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Original poster

Why do men just stand around on street corners?

103 replies

User135644 · 24/11/2024 16:31

I don't get it. Living in an inner city area and there's always groups of men just standing around for hours on end and in the freezing cold in winter. What do they get out of it? It's usually different cultures/immigrants or whatever, but I kind of feel sorry for them that they've got nothing better to do; it's just a real irritant though when they hang around in packs by your house. Just go away.

OP posts:
KendraTheVampyrSlayer · 24/11/2024 16:50

Touting for customers probably.

coffeesaveslives · 24/11/2024 16:52

User135644 · 24/11/2024 16:42

Even then though, where I live there's two parks within a 10 minute walk, rather than standing in a residential street all day/evening.

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Where they'd be accused of loitering around children, no doubt.

PinkiOcelot · 24/11/2024 16:54

I’ve honestly never encountered this.

Comff · 24/11/2024 16:54

JaniceBattersby · 24/11/2024 16:39

Maybe they’re just having a chat to their mates? Would you object if it were a bunch of white women?

It never is a bunch of women though is it?

It is interesting why it’s predominantly men.

SallyWD · 24/11/2024 16:55

If they're asylum seekers they're not allowed to work so need to pass the time somehow. They can't be locked in their rooms 24/7. I'm sure parents would complain if they hung around parks.
If they're immigrants (you mention people from other cultures) then it's quite normal for people from other countries to stand around in the street. I used to live in Spain and people would often go out and just hang around in the street. It's quite a British thing to spend so much time indoors. I've noticed other nationalities like to go outside more, even if they have no particular reason to be outside.
If they're living in poverty, their homes may be overcrowded and not pleasant places to be.
I personally don't have a problem with it and don't find it intimidating. I feel some people buy into the "scary foreigner" narrative.

tobee · 24/11/2024 16:57

If they were in parks then they be chastised for something else though. Can't win, can they?

Threelittleduck · 24/11/2024 17:02

No different to the parents (usually mums) who stand around the school for ages after chatting. My DS starts school 45 minutes after the bell goes and the amount parents standing around when I drop him off is ridiculous.
Especially now it's so cold. I don't understand why they don't go to each others houses or to a coffee shop.
It doesn't bother me though.

BlueFloweredMug · 24/11/2024 17:03

Saw this in Leeds. Assumed drug dealing

BlueFloweredMug · 24/11/2024 17:05

Also groups of questionable women in groups on corners. Pleased I didn’t live there, felt sorry for them, and very cross for families at the same time.
Perhaps the men were there to keep the women away…who knows

Original poster
User135644 · 24/11/2024 17:07

SallyWD · 24/11/2024 16:55

If they're asylum seekers they're not allowed to work so need to pass the time somehow. They can't be locked in their rooms 24/7. I'm sure parents would complain if they hung around parks.
If they're immigrants (you mention people from other cultures) then it's quite normal for people from other countries to stand around in the street. I used to live in Spain and people would often go out and just hang around in the street. It's quite a British thing to spend so much time indoors. I've noticed other nationalities like to go outside more, even if they have no particular reason to be outside.
If they're living in poverty, their homes may be overcrowded and not pleasant places to be.
I personally don't have a problem with it and don't find it intimidating. I feel some people buy into the "scary foreigner" narrative.

I doubt in Spain they're just standing around for hours on end in freezing temperatures though.

OP posts:
potatocakesinprogress · 24/11/2024 17:08

User135644 · 24/11/2024 16:49

It is by mine anyway because it's a multi-cultural area.

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My area is multi-cultural too but it's only white men who do it where I am because they're dealing drugs or organising robberies.

MolkosTeenageAngst · 24/11/2024 17:10

Some of it is likely cultural, in a lot of the world the weather is dryer and warmer than in the UK and it’s very normal for men to socialise outside shops and houses etc in the street. Parks aren’t necessarilly used in the same way in all countries. It will be the norm for some men who have emigrated to the Uk to hang out on street corners outside residential or in urban areas as this is what will happen in their home culture.

MissMoneyFairy · 24/11/2024 17:10

Report it to the police if you feel it's a nuisance, someone will complain wherever they go, what do you suggest they do.

Toomanywars · 24/11/2024 17:10

Merrymess · 24/11/2024 16:35

Hmmm. Maybe some people like to start goady threads on the internet.

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I didn't start it.

Maybe people feel intimidated? It's possible you know. We are all different. Is it so surprising that some females? might feel intimidated by large groups of men hanging around street corners.

BlueSilverCats · 24/11/2024 17:10

What age are they?

Catza · 24/11/2024 17:11

User135644 · 24/11/2024 16:44

As I said though I do feel sorry for them that they have nothing else to do. It's anti-social though IMO. There's plenty of green spaces around away from people's homes.

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On the contrary, it's very social and it is a thing to do. It's quite common in many cultures. I used to date an Arab man and this is literally what they do at home. They meet and hang out, catching up with their mates. It's also quite common to sit on the street with a cup of coffee or mint tea. Not in a cafe or anything. Just in front of someone's house.
You may like hanging out in the park, someone else likes to people watch on the streets. If they went to the park every day, no doubt some busybody would be bothered by that too and post about how they are worried taking their kids to the park and haven't these men got anything better to do.

Allatonce2024 · 24/11/2024 17:11

If they're barely saying anything to eachother and looking solemn or menacig, then it's drug dealing and sex worker/groomed girls dealing.

if they're all stood around chatting and having banter then it's just where a group of friends have happened to congregate

Topsyturvy78 · 24/11/2024 17:13

We have a really low number of ethnic minority people here. I've never seen it. I sometimes see delivery drivers waiting outside for deliveries or some in the foyer. But there are white British men and women that do it as well.

If they are in temp accommodation then they often get kicked out in the day. Where are they meant to go with little money?

ByHardyRubyEagle · 24/11/2024 17:14

Women do to!

I mean, I used to live in a culturally diverse city shall we say, and yes I get it, some ethnic groups do seem to take a preference to this sort of behaviour, where this might be ordinary where they come from, it can be deemed anti-social here, and guess what, those areas had higher levels of crime. But I also think that those specific areas tended to always have high crime and deprivation, before the swathe of immigrants moved in.

Pointynoseowner · 24/11/2024 17:15

ToBeOrNotToBee · 24/11/2024 16:49

It's because their temporary accommodation kicks them out during the day, and they have no money to go elsewhere....

I wondered myself this years ago when the gurkhas got the right to reside in the UK after their service with their families. You used to see loads of elderly Nepalese walking back and forth to town every day, and sitting around in the town centre, whatever the weather. And it was because their temporary accommodation, which was hostel rooms sharing with others (that was all they could afford) would kick them out in the day.

It's a sad state of affairs.

That is so very sad 😔

Topsyturvy78 · 24/11/2024 17:15

User135644 · 24/11/2024 16:42

Even then though, where I live there's two parks within a 10 minute walk, rather than standing in a residential street all day/evening.

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Do you really think nobody would be suspicious about a load of men hanging around a park?

Original poster
User135644 · 24/11/2024 17:15

BlueSilverCats · 24/11/2024 17:10

What age are they?

Mostly 20s.

OP posts:
needsomewarmsunshine · 24/11/2024 17:16

Where I used to live it was very multicultural, there were groups of blokes chatting hanging around but also the odd one on their own standing in pissed soaked door ways in town.

Probioaretheone · 24/11/2024 17:16

thisiswheretheseagullfliesaway · 24/11/2024 16:39

It happens everywhere. In NI it tends to happen in areas that have high poverty levels. Where I live they're known as corner boys.

Yeah it’s common in Glasgow where I’m from.

OfDragonsDeep · 24/11/2024 17:17

Always the way in Ipswich, I’m afraid to go to the nearby shops now, so I don’t ☹️