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Q: Cyclist begging tactic...anybody else see this?
Past couple months i've noticed this new (to me) kinda begging tactic. The idea is to look like a cyclist and sit there with a sign that I guess says something like "i was robbed" or "i lost my bag" or something. Pass yourself as a normal middle class person who got unlucky as opposed to a generic beggar no one can relate to.
I know it's a scam though cause I've seen the same guy (and group) in a few different spots on different days. Couple times i've seen a group of these guys meet up. Obviously it's a plan they all hatched together.
What they do is take a cheap old bike and paint it to look new. Then sit out there in spandex with a plastic helmet on. If you look close you can see the bike isn't gonna be a type that people use for cross country cycling and the tires will be ancient looking compared to a freshly painted bike. So definitely a scam.
Anybody else see this one?
yeah, I saw that last week too, on Century avenue metro. hey, I said to myself. the best way to ask 8rmb is to sit here ? or just cycle around and eat something you find anywhere and continue to your home ? hey man, all around are farms with apples and I dont know what, so ...
expatlife26:
its interesting to me cause it's a totally different tack from the traditional "i'm so pathetic" beggar.
Nessquick:
I do not get it , the concept of begging money with placard front of you and doing nothing, just watch the ground with sad face. There are always some people who will fall for it, because they saw some news about someone cycle through China and he is such a pity ... But for me, when the person is young and asking for money, than I ask him "can't you find any temporary job ? Don't tell me no one hire anybody based on day-to-day payments ? and here, in a country of chinese dream, countless possibilities ...
expatlife26:
well it's a completely absurd that a reasonable person would be in that situation.
I don't speak the language but I know exactly what I would do in that situation. Find a branch of my bank or a hotel and call somebody who can help. No answer? Wait until later, I dunno. I'd figure it out.
Actually i think it would be easier to gain access to a phone than a marker and a piece of cardboard.
