Heads up, part deux: Panhandler Blues and Beer

[mr.jaynes]

Well, en route home from work on night this past week (I am these days working in the IT field; more on that later), I've managed to get hit up by yet another panhandler.

After I'd gotten off work, I found that I had to stop off at a local convenience store in the vicinity of 61st & Peoria, for a few items. I'd noticed that it had a small number of people hanging out in front, and I'd done my best to get from my truck to the front door of the place without catching their attention that much.

Well, I'd no sooner walked 3ft away from my truck, when this woman comes up to me and asks me if i'll buy her a can of beer. I waved her off and walked inside, where she followed me. She then loudly tells the guy behind the counter that I'd pay for her beer. I looked at him, shok my head as if to say, "no, that is not going to happen," and he went along with me on that. Strangely enough, though, she was drinking that can of beer as I was leaving the establishment!

So I make it up to the counter with my items,  and as the guy is ringing them up, this other guy has a can of beer, and asks me if I could do him a favor, and give him 50 cents so he could buy his beer. I pay for my items-not his-and I try to leave. As I'm walking out to my truck, I'm hearing various jibes about whitey this and racist that. Then again, didn't someone on this board say that this area was considered "the hood"?

I'm not against charity, or helping out someone in need, but if I work hard to take care of the things I need and the things I want and if I believe that others should try to do the same, does that make me a racist? Cannot understand that if my life depended on it!

[Gold]

That's what you get for shopping at convenience store at 61st and Peoria.  It's wrong these folks messed with you, but it just seems like one of those intuitive things, like not spitting into the wind.

[Hometown]

Rules for living in a city:

Don't show fear.

Avoid eye contact with strangers.

If you are approached by a stranger, keep moving, don't slow down.

If you are asked for money say, "I don't have any" while you keep moving.

Don't display your valuables.  Don't wear expensive jewelry.

Don't take offense if you are insulted by a stranger.  They aren't worth a response.

There are a lot of hungry people out there.  Help where you can and give to charitable organizations to keep your karma clean.  But don't put yourself at risk.

Hungry dysfunctional people don't care about your politics all they are interested in is that dollar in your pocket.

[Gaspar]

Don't ever stop your car on 61st and Peoria!  I don't even stop at stoplights at 61st and Peoria.  That area has become one of the most dangerous parts of Tulsa (you could get hit by a very frightened guy running stop-lights).  Look at the live crime map on the Tulsa Police site.  It's lit up like a Christmas tree!

The police regularly sweep many of the apartment complexes there.  They just walk through the complexes and ask anyone they see for ID  then when they run, they arrest them.  

If you need crack, however, that's the place to go!

[Gold]

I used to have to do some visits at some sort of subsidized home out that way.  During the day, I never really had a problem and I walked around quite a bit.  I had a few encounters, but they were mostly just sad -- like kids who thought I was bringing them Christmas presents because I was wearing an ID badge.

I know a guy who frequents the Taqueria right there.

That said, I wouldn't ever go in a convenience store there.

[cannon_fodder]

Sorry to hear you were put in an uncomfortable position.  A good reason to step up enforcement of pan handling laws (fines!).  Especially with the potential for herd mentality.

They travel in packs!

[mr.jaynes]

quote:Originally posted by Gold

That's what you get for shopping at convenience store at 61st and Peoria.  It's wrong these folks messed with you, but it just seems like one of those intuitive things, like not spitting into the wind.

Well, I can handle myself regardless of what part of town it is: I did live in New Orleans, after all, and dare say that I acquitted myself quite well. Not that I plan on moving back there, but still!

Amazing isn't it? Tulsa has changed. Evenso, I'd expect that in Downtown Tulsa, or even on the North Side, but not in South Tulsa.

quote:Originally posted by Hometown

Rules for living in a city:

Don't show fear.

Avoid eye contact with strangers.

If you are approached by a stranger, keep moving, don't slow down.

If you are asked for money say, "I don't have any" while you keep moving.

Don't display your valuables.  Don't wear expensive jewelry.

Don't take offense if you are insulted by a stranger.  They aren't worth a response.

There are a lot of hungry people out there.  Help where you can and give to charitable organizations to keep your karma clean.  But don't put yourself at risk.

Hungry dysfunctional people don't care about your politics all they are interested in is that dollar in your pocket.

Good rules to live by, regardless of the city.

[Gold]

That part of town has been at least a little rough for at least a couple of decades.  There's some subsidized housing and you've just got a pocket of people without a lot of money.  DHS should just open up a branch office over there if they haven't already.

Downtown, by comparison, is much safer.  There are some homeless people, but they are pretty harmless.  Likewise, there are a couple of places downtown you just don't go, like whatever club Kitchell opens up next.

I don't really consider that part of town "south Tulsa" -- it's kind of a no man's land in between.

[Conan71]

quote:Originally posted by Hometown

Rules for living in a city:

Don't show fear.

Avoid eye contact with strangers.

If you are approached by a stranger, keep moving, don't slow down.

If you are asked for money say, "I don't have any" while you keep moving.

Don't display your valuables.  Don't wear expensive jewelry.

Don't take offense if you are insulted by a stranger.  They aren't worth a response.

There are a lot of hungry people out there.  Help where you can and give to charitable organizations to keep your karma clean.  But don't put yourself at risk.

Hungry dysfunctional people don't care about your politics all they are interested in is that dollar in your pocket.

Holy crap, HT, you almost sound like a damn conservative in that post.

I did want to correct one factual error in your post:

"Hungry dysfunctional liberals don't care about your politics all they are interested in is that dollar in your pocket."

[mr.jaynes]

quote:Originally posted by Gaspar

Don't ever stop your car on 61st and Peoria!  I don't even stop at stoplights at 61st and Peoria.  That area has become one of the most dangerous parts of Tulsa (you could get hit by a very frightened guy running stop-lights).  Look at the live crime map on the Tulsa Police site.  It's lit up like a Christmas tree!

The police regularly sweep many of the apartment complexes there.  They just walk through the complexes and ask anyone they see for ID  then when they run, they arrest them.  

If you need crack, however, that's the place to go!

Well, that would be one way of dealing with the situation, though as for effectiveness, the jury is still out on that. i mean, if the panhandlers are out, obviously, they have not been run off, not just by the police, but by the store's management.

quote:Originally posted by Gold

That part of town has been at least a little rough for at least a couple of decades.  There's some subsidized housing and you've just got a pocket of people without a lot of money.  DHS should just open up a branch office over there if they haven't already.

Downtown, by comparison, is much safer.  There are some homeless people, but they are pretty harmless.  Likewise, there are a couple of places downtown you just don't go, like whatever club Kitchell opens up next.

I don't really consider that part of town "south Tulsa" -- it's kind of a no man's land in between.

I carry myself not looking for trouble, but not running away from it either. Evenso, I don't plan on shopping in that particular quadrant anytime soon. May be close to my work, but hey, so is Quik Trip.

quote:Originally posted by cannon_fodder

Sorry to hear you were put in an uncomfortable position.  A good reason to step up enforcement of pan handling laws (fines!).  Especially with the potential for herd mentality.

They travel in packs!

Transient gangs!

quote:Originally posted by Gold

That said, I wouldn't ever go in a convenience store there.

Oh, I don't plan on doing that again.

[Breadburner]

That area is a shthole...Why didn't you stop at QT at 45th.....

[RecycleMichael]

Look directly at them, then say, "find me something to kill you with".  

Then wander off like you are looking for a rock or a stick.

[Wilbur]

There is no law against panhandling.  Sorry.  Freedom of speech.  A constitutional thing.

You can't aggressively beg and you can't step in the street to beg.  Nothing says you can't hit up someone at a store or go door-to-door.

[TUalum0982]

quote:Originally posted by Wilbur

There is no law against panhandling.  Sorry.  Freedom of speech.  A constitutional thing.

You can't aggressively beg and you can't step in the street to beg.  Nothing says you can't hit up someone at a store or go door-to-door.

but if the police wanted to they could get them for loitering.  Better yet, disturbing the peace.  They arrest people who are drunk walking down brookside for that. Why not arrest some SOB is shouting obscenities at you causing a scene at a convienence store?

[inteller]

61st/peoria is a pocket ghetto created by bad planning and housing policy.  you go one mile in any direction and you are presented with average to upper income neighborhoods.

it should all be scraped off and redone.