Would you/do you give to beggars on trains?

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I commuted regularly into London until c. 8 years ago and it was unheard of then. The last few times I've been in on a day trip, there has been at least one person walking through the carriages asking for money. (this is a mainline train, although I'm aware it also happens on the train).

The train company has obviously recognised it as a problem, as they have posters, notices and announcements on the trains asking customers not to give to beggars, as they believe most are not homeless and giving details of how to support the genuinely homeless through various charities.

I was therefore surprised, last time, to see almost everyone on the carriage put something in his cup.

This man was very pleasant and polite and not at all aggressive, but that is not always the case.

Where people are genuinely in need it is heartbreaking but I have also worked with a homeless charity in my (suburban) town. They are aware of every genuine rough sleeper in the town and talk often with those begging on the streets. There are a number of apparently homeless beggars, who do have somewhere to go at night. The train companies obviously want to avoid people begging on their trains for the benefit of their customers, but what else can they do if train travellers still hand over cash?

If you're one of the people who would give, is this a genuinely kind, heartfelt gesture, in knowing defiance of the request from the train company, or do you feel under pressure/intimidated to give?

I would feel under pressure in those circumstances yes.

No, I wouldn’t give.

I have a general policy of never giving money to the homeless/beggars (will buy sandwiches though), plus some of these people are part of organised gangs.

No, I don't give to beggars.

Yes, @Loveislandaddict, the train company make the point that by giving you may be supporting organised crime and yet the majority still gave.

No. I hate people deliberately begging in a confined space to put pressure on.

I don’t give but have seen others do so. I’ve experienced it at Birmingham but I would say it was more of a scam. Younger teen with adult male “ desperate” to get home with no cash though observed them asking the same on parallel platforms.
There are many kind hearted people who give but don’t realise they are donating to scammers, feeding addictions and perpetuating their predicament.
In my home town there was one person who was officially homeless and several others who wouldn’t engage with any help ( not always their fault I know).
I prefer to donate to St Mungos.

Whether they have ‘somewhere to go’ at night or not, I surmise their life is probably a bit shit (at least compared to the relative comfort of mine) to be begging on a train, and I usually give them some money if I have change on me.

I've been known to give beggars on the train my lunch if they catch me on the way to work but not money.

@Babayaggatheboneylegged I agree their lives are probably awful, but that's just as likely to because they're being exploited by others than because they're hungry/in need of a bed. Giving makes it a lucrative business for the gang leaders.

I was on the tube recently when a (rather high and glassy eyed) man came through the train, all hunched over and shivery, begging for money in a shakey little voice.

The woman opposite gave him some coins and he stood over me, staring, so I just shook my head and kept reading my book.

I felt something drop onto my shoulder but ignored it (in case he had spat on me or something disgusting) and he started yelling at me. I had my headphones on and didn’t really hear what he was saying.

He then made a grab at me (trying to get at my neck) shouting ‘I dropped money on her. I’m trying to get it’ and that’s when I and another passenger simultaneously stood up and told him to get lost.

The other passenger moved towards him and he scurried off the tube as we got it into the station. Funny how he wasn’t so shakey or hunched over then - he just straightened up stalked off (his limp cleared up nicely too).

The woman who gave him the money had her mouth hanging open and said he had dropped a coin on me on purpose to get my attention. She kept apologising and saying she shouldn’t have given him anything.

I told her that I had worked for a charity for a number of years and had dealt a lot with people in need - if you want to help, give time or donations to a registered charity or centre.

I had dealt with a number of characters like that via the charity (the majority of people that came were bona fide but you would come across some ‘characters’). I wasn’t phased by him but other people could have been, and I would have been scared when I was younger.

I don’t like being approached for money on trains. I give monthly to Shelter instead.

Don't feel intimidated into giving. And if possible alert the train staff - they still need a ticket to travel!

No I don’t give.

No,I never give to anyone asking for money,on a train,or anywhere else. I used to up until a couple of years ago,but stopped when I kept being approached by ones that I'd given money to. Or approached by OTHER beggars/homeless people that had witnessed me giving money to another one. Then getting stroppy because I wouldn't give anything to them! I started to feel as if I was walking around with a sign on my head saying 'Get your free cash here'.