Do I suddenly have a neon sign floating above my head saying “Gullible Target”?

[WebleyHunter]

Greetings!

During the past month, I have had four events where persons have uncomfortably targeted me for handouts, or other related “charity”. Typically, this may happen once or twice per year. I might expect it if I dressed like somebody out of the Duggard family in “20+ Kids and Counting”, but my general attire is generally a pretty grungy skater/snowboarder look- not exactly Mr. Moneybags.

Event #1- My father-in-law passed away in Eastern South Dakota last month. The kids and I drove a one-way rental back to Denver while the wife stayed with her family for an extra few days. We stopped for gas in Mission, SD on the Rosebud Sioux Reservation. I had been at the pump for about one minute before a rather disheveled Native American man approached the rear of the vehicle asking for money and who knows what else. After I repeated direct commands to “Move away from my vehicle!”, he finally got a clue and moved on to another truck. I realized after the fact that I saw him walking on the road towards the gas station as we pulled in. A word of advice- if you ever have to travel US Hwy 83 between Nebraska and South Dakota, make sure and stop for gas in either Valentine, NE or Murdo, SD, and skip Mission.

Event #2 - My family went to the best Mexican Buffet in the Denver area for a Sunday lunch. Given that the restaurant is on East Colfax near Peoria, you know that the area is a little gruff around the edges. As we were entering our car after eating, a Hispanic “gentleman” approached and unleashed a whole series of statements in half-English/half-Spanish about money and other crap. Once again, the “Move away from my vehicle!” command series got the desired result. This one I kind of expected to happen given the location.

Event #3- This event is detailed in another thread ("Interviewed" while walking the dog?), but generally consisted of a 40’s Caucasian man asking me for money while I was taking my dog for a late night walk in a low traffic area of my neighborhood.

Event #4- This happened just yesterday. My son and I were leaving the Home Depot parking lot on Wadsworth and 52nd Ave. As we were waiting the turn right on to Wadsworth, a 50’s or so African American male left the nearby McDonalds parking lot and was making a bee-line for my driver side door yelling a bunch of unintelligible gibberish. Once again, I deployed the “Sir, Do not approach my vehicle!” tactic. Fortunately, before anything could occur, we were able to pull onto Wadsworth and simply drive away.

My main question for events 1, 2 & 4 is why was I targeted for these exchanges when there were plenty of other people around to confront???

Thanks for your comments!

Hunter

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[CowboyColby]

More people asking for handouts these days. Sounds like you handled them all well. My guess is we will see alot more people asking for money and alot more people resorting to crime. Everybody wants a free hand out these days.

[claude clay]

since 2 years of unemployment benifits (!!!) have run out--

some have found it necessary to actually work for their money.
mind ua...what their idea of work & ours may differ.

[Mike1956]

Mission, South Dakota is in Todd County, the fifth-poorest county in the United States, with a per capita annual income of $7,714. Locals walk up and down the roads all the time, since many of them do not own automobiles. Yes, grown-ups do often beg.

[gunthorp]

You handled them well. I think we're going to see more of this entitlement mentality blow up in our faces when the gov't can't pay it's unfunded liabilities.

[oakchas]

You handled them well. I think we're going to see more of this entitlement mentality blow up in our faces when the gov't can't pay it's unfunded liabilities.

And then, we can expect to see the "entitled class" in uprisings similar to those in Greece.

That said, we are in the beginnings of hard times... regardless of the (ahem) improving economy), I think you're going to see much more of this... But do keep in mind that there are many many people, who have had decent, stable jobs for decades that are now at their wits end... and don't know what else to do... These were productive, intelligent people who because they are so used to working every day in the same job for the same employer. Actually don't really know what else to do... and .. .some of them give up... and some of them beg.. and some take the severance training they got (if they got it) and use it as a springboard to better things... but some will be absolutely lost.

[DanielC]

I don't believe it's just you. I'm also in the Denver area, and am very familiar with the areas you mentioned. It seems that any time my fiance and I are out and about, somebody is going to hit me up for spare change or what not. I think it's partly because so many people actually do give them money when they ask. I never do. Maybe the fact that we aren't wearing suits and ties or looking wealthy makes us more approachable. Hard to say, but I don't think it's going to get any better any time soon.

[varob]

I think with all the incidents you mentioned, you had your kids with you. I think beggers look for families because they may be softer targets.

[WebleyHunter]

Yesterday's event did upset my son (6) a bit, with him wondering why Daddy was yelling at that man. I tried to explain to him why I did not want the guy coming near us and that he could be a "bad man".

[WD54241]

Sad state of affairs when we as a nation have allowed ourselves to sink to 3rd world nation status. You handled the situations by the numbers.

[gottabkiddin]

Hey, consider yourself one of the lucky ones.... I stopped at the gas station one time and got out to go pay and pickup something outa the store for the hour long commute and all of the sudden this little old lady came out from behind the dumpster still pulling up her trousers. I guess she was heeding natures call or something, I side stepped her the best I could while saying, I'm sorry but I don't have any money for ya. Funniest part about it all was she looked like she was ticked off at me or something. Best I could think was, she cut it short to avoid missing her chance to ask me for money...


Like it's been said, sounds like you handled um pretty well.

Sorry for the loss of you FIL BTW, condolences to your family.

[Stubborn]

I guess I'm the odd duck here...but I don't mind handing out a couple of bucks when approached politely.
It's no big deal...3 or 4 times a month, pass out 2 or 3 bucks. Thats less than $10 a month.
I know some are saying "they're only going to buy booze with it"... that's none of my business, if I give it to them, it's theirs to do with as they see fit.
I would rather give it to ten who don't really need it than to miss one who did need it.
Jesus said it best in Matthew 25: 35-40
Just my 2 cents.

[Harryball]

As the economy gets worse, you can expect more of this type of occurrence.

[WebleyHunter]

I guess I'm the odd duck here...but I don't mind handing out a couple of bucks when approached politely.

I have made direct donations to individuals as well. The key difference is that I have initiated the contact, not the other way around. I am way more likely to respond positively to somebody with a sign and a cup sitting on the ground than a guy coming up behind our car when my wife is fighting trying to get the two-year old into her car seat. I DON'T like surprises...

[Stubborn]

I have made direct donations to individuals as well. The key difference is that I have initiated the contact, not the other way around. I am way more likely to respond positively to somebody with a sign and a cup sitting on the ground than a guy coming up behind our car when my wife is fighting trying to get the two-year old into her car seat. I DON'T like surprises...

Man, don't misunderstand...I'm not pointing a finger. I just merely said it doesn't bother me to pass out a few bucks.
My intent wasn't to condemn you for what you do or don't do.
It's none of my business.