A woman came by my shop (auto repair) and said she needed money for gas because her car had run out. I had a gas can with a couple of gallons in it and offered to put it in her car, which she said was two blocks away. We headed out and after a walking half a block she waved me off and went on. It’s a virtual certainty she didn’t have a car.
A young man who had shoveled snow off our walk and had come in for a cup of cocoa showed up a few weeks later at night saying his aunt was desperate for her medicine and asked for ten dollars. I offered to go with him to the pharmacy and buy the medicine. When it was clear I wasn’t going to put cash in his hand he left.
I’ve learned that the more ornate the story, the more certain you can be that it’s a lie. Many panhandlers have developed spiels full of details that are carefully crafted to elicit sympathy and give their request an air of legitimacy/acceptability (i.e., they won’t be buying booze or drugs). Those who truly have a basic need know where to get help without bothering people on the street.
An easy way to make sure the money is to be used for gas (if that is what you are concerned about) is to have the guy pull the silver SUV up to a pump and then go inside to the cashier and put the $5 on pump X.
For the record, I didn’t lie awake. In fact, a few minutes after I was back on the road, my mind was again occupied by thoughts of the family situation I was dealing with. I’m not sure what brought it back to mind this morning - probably the thread about $50 worth of pizza.
I had to laugh at that one. If she didn’t actually want gas, but just cash, you’d think an auto shop would be the last place to go, since they’re very likely to be able to provide gas.
I used this exact line the one time I was approached at a gas pump. The lady wandered away and did not come back.
The most recent approach was someone who hit me up while we were in Walmart. When I declined I was berated for “buying all that stuff but can’t help a brother out”. I did not appreciate that parting shot and felt more anger than anything after that.
I can relate to that. Once, I had a young guy come up to my window and ask for money. He was healthy looking, well dressed and groomed, had a pack of cigarettes in his shirt pocket, and had a diamond stud in his left ear. He must of been REALLY good at panhandling. LOL
Yeah, I wouldn’t walk over to their vehicle with my card (especially if the SUV were between the pump and the store), but if they legitimately need gas, this approach works best.
I once had an older woman look me over in trying-to-place-me fashion. “I know you,” she said, and then she paused — and then it was like a light of recognition clicked on for her, and she asked where I went to church.
This was, of course, all the lead-up to then asking me to spare a dollar.
I mind the bullshit story. I once had to cut off a guy in mid sentence because it had ran too long.
Someone tells me that they have run out of gas and need to get back to a town that’s an hour drive here, well then I got questions. You weren’t watching your gas gauge? You left home for a trip and had no money on you? No credit or atm card? You got no friends to call? Then you deserve to be stranded. Fuck off.
But the guy\girl with a sign on the off-ramp? Yeah, I got a buck for them.
It’s a common scam. They want money, they don’t want gas. There is always a sob story involving kids or sick people. I got accosted once going into Lowes, I told the lady “Sorry, but no” and and I kept walking. I turned back and said back to her “Good luck with your scam”, which in retrospect was a bad idea if she saw what car I got out of!
I was at a walmart parking lot - lady comes up sobbing, big story of abuse, just needs some gas money to get to her sisters, etc… I said sure - lets go over to the gas station.
Cost me 1.12 - but she had a full tank of gas to get on down the road with.
She was not happy.
I’ve been caught by 2 beggers that made me feel like they were legit (they clearly weren’t). I am now in the ‘I don’t carry cash for anyone’ mindset. Those that hold cards on the corners of intersections get nothing either.
Which reminds me of the Marx Brothers movie where a panhandler came up to Harpo and asked for a nickel for a cup of coffee.
Harpo pulled a cup of coffee out of his pocket.
Right, I think that the small percentage of times that the scammer accepts the gas is when they actually do need some gas, since they’ll need gas anyway eventually. The same scammers might occasionally accept the gas even if most of the time they walk away.
Same thing probably goes for panhandlers asking for food money. They need to eat some time so might occasionally accept some.
