People begging for money on the street have been around since biblical times and even Jesus said the poor will always be with us. So don’t plan on them going away. You need a plan to deal with them. Normally you won’t have any problems, and most people on the street are just looking for a handout, but there are some looking for more. I’ve met them. Have you?
Dealing with panhandlers is easy when you pay attention. Keep your awareness up. You should notice them before they notice you. If they surprise you, you need to pay more attention to your surroundings.
Once you notice them you have to make a couple quick determinations. The first should be made now. Will you give them money or help? I do help people and I do give people money… sometimes. I don’t ever give money to people that approach me. I approach them. There is a huge difference, and it will keep you safer if you use my simple philosophy for giving. If someone asks me or approaches me, they won’t get anything from me. I’ll walk over to, pay for people’s meals someplace, or give them some food if it looks like they need help. This puts me more in control of the situation.
If they approach you, you have to determine in a flash if they are a danger. That I do with verbal commands when they are as far away as practical. Depending on the situation I’ve used: Stop! Go Away! Sorry, can’t help you. And my favorite that I probably should have called the cops after was “Get the Fuck out of Here!”
After you verbalize, with confidence, that you can’t help them now you’ll quickly know if you are under attack. True beggars are just there for the money and play the numbers game. They know that out of x people they talk to y will give them money. If you said no, they don’t have time to mess with you. They need to find the next one that will give them money.
Now when the person doesn’t take no for an answer you are in danger. No, legally you can’t use force yet. But you need to realize you are in danger. You need to do something to regain the initiative. Make that person react to you. Don’t wait for them to act against you and make you react.
One of my favorite spoofs is to call for help. If there are other people around in the area start yelling for someone to call the police. Point and yell robber! Call police! Now everyone will look and it forces the other person’s hand. They have to do something.
Straight from the Marine Corps Hand Book they can react in these different ways (DRAW-D, Deny, Retreat, Attack, Withdraw, Delay): They can deny the attack is happening, and start saying hey I just wanted something to eat. Tell them to go away. Yes you look like a jerk, better that then in the hospital or dead. The person can retreat and wait for you later, so keep an eye out. They can attack you. This is the one you have to be prepared for. If you start yelling to get attention the person may just rush you. At that point you are in emanate danger, defend yourself. The person can withdraw by simply walking away. And as they can delay, which probably looks a lot like deny, but they will probably be moving forward towards you. Again, at this point you are in emanate danger. If the person closes the distance, defend yourself.
I’ve had two times in recent memory that I’ve been close to defending myself and others. Both where while traveling working for the gun shop.
First one I’m standing next to the truck and trailer (full of guns… literally for the gun show) waiting for the other guys to finish a bathroom break in a crowded parking lot. A not so nice, but not homeless, looking person starts to approach. When I look him in the eyes he starts his I just need help for gas because my family is stranded and needs to get someplace memorized loop. I simply say “stop” with my hand up. “Go Away!” He says okay and is off.
After the rest of the guys get back I see him aggressively following, and closing the distance on a couple ladies that have told him no. They looked worried but didn’t have a plan to deal with this. I grabbed one of the other guys (both of us armed) and went close enough he could see us, but with a car between us. “Hey,” I yelled and he looked up at me. “Get the Fuck out of here!” He said okay and turned and left. Those two ladies knew I helped them, but probably will never know how much. And I should have called the cops to let them know what was going on and so that guy didn’t call first. But that’s another story.
Another time I was alone with the truck full of guns on the way to the show. The others where in a different truck in front of me. The trailer lost a tire and I had to pull off into an old mall parking lot. The kind that only has a couple stores left open in it, but a huge parking lot. I called the boss and the other guys to double back to help me with the tire. While I was on the phone with the boss standing next to the truck the only other person in this huge, empty parking lot starting walking toward me. No car. He was just walking across the parking lot by himself looking for… I don’t know, but he found me.
“Stop!” I say while he is about 50 feet from me. He starts saying something. I just say “No go away!” My hands where free because I was on my head set but I put my phone in my pocket and was ready to go if he wanted to. This guy just had robber printed on his forehead to me. For that many guns and ammo, I was prepared to shoot him. He left, and it all worked out. My boss got really nervous since he was on the phone while this happened and could hear me. But it all worked out in the end.
Learn from my examples and be prepared to help people and defend yourself. Find the balance now, and you choose the time and place you will help people.
Stay Safe,
Ben