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.

I've just found out that Ed Sheerans song 'Bad Habits' was filmed in catford outside the shops, it can't be a coincidence that he chose here to shoot his video about drugs. Even Ed Sheeran knows it's a shit hole

It’s not just your area OP, it’s in our town too, it’s effectively a no go zone early evening and in some areas all day. It used to be bustling on Saturday with families going to shop, now it’s just awful.

The ones telling you how horrible you are being will live in somewhere like Chelsea- absolutely guaranteed!!!!

@Fluffypastelslippers

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?

They are not tone deaf, they are desperate addicts.

It's absolutely disgusting.

What is the answer? A petition? Or do us normal locals just have to accept it is what it is?

You 'normal' locals should probably count your blessings as you go about your day.

When you asked what the answer was I though you were meaning in terms of helping these people

What a fucked up post.

You can be an addict and still be a decent human being. The people OP mentions are still capable of not harassing her

And as for addicts- no one ever forced them to start that shit- having a hard life is no excuse. There is help out there if they want it. They shouldn’t be bothering people with their problems- and trust me we can all play the violin card about life’s events but we choose not to go down that path to deal with it.

You can be an addict and still be a decent human being

Can you? In my experience that's incredibly rare, the addiction takes over.

Addicts need support and shelter and rehab and no one wants to pay for that. So we either tolerate the results as the OP describes, imprison them or move them on.

Not RTFT but your op is dripping in judgement. These are people as well. Do you think they wanted this lifestyle?

I can see why being harangued for money or feeling intimidated is unacceptable but the way you speak is like they are shit on your shoe.

There is a massive issue with homelessness and poverty at the moment thanks largely to massive tory cuts. Think yourself lucky that you're not one of these people.

@Smokyk

I've just found out that Ed Sheerans song 'Bad Habits' was filmed in catford outside the shops, it can't be a coincidence that he chose here to shoot his video about drugs. Even Ed Sheeran knows it's a shit hole

🤣 have you watched it

@x2boys

Its not just about helping people, people cant be forced to accept help for addiction if they dont want help.

THIS. Having spent time working in the homelessness sector, I saw as many people go through 'the system' who actively wanted to turn their lives around as those who were determined to merrily fuck themselves up time and time again and do zilch to help themselves, whilst making the lives of those attempting to help and support them as difficult as possible. It got very wearing seeing the same faces time and again doing the things OP describes.

The charity's hostel had a no drug or alcohol rule that meant anyone using was instantly required to leave.... but could come back a week later...so they could get caught using all over again and get ejected for a week... repeat etc. It was like a revolving door for the most hardened addicts in the town - to the detriment of those who did, actually, want to access the help and support on offer. It also had the effect of actively dissuading many homeless people sleeping rough locally of even contacting the charity. I used to hear a lot of potential service users say that they hated the hostel environment because of all the drug/alcohol users constantly fighting and shouting, and so would avoid even seeking support. They were the ones I had the most 'sympathy' for because they couldn't handle the often chaotic environment of a service specifically set up to assist them.

Having 'sympathy' is one thing, but being subjected to running the gamut of anti-social, abusive addicts in your home town isn't something everyone should just have to put up with and be sympathetic about. It's upsetting for many people - even those who do have 'sympathy'.

@gailplattshairbrush

Not RTFT but your op is dripping in judgement. These are people as well. Do you think they wanted this lifestyle?

I can see why being harangued for money or feeling intimidated is unacceptable but the way you speak is like they are shit on your shoe.

There is a massive issue with homelessness and poverty at the moment thanks largely to massive tory cuts. Think yourself lucky that you're not one of these people.

If you don't know the area, I can assure you it was like that well before the Tories came into power

@Crackford Yes just now! Somebody on the local Facebook page wrote about it on my post and I thought he was pulling my leg so I checked on YouTube and low and behold there he is outside Iceland

How on earth did they pull that off without people knowing about it and word spreading? There's even scenes from inside Milford Towers!

@gailplattshairbrush

Not RTFT but your op is dripping in judgement. These are people as well. Do you think they wanted this lifestyle?

I can see why being harangued for money or feeling intimidated is unacceptable but the way you speak is like they are shit on your shoe.

There is a massive issue with homelessness and poverty at the moment thanks largely to massive tory cuts. Think yourself lucky that you're not one of these people.

Do you think op wanted her child to see a bloke with his dick in his hand.

As op keeps saying these people do not sleep on the street. Lots of us are homless as in in temporary accommodation/hostels and living in poverty not every one is like what op describes though.

Yes there can be empathy for people with am addiction. But thats not an excuse for them to do what some of them do. They don't even find a corner to try abd be discreet to have a piss some of them just walk up the road with their dick hanging out whilst they piss.

[quote Smokyk]@Crackford Yes just now! Somebody on the local Facebook page wrote about it on my post and I thought he was pulling my leg so I checked on YouTube and low and behold there he is outside Iceland

How on earth did they pull that off without people knowing about it and word spreading? There's even scenes from inside Milford Towers![/quote]
It must have been done at silly o'clock maybe they never even came to catford probably done with a computer or something.

The op isn't complaining about addicts of homeless people. She's complaining about anti social behaviour...if a millionaire first time heroin user was shooting up in the street, throwing used needles all over the place and pissing in public view, I'm sure she'd be equally as annoyed

*or homeless people that should read

The trouble with posting this on a public site like Facebook is that you will be overrun with wokish, virtue signalling posters all tripping over themselves to act the most concerned and they will make you out to be the bad guy for mentioning it.

It’s the way it goes nowadays with everything. You can’t criticise or complain about anything, even if it’s causing you significant distress, because you will be pounced on for being privileged or uncaring. I sympathise to a certain extent with the police too, whose hands are similarly tied.

I’m not sure what the answer is, but I think the antisocial behaviour aspect does need to be urgently addressed somehow.

@Comedycook

The op isn't complaining about addicts of homeless people. She's complaining about anti social behaviour...if a millionaire first time heroin user was shooting up in the street, throwing used needles all over the place and pissing in public view, I'm sure she'd be equally as annoyed

Absolutely this!

Somebody on the Facebook page accused me of discriminating based on economic status and I replied with almost exactly what you have just written here.

The problem is people giving them money. Never give them money. They have no intention other than to buy drugs. You are feeding their habit and crime and antisocial behaviour.

Brilliant post Tabitha, thank you for your contribution to the thread

@Lollipop444

The trouble with posting this on a public site like Facebook is that you will be overrun with wokish, virtue signalling posters all tripping over themselves to act the most concerned and they will make you out to be the bad guy for mentioning it.

It’s the way it goes nowadays with everything. You can’t criticise or complain about anything, even if it’s causing you significant distress, because you will be pounced on for being privileged or uncaring. I sympathise to a certain extent with the police too, whose hands are similarly tied.

I’m not sure what the answer is, but I think the antisocial behaviour aspect does need to be urgently addressed somehow.

Yep, this with bells on. Well said.

@Amiwronghere

Wow. Just wow.

Meaning?..........

I think @LindyLou2020 the 'wow just wow' comments and the are to show op and others that those who posted that they are considerably better and oh so much more caring and generally more super cool than everyone else.

@DetroitNeedsADog

Yes, you are immensely privileged if you are offended by the unhoused and the things they are driven to do. Enjoy your coffee while people are living outside suffering and having to cope with a society that judges them for their suffering. Waste of time explaining to people like you.

You are being more even more judgmental towards OP than what you are accusing her of being. Believe it or not, you CAN separate homelessness/addiction to alcohol/drugs, from threatening, anti-social behaviour. Your post is sanctimonious, assumptive, unnecessary and mean.

@MichelleScarn

I think *@LindyLou2020* the 'wow just wow' comments and the are to show op and others that those who posted that they are considerably better and oh so much more caring and generally more super cool than everyone else.

@MichelleScarn ...... Yes, I knew that really - I just wanted to draw these PP's out, hoping they would elaborate and show themselves up, but it doesn't seem to be happening! 🙄

They're too busy being sanctimonious no doubt!

Regarding the suggestion that young children won't notice, care, or understand what they're seeing and hearing, if they're around addicts behaving badly... If they're very young, maybe not, but you don't have to be very old to notice someone acting strangely and to feel anxious about it. Will it scar them for life? Probably not, but they shouldn't have to experience it at all.

For that matter, I'm in my 40s, and I don't think I should have to be exposed to that, either, nor should anyone else, regardless of age or sex.

Not all addicts behave like this, and I have sympathy for those who find themselves in difficulty and do their best to fight their way out. But not everyone is deserving of much sympathy, and quite frankly, if someone's intimidating me and making me scared to go quietly about my business, in that moment I don't actually care that they're someone's child, that they may have had a hard life, etc. I'm only focused on getting out of the situation and avoiding them at all costs.