I hate to disappoint them, but I know skateboarders, and this wouldn't deter any of them, but instead would be seen as a fun challenge. Also that's an asshole thing to do to homeless people, like what is it hurting to let someone lay down?
I guess it depends. If this is a bus stop, I can see why they wouldn't want people sleeping there. If it's just a public bench, not so much. Also the spikes are an asshole move.
The spikes were put down because it was an entrance to a business. This is not a common thing. There are plenty of places for homeless people to get help in Britain.
Thank you, milkshake.
So many people don't seem to understand that there is help available, and the people that sleep on benches are too drunk/high to be allowed in to shelters.
People love to be concerned, as though that alone makes them a good person. Try donating some of your time to help. Make a game out of it on here, and see who takes the longest to become jaded.
Ever slept in a shelter? Maybe you have and it wasn't bad. Lucky you that nothing got stollen and you were able to abide curfew and deal with a close space full of homeless people. Even if the people who sleep on benches are too drunk or high to get into a shelter what is the solution that night- go back in time and not get drunk? People with support and money and distractions have trouble quitting as is. In America most homeless are that way 1 year or less, and chronic homeless are mostly people with severe addiction or mental issues. You can't lock them up for breaking a law without giving them food and shelter, so chase them off so they can suffer where people don't have to see? People make us jaded when we forget that they are human and start seeing everyone in a group as the same, and when we forget that all people are flawed even us. I've had up to 7 imperfect strangers at once And about 23 total living in my downstairs who didn't have homes. At what number should I be jaded?
I haven't slept in a shelter, but I used to volunteer at one when I was taking my prereqs at the local Junior College.
I also work in an er where these people abuse services REGULARLY.
I don't know the situation with the people you were living with, but hopefully they weren't the same type of people that this post is (partially) about.
There were problems, theft, violence, drugs, what you'd expect. Many went on to live stable lives and a few keep in touch after a decade. It's easy to become jaded or cynical. The worst of a group always stand out and tend to leave more an impression than the best. The people who are transient homeless only need that bench for a night, just one. The people who are chronic homeless are already living lives full of pain, why would I, with so much more seek to take from someone with nothing to give? Hearing the same problems and seeing people make the same mistakes and excuses burns you out, but to them it's new. Each one is an individual life. You can't save everyone but you'll save more trying than by turning them away. It seems counter intuitive but to reach a person sometimes you have to help them on their terms. Is it "right?" Maybe not, but we are the ones with the problem that requires special benches. If solving that problem means doing things their way, and everyone wins- I'm in.
It has been my experience (and not just with homeless) that you can't help someone unless they want to help themselves. If your experiences differ, that's great.
I think what this boils down to is the city trying to limit their liability, should problems arise with an "undesirable" in a less-than-sober state either assaulting someone or turning people away from local businesses, both of which increase in likelihood in high traffic areas, where benches are likely to be.
Police mostly won't bother with them because they're a drain on THEIR time and funding, so cities are left with methods such as this. And now we find ourselves in the middle of another clusterf@ck of a comment section because no matter what anyone does, people need their Internet Critic fix.
I agree that people don't change until they are ready to change. My point was in between when they fall and when they are ready to get up they are still human. It's a drain on their resources to keep dealing with it because we don't address the root causes or remediate it. Do you think that pushing them off a bench gets them off the street where they are less potential danger? It just makes their lives harder and pushes them out of view. Welcome to the cluster f of comments. Hopefully you are getting your internet critic fix. Experiences may vary and thank you for sharing yours.
I don't know that I'm critiquing. My intent was to respond to the criticism that these benches, sidewalk "spikes", etc are terrible and inhumane, as this always seems to happen when there's a post like this.
We can disagree on semantics if you like. From where I'm sitting I wouldn't say anyone was critiquing as much as discussing. From my perspective you simply joined the discussion with your opinion on it the same as anyone else. I used the words that seemed familiar to you in my reply as I see no great difference between the motivations or actions of all involved here, so assumed critiquing was synonymous to discussing in your original message.
I can't speak for others, but calling someone an asshole doesn't seem like a critique as much as an insult or opinion. Post one mentions factually that they know people that would see it as a skateboard challenge, which is a fact, and the second offers no context but only says they put spikes down in other places. I might be persuaded to believe evangelism or lobbying, but to critique I feel these lack the detailed and analytical examinations and processes necessary to meet the definition. As for being critical, criticizing and critiquing are quite different. It is criticizing to call a discussion a cluster f@ck, it is critiquing to explain why it is in detail with a factual backing, other than that it flies contrary to your own opinion.
"We" are criticizing as all present in this discussion are passing judgement on the merits of a thing, or expressing disapproval of perceived actions or faults. As I said, semantics.
Forgive me. I meant all who's comments are present, or all who have participated in. The tense should be adjusted accordingly to reflect reference to a historical record. I misspoke.
So many people don't seem to understand that there is help available, and the people that sleep on benches are too drunk/high to be allowed in to shelters.
People love to be concerned, as though that alone makes them a good person. Try donating some of your time to help. Make a game out of it on here, and see who takes the longest to become jaded.
I also work in an er where these people abuse services REGULARLY.
I don't know the situation with the people you were living with, but hopefully they weren't the same type of people that this post is (partially) about.
I think what this boils down to is the city trying to limit their liability, should problems arise with an "undesirable" in a less-than-sober state either assaulting someone or turning people away from local businesses, both of which increase in likelihood in high traffic areas, where benches are likely to be.
Police mostly won't bother with them because they're a drain on THEIR time and funding, so cities are left with methods such as this. And now we find ourselves in the middle of another clusterf@ck of a comment section because no matter what anyone does, people need their Internet Critic fix.
"Asshole thing to do"
They're criticizing/critiquing/whatever an action.
(We're the only ones present anymore)