Spikes to deter the homeless..

[amalan11]

I think this is an interesting fuss in the UK...first a unit block now a supermarket have installed spikes in the ground  to stop people sleeping outside their premises.I can see it seems mean but I would not be happy to have homeless people sleeping outside my home or work.It is an unfortunate truth that most of them have issues or beg and I will avoid places if that kind of person is around .

I think it should be legal to do it if you want and feel it is needed .

The supermarket has just had radicals ruin their spikes with concrete poured over them even though actual customers were complaining of being harassed by people sleeping outside .I wonder how common this kind of thing will become  and if we will see human pigeon spikes here in Australia?

[punch*drunk]

Having had to clean up urine from the windows and paving of a sheltered shopfront on many occasions, I can completely understand why people do this. Not that spikes would necessarily completely stop this kind of behaviour, but anything that discourages people from sleeping or even hanging around where you are trying to do business is a good thing.

[electric*mayhem*band]

Supermarket chain Tesco, have agreed to remove the spikes due to public complaints and protests. They claim they didn't put them there in order to prevent the homeless sleeping there, but to deter anti-social behaviour. They have promised to find an alternative method.

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/jun/12/tesco-spikes-remove-regent-street-homeless-protests

[lloydslights]

It was the drunks on the way home after "drinkeys and kebabs" that urinated and defacated in the area around my business premises.  It's not usually  the homeless that do that.  That's like "-----------in their own nest"

I used to leave cardboard boxes in the rear yard for the homeless.  That was the best I could do for them at the time.  But they complained about being woken at 3.30am by the arrival of delivery trucks.  

The local golden arches had a promotion for second cup of coffee free.  The homeless picked the local bins for discarded cups and fronted up for their "second" cup.  I believe that practice has ceased.

In regard to spikes as a deterrent. I think they could be dangerous to the public in general.  Tripping? Falling backwards and hitting head?

The princess and the pea?  Do the homeless really feel them through a piece of cardboard/bedding?  Not as uncomfortable as an alternate arrangement perhaps.

DEB

[i-need-a-martini]

I am glad there has been a huge backlash and now spikes are being removed.

(Working close to Central Station) homeless people ("that kind of person") are part of my fact of daily life and I also have a brother-in-law who lives on the street 70% of the year. Anything that makes their lives more difficult is just not acceprable.

I find it interesting that the businesses that implemented the spikes are the kinds of busimesses that could easily afford to make a difference by supporting shelters with not much investment required. 

[*kazumi*]

Large number of homeless are people with mental problems; in the past we had places where they were sent.  They were closed and people sent to live in the community = fending for themselves.  There need to be more appropriate social housing and then people would not be living rough.  Homelessnes can happen to anybody.  Some years ago I parked right behind and taxi rank and stayed in a car while my daughter ran into a shop.  There was a park bench and man was sitting there, I assumed businessman waiting for cab; without looking too close he looked well dressed in well fitting expensive suit.  Then he moved closer to the rubbish bin next to the seat and started ramiging through it, found part of hamburgers and ate it.  When i really looked at him, I realised that he was quite dirty, and the suit has seen better days, and I realised I know who he is, I met him at some parties when we lived in that area, we have even been to his huge beautiful house.  He was a local businessman who went bancrupt, and lost everything.   Maybe he had a breakdown; whatever reason, he was living rough.  That can happen to anybody.

[love*today]

Disgusting!

I was talking with a com services manager and was surprised to learn that the homeless up here are not allowed to seek shelter in evacuation centres. The council's solution in keeping these people safe during a cyclone was for them to occupy an underground carpark, one that floods!

Homelessness can and does happen to anyone, they don't need your judgement or to be treated like they are scum.

[colic2bullsgirlore]

appears a better placement option to me

[carls*world]

Ah yes, NIMBY on a big scale.

Don't care where they go, or what else they can do to survive, as long as it's Not In My Back Yard.

Well the news is, it's gotta be in someone's.

[renomarvinm]

The homeless have nothing.  It's hard to face the day when you're in that position.  I wonder if the people who came up with this idea understand the meaning of the word "cruelty."  But there was a time when steeling a loaf of bread would get you transportation for life.  Good for Australia - bad for England.

[electric*mayhem*band]

Tesco - the supermarket in question - are notorious for buying up land in towns and cities, ostensibly to build a store, whether or not they already have one in situ. This is nonsense, as the reason behind this move is to prevent the other supermarkets - Asda, Morrison, Sainsbury, Waitrose, etc, to muscle in.

Perhaps a better idea would be for them to build a shelter for the homeless on these derelict sites. Would certainly give them more kudos with the public, and maybe help their falling profits, which were 6% last year.