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Hi, in recent months in singapore, i have been encountering strangers stopping me and asking me for spare coins. Their reason they gave is that they are short of $ to take bus or mrt. They simply ask "excuse me, i need some $ to take mrt, i am short of some, can u give me some coins?" i am sure sometimes we may be stuck in this situation, i can imagine myself forgetting to bring wallet and short of coins and may need help. If i am to approach a complete stranger, i will be asking him for a loan, get his contact number. Be it 20cents or $1 and will definitely pay back the amount. If the strangers are really kind and generous, they may tell me to keep it, no need pay back etc. but those that i met are well bodied, mature middle age men. they simply expect me to give them $$. What's the difference between throwing away self-dignity and begging for $ in these cases? and trust me.. i have been in that situation once. i tried to borrow $1 from a guy and insist that i want to pay him back and he simply smile and say its ok and walk away, leaving me feeling grateful. in the 90s when i am a student, i was always super broke, ever lived on bread for days, and having not enough to take bus. There was once i only have less than $2, i boarded an SBS bus from clementi mrt, heading towards Bendemeer to meet a classmate to borrow $20 to tide over. then when i reach orchard, a bus inspector came onboard (i paid the minimum fare, as not enuf $ for next ride), i have to get down and i dun have enough to take the next bus to my friend's house. i got stuck in orchard at 1030pm!. the only option is to walk to bendemeer, call him hoping he can come to my rescue, or ask strangers for $. i chose to walk and after some distance, i decided to call him for help. Thank god he is going out for supper with his dad (and they are driving), they drove to orchard to pass me the $ but i was so embarassed but i was grateful. i seriously hope those men that i have met are frauds, who simply cook up some lies to earn $, rather than those who throw away their dignity and beg for $. If their case is genuine, shouldn they be calling whatever help they can find like calling family and friends 1st rather than asking for spare coins and simply do not expect to return? i am pretty disturbed by these encounters.. if those guys come up to me and tried to borrow some $1-2 from me, i would gladly help them and wouldn't expect them to return the $$, i believe what kindness others have shown to me, i should show them to others. but they are simply asking me to give them the $$ which is against my principle. i would give $$ to real beggers, disabled, unfortunate etc but not abled-bodied men. have u guys encountered this before and what would u do?