North American Fuel Shortage Reports

[Pablo2079]

Some young guy (20 maybe) came up to me in a grocery store parking lot. He said he was lost and out of gas. He looked pretty freaked out. Either way, I figured it was worth $5. I gave him the money and he took off. Literally ran away.

I wonder how soon this will become commonplace? This was in an area were I've never seen beggars before, so I tend to believe what he was saying. Not sure how $5 will help him "find is way" though.

[willjones4]

the gas can is a front-these are usually crackheads and run of the mill beggars. They figure the gas can makes it look more legit ("just need some money to get some gas to get home, me and my five kids")---funny, the car and kids are usually remotely located, waiting for this guy to return----a guy came to me once with this story and his can-I said "sure buddy, no problem, give me your can and I'll go fill it up, where are you parked?" he promptly remembered he needed to go check on something and left...

[advancedatheist]

the gas can is a front-these are usually crackheads and run of the mill beggars.

In my region, crystal meth seems the illegal drug of choice.

[seven]

This reminds me of a guy I saw begging at a stoplight in downtown Kansas City last year...

His boldly-lettered cardboard sign read:

"The hell with food - I want a beer"

I laughed so hard I almost spilled my coffee - then gave him five bucks for his honesty and adding some much-needed amusement to my day.

[willjones4]

Yeah, I think meth is the "new crack"---at any rate, these people dont give a damn about gas, they want their fix-period. Thats why the guy ran off after getting the fiver--he couldnt wait to get his fix. Where I live, we've had an influx of hurricane evacuees who are also addicts--you cant go downtown without getting hit up by at least three or four beggars-some do a little dance routine or something, some make up lies (including carrying gas cans), whatever it takes to get that hit...I give money to homeless SHELTERS when I can, not homeless people, and when they ask me for a handout I refer them to the shelter...usually that really pisses them off because the shelter doesnt hand out meth...if your heart insists that you help these people, give them food directly or refer them, but DONT give them cash, youll just be helping them supply their habit...

[Free]

Lol, thanks seven, that's a great story.

I always wondered about the weird psychology of begging, the humiliation and shame involved of both the beggar and the begged.

It's difficult. As somebody who went through hard times as well (living on the street, eating from dust bins...) I feel both very related/connected and appalled by beggars. I never asked for money and didn't even take it if it was offered to me without asking.
This sort of arrogance made me hard, I very rarely give money to beggars, but I try not to humiliate them with looks etc., pretending I buy their story...

Then again I think, even if they work for the Rumanian gypsy begging syndicate, won't it make their day a bit better if I give them something? Or is it ripping me off?

[kam30en]

These gas beggars should be down at the town planning office begging for relocalization and good public transport. In fact, that's where we all should be.

[emailking]

Yeah, I think meth is the "new crack"---at any rate, these people dont give a damn about gas, they want their fix-period. Thats why the guy ran off after getting the fiver--he couldnt wait to get his fix. Where I live, we've had an influx of hurricane evacuees who are also addicts--you cant go downtown without getting hit up by at least three or four beggars-some do a little dance routine or something, some make up lies (including carrying gas cans), whatever it takes to get that hit...I give money to homeless SHELTERS when I can, not homeless people, and when they ask me for a handout I refer them to the shelter...usually that really pisses them off because the shelter doesnt hand out meth...if your heart insists that you help these people, give them food directly or refer them, but DONT give them cash, youll just be helping them supply their habit...

The problem with this is that there are many legitimate beggars, who really do need the money so they can eat that night.

I don't necessarily have time to take someone to the grocery store, so I usually do give some money to a desperate person on the street. I'm sure some of it has gone to drugs or booze, but I'm sure a lot of it went to food as well. So at least I have given something rather than nothing.

One time though the beggars started multiplying when they saw me give some money. I had to say no.

[Gazzatrone]

The problem with this is that there are many legitimate beggars, who really do need the money so they can eat that night.

I don't necessarily have time to take someone to the grocery store, so I usually do give some money to a desperate person on the street. I'm sure some of it has gone to drugs or booze, but I'm sure a lot of it went to food as well. So at least I have given something rather than nothing.

One time though the beggars started multiplying when they saw me give some money. I had to say no.

Whether it is still the case in London these days but a few years ago, police started seeing what became termed as "professional beggars". These guys weren't crack heads, homeless or needing a beer, these guys were city professionals standing in a spot near a tube station in the city early in the morning wearing crappy clothes over their office suits and earning themselves a few hundred quid tax free before leaving to go and earn 6 figure salaries.

How ironic it would be in a few years when it's all gone to crap to see the same people begging "legitimately".

I can't wait.

[Falconoffury]

One time, a news guy posed as a dirty homeless guy near where I live in South Florida. He only got around $12 for the whole day of begging on an intersection, but he got lots of food. He was even given a box half full of donuts.

If someone could earn a few hundred quid in part of a day, I would be shocked. People must really care about beggars in London.

[SoothSayer]

Beggars in London are now young and have BIG dogs.

The old stinky beggars of the past have mainly gone.

Yes, London beggars can make several hundred pounds a day.

Once I was passing a pair of them chatting and one was telling the other that he had already made about £500 that day!

I never give to them ... but perhaps they are more - err -"persuasive" with women and the elderly.

[Gazzatrone]

If someone could earn a few hundred quid in part of a day, I would be shocked. People must really care about beggars in London.

I think it was more like a week. Even so the audacity of begging for loose change to make up for loss of earnings because of income tax is criminal.

Especiallty when you are earning enough already.

[grabby]

the gas can is a front-these are usually crackheads and run of the mill beggars. They figure the gas can makes it look more legit ("just need some money to get some gas to get home, me and my five kids")---funny, the car and kids are usually remotely located, waiting for this guy to return----a guy came to me once with this story and his can-I said "sure buddy, no problem, give me your can and I'll go fill it up, where are you parked?" he promptly remembered he needed to go check on something and left...

give him 50 bucks for the pink slip of his car since he cant use it anyway. This will also help take more cars off the street, you can get 100 for it at the junkyard so for 1 hour drive time you can make 50 bucks. There are a lot of people who cannot plan ahead and they are learning the hard way.

Other option is to offer to call the police on your cell phone, they have help for these cases if they are real and you can bet they don't get suckered. They can also check if they have a rap sheet or crack history where you can't
Crack heads need to be homeless and on the street without food or water until they go unconcious, then the ambulance takes them to the hospiotal and they get drug counceling.

It takes them two or three times before they decide to straighten up.
Giving them money is doing EXTREME DAMAGE.

Its like feeding a begging dog at the table, you create a monster.
.
I'll bet he suddenly finds gas and drives away.

Supply and demand.
If there is good money in begging, there will be beggars. If there is no money in it there won't be any beggars.
You can judge a city how bleeding heart they are by how many beggars are on the street..

If I were a beggar, I would go to a city that has lots of beggars and lots of homeless shelters, wouldn't you?

S_______ is ripe with shelters and free hostels and the like, all you have to do is say you are homeless and you get immediate food assistance. People from all over the states are moving to S________, and the child predator rate is high, they really take good care of you there.
That is where I would go if I was a beggar.
Some are mentally ill and cannot ever work, they do well with assistance and usually cause no trouble. The churches used to take them in but now they are on the streets more and more.
If you see one in trouble, just make a quick call to the ambulance and they get evaluated.

It used to be there were institutions like "one flew over the cuckoos nest" This has all changed, now they are wandering on the streets cause the leberal government thinks the previous was cruel tx to give them 3 squares and forced medicine. Now they just refuse to take meds and rant and rave on the street corners, some improvement.

[grabby]

Yes, London beggars can make several hundred pounds a day.
.

This will slow down as oil gets more expensive.

[Vexed]

You can learn alot about yourself by how you judge people you know nothing about.

[frankthetank]

News station out of Eau Claire, WI (north of me in LaCrosse) has an interesting article on gas theft. I'd love to see a graph of gas prices vs drive offs... I know locally, from talking to a cop, the same was seen during our last big run up. I'll ask when I get a chance again and see whats happening with 2.57 gas. I know hit and runs have been way up the past few months. (WI along with one other state do NOT require auto insurance...you can't be ticketed for not having it).

Every time gas prices start to rise, the Eau Claire Police Department says its phones begin to ring off the hook.
Now, the department says it can't afford to respond to every gas drive-off.

Officer Jason Kaveney says last year, officers responded to more than 200 gas drive-offs. He says 75 percent of the time, the officer was called simply to help the gas station figure out who the car was registered to.

Can't you guys wait until $120 oil and shortages along with natural gas shortages and sky rocketing food prices (already has begun)! We all know what will happen when people become desperate...we're still animals!

Wait until this summer boyz!

Link and video available
http://www.weau.com/home/headlines/6687597.html

[Jack]

And people ask why I'm a doomer...

If oil goes up to, say, $80 per bbl this year...and higher next year...matters should get interesting.

The only question is, which to pack? 9mm or .40?

[TreebeardsUncle]

Well, a lot of places require pre-payment. That seems to be a simple way of dealing with this sort of thing. A lot of folks here seem to have a real fixation for violence and its acoutrements, not seeming to realize that it leads to a general shortening of life-expectancy of most participants likely to include the population here.

g

[MD]

The big question: Can the US con the rest of the world out of another half trillion dollars, or not?

There's your out of control "gas theft", right there.

[gnm]

The only question is, which to pack? 9mm or .40?

G30, .45 you sociopath...


-G