Quentin Taranbino Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 Just reading an article on it that was quite thought provoking. What is your honest opinion of those on the streets? How do you believe the culture of homelessness could be improved if you believe it should? Do you even care? Have you yourself ever been unfortunate enough to live rough? Thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wunfellaff Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 Been there off and on in the last 5 years, sometimes by choice (had just turned 40 when it happened first). And I don't mean kipping on someones coach as being homeless. Don't give them money, food etc, they get dependant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zen Archer (Raconteur) Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 Been there off and on in the last 5 years, sometimes by choice (had just turned 40 when it happened first). And I don't mean kipping on someones coach as being homeless. Don't give them money, food etc, they get dependant. Did you fall asleep on a bus? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest The Phoenix Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 Did you fall asleep on a bus? Seems fare enough, just the ticket in fact. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wunfellaff Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 Did you fall asleep on a bus? A ferry, so close ............ Pitched a tent, got a job a month later after my £50 in my hipper ran out and stayed . Found it impossible to get accomadation as apart from a rucksack of clothes and the £50, my dog was the only thing I walked away from my relationship at the time with, and that made things 'difficult'. First Winter was the worst, after buying a car in December to kip in instead of the tent. Water in dogs bowl was frozen solid inside it for about 2 months at night..........fun times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ICTChris Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 My wife bought a homeless woman begging near our flat a Greggs sausage roll the other day but they turned it down and said they wanted nappies. So my mug of a wife queued up in ScotMid, bought nappies and when she handed them over the beggar asked for the receipt as well. I assume she was going to sell them in a pub and needed the receipt to prove she hadn't nicked them. I occasionally give homeless people money, if I literally have it in my hand, I don't need it and I'm walking past them. I live in Edinburgh though, if I gave every beggar I walked past money I would be homeless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 The BBC had an interesting article a few days back about new legislation being introduced within Scotland which they hope will eradicate homelessness. At the moment, only those who are classed as a priority (pregnant women, people under the age of 18 (?) and vulnerable adults) are given emergency housing/a B&B/hostel placement on the same day that they declare themselves homeless. If you're a young male with no ties, you're told to come back the next day if there are no free beds anywhere else. It would be great to see no one sleeping rough, but in my opinion, throwing money at the problem is not going to solve everything. Sure more housing could and should be made available, but people will take advantage of this for their own gain, or it will be trashed as so many existing homeless houses currently are. For homelessness to be seriously decreased, more money should be spent on drug and alcohol addiction centres than already is, people who are homeless should be given more responsibility than they currently are, especially when they are given somewhere to stay, and I would argue that spot inspections should be carried out to make sure they are taking good care of where they are placed. There's no simple answer to how to completely eradicate homelessness, it will always happen. Unless every single person wants to help themselves, rather than have someone do it for them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GingerSaint Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 Why do homeless people always have dogs? If you can't afford to feed yourself, get rid of the dog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ffcsam Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 There was an interesting debate on this subject on radio 2 earlier (Jeremy Vine show) Should be able to find it on podcast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaz Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 There was an interesting debate on this subject on radio 2 earlier (Jeremy Vine show) Should be able to find it on podcast. I can't stand the Jeremy Vine show. It's the radio equivalent of the Daily Mail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ICTChris Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 Why do homeless people always have dogs? If you can't afford to feed yourself, get rid of the dog. Dogs love walks, homelessness suits them down to the ground. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ya Bezzer! Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 I remember when I used to skip school in Glasgow there was virtually a cardboard city of homeless people under the Clydeway Express and in the nooks and crannies around that area. This was about the time the Tory government emptied the hospitals in favour of 'Care in the Community'. I'm guessing here but I'd say there was about 20 or 30 people living in little 'houses' made out of supermarket boxes, with a mattress inside and some blankets or newspaper. Most of the 'houses' and their contents were filthy but not all. Most of the homeless seemed to be drunks or mentally subnormal. Some of them were quite scary and seemed disturbed. Over time the cardboard city slowly disappeared until you'd only see the occasional mattress and then nothing. Years and years later I was reminiscing about it with a support worker who worked with the homeless. He said that many of them had died on the streets from cold or drug and alcohol dependency. He said at that time it wasn't unusual to find a body a week. The rest had disappeared or dispersed. I was saddened to hear this but not surprised. It always seemed a pretty rotten thing that these people's lives were basically sacrificed in the name of economics. You don't really see as many genuine homeless as you used to but I know there are soup kitchens that are still well attended. Has it been swept under the carpet or have things got better? I'd like to think its the latter. I think this is an issue that really does need government co-ordination. You can be as kind as you like and give money to the needy but without state help with housing, medical care and support that sort of homeless person will probably never be able to get themselves out of the position they have found themselves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 Why do homeless people always have dogs? If you can't afford to feed yourself, get rid of the dog. Living on the streets must be one of the loneliest existences known, so it's not surprising that many decide to get a dog for companionship. I met a homeless guy in Glasgow who had a dog about six months ago. I got chatting with him and it turned out he had served in the army, came home after leaving the forces and his wife threw him out. Felt really bad for him as that could happen to most. I asked him what he would do if I gave him money and he was pretty honest, saying that he would get some cheap cider, but firstly he would get his dog some food (something which he insisted he always did first when he had cash). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wunfellaff Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 Why do homeless people always have dogs? If you can't afford to feed yourself, get rid of the dog. I could afford to feed myself ta very much. £50 for a month is doable. (Signing on wasn't an option, couldn't afford the phonecalls and the 100 mile + trip for the dole interview) Had lived in Edinburgh for 13 years before that and wouldn't have one in a city. Part of the reason of moving back West was so me and my then partner could get one or two. Broke up a couple of years down the line and no chance in Hell me and my doggie will be parted............it would be over some coonts dead body. Seriously. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ffcsam Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 I can't stand the Jeremy Vine show. It's the radio equivalent of the Daily Mail. True, other subjects for debate today were the gang rape incident in India and the "blacked-up kid" Leeds fan. Some utter comical comments from 'experts' on it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ya Bezzer! Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 Why do homeless people always have dogs? If you can't afford to feed yourself, get rid of the dog. The reason is because 99% of people will happily walk past a homeless person lying in the street but far fewer will walk past a dog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sergeant Wilson Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 I would argue that spot inspections should be carried out Aye, plooky homeless bastards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fife Saint Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 Why do homeless people always have dogs? If you can't afford to feed yourself, get rid of the dog. Or eat the c**t. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GingerSaint Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 I could afford to feed myself ta very much. £50 for a month is doable. (Signing on wasn't an option, couldn't afford the phonecalls and the 100 mile + trip for the dole interview) Had lived in Edinburgh for 13 years before that and wouldn't have one in a city. Part of the reason of moving back West was so me and my then partner could get one or two. Broke up a couple of years down the line and no chance in Hell me and my doggie will be parted............it would be over some coonts dead body. Seriously. It wasn't targeted at you. Serious question, how much does it take to feed a dog for a week? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest The Phoenix Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 Aye, plooky homeless bastards. Susan Boil lives in Blackburn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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