it wasn't a conscious decision to use the word "unemployed," rather it was simply for want of a better word, so i do apologise if its use offends any real unemployed looking for work.

I've been approached in Baden & Zurich HBs, but never gave them any money. when i lived in Berlin, i've given spare change on occassion, though normally for train buskers. but unemployment there is ~13%, and people sleep on the streets and train stations. I haven't really encountered that many here, but enough to be a bit curious, being that unemployment here is only ~2.5%.

my questions are: have you seen them? do you give them money? are they unemployed, or choose not to work? and what do u call them, perennial unemployed?

I'll only give money if they do something to entertain me. Sad stories don't get too far with me.

Haven't seen too many around these parts.

judging by what i've seen and been told by locals most hobo's here a punks choosing to not work and live on the streets a far step from the punk scene i enjoyed back in england a few years back and they really politcal i never give them money but always be polite

I do not know what is the PC way to call them, but I do not think anyone has to beg here and I do not give them money. You will not fund their food or housing needs but rather their alcohol, cigarettes or drugs... A year ago there was a girl in Bern who asked me five times within a month for "some change I need to buy a train ticket".

The guys in Berlin with the colores hair and strange clothes are called "Punks"... it is a long tradition for every teen in Germany who runs away from home to make it to Berlin. (even in the time it was surrounded by the Soviets)
It has nothing to do with unemployment.

I don't live up your way so I can't talk about Zurich or Baden HB. But I do give change to beggars from time to time. I'm not naïve. I know that there's loads of con artists out there and that cases of genuine starvation are practically nil.
And I know it probably encourages the wrong 'uns so I don't make a habit out of it or a virtue come to that. If you really want to help the homeless it probably does more good to make a donation direct to the Salvation Army or other organisations that run shelters for those who are down on their luck. However I regularly toss a few coins to buskers, especially if they're good.

that's what i thought too, except i didn't suspect drugs, just maybe alcohol.

but you're not swiss, if i'm not mistaken. i've seen many swiss stop and give them money, and chat with them some, any idea why?

i agree, and i've never given money to anyone who has a dog.

that said, i once saw a punk at bhf zoo feeding his dog a slice of pizza... it made me very sad...

Back in California, I would give the particularly entertaining ones either a burrito, a 40 oz. Malt Liquor or a pack of smokes. I remember this one guy that was hanging outside this Taqueria one christmas eve. I ordered an extra burrito for him and gave it to him on my way out. He was polite about it and thanked me while he opened up his coat to put it with the 10 other burritos that he already had stashed in there. Thats when I started buying beers and smokes.

A couple friends at the uni used to befriend the odd few junkies near the train station and buy them breakfast regularly as any money they got went straight on drugs instead of food. They were usually very friendly, but couldn't help themselves when it came to lying or begging for cash for drugs. Eventually, they stopped seeing my friends when they realised they couldn't get money from them.

I've rarely seen this here, apart from a few occasions with gypsy women. I rarely give cash, but I do offer to buy them something to eat. Those who need it for reasons other than food end up turning down the offer. On one occasion, I met this cute punk rock chick who ran out of money in Zuerich. She had cool vibes.

I often buy them some food but I would never give them any cash.

In London they used to ask for money for the night shelter. The night shelter is free.

In Zurich I rarely (but occassionally) see people begging. On one day trip to Bern I saw more people begging than in 18 months in zh. Is there more of a safety net in zh or do more homeless people make their way to Bern?

cool vibes straight to ya wallet punks in germany and here who beg tend to be on the street because they choose to be

I once gave a homeless man in Cambridge half a chocolate bar (broken in half with my hands seconds before I heard his voice) when he asked for change for food. He didn't look very impressed.

had he not heard the phrase "beggars can't be choosers"?

Some years ago in San Francisco on Fishermans wharf there were a host of beggars with cardboard signs claiming this and that such as Aids , veteran etc etc . I ignored all of them until i came across a guy with a piece of cardboard which said "I cannot tell a lie I need money for beer" . Needless to say I dropped him a 5 dollar note for honesty.

how could you not reward the honest of the chap! beer is something we all need. sometimes we all run out. people like you restore some faith in mankind.

Easy to explain: Begging is illegal here in the city center, I have seen how the Stadtpolizei removes them "fast and efficiently" from Bahnhofstrasse- took about 1 minute from the moment the guy put a paper cup on the pavement and sat down till the first cop arrived... I have just seen it more regularly in the stations both of Bern and Zurich with people asking you for money for train tickets or the night shelter (I do not know if it is free here as well, but the next time I will ask )

there is night shelter here too?

No idea, but one asked me for money to pay it

In Geneva there are quite a few buskers in the city centre - I give them some change if they are good, but the guy outside UBS playing the violin really needs to learn some new tunes. There's also a guy with a sort of miniature organ on a wheeled trolley which he wheels around (with a cat sat on top) who seems to do quite well, although I've never given him anything because all he does is turn a handle - he quite often reads the newspaper at the same time!

Also, there are more of your traditional beggars at the station, occasionally sitting down, but often coming up with a plastic cup asking for change. I've never seen them being stopped by the police, so I assume it's legal in GE?