When I first came to Vancouver in early 2003, one of the first things that surprised about this city was the high number of homeless people and panhandlers on the city streets. Homeless people are the ones you often see sleeping on the sidewalks, and they are quite pitiful and usually harmless. Panhandlers, on the other hand, are bums, and quite another matter.

The first panhandler I came across was when I walked outside of my hostel on my second day in Vancouver. It was a woman wearing a trenchcoat, with long, blond, curly hair. As soon as I got close to her, she asked me, with a British accent, ”Excuse me, do you have an extra quarter?” I remember just saying sorry and continuing walking past her, and then I heard her ask the same question at least three more times to other people walking by. From then on, I remembered her as Quarter Girl.

Well, she wasn’t too bad. She was polite and didn’t have a bad appearance (you would never suspect her to be a panhandler unless you saw her doing it). However, there are several in this city who are a real, absolute nuissance. They are the more aggressive type of panhandler, and they are the kind I despise. This is the kind of panhandler who really interupts your peace, freedom, and comfort by getting right in your face, sometimes blocking your path, and either asking you for money directly or telling you some stupid story with the climax being his need to get money from you.

I most often experience the story teller type of panhandler on Robson Street. Since it is the busiest street downtown, by far, it’s the ideal place for them to find innocent, gullible victims. It’s rare they will approach me these days, possibly because I now have the appearance of someone who can’t easily be duped, but I often walk by people who are getting bamboozled.

Here is an example of the kind of story this kind of person might tell. He might say that he has been visiting the city, and his car broke down, and now he needs money to go to the airport. It’s an emergency, they’ll often say. Or maybe someone stole his wallet and he needs money. Well, I can give you some advice for when some stranger approaches you on Robson and starts telling any kind of story. Start ignoring and walk away! He just wants your money, of course. Or you can cut him off and just let him know that you can see through his tall tale by saying, “No, I’m not going to give you any money.” Don’t even waste your time with these scumbags.

The worst kind of panhandler of all, though, is the kind that really gets in your face and disturbs your peace to ask you for money directly. For example, you might be in McDonald’s enjoying a Quarter Pounder with Cheese combo, and in walks a guy who stands in front of you. “Excuse me, sir, but do you have some extra change on you?” If he leaves right away to go to the next person after you’ve ignored him or said sorry, you’re lucky, but sometimes he’ll keep asking you. There are few things I hate more than when one of these guys invades my personal space.

That brings me to mentioning whom I believe to be the worst panhandler in Vancouver. Other people might think there are worse ones, but to me, he is the one who manages to turn my stomach in disgust every time I see him on the block. Anyone who has spent a lot of time in Downtown Vancouver has probably come across him. He is this average height, skinny guy who usually wears a cap, and he is always walking. He must cover the whole downtown area many times a day. I’ve seen him on Robson, Burrard, Davie, and he’s come inside so many fast food restaurants at the same time I happened to be there. I would say I’ve seen him inside the Tim Hortons/Wendy’s on Alberni Street more than anywhere else, but that place is a magnet for a lot of low lifes. Really, this guy has been a nuissance to me and the people of Vancouver for at least 6 years (I remember seeing him doing the same routine when I came here in 2003).

Anyway, I just thought I’d share a bit of my experiences and opinions about panhandlers in Vancouver. I’m not sure about the situations in the suburbs, but I know Downtown Vancouver can be pretty bad at times. Does anyone else have anything to say or report about their experiences? By all means, feel free to share with your comments.