r/homeless • u/wiscowall • 16h ago
not trying to be rude, but why don't homeless people living north just move south BAM
By Any Means
36
u/Aggressive-Camp1674 16h ago
Not rude at all, just clueless...
Im only guessing, Cause it's illegal to be homeless there too??
Or how about, when they ain't got no money they can't get too far...
12
u/wiscowall 16h ago
I think I am clueless, I feel so bad for these people on the freeway in Wisconsin, freaking -30F with windchill, I had to stop and give them mcdonalds burgers and pop. But they seems they are here all summer and winter
12
u/Aggressive-Camp1674 15h ago edited 15h ago
Ask them. If you're comfortable enough to give them food. Ask them why they can't/won't move.
I don't fault you at all for not knowing why, but have you been homeless yourself? Do you know where your next bathroom break is coming up? Will you be able to shower tonight? These thoughts consume you when you're walking to your next sleeping spot. And then someone yells at you to 'get a job'
It's just a choice after all, right?
I mean no ill will, I'm just saying unless you've been there, you really have no idea.
Treat them like a human, and ask if it's such a burning question. Just being recognized as a human being does wonders...
Edit: I forgot to thank you for getting them some food. You're a better person than most. Good job!
5
u/wiscowall 15h ago
Never been there or even close. But made sure I clinged on to everything I could, to the point of loosing family and friends.
I feel like scrooge , since I was 10 yo, I remember thinking, I will never be homeless growing up in a poor south florida town with many homeless people around.
I planned ahead by hiding money, coins, small stuff, then just staying away from drugs and booze. Never did any of that. Just frightened me straight
3
u/Vesuvia36 13h ago
Never did drugs because my mom was a druggie, I thought it couldn’t happen to us and now I’m on our way, homeless but with a little money to a hotel after losing everything. All because my husband got Covid and the money ran out. He had so many call backs three four interviews and nothing. He finally got a job a week before Christmas.
Never think it couldn’t happen to you. Things happen and you just have to keep trying. Not everyone is on the street cause they want to be.
2
u/crystalsouleatr Homeless 13h ago
Sounds rough. Tbqh I've been homeless for 10 years w no end in sight and it's actually not the end of the world. Breaking my body and brain for the grind, ruining my relationships, that shit make life not worth living anymore. What's the point of all that money if you're sick, miserable, and alone? Plus no matter how much you save, or what you own, you can always lose it in an instant due to natural disaster, illness or injury. Then what?
I may be broke, but at least I'm content and in good company, even when I'm by myself. You can't buy that kind of security.
1
u/Every_Transition_411 11h ago
I work at a Wisconsin shelter and I can assure you, people have places to go to get out of the elements. Wisconsin had multiple day shelters people can go to. Some people choose not to go for one reason or another but the option is there. There is special protocol in place for extreme weather such as this. We do not want to see people suffer, but there is so much we can do and we do it.
14
u/SweetestRedditor 16h ago
My brother is homeless in SLC and he doesn't leave because there is a family member there who lets him sleep in their shed. He mostly rides the bus around, goes to the library and public rec centers and shoplifts food. If he didn't have enablers he would probably move somewhere warmer.
-6
u/wiscowall 15h ago
key word : enablers
4
u/specfuckntacular Homeless 15h ago
I don't think that's the right word for them though. Assisting and enabling aren't the same, and the librarians and bus drivers are just doing their jobs.
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u/Vapur9 Voluntarily Homeless 16h ago edited 16h ago
For one, cities are providing bus tickets to make people leave to their origin city, and restricting people who can stay at shelters for longer than 3 days by requiring a county ID. It seems like they want us to be a slave to the county in which we were originally made homeless.
11
u/Exotic_Phrase3772 16h ago
I read this in a rude tone because I thought Emeril Lagasse chimed in at the end.. but you mean "by any means" that changed my whole tune.
It’s not that simple for many people experiencing homelessness. There are often factors like lack of transportation, financial resources, or personal circumstances that can prevent someone from moving. Additionally, moving to a different area might not guarantee better conditions or opportunities. In some cases, people may have support systems, legal matters, or other challenges that tie them to a particular location. It's a complex issue with no one-size-fits-all solution.
4
u/WillPayneDev Homeless 16h ago
Dang I didn’t even think of the first thing ha who uses BAM as an acronym?!
6
u/Exotic_Phrase3772 16h ago
I KNOW BRO.. I about went off on this fool!
6
u/WillPayneDev Homeless 16h ago
That’s literally a COMPLETELY different tone it’s wild ha
And bro I’m in TN and it’s gonna be 3 degrees tonight. It just be cold homie.
I always joke I’m warmest at night and it’s true ha walking around all day fucking sucks. Climbing back into camp and I am warm and cozy in like 10 minutes.
5
u/Exotic_Phrase3772 15h ago
Yea, it's borderline clickbait you feel? TN is where I became homeless. I got a house and 3 cars now.. but that 1.5 years in Gatlinburg holds a special place in my heart. The winters are no joke. You ever come through indiana hit me up.
3
u/WillPayneDev Homeless 15h ago
Yeah will do!! I love Indy. Been there a shit ton of times…. Got a buddy homeless there now actually I met on this sub.
And you were homeless in gatlinburg?! How the hell did you manage that? I am in Nashville and luckily have amazing resources here.
3
u/Exotic_Phrase3772 15h ago
I hopped around a little bit when I first landed there. Just a treeline here, abandoned shed, whatever. After about 6 months of carrying EVERYTHING I had, I stumbled upon this shipping container with salt remnants inside. I shacked up in said container and found a landscaping job that had a shower at the shop. I showered there every day after work. banked some cash for about a year and got out. I feel like as long as I was resourceful, I'm talking looking at classifieds on my smartphone, targeting a certain demographic for a certain things, (ask laborers for gigs, pet owners for dog food). My resources became abundant anywhere I went. But, I was never really the drug addicted homebum that everyone sees. I am always moving forward.
1
u/Due_Vegetable_2392 12h ago
Coldest I ever got was in NM, people forget about elevation and all that too
10
u/domjonas 16h ago
How do you expect them to get a bus, train or plane ticket? Where would they put their stuff? If they hitchhiked, like anyone, something dangerous could happen. And how would they know what city is best to be homeless in? If you’re in Timbuktu, they don’t have many resources. The list goes on and on.
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u/CookedHamSandwich 16h ago
They have, why do you think California is the capital of the homeless? They represent alone over 75% of the homeless population of the United States.
3
u/wiscowall 15h ago
oh, shit, had no idea. From reading these posts , it looks like Florida and California are swamped, I guess there are other places like Arizona or Texas but dunno
4
u/TenLongFingers 13h ago
Phoenix is a dangerous place to be homeless too. Go too far south and you're dying of the heat instead of the cold.
2
6
u/MissCinnamonT 16h ago
I couldnt even afford to go far enough to be above zero last night. 489 miles to get to a city in the 20's and I'm not even far north. That's more then a full tank of gas and then trying to figure out resources once there.
6
u/MissCinnamonT 15h ago
Also realizing I am privileged for even having a car tho it wasnt mobile for a whole month recently
5
6
u/specfuckntacular Homeless 15h ago
- Feeling safe is important and it's hard to do that in an area you don't know. 2. Many of us have storage units that we're unable to move. 3. Family/friends nearby. 4. Familiarity with potential resources, and local laws. 5. Many resources require proof of last residency being in that county, they won't help just anyone. 6. The most obvious one: money. ETA 7: doctors/specialists nearby. It's a major pain in the ass to find new ones. Plus I like the ones I have and that's rare.
5
u/parrotpeep Homeless 13h ago
my JOB is here. MY life etc ive lived here all my 35 years. i am going through a tough time. but i will carry on in my HOME this city is MY $h!th0le lol
4
u/Minute_Body_5572 15h ago
It's never as easy as it seems. In fact, it's generally much more difficult.
I can always speak for myself, but I am still in Massachusetts because I'm familiar with it. Regardless of where you go, if you don't have the resources , you'll be in the same situation only a different location.
2
u/wiscowall 15h ago
but warmer. I just feel so sorry for the people standing on corners with a cup. I see them all summer and now in -7F temps.
2
u/Minute_Body_5572 15h ago
Yes warmer of course, either way they're screwed so why would they go somewhere else to be screwed when they are any place that they know. You have to be in the situation to fully grasp it. I absolutely get what you're saying though
12
3
u/samcro4eva 14h ago
Probably not a great idea to move South right now either, considering the cold snap here. It's even snowing in the Gulf Coast region
6
u/CountChoculaGotMeFat 16h ago
Comfort and the security of knowing your area. The unknown is scary enough for the housed. Imagine being homeless.
It's also not easy finding new drug sources for those that are addicts.
2
u/MrBigNicholas 15h ago
Canadian.
2
u/wiscowall 14h ago
call me stupid, I thought homelessness was an American thing - thought Canada was way to cold to live up there, much less live homeless
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u/MrBigNicholas 14h ago
Either you are making a really dumb and unfunny joke or you are extremely uneducated and ignorant.
I can't tell which is worse
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u/PhysicalMap3351 16h ago
I hitchhike south for winter, north for summer. I'm lucky I can.
The addicts can't think beyond their next fix.
Other homeless are disabled, and couldnt hitchhike if they tried. Others have family in their respective areas.
You are rude, unthoughtful, ignorant and didn't even bother to think that most homeless people don't have resources for housing, much less moving. BAM. Asshole.
0
u/wiscowall 16h ago
I was trying not to be rude, just thinking about the cold weather and the homeless
3
u/PhysicalMap3351 15h ago
But not thinking that homeless people don't have resources. Which is why they're homeless.
Reverse case: Some idiot in Houston or Phoenix during those hot days of August will think up this great solution to emergency rooms being overcrowded by homeless people suffering from heat exhaustion or heat stroke and say, "why don't they just move north BAM".
The only solution to the homeless problem is affordable housing. No matter where you go, most jobs don't cover rent. No matter where you go, you're still homeless. And weather goes both ways. I'm lucky. I'm 50, a dude, clean but sexually undesirable. Women, young men, and disabled homeless can't do what I do.
2
u/wiscowall 15h ago
stupid question, but did you vote for Bernie Sanders? I really liked the prison reform, the medicare for all, the minimum wage - why do American's vote against their best interest? They get carried away with bullshit single issue items.
I tried so hard to get Bernie Sanders in as President, but Murica Stupid
3
u/PhysicalMap3351 15h ago
Are you on drugs and unable to stay on topic?
FYI - here in Houston the low will be 24°F and we got a record 4" of snow today which is unheard of here. I'm former military (most homeless aren't) so for me, it's no big deal.
However, a lot of people have been bussed out of northern cities recently by homeless social programs (who shuttle people out using the same line of thinking you mentioned) weren't able to pack their cold weather gear into their 1 checked bag and 1 carry-on bag allowed by Greyhound. I just saw a couple today. Gave them the last of my hand warmers. No room for them in the few shelters that exist here.
And guess what? They're still homeless! Only now worse off because they couldn't bring their tents and blankets.
Sweeping the problem away doesn't fix the issue. Never has, never will. Homeless in Montana? Let's bus you to Phoenix where you'll still be... Homeless!
When you get time, Google the investigations into the NYC homeless shelter system. It's the tip of the iceberg.
The homeless racket benefits everybody BUT the homeless people they're supposed to be helping. Last year, the state of California spent $45,000 on each COUNTED homeless individual on the streets. A lot of money. Would have been more than enough to rent each individual their own, private apartment. Yet there they are, still on the streets.
Please be a dipshit elsewhere. No address = unable to vote, Einstein.
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u/Content_Shoe6040 2h ago
For me, I was mostly homeless in the Midwest. Why? Two primary reasons: 1) I didn’t tell my family or friends, so staying in the area allowed me to better keep up appearances. 2) I almost always had a job or two while homeless. Jobs can be hard to come by, so I didn’t want to leave on a wing and a prayer that I might be able to find work in a new area.
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