Drug/drink addicts around the town centre, begging, urinating in public. General A.S.B

[Smokyk]

Does anybody else have a similar problem locally to them? I live in Catford (S.E London) and I'm honestly sick of the sight of it.

Whenever I go to my local Tesco I'm hounded by drug addicts for money. I can't sit down on a bench for 5 minutes to rest my legs without being approached (I'm 8 months pregnant)

There are a group of drinkers that sit near the Costa all day every day, spilling booze all over the place and pissing up the walls in full view of passing children (including mine) making the area smell like a urinal. There are signs saying it's a no drinking zone but they take no notice.

Yesterday we walked past one of these men openly smoking crack at the side of a shop making no effort to conceal it.

Another bloke, drunk as a skunk and in a group of several tried giving my DD (2) a high five and terrified her.

How tone deaf need you be to approach a lone pregnant woman with a toddler when you're out of your head and in a group?

I've been asked for cigarettes and verbally abused when I've said I don't smoke.

One of the well known beggers even harasses people inside cafes.

It's absolutely disgusting.

What is the answer? A petition? Or do us normal locals just have to accept it is what it is? I can't move.

People need to love somewhere. You would drink too if you were sleeping outside. They aren't hurting you. I suggest if you don't like the scenery you shop elsewhere

*live not love

@DetroitNeedsADog

People need to love somewhere. You would drink too if you were sleeping outside. They aren't hurting you. I suggest if you don't like the scenery you shop elsewhere

These aren't all homeless people.

There's a huge misconception where beggers and drug users = homeless.

Many aren't. They have homes but congregate outside shops, benched areas with their groups and use the town centre as a base.

The vast majority of the beggers in the area aren't homeless, a woman that lives four doors away from me sits outside the corner shop begging for money for drink. She doesn't tend to piss in the street or abuse people though.

@PegasusReturns

However I have said I am wrong so maybe ignore and move on?

Maybe don’t expect someone who posts one minute after you “apology” to have read it?!

Erm, ok. Sorry again. Didn't even spot the time.

@DetroitNeedsADog

People need to love somewhere. You would drink too if you were sleeping outside. They aren't hurting you. I suggest if you don't like the scenery you shop elsewhere

They are hurting people though, they are being abusive and threatening to women and children. And why the fuck should decent law abiding people have to shop elsewhere? Why shouldn't people be able to use their local shops in peace?

Basically ugly and smelly so bitching about people living. Where do you suggest they go? Your kid is lucky they are seeing life isn't easy for everyone instead of living in a bubble.

@PegasusReturns

Bloody hell peak woke MN.

Why should anyone have sympathy for men actively engaged in harassing women and children?! Fuck that!

Anti social behaviour is a blight and hugely stressful to deal with. As others have illustrated it pushes decent people out of public areas because they become unpleasant and safe.

No one should feel unsafe whilst with their DC in a public place and implying the OP should be grateful for the fact she is not an addict rather than support her right to live free from crime is disgusting.

Exactly and why on earth has there been an uptake on the sneering use of 'normal types/normies' in the last week on MN? It's not even in the more recognisable neurotypical context but more of the sycophantic or teenage angsty 'OMG how uncool are you'.... You 'normal' locals should probably count your blessings as you go about your day.

@DetroitNeedsADog

Basically ugly and smelly so bitching about people living. Where do you suggest they go? Your kid is lucky they are seeing life isn't easy for everyone instead of living in a bubble.

Yes so lucky to see people shooting up in the streets and smoking crack...it's what every parent of a two year old hopes they witness. In fact, estate agents use the presence of junkies in an area as a huge selling point.

You do realise that when some people have an addiction to drugs or alcohol, all forms of public decency and such go out of the window? The thing is with drugs and alcohol, they tend to blur your morals and your sense of decency. It isn’t their fault - I don’t like it either, but frankly there isn’t enough support out there for people with addictions. It can be hard, but even though you understandably don’t want them to act a certain way around your child, please be more empathetic.

Somebody on the Facebook group is trying to pass the buck onto the security guards in Tesco now saying they should do something about the ones congregating outside if they're bothering Joe public.

I'm sure they have more than their fair share of problems already having to grapple with them and turf them out on a daily basis when they go in shoplifting.

I wouldn't do their job around here for all the tea in China.

@Blanketsnpamphlets

Your first post said they’re pissing up the wall when you didn’t get enough sympathy it changed to your daughter being exposed to male nudity. Which is it? Is your daughter the wall?

She’s not going to know what crack is she’s certainly not going to know someone is drunk when they high five her either. It’s a shame other people’s chaotic lives make you feel uncomfortable for those 5 minutes.

Good luck with your petition though.

Are you daft or just being deliberately argumentative? Um...the bloke probably needs to get his penis out to piss up against the wall in the first place. At which point people will inadvertently be exposed to his genitals.

They aren’t hurting people?

Then where do you draw the line? When they actually start molesting the OP instead of ‘just’ exposing themselves? When they start to fysically attack a pregnant woman with PTSD and a toddler in tow instead of ‘just’ verbally abusing her just because she won’t give them money or cigarettes?

Yes detroit People do need to live somewhere, so why is it not OK for op to want to live where she lived free from harassment?

I think one of your neighborhood addicts has a MN account OP

@LaBellina

I think one of your neighborhood addicts has a MN account OP

It's funny you should say that as I was about to post the same

No one has been hurt. She feels threatened because she is being a spoilt brat

Spoilt brat because she doesn’t want to be harassed and her toddler child to see a penis?!

Are you alright hun?!

Can't believe the op is getting such a hard time. No one remotely normal hopes their tiny child will be exposed to the sight of people taking hard drugs... fucking mental

Well it's coming to something when we can't agree we don't want to see cock or crack on the streets during the day

I grew up in Catford then did many years there as a social worker. The area has forever been neglected. As a teen I was harassed and sexually exploited, the area is rife with gangs and drugs. Wouldn’t bring my own children up there if you paid me. Would rather go out towards Beckenham/Croydon or further in, camberwell/oval.

@DetroitNeedsADog

Basically ugly and smelly so bitching about people living. Where do you suggest they go? Your kid is lucky they are seeing life isn't easy for everyone instead of living in a bubble.

Would you think the same if it was your child? And maybe they picked up a discarded syringe and needle, would you just be happy they were getting a bit of life experience? Lets normalise it and have peppa pig develop a heroin addiction...

Privileged spoilt behavior. Have some empathy. One of those men could be your kid in a few years time, or you if you lost your home due to dv like I did

@LaurieFairyCake

Well it's coming to something when we can't agree we don't want to see cock or crack on the streets during the day

Who said that they wanted to see cock and crack on the streets? Did I miss something?