Beggars on buses

[danielcanning]

In a first for me, a beggar has just boarded a bus and asked every passenger for money. I’ve seen this on the Tube and National Rail, but never a bus. Has anyone else experienced similar?

 

[Gloster]

Around thirty years ago in Hull. As soon as the driver noticed, he stopped the bus, came back and told him to get off. As it was a beefy driver and a rather skinny beggar, the latter didn’t argue.

 

[175mph]

Around thirty years ago in Hull. As soon as the driver noticed, he stopped the bus, came back and told him to get off. As it was a beefy driver and a rather skinny beggar, the latter didn’t argue.

My neck of the woods happens to be Hull and the closest I've ever seen a beggar to any mode of transport is on Ferensway, just outside the entrance to the station.

 

[Siemens Trains]

I experienced this on a bus towards Krakow airport a few years ago. The gentleman was careful to word his request as asking if anyone had currency they no longer needed rather than anything aggressive. I think he was warned against begging by the driver when getting on as they had an extensive discussion. Then he alighted at the next stop.

 

[Simon75]

In a first for me, a beggar has just boarded a bus and asked every passenger for money. I’ve seen this on the Tube and National Rail, but never a bus. Has anyone else experienced similar?

I've only seen it once last year on the tube (puzzled me how the person got through the barriers), but never seen on a bus (UK or overseas), but have seen on the Paris metro

 

[Ostrich]

Just one incident springs to mind, on a Birmingham - Sutton Coldfield National Express bus, probably around 10 years or so ago and in the Erdington area. We were downstairs sitting towards the front, chap came from behind us asking for money, got no response from any of the passengers he spoke to, and he got off at the next stop. He wasn't aggressive, but seemed a tad under the influence of something or other .....

 

[Paul Jones 88]

Some horrible looking Herbert on the 279 near Tottenham asked me for five pounds last year, I told him Foxtrot Oscar.

 

[Typhoon]

I've only seen it once last year on the tube (puzzled me how the person got through the barriers), but never seen on a bus (UK or overseas), but have seen on the Paris metro

A suggestion. Its been a few years but there used to be beggars at the Victoria Coach Station entrance 'asking' people for their Travelcard as (presumably) they would need it any more. Obviously fewer physical Travelcards but you only need one!

 

[Brooke]

A suggestion. Its been a few years but there used to be beggars at the Victoria Coach Station entrance 'asking' people for their Travelcard as (presumably) they would need it any more. Obviously fewer physical Travelcards but you only need one!

Pretty common on the tube, both begging and also selling small packs of tissues.

People avoiding fares in general either barge through the gates behind someone, or just access at points without gates.

I’ve not come begging on London’s buses as such, but occasionally in bus stations, including someone who stopped me in Aldgate Bus Station on Friday.

 

[Martin1988]

I remember the beggars at the Victoria Coach Station departures terminal all too well. There also used to be people at the arrivals building who'd attempt to sell you a Travelcard. Admittedly my younger self once got caught out by it but I learned my lesson.

 

[Paperptsticket]

Cornwall is full of them. I would help anyone genuine in life, but I find there are a lot of professional beggars out there.

 

[londonbridge]

The only time I’ve encountered one on the bus was a couple of months back, though he was more of a scam artist. He got on and started saying he was trying to get money for a taxi to get to the hospital where his girlfriend had been taken after being beaten up. He wasn’t too happy when I said she wasn’t doing too well, as it was the third time she’d been beaten up in less than a week and it had been all over the local Facebook pages….