I read in my local rag that Big Issue sellers are pretty much annoying and the locals would prefer to take any avoiding action to get around these people –

Man pretending he can see a mate across the street.

Person in electric wheelchair speeding up.

Looking at ones shoes in case ones laces have come undone.

Pretend conversation on a mobile phone.

made me laugh. :):)

They should get proper jobs if they have the time to peddle that lefty crap they have time to have a wash and go to the job centre .Most of the ones round our way can't speak English either .Maybe they should go home?

Oh dear god! A daily mail leader-writer is on the forum!!!!

I did once hear a bored seller yell "Quite Large Female Sheep" -it's the closest I have ever come to buying one.

They do have their uses actually. I had to make an unscheduled stop in town today. I was on my 'proper' bike which i never normally let out of my sight. So I locked it up outside, bought a big issue off the seller nearest, got chatting to him, then said 'you couldn't keep an eye on my bike for five minutes could you?"

He duly obliged. Erm… and he spoke English and didn't try to peddle me any lefty crap 🙂

Theres a guy on strand outside my clients office who sells the'Ish. he does human statue impressions and hes a very nice bloke – just with a history of depression. I bought the mag off him a couple of times in the spirit of things but after reading a few editions just couldnt bring myself to buy it again. Such awful writing, and yes a bit too Billy Bragg for me too. And I subscribe to the Guardian for heaven's sake! 😉

why do people give them so much such a wide berth then, a guy selling something trying to get yer attention. You can say – no! You can even apologise for saying no!

cos they sit outside shops in the bloody way wailing big issue in broken English with the beggars and crap useless buskers with 3 string guitars

knock knock.

OMFG they're trying to sell something to make themselves some money, and maybe get themselves on the track to a more meaningful job/life.

Don't always buy it, sometimes will if the mood takes me and I think I might get a chance to read it. I really can't see why anyone would resent being asked if they would like to buy a magazine. I have sometimes had "unofficial" big issue sellers, and only noticed the lack of badge afterwards, when they ask if maybe they could keep it as it's their last copy, and politely declined to return it…

Maybe Edrik 64 lives abroad… Never encountered a seller with broken English myself.

We have 2 or 3 who don't speak the lingo along with the grunts who do but poorly!

Was it this lingo by any chance?:

Maybe Edrik 64 lives abroad… Never encountered a seller with broken English myself.

Well, I have encountered a few Scottish ones… 😉

Edric64; where do you stand with Mohammed Al Fayed?

I have paid to watch Fulham !!Didn't the government give his brother a passport but not him ?

I dont have any problems with them other than the ones from Eastern Europe why come here to scrounge.

knock knock.

Who's there? 😮

I didn't know they spoke Lingo, I wanna learn lingo, just in case I go to Lingodom where all the big Issue sellers live in a big communal Sellerdome.

Is that like a Thunderdome?

the big issue is about helping homeless people earn some money and give themselves some self-respect
they have to turn up early in the morning to collect the copies and get the best pitch
which may be a lot harder than it sounds for someone who may or may not have a drug dependency , mental health issues, at the very least no home to go to
especially when they could make a lot more money stealing, begging etc

for whatever reason they are homeless people should have the decency to make eye contact and just say no thanks when offered a copy, or even better buy one

admittedly it is a bit crazy left wing but its better written than the metro!

knock knock.

Who's there?

Biggish

Biggish…?

Oh I get it!

Doh!

What an idiot! 😀

The only big issue about Big Issue sellers is why in a country with a superb, free education system they couldn't get themselves enough qualifications to get a job which would pay them enough not to have to stand around selling the Big issue

I find them quite intimidating!

Its licensed begging it's all intimidating when they hang round shop doorways.

The idea is good but that geezer John Bird just doesn't come across as genuine.

Seriously as a woman I do find the sellers rather frightening.

Eldridge, no offence, but you just re-defined 'Narrow-minded' for me.

Didn't Marin do an Eldridge?.I am not narrow minded but think wasters should be shot.

Do they also hang around on your bridge, Edric?

Or if that is to extreme for you bring back the workhouse ,bed and board for a days work in the community ,keeping the park clean repairing the swings ,that sort of thing?

eldridge – Member

The only big issue about Big Issue sellers is why in a country with a superb, free education system they couldn't get themselves enough qualifications to get a job which would pay them enough not to have to stand around selling the Big issue

Are you serious? Most homeless have mental health difficulties and / or come from abused backgrounds. A fair few are ex services.

I am not trolling.

No one made them join up and if that's the problem then the mod should help sort it out

If we still had mental hospitals rather than care in the community (or is it neglect in the neighbourhood )they wouldn't be homeless

edric you really are a lovely fellah
lets hope you never have to deal with mental health issues

EDIT: I apologise for that comment. It was inappropriate and insensitive, and I should know better. Sorry.

I've bought it once just to help the guy out etc.

Or just say No Thank You.

Not difficult is it?

I am not trolling.

So you're really that bigoted and stupid?

I occasionally buy one, but always say hello to the chap who sells one round here even if I don't – he always seems happy to be acknowledged even if he isn't making a sale.

all friendly and nice up our way… big issue in the north can be quite a good read sometimes (often a bit amateur though). Don't know why people are so rude, it doesn't take much effort to say "no thanks" and give bit of eye contact. As for having a wash and getting a job, Most jobs pay into a bank account, no address means you can't have a bank account, so no job. Likewise, employment history of "mental health problems and/or substance misuse issues doesn't tend to attract employers! The idea of selling the big issue is to give homeless people back a sense of purpose. Bring them back into a world of having to be reliable, dedicated, and dealing with money responsibly. To be honest, very few are "scroungers" given that they only make 80p per issue and the rest goes to a charity helping homeless people and others in need of social care. All sellers are vetted before being employed strict rules must be adhered to.

Before the argument raises its head, some big issue sellers do not live on the streets. once you have a roof over your head, suddenly stopping their income just puts them back where they came from.

I'd rather give money to a big issue seller, who not only gives me a product in return for my cash (albeit one of limited interest)and have the majority of the money go to helping the individual who serves me, than the professional charity collecters roaming the streets and knocking on my door asking wether I care about children/elderly/dogs etc.

Picked up on this in a recent design project in uni, designed a pop up shelter that they could use, not only to shelter from the elements but also use it as a way to give some kind of credibility and be less threatening, similar to the guys selling the newspapers but alot simpler cheaper setup.