Who has been approached at a gas station with someone begging for money?

[mikebass78]

the 1970s, when I was 18, two friends and I were driving around town and stopped at the local washateria to use the bathroom. It was a cold drizzly evening. There was a guy sitting in a drier door trying to get warm. I felt sorry for him but I friends laughed. When we came out of the bathroom he asked in a broken voice if we could give him a cigarette. I told him none of us smoked. The three of went to our homes to eat supper. I then went to the store, bought a pack of smokes, stuffed a $20 in the pack and went back to the washateria. I asked him how it was going and if he still wanted a cigarette. When I handed him the pack and he saw the $20 he got tears in his eyes and said "I can't take this" and tried to hand it back. I wouldn't take it back. I wanted my address so that one day he could mail the $20 back to me. I tore a personal check in half and gave him the portion with my name and address. If asked if there was a bus stop around and I told him a few block down. I saw him walking towards the stop while I was driving off......Now that's someone who needed a break, unlike these professional beggars with their canned stot very ury who get mad if you don't give them their gas money

and that was the 70's...

times have changed, i've done similar things, but looking back, I was very trusting in my early years.

[Countryside]

I have always wanted to stand somewhere with a sign that reads "Gainfully employed. I just want more money." Just to see what happens.

[rentz]

I normally fill up at stations in nicer areas and noticed it doesn't happen much.
One evening a seemingly nice woman was going up to everyone saying she didn't have her wallet and needed gas , clearly had her car parked at a pump.
She approached me but kept a respectful distance
I've very cautious I don't give anyone money or pull out my wallet so I declined but she asked the guy at the next pump and he went and put 10 bucks gas in her car with his card.
The woman was so great fun and happy I geniunely think she just didn't have her wallet and I felt a little bad not helping her but I'd rather be cautious than robbed


In worse areas I've been approached by people who clearly don't even have a car asking for money for gas or the hey I've got extra speakers from a delivery I'll make a deal
My key is I'm aware of my surroundings and I give off the vibe I don't want to be messed with, usually works

[aaangel]

My reply, "I no speak no english" in my heavy filipino accent. They turn right back around.

[Texas_Blaze]

Lady approached me. She wanted some money for gas. Her car was parked at a pump. I went to the cashier and paid $20 for the lady's pump number. I went back and told the lady that I paid the cashier and the pump is now ready for gassing her car. Gave her the receipt so she could see. As I am driving away, she starts asking other people for gas money. I immediately stop and go tell the cashier that I want my money back and that there is someone bothering the customers. I get my money back. Cashier comes out and runs the lady off. Lady gets in her car and drives away.

[TxRVer]

the 1970s, when I was 18, two friends and I were driving around town and stopped at the local washateria to use the bathroom. It was a cold drizzly evening. There was a guy sitting in a drier door trying to get warm. I felt sorry for him but I friends laughed. When we came out of the bathroom he asked in a broken voice if we could give him a cigarette. I told him none of us smoked. The three of went to our homes to eat supper. I then went to the store, bought a pack of smokes, stuffed a $20 in the pack and went back to the washateria. I asked him how it was going and if he still wanted a cigarette. When I handed him the pack and he saw the $20 he got tears in his eyes and said "I can't take this" and tried to hand it back. I wouldn't take it back. I wanted my address so that one day he could mail the $20 back to me. I tore a personal check in half and gave him the portion with my name and address. If asked if there was a bus stop around and I told him a few block down. I saw him walking towards the stop while I was driving off......Now that's someone who needed a break, unlike these professional beggars with their canned story who get mad if you don't give them their gas money

Very kind of you but I would not give my address to any person in a situation like that.

Did you ever get any money back?
I was to my PO Box. Not the house address

[Tracker]

Nope. I never got any money back

[biomass1]

Sometime back I was outside a hotel in Santa Ana , CA when I was approached by guy who claimed he needed money for gas and had a rapid-fire story to go with it. Six months later I was outside a hotel in San Diego and was approached by the same guy with the same story, I said: "you don't remember me , but six months ago in Santa Ana you gave me the same spiel". He scurried off. the social engineers are everywhere.

[thatguyoverthere]

Woman approached me while I was pumping gas, she asking me for gas money. Normally, I would just shake my head no and turn away, but her story was that her man had kicked her out of the house, and she was trying to get to her folks' place in OK City (we were near Dallas). She was parked at the adjacent pump. I looked over and saw that the back seat of her car was full of clothes and boxes and stuff.

With her story and the situation, I put enough gas in her car to get her to OK City. May have been a scam, but if so, it was a good act. She cried while she was thanking me.

She asked how she could ever pay me back. I was about to say just do the same for someone else, but I didn't want to think she had to hang around gas stations waiting for somebody to ask her for money.

So I said this is how you can repay me: when you get the money that you would use to pay me back, take that cash and go to the church of your choice and drop that cash in the offering plate, and we'll call our deal done!

[FastCarry]

Oh boy. Been reading this thread today, I had just starting pumping gas at QT in ft worth tonight when a bum started heading my way. I started remembering the thread, I wasn't carrying since I was heading to have a drink or two and panicked, stopped my pump at 2 gallons and got the heck out of dodge.

[TVegas]

My story isn't from a gas station, but it seems relevant.

Just yesterday morning I had a lady walk up to the window of my vehicle while I was disarming to head into school. She must have walked around from the car next to me just as I looked down to unholster, because as soon as I looked up she was only a few steps away.

Unluckily for her, I just got a new holster that I'm still getting used to. Due to the configuration of the holster and the tight confines of my vehicle, I had opted to draw my handgun before removing the holster. I have a low vehicle, so as soon as she was close enough, she was able to see my gun in my hand. She, and her wide eyes, took a quick step back once she realized what she was looking at.

Amazingly, she still had the nerve to ask for money.

[bearlesjr]

Had a guy that I saw several times in the area begging. While me and the boss ordered the buffet, he took the cast off his arm and ordered margaritas and a premium meal. I never gave again!

[SA-TX]

I had a woman drive up and claim she needed gas money to get to Burleson and I wasn't even at a gas station! I was in the parking lot at Kohl's during the Christmas shopping season either going into or coming out of the store. I do remember that I was packing though , not that my pistol was ever revealed.

Downtown homeless and panhandling is, sadly, expected but mobile begging at suburban strip malls? Just another "success" of the Obama economy I guess.

SA-TX

[The Annoyed Man]

I've never been approached in Texas but in Commiefornia it happened a lot. I would never give money but if they said they were hungry I'd offer to feed them. It's nice to have a captive audience while offering them the plan of salvation!

A few years ago my wife bought McDonalds for a guy (against my wishes) that was on the street corner with a sign that read "Hungry please help" After she gave it to him I got her to stop across the street and watch... after a few minutes he tossed it in the trash can there in the medium. Needless to say she doesn't do that anymore.

He was holding out for Whataburger.

Nah! He was holding out for In 'N Out.

[The Annoyed Man]

One of the best stories I read was a guy who had seen a certain guy at various places around town. He walked everywhere he went. This same guy approached him for money once as he was leaving a store. He asked the guy "Didn't I see you way over on the other side of town at such-and-such location?" They guy said "Yeah, probably, I walk all over town." The man telling the story said "I then told him that if he was healthy enough to walk all over town asking people for money, he was healthy enough to stand behind a counter and say "May I take your order, please?"

I don't give anyone cash. If they need shoes, I'll buy them shoes. If they need food, we'll provide them some food. If they need gas, we'll get them a little gas.
I don't fund anyone's alcohol, tobacco, drug or lottery needs.

That's pretty much my policy too. I believe we are all called to be charitable when charity is legitimately needed, and we should be willing to rise to the occasion if faced with that need; but none of us are called to stupid or pushovers.