Creative ways to handle panhandlers

[Cubswin]

1) Don't carry cash
2) Avoid Eye contact and walk with your head to the pavement
3) If you make eye contact, simply say, "Sorry, I dont carry cash"

If someone says they would like food and I am not in a hurry, I will ususally buy someone a meal. I will also buy someone a cup of coffee when it is cold out so they can sit in an establishment to warm up.

[MuresanForMVP]

My go to a couple years ago was an evasive spin-move. I line the bum up slightly off one of my shoulders, and if he's slightly in front of me and to the left I make a jab step to the right, when he begins to pursue me with his hand out, I immediately and smoothly execute a spin to the left. This generally leaves the panhandler confused long enough for you to escape

[furyshade]

there are some great ones my dad has come up with. if they say they are veterans ask their rifle number, if they can give you that they deserve change and if not they are scum for impersonating a veteran.
also, my dad direct/produces the LA marathon, which involves being in downtown LA at 2am, you get the best homeless people ever. once we got some guy who went bat [censored] crazy, he ran around hitting himself in the head begging people and saying he needed his lithium (i guess manic depressive), he was probably legit but if not its such a good scam
another good story was once he was waiting somewhere, some guy comes up, gives him like a 5 minute story about how he needs to get on the bus to see his cousin in the hospital, etc., my dad gave him $5 for originality. thats why i like to give money based on quality of story, i wont give you money if you just ask for it, but if you have an elaborate story then you get an A for effort

[edfurlong]

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another good story was once he was waiting somewhere, some guy comes up, gives him like a 5 minute story about how he needs to get on the bus to see his cousin in the hospital, etc., my dad gave him $5 for originality. thats why i like to give money based on quality of story, i wont give you money if you just ask for it, but if you have an elaborate story then you get an A for effort

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That story is very very standard.

[Toro]

Last trip to LV, I used your #1. We were coming out of Ruth Chris steakhouse and this real scummy guy approached us and I didn't want to get within 5 feet of this guy so I said "sorry pal, real bad day at the tables".

[Sooga]

A couple weeks ago I was filling up at a gas station near work (fairly upper-middle class area), when some haggard old woman comes up to me:

her: "you have a cigarette?"
me: "sorry, i don't smoke."
her (looking indignant): "oh you think that makes you better than me?"
me: "huh? no, i think that makes me pretty damn unlikely to have a cigarette."
her (walking away mumbling): "oh well you made it sound like you were better than me mumble mumble mumble"