Dirty kidding in europe

[LostPirate]

How is it getting god food and flying signs in europe? Is there anything specifically different that we should know to make sure we get by?

 

[Odin]

Moved this thread to destinations/Europe.
Might get you more responses from member overseas...

Just a google search but this article seems interesting if not biased on the subject of possibly flying a sign or such...

http://www.givemebackmyfivebucks.com/2012/09/26/living-in-europe-the-panhandlers-and-beggars/

 

[Odin]

I've decided to cut this excerpt out of a wikipedia entry on panhandling. It give a bit of limited info on what you can expect in some overseas countries.
Though maybe some members here will give you first hand accounts.

Austria
There is no nationwide ban but it is illegal in several federal states.[9]

Canada


The province of Ontario introduced its Safe Streets Act in 1999 to restrict specific kinds of begging, particularly certain narrowly defined cases of "aggressive" or abusive begging.[10] In 2001 this law survived a court challenge under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.[11] The law was further upheld by the Court of Appeal for Ontario in January 2007.[12]

One response to the anti-panhandling laws which were passed was the creation of the Ottawa Panhandlers Union which fights for the political rights of panhandlers. The union is a shop of the Industrial Workers of the World.

British Columbia enacted its own Safe Streets Act in 2004 which resembles the Ontario law. There are also critics in that province who oppose such laws.[13]

Denmark
Begging in Denmark is illegal under section 197 of the penal code. Begging or letting a member of your household under 18 beg is illegal after being cautioned by the police and punishable with prison until 6 month[14][9]

Finland
Begging has been legal in Finland since 1987 when the Poor Law was invalidated. In 2003, the Public Order Act replaced any local government rules and completely decriminalized begging.[15]


Louis Dewis, "The Old Beggar", Bordeaux, France, 1916
France
A law against begging ended in 1994 but begging with aggressive animals or children is still outlawed.[9]

Greece
Begging is punishable by up to 6 months in jail and up to a 3000 euro fine.[9]

Hungary
Has a nationwide ban and for instance in Budapest even picking things from rubbish bins is outlawed.[9]

Italy
Begging with children or animals is forbidden but the law is not enforced.[9]

Japan
Buddhist monks appear in public when begging for alms.[16] Although homelessness in Japan is common, such people rarely beg.

Luxembourg
Begging in Luxembourg is legal except when it is indulged in as a group or the beggar is a part of an organised effort. According to Chachipe a Roma rights advocacy NGO 1639 begging cases were reported by Luxembourgian law enforcement authorities. Roma beggars were arrested, handcuffed, taken to police stations and held for hours and had their money confiscated.[17]

Norway
Begging is banned in some counties and there were plans for a nationwide ban in 2015, however this was dropped after the Centre Party withdrew their support.[9]

Philippines
Begging is prohibited in the Philippines under the Anti-Mendicancy Law of 1978 although this is not strictly enforced.[18]

Portugal
In Portugal, panhandlers normally beg in front of Catholic churches, at traffic lights or on special places in Lisbon or Oporto downtowns. Begging is not illegal in Portugal. Many social and religious institutions support homeless people and panhandlers and the Portuguese Social Security normally gives them a survival monetary subsidy.

Romania
Law 61 of 1991 forbids the persistent call for the mercy of the public, by a person which is able to work.[19]

US State Department Human Rights reports note a pattern of Roma children registered for "vagrancy and begging".[20]

United Kingdom
Begging is illegal under the Vagrancy Act of 1824. However it does not carry a jail sentence and is not well enforced in many cities,[21] although since the Act applies in all public places it is enforced more frequently on public transport.

United States
In parts of San Francisco, California, aggressive panhandling is prohibited.[22]

In May 2010, police in the city of Boston started cracking down on panhandling in the streets in downtown, and were conducting an educational outreach to residents advising them not to give to panhandlers. The Boston police distinguished active solicitation, or aggressive panhandling, versus passive panhandling of which an example is opening doors at store with a cup in hand but saying nothing.[23]

 

[Andrea Van Scoyoc]

Thanks, for this info. Visit/support Portugal, avoid Hungary, as picking through garbage cans is commonplace for me.

 

[landpirate]

Begging in the UK is as the wikipedia post points out illegal, Although I have seen people do it over here i don't recommend flying a sign because that is a big old advert to the pigs that you are definitely begging. i will always argue the toss with the police if they say i'm begging. Its hard for them to prove unless they actually catch you directly asking people. Aggressive begging doesn't go down well, even spot begging is a bit much for most people to deal with. I recommend finding a busy spot and claiming it by sitting on it. The worst thing that's happened to me is getting a ticket which means I have to leave the main city centre area for 24 hours (i can't remember which section of the boring criminal justice act it comes under) anyway keep your wits about you, successfully deal with the local bums and you can do well.

food wise, in town/cities there are bins to dive all over, smaller places/ more rural places can be a lot more difficult. Some places will even give you the leftovers at the end of the day if you ask.

Any specific UK questions then feel free to fire them at tme. Can't be much help with regards to the rest of europe from a begging/food finding point of view.

 

[LostPirate]

what abou getting dog food? thats all im worried about

 

[Andrea Van Scoyoc]

what abou getting dog food? thats all im worried about

LostPirate...this is just me and my opinion, but...

Before humans manipulated dogs from being the "beasts" they once were, they ate whatever they got.

They ate table scraps, wild kill, etc.

I'm not saying go out and kill animals for your dog, but, if you happen to find meat or sandwiches or whatever with meat, potatoes, something like that, dogs will eat it.

Cats are not much different.

I'm currently helping a homeless lady and bought her cans of Vienna sausages, sardines and some tuna.

She made it really clear that the cat would eat first and she'd share what was left.

I'm the same way about my dog. She's all I care about and if I get a burger, she gets the meat and I eat the bread.

Healthy? Most likely not, but...as long as I'm healthy enough to take care of my baby, that's all that matters.

Just my personal opinion and view, something to keep in the back of your mind.

Good luck!

 

[Hiceadha]

lived in Budapest 6 months in Hungary and the gypsys are out picking through the bins everynight, definetly not an enforced law

 

[Anagor]

Begging in the UK is as the wikipedia post points out illegal,

Yep.

Although I have seen people do it over here i don't recommend flying a sign because that is a big old advert to the pigs that you are definitely begging.

I have seen it often and I did it myself. Mostly on Friday/Saturday evening in places with clubs and bars nearby. Many cops on the streets, but nobody seemed to care. A friend of mine (was sitting with her there for over 2 hours) even showed the sign to the cops ("Look at our gorgeous sign") and they just continued walking, one gave us a "thumbs up".

Said that, I don't want to encourage flying a sign or obviously begging in UK. I was mostly lucky I guess and chose the right time and place. And sometimes you can be watchful and still get into problems. (Got written up in London for spanging by cops in plain clothes, no fine, no paperwork, but they wanted to see my ID and stuff.)

i will always argue the toss with the police if they say i'm begging. Its hard for them to prove unless they actually catch you directly asking people.

Yes, think so.

Aggressive begging doesn't go down well, even spot begging is a bit much for most people to deal with. I recommend finding a busy spot and claiming it by sitting on it.

Yep.

anyway keep your wits about you, successfully deal with the local bums and you can do well.

Second that.

food wise, in town/cities there are bins to dive all over, smaller places/ more rural places can be a lot more difficult. Some places will even give you the leftovers at the end of the day if you ask

Yes, experienced that in Canterbury (Pret). Food was never a problem for me. Went to a drop in center often in Bristol. Then there are food runs, free sandwiches and coffee. And many nice people giving you sandwiches, even sushi boxes. Some days I had more than I could eat and gave stuff to other people.