person I let in my car was a middle aged woman while I was getting gas. She walked up with a leather jacket and fishnets on a cold night and asked for a ride "right down the road". 20 minutes later after giving me 8 directions she asks me if I play around for cash. Yes ladies and gentlemen, I accidentally picked up a hooker.

Ahhhh, the old " i was only giving her a ride" ploy :grinno:

My dad in his youngin days used to work for an organization that fed the homeless in the city. He was routinely sent to the Grand Central Train Station where one of the guys he served was a major finanical guy but got fired from the company because it was going under,while his kid had some type of cancer. He sold everything he had and worked 3-4 jobs so his could can be taken care of and the wife could stay at the hospital 24/7. The guy eventually got back on his feet and gave my dad some money to help him out threw his rough time. This was after he was in nam and would get spit on and cussed because all he had left was his army fatigues. Some aren't bad just doin what's best for his family. I try not to take what I have for granted because of that story.

the fishnets, leather and asking for a "ride" while you were filling up with gas didn't give it away, huh?

i don't think she wanted a ride, she wanted to ride you.


Yea I was pretty stupid about it, I just figured she was some homeless lady. Lucky that a cop didnt stop me

Ahhhh, the old " i was only giving her a ride" ploy

whatever works :lol: