I just gave a stranger $5 worth of gas

[Scarlett]

He had Texas plates. He said he was headed to a city to the south . And then I watched him head north. 
 

I never give money to strangers. Typically, my easy out is that I literally never have cash on me. But this time he was asking me to put gas in his car. Which I could do. I said no at first. But then I thought, what if he is literally at the end of his rope. I would rather be taken for five bucks, then be the cause of something bad happening to him.

And he didn't just head straight north on the highway either. He took a shortcut through a neighborhood that only locals would know. When I saw he went north from there. I really wanted to follow him, but I thought that probably was not wise.

Weird times we are living in.

 

[mathmarm]

How strange. Well, you were aware that he might be trying to con you and decided you could afford to risk it.

The kindness in your act doesn't change.

It's always possible that he is going to head to that city in the South, he just can't head straight there. Maybe he had to pick someone or something up and then head out.

But really, in the world of interstate travel, how far will $5 of gas get you in this economy, anyway?

[Scarlett]

23 minutes ago, mathmarm said:

How strange. Well, you were aware that he might be trying to con you and decided you could afford to risk it.

The kindness in your act doesn't change.

It's always possible that he is going to head to that city in the South, he just can't head straight there. Maybe he had to pick someone or something up and then head out.

But really, in the world of interstate travel, how far will $5 of gas get you in this economy, anyway?

I know. I considered telling him he could not get to that city on 1.65 gallons  of gas …

[Drama Llama]

I would assume that, if someone is given 1.65 gallons of gas, they would then use that gas to drive to somewhere where they thought they could get some more money for gas.  I wouldn't assume that location would be in the same direction as the city they are eventually trying to get to.  

Maybe he's going to pawn shop to sell something to get a little more gas. 

Maybe he's going to a friend's who might lend him some gas.

Maybe he's going to a place where you can pick up jobs as a day laborer.

Or maybe he scammed you, but he could have scammed you and driven in any direction.  The fact that he didn't try to drive to this city with his 1.65 gallons of gas isn't a sign he scammed you, it's a sign he might not be an idiot.  

[Katy]

I once saw a guy sitting out on a curb at Walgreens with a dog on the coldest day of the year. I mean the actual temperature was probably -50F. Idk how cold the windchill was. I rarely have cash, but that day I had $50 on me that I’d planned for something else but the activity was canceled bc weather. I figured he was homeless and couldn’t go to a shelter bc the one that accepted dogs was full. I gave him the $50. Maybe 2 hours later I happened to be stopped at the same light and saw him unlock a brand new luxury SUV and put the dog in the back seat, then climb into the driver’s seat. He took off his dirty coat. The car was so new it didn’t even have plates yet. Ever since I’ve only given money to charities, not people. Except once when I felt a strong prompting to. 

[MercyA]

You did a good and right thing, IMHO.

[BusyMom5]

We did something similar once.  At a rest stop a guy said he needed a part for his car- a belt or something.  We knew he could be lying, but gave him money anyway.  I'd put the odds at 50-50 of him needing it or not, but I felt the need to help him.  If he did need help, then I'm haply to have helped.  

[Ginevra]

I think, that’s how it works. It does not matter if you were getting scammed or the need was legit. Your heart was right and that is good. 

[itsheresomewhere]

58 minutes ago, Katy said:

I once saw a guy sitting out on a curb at Walgreens with a dog on the coldest day of the year. I mean the actual temperature was probably -50F. Idk how cold the windchill was. I rarely have cash, but that day I had $50 on me that I’d planned for something else but the activity was canceled bc weather. I figured he was homeless and couldn’t go to a shelter bc the one that accepted dogs was full. I gave him the $50. Maybe 2 hours later I happened to be stopped at the same light and saw him unlock a brand new luxury SUV and put the dog in the back seat, then climb into the driver’s seat. He took off his dirty coat. The car was so new it didn’t even have plates yet. Ever since I’ve only given money to charities, not people. Except once when I felt a strong prompting to. 

We have so much of that right now.  Including some who now have a cart of signs behind a business and they will choose the sign of the day.  
 

The ones using children I really feel should be charge with something.

[kathyl]

Dh once gave $5 to a guy walking around a shopping center with an empty gas can begging for "gas money".  Said he only needed $5.  A few minutes after dh gave him the $5 we saw him across the parking lot asking someone else the same thing, I assume.  He was holding up his empty gas can anyway.

We saw something interesting yesterday.  Stopped at a red light with a couple cars in front of us.  Older skinny, rough looking guy sitting in the median with a sign that was blank.  Car in front of us gave him cash and he did a quick jig.  When he did that, another car handed him money.  Then he did another quick jig.  Then the light changed.  Never seen one quite like that one.  

[YaelAldrich]

This asking for gas thing happened a bunch of times in rapid sucession about a year ago in different places. I pumped a couple of bucks several times.  I figured the same thing as you and the others here on the thread. 

[Ting Tang]

I think you did a nice thing, too.  And I figure if someone does something like that and isn't making the wisest decisions in life, maybe they still needed to $5 in the moment.  Kinda like going to the free-giveaway charities and then selling the items as a garage sale.  

[Hannah]

14 hours ago, kathyl said:

We saw something interesting yesterday.  Stopped at a red light with a couple cars in front of us.  Older skinny, rough looking guy sitting in the median with a sign that was blank.  Car in front of us gave him cash and he did a quick jig.  When he did that, another car handed him money.  Then he did another quick jig.  Then the light changed.  Never seen one quite like that one.  

That is very common here. You often see a troupe of dancers, in costume, faces sometimes made up, who have a complete routine going to entertain motorists while the traffic light is red. I prefer to give them something vs the regular beggars we also have at every intersection.

Eta: here's a YouTube link 

And another

 

Edited July 6, 2023 by Hannah

[stephanier.1765]

We have one lady who sets up at a different intersection every day. She spends her time cleaning the trash from the area and often has people stop by and donate supplies to her, as well as giving her cash and cold drinks. I've seen her in the Dollar Tree a time or two where she was spending the donated cash on items for trash pickup as well as household and food items. She is one of the few people panhandling around here who I think is legitimately in need. Her I don't mind helping. You go with your gut and do the best you can to be a decent person. 

[lynn]

I always keep a couple dollars in my pocket so if approached I can give it them and head on my way.  Its usually one of two stories "Came.for aunts funeral and dont have enough gas to get back to Tennessee"  or "I have x number of kids to feed". Usually a 5-8 kids.     

[Starr]

Sometimes one just gives and lets it go. 

[J-rap]

However he used it or whatever his intentions, perhaps a small part of him recognized that someone cared. 

[Meriwether]

We gave $20 to someone when we stopped for gas, crossing the mountains. I think he had forgotten his billfold or something. It was a young adult and there weren't really options for him in the mountains. Cell phone coverage was bad. The only business was the gas station. He filled up $20 worth and left immediately. I only hoped we had given him enough to get out of the mountains. Gas was cheaper then; it was about 7 years ago. I also gave $20 for gas locally, but learned later that it was a scam. I've seen the scam again since. Different people using the same set of locations and signs. Both $20's were given with good will, but they felt very different. While I still hand out cash sometimes, I feel like it is better to give to the local place that feeds and provides shelter for the homeless.