Burke man gives away his BMW at Hooters

Washington Post ^ | July 10, 2012 | Tom Jackman

[ConservativeStatement]

In another age, loaning your car to complete strangers and telling them to just bring it back the next day would have had a happy ending. Doing it recently at the Hooters restaurant in Fairfax City? Not so much

A 46-year-old Burke man reported to police that he was inside the Hooters on Route 50 on a Saturday evening last month when a couple came in and asked him for directions. The couple further revealed the heartbreaking development that they were on their way to a wedding when their vehicle broke down, Fairfax City Sgt. Joe Johnson said.

[bgill]

An idiot is born every day.

[cuban leaf]

When I lived in Seattle I really got around. The last few months I was there I’d see the same black guy at various freeway off ramps all over the city wearing a short sleaved white shirt, a tie and waving people down with one hand and holding a red plastic gas can in the other.

Whenever a panhandler asks for money I always say the same thing: Do you take plastic, ‘cause it’s all I got.

I’ll help someone that I don’t know, but only if it does not involve a direct exchange of dead presidents.

[cuban leaf]

Well, W.C. Fields said it is immoral to allow a sucker to keep his money. It looks like that has expanded to BMW’s.

[nascarnation]

Do you take plastic, ‘cause it’s all I got.

Sure buddy, there's an ATM in the back of my Escalade right around the corner.....

[cuban leaf]

—Sure buddy, there’s an ATM in the back of my Escalade right around the corner.....—

Heh, heh. Actually, I said that to one of the SA bell ringers during Christmas of 2010 in front of Fry’s in Renton, and she DID take plastic. It took her a while to figure out how to use the machine, but she got ten bucks for the effort.

[Vaduz]

And I bet he got a few free rides at Hooters.He can take a tax deduction on the BMW.

[12Gauge687]

Generally, when people ask for “assistance” I will give them a fruit or an old pair of gloves (depending upon the season). Never ever money.

Relatives have called me everything from cynical to heartless but when I mention how much some of these beggars make, these relatives feel taken. In Chicago, there are numerous clowns claiming to be veterans, some even wearing Army or Marine Corps digitals. I always ask them for a copy of their DD214; if they don’t know what it is, then they probably weren’t military.

Recently, I mentioned one so-called “veteran” to several USMC OEF veterans who went to “talk” to the guy. I don’t see him on the off-ramp anymore.

[Graybeard58]

It’s sad really - I’d be quite willing to help out someone in need, but the scammers are so convincing that you can’t tell who’s in need and who’s trying to get money for drugs.

We have a pantry at our church for food for the needy, you might be surprised at how many people are out to scam churches. There's an overwhelming need out there and for people who try to get something for nothing whether they truly need it, is despicable.

Another hard situation is a family where the adults are addicts but have children who are hungry or needing clothes. You want to help because of the kids but know that you are enabling the adults to get more of whatever they are addicted to by removing any incentive to take care of their own kids, plus it wouldn't work to tell them, "this food is for the children, you don't get any of it".

[Vendome]

Guy sounds like a Boob...

[PUGACHEV]

Many years ago in D.C. when I was a student without loans or financial and and living on M&C five nights a week, I was approached by a beggar who asked me for help. “I'm a student with no money, and you make more money than I do, just standing on this corner begging all day”, I told him. He looked genuinely puzzled by the evident truth of that and did not know what to say.

[TexasRepublic]

I don’t feel like being a Good Samaritan unless I see missing limbs or lots of blood. Hard luck story? Take a hike, schmuck!