Out of gas in Murray KY on way to AZ

My son was on a project in Philadelphia so they put him up in a nice hotel with company truck etc. He would sometimes walk around town and gave a guy near the hotel a couple bucks a couple times. He was heading back to the hotel one day and turned the corner to see this guy at the ATM on his cell phone. I told my son he may have more money in the bank than you do. :)

I pretty much stopped helping these types when I had gone into a little ceasers and got the double double deal years ago. I came out and offered half of it to a guy who had his whole world on his bicycle. He told me pizza is for the birds but some money would be ok. I proceeded to drive away and pigged out.

But then I deserved to pig out as I was on my lunch break from WORKING. He just wanted to drink or get high.

I enjoy sitting in the parking lot at Walmart while the DW shops. Woman and small girl drive up and give this guy a take out dinner and bottle of water. He walked off to the side of the lot and ate some and tossed it in the bushes and returned to his spot. I guess it wouldn't look good if others spotted a meal container and water bottle next to him. Puur guy is just suffering out there in the sun with no water or anything.

At another Walmart I noticed this guy at the entrance as I drove in. I dropped DW off at the door and went out a way to park and noticed this 40's aged gal leaning against a newer ford SUV smoking one cig after another. As we were leaving I saw her go over to relieve the guy and took his sign. Puur folks tag team. That's hard work sitting on cement curbs all day.

One of my favorites at a wally mart and seemingly very productive was the young gal in motley looking garb with a cute little dog with a ribbon on it. Puur little doggy. How can you not give her a couple bucks.

Scam artists.


There are too many charities and other ways to help those in need.

path1 wrote:
If they have a dog I give it a treat. Not the dogs fault.

We often see dogs.
Why would they have a dog if they have nothing. I know, I know, I'm just mean. What kind of regular care does the animal get? I've wanted to dog nap a couple of them.

I've seen this type of stuff a few times. The best was a guy looking for change for gas because he just ran out. A few days later I seen him walking down a street a bit from where he was "working". He got into a nice newer Corvette that appeared to have enough gas to drive away!

gbopp wrote:

rockhillmanor wrote:
As kind as you were you need to beware that not is all what it seems to be.

I always try to find the good in everything. But. Full-timing over the past years I have seen way TOO many instances of this same scenario. As noted in the above post. There are MANY of the scammers out there getting gas, money and/or food for free.

They are just pan handlers preying on our instinct to help other RV'ers. And they are finding it very rewarding for themselves.

Unfortunately, you are correct. I also have seen many in a similar situation. It is nice to help people, especially this time of year.
And the scammers know it.

I don't mind helping but, I'm very cautious.

Never helped. Maybe I'm a scrouge. but, really, if your traveling a long distance and don't have enough money for gas and lodging, well, 1) you shouldn't be traveling and 2) poor planning doesn't make an emergency on my part.

Around here, according to state police almost 100% of them are scammers. they have money, they have gas in the car. MOre than once I've seen them drive off from a rest stop with an "empty tank" going to the next rest stop, repeat.


Breakdowns? another story. I have helped a few times when it was pretty obviouse a real breakdown. Once was a couple from germany in a rental car (pretty new) that had the front steering knuckle colapse on them. I and a forest ranger made calls for towing and I took them down the road to the campground, and on the way helped another duramax driver with a flat.

Gale Hawkins wrote:
A guy was at Walmart trying to raise money for gas and food in a class C so some others helped out and I topped off tank. Hoping he makes it to Phoenix.

Sometimes it's a scam, sometimes it's not.

I figure if I help someone and they are lying/faking, it's on them, not me. If I don't help them, I may have turned my back on someone in need.

I don't help the ones who ask for money. But I do help people I see who appear to be hard up, and who aren't asking.

I had some slightly drunk dude ask me for money for gas once so I told him to learn to budget and not spend all his money on booze..

These bums think that anyone driving rv has so much money to help everyone

Problem is that the people who really are hard up tend to be too proud to ask. The last time I saw a truly genuine person who was out of luck was a woman with two kids who broke down at a rest stop on IH-35 near New Braunfels (all those have since been torn down due to crime.) This was almost thirty years ago before begging became something accepted.

Here in Austin, it is easy to become very hard-hearted. There is a beggar on every street corner, and someone who will rub a dirty rag on your windshield, then try to bust your mirror out when they realize they are not getting paid. Other towns around Austin just ask people to go get a soliciting/sales permit, which keeps their street corners empty and free of syringes, beer cans, and other stuff. Even the local merchants say to not give -anything- to the beggars.

I once decided to keep out of sight and, with a pair of binoculars, watch a beggar who was packing up. Well with his "lame" leg, he stumbled behind some bushes and walked across the street, magically his leg started functioning again and he was able to ride off on bike that was behind a building there, and a few blocks away, said bike went into the hatch of a new Cadillac.

The second time I realized it was a big act was when I recognized a couple begging for change on a street corner winding up at a steakhouse a few miles away, and snickering how many suckers they get, especially come holidays, busy weekends full of tourists, and Christmas.

My two cents: Give to a good charity like the Salvation Army, or something that actually helps people who truely are in need. Single mothers are not out there, and they are a lot more in need than some hippie who is calling himself a "Vietnam veteran", even though he was probably 5 when the war ended. This sounds harsh, especially at Christmas, but I'd rather see money go to find a single parent a house and their kid square meals and clothes, than to allow some fake to have another helping of filet mignon.

The 7 'P's don't cause me any grief.

I call the local Sheriffs office and let them 'help' the folks OUT

Many moons ago, I was travelling with my Dad and we saw a homeless person holding a sign that said "Why lie? I need a beer."

My Dad laughed about as hard as I can ever remember and handed him a buck.


I'm in the "giving" camp. I'm well aware that I'm in a minority and that there are plenty of scammers out there. I've also seen the stories about panhandlers pulling in $60K a year.


Giving, or choosing not to, is an intensely personal thing.



Let's not judge those who do choose to give nor judge those who choose not to.

Happy Holidays.