Avoid Street Hassles

Like any other major metropolitan area the streets has its share of homeless, beggers, hustlers, and just plain crazy people. If you are not from urban area encountering these sorts of individuals might be unnerving.

Here are a a few tips to deal with these situations.

1. Don't wear your conference badge on the street. At the conference your badge identifies you as a fellow professional. On the street your badge identifies you as a tourist and target and generally someone to hassle.

2. Don't make eye contact. It feels a little unnatural at first, but making eye contact will be perceived A n invitation to approach you.

3. Keep walking, no matter how many time someone calls out "Hey buddy" or "Yo big guy", if you appear not to respond and keep walking, eventually you will be left alone. There perceived persistence will wane pretty quickly.

4. No matter how pathetic the story they recant to you, it is most likely just that, a story. If you hang around long enough chances are you will hear the same one again, so don't take the bait. Better yet don't allow yourself to get cornered into listening to the story in the first place,

5. If you feel obligated to reply/ respond, a polite and respectful "Sorry I cant help you today" is enough, then see tips 2 & 3.

Streetwise
There is a program called Streetwise to help severely impoverished men and women out of poverty. By selling the "Streetwise" newspaper for $1 a copy, each vendor is given an opportunity to learn important business skills, improve his or her confidence, and ultimately earn enough income to become self-sufficient. StreetWise provides people with an opportunity to get started and to help themselves with dignity.

If you want to help someone out, I recommend you support a Streetwise vendor by purchasing a paper from them, look that they are wearing Streetwise identification around their neck.