I would hope so. Those seem like fairly basic rules to me (I mean, in a good way).

I don't tend to give money to the homeless, though, because I've always lived in places where there are just so many of them, and it's always seemed like the only way to stay sane is to either give money to everyone who asks or no one who asks, and I try to carry as little cash on me as possible (I've often wondered whether begging on the street has gotten impossibly difficult since the invention of the ATM card). But I always make eye contact and say "Sorry" (or "No thanks" if they're selling papers).

I do break that rule on the few occasions when I get sucked into someone's complicated story, when someone stops me and I think they're going to ask for directions and suddenly I'm hearing I escaped an abusive ex-boyfriend and I'm pregnant or HIV positive and craving fried chicken, and I've never done this before, but could you spare any money?, because at that point it kind of feels like my having stood there through the whole spiel implies that I'm agreeing to the transaction, and it would be horribly rude to walk away.

I never, ever, ever give money to the homeless. And I'll walk away saying "I'm broke" instead of listening to the speach, even if they're still talking.

Yes, I'm a cold bitch. However, I also live in a neighborhood with TONS of homeless people. I'm a block from Friends of the Night People, so between meals most wander the area asking for change.

The stories remain the same from day to day (out of gas/need $ for medicine/kid's sick/ just got laid off), but so do the people, and frankly, if they've been out of gas for six months, they should be buying gas and not crack with the cash they earn. Most are too strung out to remember the faces of the locals they hit up every day.

I make a good living, but not enough to support someone else's crack, meth, or heroin addiction. Frankly, I don't work fifty hours a week for that, and I don't give a shit if they go through withdrawl or not. Since damn, if I wouldn't support my exhusband's drug problem I'm sure as fuck not supporting some stranger's.

Direct link.

I'm good on most of these except for #7: Be polite to Jehovah's Witnesses. No. Doorbell spam is just as bad as telemarketing calls and actual email spam.

The writer did advocate for politely shutting them down, though, not necessarily getting into a long drawn-out thing.

I would suspect that most of us would rate a bit higher than average on this guy's recommendations.

I would suspect you're wrong, JERK.

I think you'll probably find a wide spectrum of attitudes in a site this big.

I've learned the hard way to avoid panhandlers altogether.

(Sorry, just kidding about the jerk bit.)

Miss Manners wouldn't issue a manifesto.

Sometimes politely shutting them down is the lowest-effort way to do it. Which is not to say I go that route. Just that I've learned this lesson the hard way :)

I am very polite to checkout clerks. And to the homeless (though I don't give money). But ever since the fucking watchtower ladies rang thrice and got me out of bed and down the stairs with the flu I am not above whipping it out and peeing on their feet.

And then there's this middle ground of people I sort of know or work with. I am no good with them at all.

And THEN there are my loved ones, whom I bite frequently, but only love bites. And make love to the rest of the time. And know how to leave alone. And occasionally bring to tears with my adoration for them. And am there when they truly need me.

Jehovah's Witnesses get no love from me. The homeless get a small bit of change and a polite brush-off.

9 out of 10 for me. No money for the homeless but I'm polite with my brush-off. The mister will usually give them a Loonie ($1) or a Toonie ($2) if he has one. BUT if they ask for a Loonie or a Toonie he says no.

Jehovah's Witnesses, phone solicitors, etc. get a "No, thanks, not interested" and the door closed or phone hung up. I don't wait to hear the "But, but, but".

Er, make that 11 out of 12.

I never carry cash and have not given change to any homeless person since the early nineties when a guy hit my camerabag really hard as he only got the 50 cent I had in my pocket. I've also had a toilet lady throw brass after me and hitting my head when I had no change and I only discovered this after using the loo so I dumped all my brass coins in her change thing (which amounted to a 75 cents or guilder, when one or two guilders would be an ok amount to leave - a beer was three guilders to put it into perspective) - since then I never use the restroom where change is required.

I guess I carry a grudge. ;)

Oh shoot, I've sworn like a sailor around kids, but then perhaps her mother shouldn't have brought her to work which happened to be a pub where they showed football. I recall feeling really bad after realizing what had escaped my mouth within earshot of an nine year old.

My Perle swears in three languages. If something doesn't work it's "whatthefuck?" with hands thrown in the air, if she hurts herself its "satan!" in broad Danish, if someone doesn't close the gate to the yard it's "faaaaaeeen" in northern Swedish a word she used already last spring. I know I shouldn't be proud of this, but dude, she clever.

I have bought the local version of "the big issue" a lot, and that's fine. If someone is selling it and I already have it I'll say a polite no thanks, and if they are they chatty types inform them that I have it and which article I thought was good so they can improve their spiel. Some of those mags are pretty good.

I chat way to much with our tobacconist, but very little with the supermarket cashiers. I always say thank you when I get on the bus or buy a ticket for the trains. I try to smile and be polite which works in this small town, but bigger cities are rough.