How to Deal with an Aggressive Panhandler

Fortunately, most folks who ask strangers for money on the street-whether they're elderly vagrants down on their luck, or clueless college students who didn't pack enough money for subway fare-will take a simple "no" for an answer and move on to their next prospect. However, every once in a while, you may run into a panhandler who escalates a semi-innocent request for money into a tense confrontation. Here's how to handle this delicate situation.

Instructions

1. Keep moving. If you're in a relatively open area-a city street, say, or a park-pick up your pace and put some distance between yourself and the person asking for money. If he blocks your way, don't shove him aside-just step off the sidewalk (or curb) or cross to the other side of the street. You may even want to backtrack and get to where you're going by an alternate route.

2. Say as little as possible. Here's how this (unfortunately common) exchange usually goes: "Hey buddy, can you spare a dollar?" "Sorry, no." "What's the matter? Aren't I good enough? You look like you can afford it!" At this point, you may be tempted to utter an expletive, or venture something smart like "I work for my money, why don't you?" The trouble is, anything you say (besides repeating "Sorry, no") is likely to further antagonize the panhandler, who's already shown himself to be unusually aggressive and unpredictable.

3. Don't give in. If this exchange takes place in your own neighborhood, the last thing you want to do is show the panhandler (whom you're likely to encounter over and over) that you can be intimidated into coughing up dough. But even if you're on vacation in another city, it's not wise to stop and take out your wallet-because there's always the chance (however slim) that the panhandler will simply snatch it and run away.

4. Feel free to reward originality. The vast majority of panhandlers are completely harmless; many deserve some kind of help (if not money, then a sandwich or a cup of coffee); and some are so good at what they do that it's hard to resist their spiels. If the person follows up his request not with a hostile remark, but a funny riposte like "Well, then, can you write a personal check?", there's nothing wrong with helping him out.

Tips & Warnings

• If you feel that the panhandler represents a genuine threat to your safety, don't take a chance by engaging in heated conversation or brushing past him; run the other way and, if necessary, call for help from passersby or the police. It may seem foolish to react this way to a seemingly harmless situation, but it's better to be safe than sorry-if your gut instinct says a person is dangerous, he probably is.