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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:
Ochrer · 24/11/2024 17:18

I think it’s possible to be both cultural, situational (temporary housing unavailable during day,) criminal (drugs, trafficking,) AND intimidating to women as we live in a world where men are often a danger.

H0mEredward · 24/11/2024 17:20

Jobs pick them up. Builders etc

NavyTiger · 24/11/2024 17:21

We get this and they are often drinking and drooling at women

Original poster
User135644 · 24/11/2024 17:21

Topsyturvy78 · 24/11/2024 17:15

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

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'A load of men' would be and it's suspicious them hanging around on the street as well in big numbers.

A small group of men sitting on a park bench or something is not unusual and is less of a nuisance than in the middle of a residential area.

OP posts:
ttcat37 · 24/11/2024 17:22

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Are you this racist in real life or is it just online?

Margorett · 24/11/2024 17:22

Merrymess · 24/11/2024 16:33

Is it the nasty foreigners?

probably yes !

PiggyPigalle · 24/11/2024 17:23

When there were beat coppers it wasn't tolerated.

Four of us left a pub and were discussing what time to meet up the next morning to walk dogs. We didn't get the chance, as the beat copper appeared and told us to go home.

KirstenBlest · 24/11/2024 17:24

It's cultural. They get out of the house and meet up.
They tend to be middle eastern men or white men from Eastern Europe here.

maddening · 24/11/2024 17:24

Merrymess · 24/11/2024 16:47

'It's usually different cultures/immigrants or whatever' From the OP.

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I took this to mean that it isn't a specific race or culture and therefore could include groups of men from any race including white men

AmberAlert86 · 24/11/2024 17:25

Waiting for mini bus to take them to work? Or literally standing around for hours?
I'm jn multicultural town but not observed groups just standing around.

BlackFriYay · 24/11/2024 17:25

I see this a lot I'm my burrough. They're alcoholics.

PrawnofthePatriarchy · 24/11/2024 17:29

I live in Surrey. It's always white men, no more than 4, and they're dealers.

TitusMoan · 24/11/2024 17:29

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?

No, because they aren’t intimidating. Neither are groups of non-white women. Men standing around on street corners look you up and down as you walk by. Even if they don’t comment, they’ve got that appraising look. Plus, women don’t stake a claim to space in the way that big groups of men do.

Topsyturvy78 · 24/11/2024 17:29

User135644 · 24/11/2024 17:07

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

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Yes I've noticed in interviews with poor people in African and Asian countries on TV or YouTube etc. They often have a bench outside the front or back of their home. So speak to the interviewer there. As well as doing their washing outside they can supervise their children playing with neighbours children.

They often live in one room. I don't think I would be comfortable letting a stranger into the space where I and my children sleep. It's like they use the front of their home as the the living area even cooking and eating outside. Inside their home is often quite dark so can understand why.

Lifeomars · 24/11/2024 17:30

There is an off-licence near me that always has groups of men outside no matter what the weather, they get drunk and harrass women walking by. There have been endless complaints to the council but nothing is done about it. It is also on the route to a couple of local schools which isn't good. Feels as if the police and the council have washed their hands of the area I live in, it is full of street drinkers even though it is a designated "alcohol-free zone" with lots of notices up stating the penalties for street drinking!

Original poster
User135644 · 24/11/2024 17:32

AmberAlert86 · 24/11/2024 17:25

Waiting for mini bus to take them to work? Or literally standing around for hours?
I'm jn multicultural town but not observed groups just standing around.

Literally just stand there all evening. It's near my house so I can just hear the street noise the whole time from the front room. I don't mind people standing around chatting for a bit or whatever, but it's hours on end. Always chain smoking as well, so although they might not have a lot of money there's always money for that which isn't cheap.

It's been freezing cold all week and it still hasn't stopped them.

OP posts:
Dosat · 24/11/2024 17:32

Where I used to live that happened outside on the corner of my flat everyday, was incredibly intitimadating and was mostly drug dealing.

Getonwitit · 24/11/2024 17:32

ChaosHol1 · 24/11/2024 16:48

I've never witnessed this. South West Scotland.

That's because we don't have large numbers of immigrants. Give it another couple of years.

NewGreenDuck · 24/11/2024 17:32

Actually where I live, we had a prolonged period where young men were travelling here from other places to deal drugs. They were hanging around the ginnels between the houses. Always had pay as you go phones and moved between different ginnels. We haven't seen them for some while after effort by the police.

MulberryMush · 24/11/2024 17:33

It's probably a culture thing that they do in their home country.

OrangeCycle · 24/11/2024 17:33

Same here. Large groups of men hanging around, openly leering at women and making sexual comments to young girls. To make matters worse, they've now commandeered the pavement cafes/ pubs to use their tables outside and stop paying customers use the seating! Why on earth businesses don't say anything and get them to move on is anyone's guess, but I imagine a waitress earning nmw isn't going to confront an intimidating gang of men. And sorry, but I'm not going to dispense with the truth for fear of ' offending' - yes they are asylum seekers! This problem didn't exist until a year ago when local hotels took on the contract to provide accommodation.

TitusMoan · 24/11/2024 17:34

PinkiOcelot · 24/11/2024 16:54

I’ve honestly never encountered this.

Try walking up the Seven Sisters Road to Finsbury Park tube.

MartinCrieffsLemon · 24/11/2024 17:34

Dealers
Kicked out of their temp accommodation during the day
Culturally the women stay at home all day and then men have to go out
Just bored

Any man hanging around a park without kids would be seen as suspicious.
If they don't have any money they can't afford coffee shops etc (and they'd get kicked out for hanging around for too long anyway... and probably called suspicious)
Community centres just don't exist any more

MulberryMush · 24/11/2024 17:36

Lifeomars · 24/11/2024 17:30

There is an off-licence near me that always has groups of men outside no matter what the weather, they get drunk and harrass women walking by. There have been endless complaints to the council but nothing is done about it. It is also on the route to a couple of local schools which isn't good. Feels as if the police and the council have washed their hands of the area I live in, it is full of street drinkers even though it is a designated "alcohol-free zone" with lots of notices up stating the penalties for street drinking!

I've noticed men in groups still make derogatory remarks about women but tend to mumble out of earshot now instead of being loud and shouty as they know they can get into trouble now . You can tell they are talking about women .

TheBigSalami · 24/11/2024 17:36

I’ve honestly never seen this.