Austin Panhandlers

[idrathernot]

Last night I ate at cover3 off of Anderson Lane for the first time as I had heard they had amazing hamburgers. (Which they do). After finishing up and paying the tab, myself and my friend walked outside and both started our after-diner smoke. As we were doing so a couple of homeless looking types appeared to our right and you could tell they were surveying the place. I figured they would just ignore us as we were woefully under-dressed for what we didn't know was more of a cocktail lounge than a sports bar. Sure enough though one of the vagrants split off from his accomplice and started heading in our direction, when he got about 20 feet away he started telling his "Story". Looking back in retrospect I should have simply put out the smoke, went back inside, and informed the manager of the problem but I wasn't thinking too quickly after the 1/2 lb burger and a beer. We committed our next mistake by letting the guy tell his whole story uninterrupted. He claimed that he just wanted to eat and obliged us to walk across the street to Whataburger with him and buy him dinner. We both declined and he became very agitated but he started retreating (in the direction of our car unfortunately). Ironically, he started criticising and judging us; to which we couldn't help but audibly laugh on the weak side of histaricly. All in all it was a fairly average encounter, but neither one of us were carrying because we had just gotten off of work (where there is a no weapons policy - yay for Kalifornian management).

I've lived in Austin for over 5 years and am definitely no stranger to aggressive panhandlers. It's one of the primary reasons why I obtained a CHL. I'm never taken by surprise when one of these guys approaches me, but I never can get out of the situation in a satisfactory manner. I refuse to give up anything or debate why I won't, this make the "professionals" pretty upset. What I want to know, is how to keep a probable criminal away from my person and minimizing the risk for any escalations.

Should I be more aggressive and vocalize my desire for them not to approach? I don't want these "transients" getting within 25 feet of me and they generally try to bottleneck (read ambush) you somewhere. I've gotten pretty good at spotting these guys and I know their tactics; I just haven't figured out the best way to let them know I will be dictating the encounter without tipping my hat and opening the situation up for rapid escalation.

[chamberc]

Personally, if I'm approached, I always say "no thank you, I'm not interested" as soon as they start talking, and from that point simply ignore them.

[Purplehood]

Personally, if I'm approached, I always say "no thank you, I'm not interested" as soon as they start talking, and from that point simply ignore them.

That is normally enough. Sometimes I escalate to plain rudeness.

[pbwalker]

Personally, if I'm approached, I always say "no thank you, I'm not interested" as soon as they start talking, and from that point simply ignore them.

That is normally enough. Sometimes I escalate to plain rudeness.

[KFP]

I'd add an outstretched hand (aka universal stop symbol) and a "stop" command once they begin intruding on your comfort zone. This has worked well for me in the past.

[Oldgringo]

[seamusTX]

Very few places where you can't carry pepper spray in case you encounter a real nut.

Most panhandlers have learned the limit of what they can get away with without being arrested or catching a fist in the face.

BTW, I've read that panhandlers get more money from lower-middle-class people than wealth-looking people.

- Jim

[LaserTex]

Tell them to let go of your basket or you will shoot them in the face LOL

Hey - worked for me

Doug

[old farmer]

Very few places where you can't carry pepper spray in case you encounter a real nut.

Most panhandlers have learned the limit of what they can get away with without being arrested or catching a fist in the face.

BTW, I've read that panhandlers get more money from lower-middle-class people than wealth-looking people.

- Jim

The wealthy organize benefits so to give whataburgers.

[jbirds1210]

I just tell them I work three jobs and try to borrow money from them for diapers.

Jason

[seamusTX]

I want minimum interaction with panhandlers. Some of them are extremely quick at exploiting openings. Some are real nuts who can be set off by your response.

- Jim

[yerasimos]

If you can spot them from far away and use a canned throwaway line, outward-facing palm, etc, to discourage them before they get close---great!

However, I do not believe it is realistic to expect one can always spot them from afar, keep them outside of a predetermined zone, or the throwaway verbiage to succeed. In such cases, a different, calculated, escalated response is warranted for those who truly surprise us or get uncomfortably close.

The Friday evening (MUC) segment of the Bastrop ShivWorks class, listed in this forum's Advanced Training section, covers how to handle close-range unknown contacts, including aggressive panhandlers. Highly recommended. And as I remember, Bastrop is just a short drive from Austin.

[Dragonfighter]

I'm a fairly charitable person, but a lot of panhandlers are "professional". There is a sign outside of a convenience store I used to vist that said:

Please don't give to our bums, they make more than you do.

Attitude can do a lot, even with the crazy ones. I had one approach me at a car wash. He was talking on the way up, I looked at him and said, "Sorry, I've got nothing for you." He started to wind up (aggressiveness and verbiage) and continue his approach, I set down the wand and started to walk toward him. He decided he was about to get hurt and retreated. I was carrying but never reached for it or indicated I was armed. But then again, as nice of a guy as I am, I look kinda mean.

Over the years, terseness and eye contact has discouraged many.

[suthdj]

I'm a fairly charitable person, but a lot of panhandlers are "professional". There is a sign outside of a convenience store I used to vist that said:

Please don't give to our bums, they make more than you do.

Attitude can do a lot, even with the crazy ones. I had one approach me at a car wash. He was talking on the way up, I looked at him and said, "Sorry, I've got nothing for you." He started to wind up (aggressiveness and verbiage) and continue his approach, I set down the wand and started to walk toward him. He decided he was about to get hurt and retreated. I was carrying but never reached for it or indicated I was armed. But then again, as nice of a guy as I am, I look kinda mean.

Over the years, terseness and eye contact has discouraged many.

Should have just sprayed him with the wand, If he is close enough it will draw blood, I lost some skin once on the back of my hand hurt like heck, or it'll just give him a shower which I am sure he needed.

[Dragonfighter]

Should have just sprayed him with the wand, If he is close enough it will draw blood, I lost some skin once on the back of my hand hurt like heck, or it'll just give him a shower which I am sure he needed.

Yep, he could have used the bath. Yeah, water injections hurt...I got one with a high pressure nozzle on a fire engine ( a while back) once, it blistered (sub-dermal water) and bled.