The great bum purge of '09?

[RiversideLoki]

I've noticed the past few nights out that JSO has been chasing off the bums more than usual. Anyone care to speculate as to why? Maybe the increased visibility of the area due in part to RAM? Or maybe our whining here about what I so fondly call "The Running of The Bums" in which you have to go through a veritable gauntlet every time you walk from your car to an establishment/bike down the street?

In any event, it's decent news.

Hmmmm....

[ChriswUfGator]

That's good news!

It's been REALLY bad lately. The bums have gotten more plentiful, and a lot more aggressive. It got so bad that the Riverside Publix and that strip mall with Al's Pizza and 5 Guys had to hire an armed guard. And the Shell gas station at 5 Points is their new favorite hangout, there always seems to be one or two lurking by the pay phone there to hit you up when you try and use the air hose or put gas in your car.

I'm very happy to see the police finally doing something about it. The only thing the private guards or shop owners can do is run them off to another place, which doesn't do much good. The police can actually cart them off.

[mtraininjax]

What bums? We don't get them at Dancy and Park....

[ChriswUfGator]

What bums? We don't get them at Dancy and Park....

They hang out mainly by the commercial areas. 5 Points, the Park Street Publix, etc. They also hang out by the Park Street exit from I-95, and under the bridge. They are usually in the parks a too, especially by the duck pond.

But I've never seen any down by your place, or in Avondale. They don't go there, dunno why.

[David]

I've heard they've been doing a lot to curb them downtown as well. I'm told by a regular at the London Bridge that the police have been taking them to jail on the spot for various offenses, not even giving them a chance to take their belongings with them.

I've been apartment hunting in Riverside lately so i've been driving around a lot. I've been approached a couple of times by beggers while checking out a property, but at this point of living in the area for so long i'm virtually unphased by it.

With that said, how is the panhandler traffic around Stockton & College st?  Hehe, ok so i'm still slightly phased by it I guess. It's one thing to go out eat/drink and deal with the change zombies from time to time, but another to have it on your door step every day.

[The Compound]

What bums? We don't get them at Dancy and Park....

But I've never seen any down by your place, or in Avondale. They don't go there, dunno why.

Because they all used to live there. They dont want to run into old friends. 

[The Compound]

Its not bad at Stockton and College. My office was right there, they used to come in and ask to wash windows, but they keep on walking. They dont hang out.

[Shwaz]

What bums? We don't get them at Dancy and Park

I dunno... some of the patron's of Yesterday's may fall into the bum category 

[RiversideLoki]

What bums? We don't get them at Dancy and Park

I dunno... some of the patron's of Yesterday's may fall into the bum category 

ROFLMAO

[fsu813]

I was in downtown Atlanta last month for 1 day. I spent maybe 1 hour walking outside total and was apprached by 5 people asking, selling, or performing for money.

[ChriswUfGator]

Its not bad at Stockton and College. My office was right there, they used to come in and ask to wash windows, but they keep on walking. They dont hang out.

I ate at 13G the other day, and noticed your 10% tint on the office windows, along with the "Private" and "NO CASH ON PREMISES!!!" signs, along with your locked door and intercom. LOL.

So, yeah, you don't make it very inviting for bums to hang out!     

[The Compound]

LOL yeah, I didnt get much walk in business.   

[Cliffs_Daughter]

We have as much security as a wet blanket most days in my building. (Springfield) We had a lady not once, not twice, but 3 times in as many months come in just after lunchtime walking around to every office asking to borrow $5. It's just ridiculous. They must've banned her by now, but that don't mean a thing.
Being so close to Confederate Park has its disadvantages. Much as I'd love to sit in the park for lunch, I'm not keen on being approached by strangers when I'm trying to relax

[David]

I was in downtown Atlanta last month for 1 day. I spent maybe 1 hour walking outside total and was apprached by 5 people asking, selling, or performing for money.

Atlanta has a different breed of panhandlers up there, those guys are some serious hustlers.  In '06, one guy almost convinced me that he had a parking garage around the corner that I could park my 22' work truck in overnight and it'd only cost me 10 bucks. I started to follow him and then noticed he was leading me down a dark alley way. Common sense kicked in and I did a 180 and got outta there.

(rephrase)

My opinion about the local bums is that they're pretty laid back and usually leave you alone after you say no

[ChriswUfGator]

One thing you have to admit about the local bums, they're pretty laid back and usually leave you alone after you say no

Nah, I find the ones here at least as aggressive as Atlanta, maybe worse...

At least in ATL, they'll try and wash your window and beg for money. Here, they just bang on the car window and demand money. Tell them "no", and they'll curse at you. Try and be polite and say "I don't have any cash" and they'll call you a liar. It's ridiculous.

I don't know where all these allegedly polite bums are around here, but most of the ones I run into aren't polite at all, they're downright rude and pushy.