How do you deal with Vegas bums?

Prob the same guy last year who asked me for a cigarette and when I said no I don't smoke he gave me a load of verbal about my 'expensive' jeans.

Think he followed me for quite a while but I just ignored him after that.

I don't mind the odd dollar on the bridges but when directly asked for it I tend to refuse.

 

Most of the bums sit in the over-head walk-ways to cross the street. I always use those. One time I saw a guy give a bum a free Subway sandwich. I said to the bum, "You got a sandwich". He said he was full from eating some left-over food that was given to
him. He said to me, "would like to have it?'. Stupid me said "No, thank you". lol. I did notice the bum had shared his food with another bum sitting on the opposite side of him. They were both full and young guys.

It is a habit for us visitors to share our left over food from restaurants to the bums sitting around. They don't have to ask for food.
I don't have to beg for food if I ever get hungry in VEGAS. LOL. I just go to the Bridges and sit down. lol. OR... I can join a musical group on a bridge and dance while they play the music. I will never go hungry as long as there are generous people around me.

 

I hardly ever get hit on by the homeless, I am assuming my facial expression is not a friendly one. Any place I am visiting that has time share people I do the polite "No thank you, not interested" any more attempted interaction on their part and they get my "F%ck off comment and look. It worked nicely at the Four Queens, I never had to use the F bomb. The lotion guy down town got the F bomb. At the Luxor for a Carrot Top show the wife and I got surrounded by a team of time share people...after the third attempt to interact with us I told my wife in a loud voice "The next one that try's to stop or hassle me is getting popped." That worked And when we left the show, no problems.

 

I have never been approached by the bums/homeless. I just ignore the timeshare people and keep on walking. Actually, I am surprised they even talk to me because I do solo trips, so no spouse/gf with me.

 

One time downtown I had a bum approach me and tell me he was from Louisiana too. He saw my LSU shirt and cap. Just by looking at the guy i was waiting for him to ask for something & sure enough he asked for a dollar. I said no & he got extremely mad. Thought I was gonna have to actually get physical with this one.

 

I never have problems with bums or timeshare people, its the drug dealers that are always approaching me. I get asked at least twice a day if I wanna buy weed or coke, but at least when you tell them no they're nice and say "alright man have a good night" They don't try and convince you to buy drugs you don't want.

 

This!

 

I speak to them in Russian, doesn't seem to dissuade them!(time share types.) I just keep walking. Never really had trouble with bums. Maybe being 6'3" and weighing 300 lbs dissuades THEM!

 

I've never once had this happen. I'd rather give someone a $ than a cigarette though. I get asked every freaking day for a cigarette because I keep them out of my purse, so I'm not constantly opening it to get one and risking losing money when I'm drinking. Drives me nuts. Then you have to hear their excuse as to why they are bumming a cigarette. I just want them to get away from me! Lol

 

I've never had anyone approach me in a Vegas casino. Locals casino, yes. If someone did approach me I'd likely just say "sorry, can't help you."

Aggressive beggars notwithstanding but I don't want to give someone who is down on their luck a raft of shit. They're already hard up enough to have to resort to asking for money.

Homeless on the street? Sometimes I'll help them out with a couple bucks. I don't judge them and assume they're all drunkards or addicts. And even if they were not my business to judge. Just depends on how I'm feeling and my read on them.

You never know who you may run across. Take this story for instance from the area I live in...

https://www.yahoo.com/news/texas-woman-changes-homeless-mans-092800619.html

As for timeshare people? I ignore them or just say no thank you. I ripped into one at the Westgate once because she refused to give me directions unless I listened to her pitch. I didn't realize she was a timeshare person when I asked.

 

Maybe you have that "cheech and chong" look, lol.

 

What are the lotion people?

 

I thought it was security's job to spot these people and have them be on their way if they are in the casinos bothering people. I know the Boyd properties Downtown will diligently enforce this. After a while security recognizes these people.

I'm really surprised I'm hearing these things happening in the Strip casinos of all places.

 

The lotion people hand out free samples, and if you take 1, they are relentless. And they can get nasty. After walking past them 3 or 4 times and politely refusing them, the next time I walked past I ignored them. One of them called me an old bitch-I am old-and that's when I laid into her. They left me alone after that. They are downtown.

 

good for you! I am not a violent person, but I do wonder -- do they ever get punched in the face? the lotion people or the timeshare vultures.

 

Actually, many times I do unless I recognize the number as a spammer (or someone I'm trying to avoid).

Yes, the "lotions and potions" ladies have been quite aggressive too. The place in the Flamingo and the passageway at Bally's are two I distinctly remember as having pushy salespeople.

 

Hell, I don't smoke, and I still typically get asked for a cigarette a couple of times a trip.

 

I love the point on it being a sucky job. I sold cleaner door-to-door as a late teen, before college. Worst. Job. Ever. And I was awful at it, as I don't like pushing things on people. (But I am glad I've had some sucky jobs in my youth...it makes you appreciate NOT being in them.)

I too either keep walking, or say a polite "no thanks." Then I thank my lucky stars I'm comfortable enough to vacation in Vegas, versus being stuck in their cruddy job.

Now, if someone starts acting condescending or snide to me, then, "Houston, we have a problem". But unless they cross that line, I chalk them up to one of Vegas' few annoying sides.

 

I pass the peeps on the streets quickly. Don't say anything, just walk by. If you respond to them, you're opening yourself up to conversation. Unless you want it. Your call. And NEVER take any kind of hand-out, again, unless you want it. Anytime you open conversation or accept something, you're in a conversation.

Inside the casino, I've had all kinds of people approach me. Drunks (excluding myself of course,) hookers, and trouble-makers. Again, I try to ignore. If this doesn't work, I leave and find another location to play. To this day (knock on wood,) I've never had to find security to help me out; I hope it never comes to this. But I've had some people hang around after I've hit hand-pays which always makes me nervous. But I, for some reason, always feel safe inside a casino. They have cameras monitoring everything, so I figure I'm ok.
Cheers,
Ed.

 

You should have asked him for a dollar before he could ask you!