What would you do? ATM begger

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Scenario: while going up to the ATM in front of the bank a woman approached me after I insert my card and begins to talk about how cold it is. I haven’t punched in my pin just yet but I’m waiting for her to leave for obvious reasons.

She then asks me for a 20. Since I don’t want her to see my PIN I give her the 2 dollars I have in my wallet. Now I did also have 3 100 dollar bills but I didn’t want to give that. Clearly she knows I could pull out 20’s for her but I insisted that I’ve given her 2 dollars. She insisted that others have given her 20’s and that she is asking for 20’s

After a moment she realizes I’m not budging and she moves on to the next ATM patron.

I realize we’re suppose to be generous but I was annoyed at her approaching me while trying to withdraw money from an ATM at night.

Should I have given her a 20? What say you?
 
I think we have an obligation to give regardless. Don’t we? I could be wrong.
 
I wouldn’t be very inclined to give much to a beggar who acted entitled about it, either. Entitlement is a plague in this country which will be one of the reasons for its downfall.

So my answer would be “No, you did the right thing”. But it’s ultimately a subjective choice.

(EDIT: I misread at first. I thought you said she insisted after you gave her two dollars. If the person’s request seemed genuine I would probably inclined to give more myself since I’m standing at an ATM.)
 
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Knight said:
Scenario: while going up to the ATM in front of the bank a woman approached me after I insert my card and begins to talk about how cold it is. I haven’t punched in my pin just yet but I’m waiting for her to leave for obvious reasons.
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If an ATM has anyone suspicious hanging around it, anyone at all, I leave and go to another ATM. I do not use that ATM. You never know if being confronted by an aggressive panhandler means that you will soon become a victim of violence/ robbery by that person and/or 3 friends of theirs hiding around the corner.

Furthermore, if someone was aggressively panhandling at an ATM going from person to person in the way you describe, I would likely call the police.

In many major cities, ATMs are inside the bank building and accessible only by inserting your ATM card to get inside the door, precisely to prevent situations where a person using the ATM is confronted by someone else begging, robbing, trying to covertly steal the PIN, etc.

A lot of very bad things happen at ATMs. I would hesitate to even go to one at night to be honest.
 
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MiserereMei25 said:
I think we have an obligation to give regardless. Don’t we? I could be wrong.
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NO, we do not have an “obligation” to give money to someone on the street who asks for it.

We are free to give our money to another place where we think it will do more good and not put us in a threatening situation, such as a legitimate charity, food bank, homeless shelter, or even our own parish church.

This is just common sense.

We are also free to not give money at all if we really can’t afford to do so or have other expenses, such as taking care of our families or our health care or our school tuition loan. We can always give in some other way, such as our time, our prayers, etc. I heard a homily on this just last Sunday in connection with the “widow’s mite” Gospel.
 
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I think you did good giving her the two dollars. No telling how much further she’d have gone if you had given her the twenty.
 
There are a multiple upon a multiple of social agencies which are set up to help the poor and the needy, and they are far better situated to actually help those in need.

I have no problem with those who choose to provide food for the poor (my sister specifically prepares sandwiches and takes them to some street people). However, she does not give cash, as she (and many who are against handing out cash) are aware that all too many seeking a handout of cash have addictions; giving them cash feeds the addictions.

I have angered people when I have brought this up in conversations. I choose to give my cash to those agencies which work with the poor to provide clothing, shelter and food, as well as medical assistance and treatment for addictions.

I well understand (before anyone jumps on that point) that there are plenty of poor and needy who have no addictions; but I cannot tell the difference in a short, 1 minute contact.

A study done of those who stand with signs at stop lights, etc. estimated a pre-tax income at the rate of $30.00 per hour spent standing there with the sign. I choose to not be part of that.

Supporting the poor and needy is clearly a Gospel command. That is why I support the agencies.
 
I agree with you, but I’d be afraid of by not giving her the money, I’d get shot.
 
otjm said:
A study done of those who stand with signs at stop lights, etc. estimated a pre-tax income at the rate of $30.00 per hour spent standing there with the sign. I choose to not be part of that.
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The Washington Post, which is generally pretty liberal, has run more than one story on how many panhandlers in DC are not needy, but choose to panhandle because they found they could make more money begging than working a legitimate job.
 
Hope1960 said:
I’d be afraid of by not giving her the money, I’d get shot.
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This is why one should always be ready, willing, and able to defend one’s self. 🙂 I have people who depend on me. God gave me life, and it is a precious gift. No scoundrel is going to threaten/take my life without a fight!
 
A few years ago the news in our area reported that the beggars who stand on the highway corners are scammers.
 
DH and I have been in two or three scary situations but ended up safe. Twice he’s given them money.
 
My mother-in-law, who walks with a cane and is 80, had someone watch her punch in her pin number. She was an easy target since the other hand was not going to guard the pin. They later got her card, in the parking lot, drove off and got out as much money as they could.

I’m glad you had the awareness to not punch in your pin.
 
I’d call 911. Have the police come and remove her and warn her that she will will be locked up if she comes back. You might be preventing a potential mugging. There are plenty of charities where these people can be helped.
 
I would reply as I always do during the regular part of the year. “Sorry, but I have a policy of never giving cash to anyone, but if you are hungry I would be more than happy to buy you something to eat. So would you like McDonalds, Burger King, or a bag of groceries from that Minute Mart over there”? The only time I give cash is during Lent and then it’s a ten or a twenty with no questions asked and a big “God Bless you brother/sister” from me.
 
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I wouldn’t have given her 5 cents. Panhandling at an ATM machine at night is an intimidation move not really begging.
 
20 years ago when I was working in an office in downtown Pittsburgh, I always saw the same panhandlers in the same locations every day. If you saw someone new on your block, they’d be pushed out by your regular panhandler within an hour.

For a lot of these guys and young ladies, its a way of life, a regular job really.
 
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