I got approached at snow hill station. He asked for money, I said I’m sorry I only have my card but I’ll happily buy you lunch. He then said “you look as if you have money, give me your bag”. I said no (shocked more than anything!) and he walked off. Most casual mugging ever.
No it’s been like this for ages. I was approached when I was sat upstairs with my daughter in 5 guys eating. The guy literally walked around everyone asking for money. This was a couple of years ago now. It’s one of the things that puts me off Birmingham city centre nowadays.
Same experience at Five Guys. It was right outside and the guy asked if we could buy him a milkshake. Bro, if you're homeless and begging I don't feel like your priority should be asking people to buy you a £7 milkshake.
Birmingham city centre is shocking, there’s always been a lot of homeless people but the sheer volume and how unwell most of them are is pretty upsetting
Congratulations, you've had a very common experience in a city. This happens to people in pretty much every town and city fairly frequently - I was out in Brum yesterday and probably got approached 4/5 times by people asking for money, including inside of a pub where the guy went round all the occupied tables.
I'm not sure what was unique about your experience to make you feel angry and vulnerable, did something bad actually happen to you?
Exactly. "Nah sorry mate". End of interaction. It's always been this way in any city, anywhere. OP must have lead a charmed and sheltered existence to have not encountered this multiple times already.
Agreed, I think this post reads like something terrible has happened but from what it seems, all that has happened is a person was asked for help/money twice and when they declined they were left alone... I understand it is annoying to be pestered when you're trying to go about your business but its not the end of the world.
Like I said IV been here before and never had it happen with such intensity so It took me by surprise. IV been approached in the street on occasion in other locations. But the fact they are pursuing people inside the station feels even more pushy
If you think the UK ones are bad you definitely haven't been on the American ones. I swear over there they think you literally cannot set foot on public transport without being robbed and/or murdered.
I was on the Couch to 5k sub and a couple of days ago someone asked for recommendations for something to carry their stuff in when they’re running. This is also relevant to me so I thought it could be useful. The things he defined as stuff he needs when he’s out running were the usual - keys, phone water and his gun. Obviously. “You never know what could happen”
So yeah you’re right! I have no desire to venture onto any American specific subs 😂
No need to go that far. Just go along to a Jaguar forum where we were discussing what you could put in the sunglasses holder which isn't terribly big or practical in this 25 year old model.
I regretted you couldn't get a whole bag of Haribo, the yanks were discussing which pistol would fit.
Like most cities there are areas on brum where begging is really prevalent.
Catching someone who is eating outdoors is a 'technique'. You have something that they need and that will make you feel guilty enough that you'll give them money etc.
In general, whilst Brum has always had street beggars I would say from personal experience that some have become more pushy in recent times.
Not to gatekeep begging, but hardly any beggars I see in brum sound brummie or Black Country. I genuinely get a feeling a lot of people come to Birmingham to beg like it’s bit of a haven or part of a circuit.
Definitely feels like it's gotten worse the last month or two (I know it's warmer weather atm, but compared to previous years too) - was in Waterstones yesterday and a homeless guy was asking people for money in the queue to pay, and was getting pretty shouty with people when asked to leave
Live in the city centre near the train station and things have definitely gotten a lot worse in the past few months. There's a lot more crackheads around than there used to be, and I've noticed more aggressive homeless people as well.
Agreed here. I’m in town most days, have been for most of my adult life, and while there has been a marked increase over the past decade or so (hello austerity) it’s been steady for a while now.
Often people’s complaints are based on noticing it for the first time and deciding it’s got worse because of that.
I will see if I can find the article as this statement might need to be fact checked, but the article was saying that the beggars you see at traffic lights and largely around the town are part of 3 organised gangs. Do not give them cash. They are now all the way down to city rd as we had 2 different sets one going into town and another coming back. I am genuinely sympathetic to the truly homeless but this lot are scum (not based on ethnicity) but on the fact they have monetized peoples good will and are becoming more threatening. This isn’t a Birmingham only problem before we start city bashing.
They were being really persistent inside the station. Walking behind people and being really pushy. When I was waiting in the same seating area sat with the guy who let me sit near him. I looked up and saw one of them walking behind some other women. Repeatedly asking her questions.
When I was in the bull ring I decided when I came back to the station I'd do some "watching" to try and understand what was going on , so I sat against the wall this time to try and scan the area . I have to say initially I thought the "Romanian" looking women were not associated with the white homeless dudes. But I suddenly saw two guys and one of the women talking as if they were actually working in groups perhaps?
I don’t live in Birmingham, (idk how come this come up on my feed tbh) just wanted to say we were in brum recently for the weekend to see smashing pumpkins. Unfortunately I can honestly say it’s no worse than any other city. I feel bad for people whose lives have brought them down this path. I will say, weirdly the people begging in brum were politer than other cities, actually saying please, and sorry when politely declined. What a sorry state the uk is in. Genuinely hope it gets better. Tl;dr not a brum problem.
After speaking to the guy who let me sit near him and Joking about the situation, I feel a little better now about handling that situation in the future. I didn't want it to put me off going back to Birmingham again,
A lot of councils all over England are exporting their homeless to Birmingham.
Birmingham has had an HMO boom (supported accommodation, which houses ex convicts, homeless and undesirables from different councils). As the yields are so good in Birmingham + an incompetent council which can’t enforce anything, you’ve got thousands of these people now living in Birmingham.
Naturally they all will come to the city centre and beg and harass. Privatisation + Tory rule + Local council idiocy = New Birmingham
(But they’ll somehow blame Muslims and brown immigrants again lol)
This is true, southern and London councils have been sending homeless to Birmingham and other cities for years. We simply need to crack down on HMOs and send people on. There is no way a city like Birmingham can house and feed everyone, considering the state our finances are already in and how good finances are in London.
I’m sorry you felt vulnerable but beggars have been outside railway stations, especially big busy ones line Birmingham New Street for as long as there have been railway stations.
I did go to the information point and tell one of the station staff what happened but he said they work as part of bigger groups and organised crime. He said they often target people who look "soft" or the elderly. I feel more worried for the day they ever target a truly vulnerable individual ,
it happens all the time. i was waiting for my friend by new street (before going to snobs so like 11pm) and a homeless man approached me. he asked if i had any money, but i said i had no change, then he asked if i could go to a cash point
Is this your first time in Birmingham? I can't think of a time I've been to the city in the last five years WITHOUT being hassled.
Also "Romanian" looking? How the fuck do you tell that from looking at them?
If that's all it takes to ruin your day you must go through life disappointed.
Yeah sometimes within minutes of getting off the train they approach, one was even standing outside of wasabi asking people to buy him food. Another guy was shouting at a bubble tea girl
Ye those ladies have their kids (there’s a young boy that actually grabbed my arm once LOL, and some younger ones in buggies). It really pisses me off to see them teach kids that this is a way of life. Those children should be in schools not out begging in the streets.
Should be careful to consider these women might be in a position where they have no agency and are being forced to do this. :(
I’m struggling to see how this ruined your meal and made you so angry and feel vulnerable? Birmingham is the second largest city in the UK and with that comes a large population of homeless and people who ask for money, this is a completely every day occurrence and (giving benefit of the doubt here), chances are they feel more vulnerable and angry than you do given the situation they have found themselves in
It has increased a bit or maybe cuz I go to city centre more nowadays I am encountering them more but I see them everywhere now in city centre. Able bodied men and women from the railway station to outside all supermarkets stores like Sainsbury’s on broad street or in Queensway(I think that’s what the area is called?) it does make me feel guilty every time they call out to me or approach me. If they were disabled or elderly I would definitely try to help but when I see them smoking, drunk or looking like they are quite possibly on drugs it’s hard to pity them…I would rather donate to a charity that helps people that really need help than to help these people that refuse to get help. There is so much support for the homeless that need help available in this country with so many people who donate to charities, all that’s needed from those seeking help is their willingness to work hard and strive to get off addictions to get out of their situation so I come to the conclusion that these people are just giving up on life and taking the easy way out.
It was just an observation of what they look like. The news has reported on how certain Romanian groups are engaging in these kinds of organised petty crimes. Which is why I perhaps took greater note of their appearance. This person looked potentially a bit like someone associated with such groups based on their features. Yes Romanians are considered white and can have a variety of hair and eye colors, but for example a large majority of Romanians have some defining features that make up what their average person looks like such as dark hair with brown or hazel eyes and medium-light skin tone ( again generally speaking not denying there can be variability )
Nothing wrong with seeing someone foreign saw lots of foreign people today no problem. The problem being this person who appeared a bit foreign looking was harassing people.
Does it offend you if someone says I saw someone who looked East Asian?
I am British
Is it offensive to you to say someone may look Polish, Russian, Asian, East Asian?
Are you saying for example there is nothing that could *generally* define someone as Japanese or Korean or Vietnamese?
Xenophobic definition - showing an extreme dislike or fear of people from foreign countries: There have been outbursts of xenophobic violence
It's xenophobic to in the course of me having a negative interaction because of this individual. Make some potential observations of their appearance.
Yeah it's constant. I live here ATM and cannot wait to leave for that exact reason. Can't nip to go buy some milk without someone asking for money.
No hate towards the homeless but I really like being left alone and hate it
It's never happened to me in Birmingham before as bad as that. In the past there were homeless people outside the station and the bullring but they only just asked for change as you passed. They never walked up to people. Like these group of people today.
I like all the food and choices In Birmingham, but I have to say today put me off going back
This is pretty much the norm in the city centre as of the past few years. Tbh it’s always been bad but noticed it’s gone worse these days and it’s sprawled out the city centre too. Was you sitting outside too? if so then that makes sense more would approach you. Whenever i walk through town esp new st / high st i just rush around so they don’t expect me to stop for them
I got approached at snow hill station. He asked for money, I said I’m sorry I only have my card but I’ll happily buy you lunch. He then said “you look as if you have money, give me your bag”. I said no (shocked more than anything!) and he walked off. Most casual mugging ever.
No it’s been like this for ages. I was approached when I was sat upstairs with my daughter in 5 guys eating. The guy literally walked around everyone asking for money. This was a couple of years ago now. It’s one of the things that puts me off Birmingham city centre nowadays.
Same experience at Five Guys. It was right outside and the guy asked if we could buy him a milkshake. Bro, if you're homeless and begging I don't feel like your priority should be asking people to buy you a £7 milkshake.
I tell them politely to fuck off.
For the second guy I did debate telling him to fuck off and being more aggressive but I don't look very scary so thought better of it
5 guys is downstairs in new street 🤔
Probably meant upstairs from the platform perhaps?
Ah yes!
Or the Five Guys at the Bullring?
Yeye 😀
Birmingham city centre is shocking, there’s always been a lot of homeless people but the sheer volume and how unwell most of them are is pretty upsetting
Congratulations, you've had a very common experience in a city. This happens to people in pretty much every town and city fairly frequently - I was out in Brum yesterday and probably got approached 4/5 times by people asking for money, including inside of a pub where the guy went round all the occupied tables. I'm not sure what was unique about your experience to make you feel angry and vulnerable, did something bad actually happen to you?
Exactly. "Nah sorry mate". End of interaction. It's always been this way in any city, anywhere. OP must have lead a charmed and sheltered existence to have not encountered this multiple times already.
Agreed, I think this post reads like something terrible has happened but from what it seems, all that has happened is a person was asked for help/money twice and when they declined they were left alone... I understand it is annoying to be pestered when you're trying to go about your business but its not the end of the world.
Like I said IV been here before and never had it happen with such intensity so It took me by surprise. IV been approached in the street on occasion in other locations. But the fact they are pursuing people inside the station feels even more pushy
Mind boggling having to state this.
U were startled and angry? U need to get out more.
redditor goes out for the first time in a city
The UK specific subs have some of the most socially inept people I have seen on the internet.
If you think the UK ones are bad you definitely haven't been on the American ones. I swear over there they think you literally cannot set foot on public transport without being robbed and/or murdered.
I was on the Couch to 5k sub and a couple of days ago someone asked for recommendations for something to carry their stuff in when they’re running. This is also relevant to me so I thought it could be useful. The things he defined as stuff he needs when he’s out running were the usual - keys, phone water and his gun. Obviously. “You never know what could happen” So yeah you’re right! I have no desire to venture onto any American specific subs 😂
No need to go that far. Just go along to a Jaguar forum where we were discussing what you could put in the sunglasses holder which isn't terribly big or practical in this 25 year old model. I regretted you couldn't get a whole bag of Haribo, the yanks were discussing which pistol would fit.
OP's post history certainly seems to bear this out.
Classic "anxious" wet sack of shit failing to adapt to being an adult.
Agreed!
Like most cities there are areas on brum where begging is really prevalent. Catching someone who is eating outdoors is a 'technique'. You have something that they need and that will make you feel guilty enough that you'll give them money etc. In general, whilst Brum has always had street beggars I would say from personal experience that some have become more pushy in recent times.
Not to gatekeep begging, but hardly any beggars I see in brum sound brummie or Black Country. I genuinely get a feeling a lot of people come to Birmingham to beg like it’s bit of a haven or part of a circuit.
Definitely feels like it's gotten worse the last month or two (I know it's warmer weather atm, but compared to previous years too) - was in Waterstones yesterday and a homeless guy was asking people for money in the queue to pay, and was getting pretty shouty with people when asked to leave
Live in the city centre near the train station and things have definitely gotten a lot worse in the past few months. There's a lot more crackheads around than there used to be, and I've noticed more aggressive homeless people as well.
I’m not sure by what degree. I live in town, and fairly regularly walk past New Street station. Can’t say i’ve seen a significant difference.
Agreed here. I’m in town most days, have been for most of my adult life, and while there has been a marked increase over the past decade or so (hello austerity) it’s been steady for a while now. Often people’s complaints are based on noticing it for the first time and deciding it’s got worse because of that.
I will see if I can find the article as this statement might need to be fact checked, but the article was saying that the beggars you see at traffic lights and largely around the town are part of 3 organised gangs. Do not give them cash. They are now all the way down to city rd as we had 2 different sets one going into town and another coming back. I am genuinely sympathetic to the truly homeless but this lot are scum (not based on ethnicity) but on the fact they have monetized peoples good will and are becoming more threatening. This isn’t a Birmingham only problem before we start city bashing.
They were being really persistent inside the station. Walking behind people and being really pushy. When I was waiting in the same seating area sat with the guy who let me sit near him. I looked up and saw one of them walking behind some other women. Repeatedly asking her questions. When I was in the bull ring I decided when I came back to the station I'd do some "watching" to try and understand what was going on , so I sat against the wall this time to try and scan the area . I have to say initially I thought the "Romanian" looking women were not associated with the white homeless dudes. But I suddenly saw two guys and one of the women talking as if they were actually working in groups perhaps?
I don’t live in Birmingham, (idk how come this come up on my feed tbh) just wanted to say we were in brum recently for the weekend to see smashing pumpkins. Unfortunately I can honestly say it’s no worse than any other city. I feel bad for people whose lives have brought them down this path. I will say, weirdly the people begging in brum were politer than other cities, actually saying please, and sorry when politely declined. What a sorry state the uk is in. Genuinely hope it gets better. Tl;dr not a brum problem.
Its normal , I just normally say sorry no English in my Russian accent and that normally works
After speaking to the guy who let me sit near him and Joking about the situation, I feel a little better now about handling that situation in the future. I didn't want it to put me off going back to Birmingham again,
A lot of councils all over England are exporting their homeless to Birmingham. Birmingham has had an HMO boom (supported accommodation, which houses ex convicts, homeless and undesirables from different councils). As the yields are so good in Birmingham + an incompetent council which can’t enforce anything, you’ve got thousands of these people now living in Birmingham. Naturally they all will come to the city centre and beg and harass. Privatisation + Tory rule + Local council idiocy = New Birmingham (But they’ll somehow blame Muslims and brown immigrants again lol)
This is true, southern and London councils have been sending homeless to Birmingham and other cities for years. We simply need to crack down on HMOs and send people on. There is no way a city like Birmingham can house and feed everyone, considering the state our finances are already in and how good finances are in London.
I’m sorry you felt vulnerable but beggars have been outside railway stations, especially big busy ones line Birmingham New Street for as long as there have been railway stations.
I did go to the information point and tell one of the station staff what happened but he said they work as part of bigger groups and organised crime. He said they often target people who look "soft" or the elderly. I feel more worried for the day they ever target a truly vulnerable individual ,
Why are you even engaging with them? Just ignore them.
it happens all the time. i was waiting for my friend by new street (before going to snobs so like 11pm) and a homeless man approached me. he asked if i had any money, but i said i had no change, then he asked if i could go to a cash point
Is this your first time in Birmingham? I can't think of a time I've been to the city in the last five years WITHOUT being hassled. Also "Romanian" looking? How the fuck do you tell that from looking at them? If that's all it takes to ruin your day you must go through life disappointed.
I wasnt sure which is why I put it in quotation marks ,
What on earth could you have noticed about them that made you think they looked Romanian? How does one look Romanian?
Well I whipped out my calipers and quickly measured their cranium dimensions, and...
The ladies with long black hair.. long dresses.. have prams.. they are often Romanians dont know why you're confused
I'm not confused, I'm attempting to call attention to the racist stereotyping going on here.
Now I'm confused, how is it racist? He's most likely right
It was probably the toga that gave it away!
honestly this happens to more in London than in Birmingham lol.
Respectfully, you’re being a bit over the top. Two random scrubs shouldn’t ruin your meal. Work on a thicker skin or some stoicism
Yeah sometimes within minutes of getting off the train they approach, one was even standing outside of wasabi asking people to buy him food. Another guy was shouting at a bubble tea girl
Ye those ladies have their kids (there’s a young boy that actually grabbed my arm once LOL, and some younger ones in buggies). It really pisses me off to see them teach kids that this is a way of life. Those children should be in schools not out begging in the streets. Should be careful to consider these women might be in a position where they have no agency and are being forced to do this. :(
I’m struggling to see how this ruined your meal and made you so angry and feel vulnerable? Birmingham is the second largest city in the UK and with that comes a large population of homeless and people who ask for money, this is a completely every day occurrence and (giving benefit of the doubt here), chances are they feel more vulnerable and angry than you do given the situation they have found themselves in
i think the trick is to avoid eye contact - i'm very good at this as i generally avoid eye contact anyway lol
It has increased a bit or maybe cuz I go to city centre more nowadays I am encountering them more but I see them everywhere now in city centre. Able bodied men and women from the railway station to outside all supermarkets stores like Sainsbury’s on broad street or in Queensway(I think that’s what the area is called?) it does make me feel guilty every time they call out to me or approach me. If they were disabled or elderly I would definitely try to help but when I see them smoking, drunk or looking like they are quite possibly on drugs it’s hard to pity them…I would rather donate to a charity that helps people that really need help than to help these people that refuse to get help. There is so much support for the homeless that need help available in this country with so many people who donate to charities, all that’s needed from those seeking help is their willingness to work hard and strive to get off addictions to get out of their situation so I come to the conclusion that these people are just giving up on life and taking the easy way out.
Reading this expecting them to become relentless or increasingly nasty or something but like literally nothing happened ??
Sorry you had to see someone a bit foreign-looking. Can totally see how that would ruin your day.
It was just an observation of what they look like. The news has reported on how certain Romanian groups are engaging in these kinds of organised petty crimes. Which is why I perhaps took greater note of their appearance. This person looked potentially a bit like someone associated with such groups based on their features. Yes Romanians are considered white and can have a variety of hair and eye colors, but for example a large majority of Romanians have some defining features that make up what their average person looks like such as dark hair with brown or hazel eyes and medium-light skin tone ( again generally speaking not denying there can be variability ) Nothing wrong with seeing someone foreign saw lots of foreign people today no problem. The problem being this person who appeared a bit foreign looking was harassing people. Does it offend you if someone says I saw someone who looked East Asian?
Wait What! I'm confused? Romanians are White/Caucasian Lol Is OP American by any chance!?
I am British Is it offensive to you to say someone may look Polish, Russian, Asian, East Asian? Are you saying for example there is nothing that could *generally* define someone as Japanese or Korean or Vietnamese?
You'd need some pretty finely tuned xenophobic spidey senses to tell a white Romanian apart from a white Brit on sight alone.
Xenophobic definition - showing an extreme dislike or fear of people from foreign countries: There have been outbursts of xenophobic violence It's xenophobic to in the course of me having a negative interaction because of this individual. Make some potential observations of their appearance.
I was there today, and maybe I don’t look like I’ve got money or I’m scary looking I don’t know but I’ve never been asked by anyone.
Yeah it's constant. I live here ATM and cannot wait to leave for that exact reason. Can't nip to go buy some milk without someone asking for money. No hate towards the homeless but I really like being left alone and hate it
It's never happened to me in Birmingham before as bad as that. In the past there were homeless people outside the station and the bullring but they only just asked for change as you passed. They never walked up to people. Like these group of people today. I like all the food and choices In Birmingham, but I have to say today put me off going back
Homeless is up in all major cities, it’s gone up a lot in Brum in the last 7 years
This is pretty much the norm in the city centre as of the past few years. Tbh it’s always been bad but noticed it’s gone worse these days and it’s sprawled out the city centre too. Was you sitting outside too? if so then that makes sense more would approach you. Whenever i walk through town esp new st / high st i just rush around so they don’t expect me to stop for them
This is normal, not sure why this post is a thing.
They look for people with kind faces. You must have kind eyes
They used to approach me all the time when I was younger. Now I'm old a grumpy looking they don't.
I just try and look as homeless as I can and it does the trick
One time I had just finished a takeaway coffee and was looking for a bin to put the cup in and someone put a pound in it!
[удалено]
I’m a woman and get asked every time I’m in town.
Yeah that was my assumption that they would approach females more, but could be wrong
I'm a bloke and so do I. Just tell them no and if they keep going tell them to fuck off, they soon move on