Thursday, May 7, 2009

SURVEY: What Do You Think Of Panhandling In Atlanta?



This morning Centennial Park blasted out a survey asking Atlantans what they thought of the panhandling problem downtown. Anyone who talks to me often knows how I feel about it, dudes get on my damn nerves. You can barely walk anywhere downtown without someone harassing you for money. When I say "harass" I don't mean as in simply ask. I've never really minded helping the less fortunate out, though when you're asked 5 times in one outing, it does get your nerves. And unlike Mr. Wendal, these cats don't give you any life game or even offer to wash a window in exchange for a couple dollars, these dudes nowadays just take it and buy some 211. But its not the cats that simply ask for a little help that get on my nerves. Its the ones that get all strategic with it.

Example, I was going out on a date one night. As me and the young lady are approaching the restaurant, a beggar runs up on us asking for money. When I say "nah, I'aine got it" this fool says "well, I know a lot of ya'll cats don't carry cash anymore, but there is an ATM inside."

Nigga what?!? Are you serious?

So I'm supposed to go to the ATM (which will surcharge me more than any amount I was gonna give yo'ass anyway) and just give you some money, like I owe it to you? Maaaaaan...

Then I remember this funny ass story my dad was telling me not too long ago. He said when he was at the Wendy's on Boulevard, that he ordered a chicken nugget meal at the drive through. He said right when he was about to complete his order, he heard a voice say "say brah, can you get me one of those too?" Confused he asked who he thought was the Wendy's employee on the speaker, "what?" He said the voice came again and said "yeah brah, I'm hungry" and then some dude came from behind the speaker. Yeah, people, they are hiding behind drive-thru speakers now, its dead serious out here.

Posting up outside the MARTA station, waiting on you outside the bank, standing by the parking meters...THAT's the stuff that gets on my nerves. Now I'm noticing that there are grown ass men on Northside Dr. walking around with "the paper." Ya'll know "the paper." The little sheet of paper that little kids used to walk around with talking about they play on the school football team and are raising money for a field trip. Yeah, grown ass men are doing that now. Damn shame.

But anyways, like I was saying, a survey was blasted out this morning encouraging people to leave feedback as to if they think the City of Atlanta is doing enough to combat the panhandling problem downtown. I took the survey and answered the questions the best way I could. But, I noticed that a lot of the questions involved increasing police involvement. Now, these bums get on my nerves and all, but I don't want the police roughing them up either though. So, if you take the survey, answer the questions with the best solution you think is possible, sans police.

SURVEY: What Do You Think Of Panhandling In Atlanta?

5 comments:

Nadine G. said...

Maaan! I tell everyone back home in NY about these damn bums out here. They are definitely out of control. It's like, you want to feel for them, but they get on this tip like you said, like you OWE them something. I took my fiance to NY last summer with me, and he was amazed that the bums up there actually give you a show. They EARN the money, I don't know what the hell they doing down here...

Bayan The One said...

brah (lol) it's recession, u gotta understand, have som mercy inya LOL

and then, these fawks work, this is they job, so they gotta be on top of they beggar game

the story about the drive through just cracked me up, i see it vividly LMFAO

Lowskiwoski said...

I have grown immune to it. I have heard all the stories (car broke down, trying to catch the train, etc.).I just hate to see them aggrevate the tourists like they do. It makes the city look bad. I don't think criminalizing them would be the answer but what do you do?

Anonymous said...

My favorite is how people are always getting "stranded" - then hit you with this elaborate tale of how all this unbelievable shit happened to them, which you know will culminate in a requesst for $1.21, 65 cents or some other odd combo. My question: Why is it ALWAYS some off the wall amount? That's the No. 1 sign someone is on that stuff - whatchu gonna do with $1.21 bruh?

SeƱor Kaos said...

LOL at all the comments.

@ Nadine G

Your absolutely right.. Bums in NYC don't beg like they do in Atlanta. If they did, they would probably get hit with a brick. LOL

These cats in ATL be on some other, other ish.

You pull up and park, and they literally sit there and wait for you got get out of your car, just so they can ask you for 87 cents.

It's a problem that needs fixing for sure.

I've seen the SAME bums soo much over the years, I know their names, where their from, etc.