Life, food, events, and community in Albuquerque, NM

Morning Fix: Cold Financials

9 Comments

Comment by KelVick on August 25, 2008 at 6:49am: Epidemic? No way. In recent years I've lived in the downtown area of Phoenix and Atlanta, and now ABQ. Comparitively the panhandlers here are rare; although I get hit up at least once every couple of days, I had to run a begger gauntlet in the other cities. In Atlanta I had a guy throw my dollar back at me and tell me I could do better. I've seen nothing like that here.

As far as giving food, I've tried that---then seen them trying to sell the apples to the next shmuck.

Comment by Adelita on August 25, 2008 at 6:56am: I have to agree KelVick. Ever walked down Market Street in San Francisco? It's fairly tame here.

Comment by jonnyblujeans on August 25, 2008 at 8:11am: Yesterday by Artichole Cafe:
PanHandler: Excuse me, my car broke down, and I need...
Me: I'm sorry, no.
PH: Everyday I ask you for money, and you always say no! F* you!

But yeah, in general they're pretty tame here. The gaggle that take over 4th street are very low key.

Comment by Dan Ehrig on August 25, 2008 at 8:15am: I have to admit that I'm shocked that Marty admitted that the stormtrooper approach wasn't working downtown. I can't think of another time he's ever backed away from one of his policies that wasn't working before. I honestly expected he would respond to the recent outbreak in violence tightening the clamps more instead of looking for a new approach.

I guess what I'm trying to say here is good for you Marty Chavez (christ that was difficult to type.)

Comment by Barelas Babe on August 25, 2008 at 8:42am: I have to agree with KelVick and Adelita - panhandling here is fairly laidback. I just arrived back in Washington DC this weekend and was hit up by more (and more aggressive) panhandlers here than I have been all summer in Albuquerque.

Then again, maybe I am hanging out in the wrong places in the Duke City?

Comment by once banned twice shy on August 25, 2008 at 10:47am: Yeah, I have never been threatened by any panhandlers here. Although I am here to lay to rest the rumor that "Dakota," the blanket woman, does not accept money. A couple of weeks ago she asked me if I cared to make a "donation." But this whole thing reminds me of an incident a long time ago in NYC: I was cruising down the street and a panhandler eyed me and started showering me with compliments as I approached: "You a princess! You BEAUTIFUL! Look at you, you a beautiful princess." When I came right up next to him, he hit me up with a request for money. I said, sorry, don't have anything extra today. So, as I walked away he yelled after me "You no princess. You UGLY!" Har.

Comment by missy on August 25, 2008 at 10:59am: i'm surprised to hear blanket woman asked you for a donation--i try and give her money on a fairly regular basis and she won't accept it. i even tried to buy her donuts and coffee and she turned it down, and she was sitting at dunkin' donuts. i was under the impression that she had a family that covered medical expenses, etc. when necessary, as i know she is seen at UNMH and her bills were paid. maybe things have changed?

Comment by Phil_0 on August 25, 2008 at 2:28pm: Yeah, Dan, the downtown police thing is pretty amazing. And their new policy sounds very familiar - almost like they're reading the Fix or something. But yeah, nice one APD - here's hoping nothing bad happens to give you an excuse to go back to the riot squad.

And re: Dakota/Cherokee/blanket woman - from what I know she occasionally asks for money, but she does it the same way she asks for lots of other little things...markers, pens, etc. Usually her asking you for something is sort of a sign she trusts you.

Comment by neal copperman on August 25, 2008 at 6:35pm: I had to run much more dramatic panhandling guantlets in Baltimore. One night after eating at our fave Afghan restaurant, we gave our leftovers to a homeless guy who picked out the few chunks of meat and tossed all the rice and veggies, container and all, into the street. That kind of soured me a bit on offering up my leftovers!

I was surprised the other day walking through the 4th street mall on a weekend and seeing how many homeless people were hanging out there. It seems to be a real focal point. The police were politely but firmly asking them to move on.

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