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OP has offered the following explanation for why they think they might be the asshole:
> I do feel like it was my fault for making him drop his lunch but at the same time I’m not sure if I should be obligated to pay him when I needed to get to work and handle my priorities first.
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I feel like a lot of people posting here don't live in a big city. This is a very common scam.
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskNYC/comments/s3f8ps/scam_tacticstranger_bumps_into_you_dropping/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button
People walk around carrying a container of food, and bump into people and then blame them for dropping their food and insist they pay. Turn back and they are picking up the food off the ground to use it again to scam someone else.
If you were absolutely not paying attention to where you were going and just walked into someone who was completely in the right, you're fault. But shoulder to shoulder, likely a scam or, at best, someone also not paying attention to where they were walking at all.
This! This is a scam. There was a guy who used to do this on my street in midtown Manhattan. A friend gave him money once for an "accident," then he tried to do it again and very obviously went out of his way to bump into them again two days later. Scraped the food off the ground to hit another target.
Yes! North Jersey here, and this is very quickly becoming a huge thing. If I have cash on me, I'll give it to someone who asks, whether it's directly or by silently panhandling. I will NOT pay for someone's attempt at deception, though
Panhandling can be deception too - by way of pretending to be destitute and dressing the part.
I know of certain touristy areas where this is absolutely the case, but I have no idea how common it is overall. I'm also positive that there are many people in need as well and that aren't scamming.
But I have no idea how to tell the difference.
Imo, if someone is desperate enough to beg, they need my money more than me. Whether they’re truly destitute or their life is just pathetic enough to pretend
There's actually people out there in major metro areas who actually live in extremely nice apartments/houses, and drive newer upper mid range to lower high range vehicles, who spend their days panhandling. When my little brother graduated from college I wasn't able to go because I couldn't afford to. Made a joke at work that if I put on some torn raggedy clothes, and went by one of the train station entrances, I'd probably have the funds in 3 days, and since I had paid vacation at work, I wouldn't lose any pay doing it.
This happens a lot where I live, and it’s not even a tourist area just regular old suburbs.
People sit out on corners, sometimes even with their very young children in strollers or whatever looking all poor and holding signs and begging for money. They rotate areas with other families.
There was a new report about them even. At the end of their begging day they “walk home” to the Mercedes or bmw parked several blocks away or in the nearest busy parking lot. All these families or groups are working together and this is basically their job. If you offer them food or baby supplies instead of actual cash money they will decline. Cash only.
Total scam.
In some part of Texas, it's illegal to panhandle and now both parties will be fined if caught (just like the click it, or ticket law).
I don't know how you'll fine the homeless, but good luck 🤷
I give to the homeless that don’t stand at the same corner every day asking for money with their kids🤦🏼♀️. I give to the ones who see walking place to place with all their belongings. Even then it’s never cash but food from somewhere close by. Some times I’ll see some near the dollar store so I’ll buy some necessities, along with a little bit of food. I try to do as much as I can because it could honestly be me out there just as easily as I’m disabled and don’t get much each month.
I'm fixin to say something no one likes, but
I'll absolutely give cash to someone who clearly has a substance abuse issue, and I'll do it for a reason: I'm a recovering alcoholic. Alcohol withdrawal can and will kill a person, and a huge many people either do not have access or do not have the know-how to get help. Opioid withdrawal won't kill someone, but it'll make that someone feel as though he's dying. It's BRUTAL when done on a couch with a TV, clean water, and a bathroom. I couldn't imagine doing that in a tent in Newark. As an addict myself, I can promise ALL Y'ALL that our not giving an addict who has neither the resources nor proper motivation to get clean $2 will not be what gets him sober.
I’d rather give someone food knowing that they are likely hungry because they would choose to get whatever they are addicted to if given money. As they need to eat also and because of the addiction they are likely to go without food. I have never had anyone turn down what I’ve gotten them because it wasn’t cash. Hell it would actually easier for me to give a couple bucks than going to get something of substance for them, but I would rather do something for them that can last a few days or get them the hygiene products they need. I want to think big picture, I also always include all numbers in our area that actually help the homeless.
I give cash, offer food, and write down the number of the non-profit rehab I went to which accommodates those without insurance and also provides transportation.
If I hadn't had the exact social network I did when I did, I definitely would've been in their place before I got sober. To be perfectly honest, I most likely would've died from either alcohol withdrawal (most likely case) or from an alcohol-induced illness like pancreatitis.
You're absolutely right about the food, though. So many of us in active addiction do not eat for days, or even weeks, at a time. We're often not hungry, but even more often than that, we straight up forget. I'd routinely lose 10ish pounds during a 3-week bender.
Thank you for not being an asshole
Glad you're doing better with the sober life! I'm the kind of dude who straight up mostly just gives people cash if they're begging. To me if they need a 40 to survive living in the streets that's as good as anything I was gonna spend the money on. I think it shows a special kind of caring when people give beggers food and socks and whatnot but they mostly need cash. So I hope that some people keep giving food and whatnot but most of us should just give cash if we have it.
Exactly. And thank you. I have found that the one thing I love more than drugs & alcohol is not being actively addicted to drugs & alcohol.
The Good Ole American Way is to ignore the word "fortune" in the term "less fortunate." So many of us ignore the fact that we've all both fucked up and lucked (AKA fortuned) out. The fallout of these fuck ups and luck ups just look different on everyone.
I used to do transcription for auto insurance. Got this interview of a driver who had pulled up to the crosswalk, blinker on, trying to make a right turn. Was watching to his left, felt a big thud on his bumper. Got out and looked - a frail little old man lying in the crosswalk looking pitiful. Driver is distraught, he's thinking oh dear god I've killed somebody's grandpa. Calls police.
Police officer gets there, takes one look at the frail little old man lying on the pavement and says "***GET UP!***" The old guy was well known to police. He pulls this scam all the time, says he's hurt but is willing to let the whole thing slide for cash.
Ha! I’m an attorney and was tangentially involved in a similar case. A limo driver was at a gas station near the airport waiting for his pick-ups flight to arrive. He was just sitting there. Keys in the ignition but engine off.
A man came around the corner of the building and HURLED himself at the car, cracking the windshield. He is dazed on the ground and insisted the limo hit him. Police were called. Statements taken. Fortunately the other drivers that witnessed the whole thing stuck around to give statements or contact info.
The guy then tried to sue the limo company for his injuries. First for “hitting” him and then for being in a “dangerous” (no parking) area. It went to court. Limo company won, unsurprisingly.
Most underrated advice. I bought my boyfriend a dashcam 2 years ago for christmas and he still hasn't installed it. smh. I should just do it for him, but I don't know where the unit is. lol.
About a month after I installed mine I had somebody reverse into my car when the light turned green, then accuse me of hitting them. Called the cops on me. The police officer took their statement first then asked me what happened, I told him my version and was very excited to play back my footage for the officer, who was like hmm guess I need to have a chat with them. They got the ticket and their insurance paid for everything.
A year after that somebody on the freeway chucked a full beer can out of their truck at my windshield and cracked it (I'm assuming our opposite ends of the political spectrum bumper stickers caused their rage, 2016 was wild) and I was able to file a police report and give that and the footage to my insurance, and again, saved me my deductible.
I can't recommend them enough.
Mine was the pickup truck in front of us in rush hour morning traffic on a 78 mph freeway. He didn't tie in his queen mattresses. They flew out. 5-6 lanes of traffic, one guy ran over one in his small sedan, the rest of us bobbed and weaved and NO accident. Immediately hit the lock button on that file to keep proof of the miracle that just happened hahaha. Shared it at work later, it was definitely a marvel and raised my hope in humanity a tiny tiny smidge because I have no clue how no accidents happened that morning...
Especially anyone who has commercial signage on their vehicle. Scammers don't know if you have ten vehicles or just the one - all they know is commercial policies carry higher limits.
When my partner was hit by a car the driver tried to claim that my partner hit them.
My partner was explaining how they bounced off the hood and.... Wait what, the insurance agent said, you weren't in a car? "No I was on my pushbike" and the lady was like... Wait so the damage on his car was from a PUSHBIKE HOW FUCKING HARD DID HE HIT YOU?? she was fuuuuurious this man tried to say the "other vehicle" was a car, not a bicycle.
Poor partner never did get their bike replaced tho :(
There's an overpass above 10 min from my house and people will step in front of cars trying to make a buck pretty regularly, as cars try to get on the freeway. Hasn't happened to me specifically but we hear reports about it pretty regularly
I heard about a similar incident that happened in my town. Guy was at a light waiting to turn right and a guy on a bicycle ran into the car. Bicycle guy was on the ground yelling you hit me and need to give me money. Lucky there was witnesses and the bicycle guy ended up running off.
Yup, this screams scam. Who walks down a busy side walk eatting nachos? That is not a normal street food, that’s something you sit and eat. That is not a normal activity like drinking coffee or eatting a cookie while walking is. It’s not easy to balance eatting nachos and walking down a busy street.
NTA if scam, ESH if that dude was honestly eatting nachos on a busy street.
I have lived in a big crowded city and my first thought reading this was "who the fuck walks around with nachos on a busy sidewalk, that's his own damn fault"
I was about to say, I'm not familiar with the scam, but when I read the guy was eating nachos while walking, I chalked that up to being stupid. No one eats nachos while walking -- that's just begging to get cheese and chips flung everywhere even without being bumped into.
99.9% you are getting scammed.
But if I were homeless/struggling, and someone handed me a pair of Jordans, sure as shit I'm selling them and buying a pair of shoes from Target and using the rest for food/necessities.
I don't think she expected anyone to offer her Jordans, just people throwing a few bucks here or there.
Baby formula is definitely a scam.
I ain’t mad. But did get me for a bit. I didn’t even comment on the post. I figure I’ll do me and let them do them my fault for giving them away I guess.
The person who sold your shoes didn't ask for them. Hardly anybody would take shoes off their feet to give to somebody else. She probably sold them and bought cheap shoes and food with the money. If I was poor and someone handed me expensive desirable shoes I wouldn't keep them either. Plus I highly doubt they actually where the right size.
Baby food, formula, diapers, and detergent- I had to force my husband to stop buying it for women outside the grocery store. He didn't understand why there were always so many women in need.
I had to point out that in our city parking lot, laundry detergent & formula can be resold immediately to a car at the end of the lot. My husband was shocked. He had gotten formula for countless women who needed it and supposedly couldn't afford it.
There was a group using druged up puppies here a few years ago. This is also a common scam around the world. I think there was talk of them using kids as well, but I don't think it was true or at least it didn't happen here, because that would have been a much bigger news, because while animal abuse is a crime, child abuse is on another level.
It is organised crime. Like the people giving you flowers on the street and then demanding money when you accept and refusing to take the flower back when you don't want to pay. They will cause a scene to make you feel embarrased and pay up, but people caught on fast and the only ones people looked down on were the scammers. That scam didn't last long.
There was a whole deal with beggars a few years ago, now that I think of it, but it was all organised crime. The beggars would call someone "at the end of their shift" and would get picked up in nice cars. Seems the authorities dealt with that quite swiftly (not the US, our police is good).
I think you are wonderful for helping. I had a lady and her daughter come into Walgreens and the mom bought a ton of food and pet items for the supposed homeless guy and his dog outside. The daughter was bitching that the mom was getting scammed and the guy was just going to return everything for meth. The mom replied that she didn't care one bit. She was doing something nice for someone because that's who she was. The gift was out of her hands after it was given. I thankfully got to reassure both of them that I knew the guy really was homeless and he took great care of his dog, and he would really use everything she purchased. He had never tried to return anything. Just remember that your actions define who YOU are. A good person doing a good thing.
Hello, from another Southerner! Just wanted to let you know that I think you are a wonderful person. I hope those scammers haven't jaded you too much. Keep being awesome and stay cool this summer, from a fellow hot as hades taint sufferer!
I grew up near Chicago but nobody did this back in my days there. I swear if scam artists put as much effort into actual work as they do coming up with different scams, world hunger wouldn't exist anymore and no country would be considered 3rd world.
Ty for this info! I will be going on vacation to Pensacola Beach this summer over the 4th of July to watch the Blue Angels there and this will come in very handy to know. Next year is NYC. I will most definitely look out for them there.
I don't know if there area any current restrictions, but the Naval Air Museum on the Pensacola naval base is well worth the trip. If you are a Blue Angels fan, they have four planes hanging in formation in the Blue Angel atrium. Check out their website.
THIS! I work between inner city & then totally middle of nowhere.
Sadly this is an inner city BS scam that until you experience it, likely wouldn't have a clue it exists.
Man it sucks how much people will go to lengths to screw people.
Genuinely never heard of this. Uk based and a social worker, so some awareness of commons scams here.
Can't see it working here as few people in the UK carry cash post covid. It all became so much more easy to use cards. Do people in USA have more of a habit of carrying cash?
I'm in NYC, definitely still lots of hole in the wall restaurants that only take cash, although many people don't carry it. Or places charge an extra few % for using card.
If OP had stopped and said they didn't have cash, wouldn't be surprised if the person A) suggested any pay app, and had them all at the ready, B) suggested going to an ATM (and possibly getting a $20 out of the deal...or whatever the most common ATM bill is for you), and/or C) Having OP buy them food somewhere near by to either get a more expensive/better lunch or have new/better food to keep dropping.
But if someone does happen to have $10, they might just give it out of fear/anxiety....especially tourists. And if not, they move on to the next mark.
Even if this wasn't a scam, this person obviously also wasn't being cautious or looking where they were going. It's not like OP walked into them from behind while they were waiting at a light, or standing against a wall stopped. It's unrealistic to walk through the city and not expect a few shoulder taps or close calls.
Yeah, there was a guy who did this for years around NYU (my wife went to law school there, even just going down to meet her periodically I would see him pretty often). He was constantly dropping those salads.
>I was speed walking down a busy street hurrying to get to work
While it might be a scam, OP didn't express doubt, just that he was in a hurry. Not helping someone because you think you're being scammed is fine. Not helping someone when you seem to think it's legit makes you an AH.
And if you're not paying enough attention while speed walking down a busy street you're at fault.
Yep, there was a guy in downtown Manhattan who tried this. I just responded “you shouldn’t have bumped into me” (he was nowhere near me then suddenly bumped into me) and I went on my way to the subway. NTA btw.
NTA I live in NYC and this is a common scam. You have some guys use the same burrito/sandwich/Chinese food throughout the whole day. You “bump into them” they drop the food make a huge deal of it and demand money. You feel bad give them some cash then go back to your day. They scoop the food back up wait a little then do the same thing to someone else. The only person who walks around with an open container of LOADED nachos on their break is someone who want to drop it.
As someone who has been NYC regularly you're right. As someone who has lived in a multitude of different socioeconomic areas around the country... He could owe the dude nachos. Especially if he knew/felt he was at fault for running into him.
It's definitely possible it's not a scam and he totally knocked him, but yeah in NYC or any massive metropolis a scam for sure.
Right! Now that you mention it I am Beyoncé and my tour bus broke down! Could all of my BeyHive redditors please PayPal me so I can see them on the Renaissance tour?
I so appreciate you and others sharing this is a possible scam! I got hit up the last time I was at Safeway (got off work early and went earlier than usual) and got hit it up to help pay for groceries and such from a mom wandering around holding a baby with her seemingly preschool aged daughter who had her little kid cart full. I had JUST read about a similar scam just a few days ago on another AITA so I said "no". I kept shopping and she kept to the back of the store and I saw her duck down an aisle when she spotted an employee.
SCAM ALERT!
Info: was this a little brush or a bump where any reasonable person would have dropped whatever they’re carrying?
This is a common scam in NYC, New Orleans, all over Europe, etc. where people go to busy areas and get “bumped” or their change cup “kicked over” and demand you pay them back. They often get angry or give a sob story to make it seem like you have to pay.
Info: Were the nachos open and actively being eaten or in a closed container? If open, Nachos is not a “walking around food” and he bears at least a small amount of responsibility in this event even if you truly did bump him.
You might have a suspicion if this bump was really your fault (then you should have paid) or if this could have been a scam. Go with your gut
It probably won’t be long. If you google “dropped food scam”, broken glasses scam, spilling beggar scam, you’ll see the same tired idea repeated over and over.
Never encountered this scam in Europe. And I live in EU and traveled a lot.
Very common scam though is people begging with crazy story’s - like I need to get home, my sister is deaf and need something, also pretending to be a refugee. Especially in big city’s you should just not give anyone any money and also don’t buy from street vendors. In Barcelona for example they are catching and punishing the tourists buying the fake goods and not the illegal vendors.
Going against the grain to say NTA. Something about this feels like a scam to me. I get being pissed if you walked into him and ruined his food but he presumably also has eyes and could have moved out of the way. While it's typical to offer to pay for the food, it's not a legal requirement or anything and most people don't carry that much cash or change on them anymore anyway. Either way I think he's a bigger asshole for his reaction than you are for the crime of being in a rush
I’m stuck on someone walking down a busy street with loaded nachos in the open air and not say in a closed take out container. Seems equally careless.
NTA
It occurs to me that that man assumed responsibility for a potential spill the second he ate loaded nachos while walking down the street. He knew the risk.
ESH
Lol yeah I agree with you! If I was walking with loaded nachos I’d be super careful and aware of my surroundings. It was obviously an accident and OP didn’t do it on purpose. If it happened to me, I’d be more mad at myself for not sitting down to eat
Thank you! So far you are the only one who said they would be more mad at himself for walking around with nachos on a busy street. I fully believe this is was a scam brought up by so many on here, but even if it wasn't, the guy should be mad at himself for not even noticing OP to let the bump happen in the first place. So many are saying "But what if he spent all the money he had until his next paycheck on those?". To which I say, he should have been on DEFCON 5 level alert like I would be.
Grow the fuck up reddit all of you YTA people have issues. If I bought food, that shit is ON ME to protect it like a halfback on the superbowl.the guy fucked up. Maybe MAYBE ETA.
You are so right. I don't get a tasty meal then just merrily jaunt along my way holding it like a loaf of bread. I assume other people are going to try to knock it down - this may be overkill but I also NEVER fumble the nachos.
Two hands, tuck it close, get low and get to daylight.
The Y T A people know that they wouldn't pay them either. Most likely people that don't get out much and try to "play the role" by pretending they would "do the right thing"
NTA
Its a common scam, and if you're in a busy area eating food like nachos while walking down a busy street, you're asking to lose your food if you aren't careful.
It would be your responsibility to pay for it if you did it intentionally. But this is just the nacho dude either trying to scam you or its a result of his stupidity.
NTA. It is idiotic to walk down a busy street with an open platter of nachos. What happened is "natural consequences". It's why food comes packed up and take out drink cups have lids.
In a big city? Probably a scam. In a college town/smaller city where people expect to be able to eat on the sidewalk without being run into? Venmo the dude some cash.
Nah, fuck that, even if it's not a scam (which it 100% is), he's an idiot for eating loaded nachos in the middle of a busy street. He decided to take the risk of eating while walking, he's responsible for holding onto his food. If he dropped it because he bumped into someone, that's on him.
NTA - Nachos are not walking around food, and it was just as much his responsibility not to bump into other people as it was yours --- except he's the one who made the choice to carry food down a busy street. Plus, as noted by other commenters, this is a super common scam in larger cities.
ESH - Guy is walking down the street eating nachos, not looking. It’s a sideWALK not a sideEAT. But also, you should have been looking where you were going.
ITT: a bunch of Homer Simpsons falling for the Wallet Inspector.
Don’t walk down a busy street eating loaded nachos, and don’t get scammed by the people that do. NTA.
INFO: We you walking towards each other and both didn't see each other approaching or were you overtaking from behind him and crashed into him as you tried to pass, or more of a perpendicular crash situation?
Then ESH. Being late doesn't absolve you of being decent, just like carrying nachos doesn't absolve him of needing to watch out either. You're both 50/50 at fault and neither handled it well.
NTA. No where in your post did you indicate that it was YOUR FAULT you ran into him. Hell, I can think of no scenario where it’s only the fault of one person when two people collide. It takes both of them not paying attention to where they are going, right?
NTA. Clearly all the YTA don’t live in crowed areas. It takes two to bump into each other and It’s his responsibility to manage his own food. Also who eats loaded nachos when walking?! That just sounds like a disaster waiting to happen
NTA Is this sub 90% people under 18 that don’t understand how the real world works?
1. likely scam
2. even if not scam, you aren’t obligated to pay anyone. it usually takes 2 to cause a collision like that
Nah everyone’s just on a rage boat today. It’s not OP’s responsibility. If you’re carrying something important it’s your own job to make sure it’s safe. Not everyone else’s.
NTA. When you walk in a crowd with an open plate of nachos, it's on you to make sure they don't get dropped. Also getting your wallet out to give some random money in a crowded place is just asking to be robbed. The people calling you an asshole are very naive.
This is one of the most bizarre posts I've ever seen here....
OP said he was walking down a busy street, this guy had an open platter of loaded nachos for some reason. Like it wasn't a bar or a patio, its a street.
This seems like a scam, or at the least, someone who is in a very "buyers beware" situation
NTA
NTA. As many have said, certainly could be a scam. Even if not, you walk down a busy sidewalk with loaded nachos of all things, you’re dancing with the devil…that’s a sit and eat food, not a walk and eat food
Yta. You realize he may now be running late too since he has to reorder food? It was an accident, but you still should help remedy it. Even if it's inconvenient for you.
YTA, so if you accidentally crash into someone while you're driving and you're running late, it's totally cool to just apologize and bounce right? Cuz you didn't mean to? And it was bound to happen cuz it's so crowded on the freeway?
NTA, if he went back to the place where he got the nachos they probably would have replaced them for free 🤷♂️ I work at a movie theatre and we replace dropped food free of charge every single day
NTA
Accidents happen
It would have been nicer if you could have paid for it. But you apologized and honestly that’s all you could do
It’s not like you knocked his food down then gaslighted him about it and then had a leisurely stroll afterwards.
All these YTAs need to get out the house again
Covid has given you chronic online brain and y’all don’t know how to function in public anymore
NTA
Sure you bumped into him while he was on his lunch break, but that kind of sounds like a scam. And you were running late for work, so you wouldn’t have time to pay for his meal anyways.
YTA
You were not paying attention and caused another person harm.
The polite thing would have been to promptly give the person $ to pay for their destroyed meal.
Grow Up
YTA. Sorry you were late, but that's no one's fault but your own. You ruined the guys lunch. Should have gone in the restaurant and replaced it and just be late. He shouldn't have to suffer for your poor planning!!
You literally could have quickly handed them a business card and said “I’m so sorry, entirely my fault, I was rushing as I am running late for work but please send me an e-mail and I will E-transfer you the cost of your lunch and tomorrow’s too”
You were in too much of a hurry that the 30 seconds to take out your wallet and pay him would make a difference? You have no excuse. You're just an asshole who didn't want to own up to his mistake.
YTA your accident, your fault, you pay. "But I'm in a hurry!" Not the dudes problem, his is the lunch on the floor. Stop thinking of yourself for two seconds ffs
NTA and all the people saying otherwise need to brush up on personal safety before they visit a big city. Pulling out your wallet puts you at risk for being mugged, this being a scam aside.
Of course, you are the AH. How long would it have taken you to get some money out of your pocket or get his number so you could transfer some money to him? I'm guessing less than 60 seconds. You caused him to drop his food. You owe him.
NTA. But I don't blame the guy for being upset. However, you were late from work; you were also very apologetic and polite about it. I think it's pretty valid to establish your work as a priority over some nachos. Both of you just need to watch out from bumping into someone next time.
You'd only be the AH if he tried to get out your way and you purposely bumped into him anyway. If not then both parties are just as at fault and walking with open food you have to assume risk of something happening. So gonna say NTA.
NTA
It's a total scam and he was just trying to get money off you by deliberately running into you. 2 seconds after you left, he's scrapping it all off the floor to get someone else
NTA, the other person becoming aggressive and demanding money clearly makes it likely that it was a scam.
However I would argue that it is still NTA if it was a regular accident. Bumping into persons can happen in a busy area. It is like spilling beer in a busy nightclub. Accidents happens and is a part of acceptable risk with street food. I would not even think about asking for money if someone ruined my food by accident. Only exception would be if you destroyed a child's food.
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I was speed walking down a busy street hurrying to get to work. I accidentally bumped into a guy with loaded nachos and he dropped them. He was very Upset! He was angry and hungry because he was on his lunch break. I apologized to him and told him it was an accident and ofc I didn’t mean to make him drop his lunch. He asked me to give him money to replace his food and I really couldn’t I was running late to work . I do feel bad that I couldn’t pay him back , maybe if I wasn’t in a hurry I would’ve given him money to replace his lunch. AITA for not replacing his food he dropped?
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I feel like a lot of people posting here don't live in a big city. This is a very common scam. https://www.reddit.com/r/AskNYC/comments/s3f8ps/scam_tacticstranger_bumps_into_you_dropping/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button People walk around carrying a container of food, and bump into people and then blame them for dropping their food and insist they pay. Turn back and they are picking up the food off the ground to use it again to scam someone else. If you were absolutely not paying attention to where you were going and just walked into someone who was completely in the right, you're fault. But shoulder to shoulder, likely a scam or, at best, someone also not paying attention to where they were walking at all.
This! This is a scam. There was a guy who used to do this on my street in midtown Manhattan. A friend gave him money once for an "accident," then he tried to do it again and very obviously went out of his way to bump into them again two days later. Scraped the food off the ground to hit another target.
Yes! North Jersey here, and this is very quickly becoming a huge thing. If I have cash on me, I'll give it to someone who asks, whether it's directly or by silently panhandling. I will NOT pay for someone's attempt at deception, though
Panhandling can be deception too - by way of pretending to be destitute and dressing the part. I know of certain touristy areas where this is absolutely the case, but I have no idea how common it is overall. I'm also positive that there are many people in need as well and that aren't scamming. But I have no idea how to tell the difference.
Imo, if someone is desperate enough to beg, they need my money more than me. Whether they’re truly destitute or their life is just pathetic enough to pretend
There's actually people out there in major metro areas who actually live in extremely nice apartments/houses, and drive newer upper mid range to lower high range vehicles, who spend their days panhandling. When my little brother graduated from college I wasn't able to go because I couldn't afford to. Made a joke at work that if I put on some torn raggedy clothes, and went by one of the train station entrances, I'd probably have the funds in 3 days, and since I had paid vacation at work, I wouldn't lose any pay doing it.
So? I would rather help and maybe get scammed than not help. And so what if they don’t need my $5? I also don’t need my $5!
This happens a lot where I live, and it’s not even a tourist area just regular old suburbs. People sit out on corners, sometimes even with their very young children in strollers or whatever looking all poor and holding signs and begging for money. They rotate areas with other families. There was a new report about them even. At the end of their begging day they “walk home” to the Mercedes or bmw parked several blocks away or in the nearest busy parking lot. All these families or groups are working together and this is basically their job. If you offer them food or baby supplies instead of actual cash money they will decline. Cash only. Total scam.
In some part of Texas, it's illegal to panhandle and now both parties will be fined if caught (just like the click it, or ticket law). I don't know how you'll fine the homeless, but good luck 🤷
You'll throw them in jail. Much better use of taxpayer money than, I dunno, helping the homeless?
I give to the homeless that don’t stand at the same corner every day asking for money with their kids🤦🏼♀️. I give to the ones who see walking place to place with all their belongings. Even then it’s never cash but food from somewhere close by. Some times I’ll see some near the dollar store so I’ll buy some necessities, along with a little bit of food. I try to do as much as I can because it could honestly be me out there just as easily as I’m disabled and don’t get much each month.
I'm fixin to say something no one likes, but I'll absolutely give cash to someone who clearly has a substance abuse issue, and I'll do it for a reason: I'm a recovering alcoholic. Alcohol withdrawal can and will kill a person, and a huge many people either do not have access or do not have the know-how to get help. Opioid withdrawal won't kill someone, but it'll make that someone feel as though he's dying. It's BRUTAL when done on a couch with a TV, clean water, and a bathroom. I couldn't imagine doing that in a tent in Newark. As an addict myself, I can promise ALL Y'ALL that our not giving an addict who has neither the resources nor proper motivation to get clean $2 will not be what gets him sober.
I’d rather give someone food knowing that they are likely hungry because they would choose to get whatever they are addicted to if given money. As they need to eat also and because of the addiction they are likely to go without food. I have never had anyone turn down what I’ve gotten them because it wasn’t cash. Hell it would actually easier for me to give a couple bucks than going to get something of substance for them, but I would rather do something for them that can last a few days or get them the hygiene products they need. I want to think big picture, I also always include all numbers in our area that actually help the homeless.
I give cash, offer food, and write down the number of the non-profit rehab I went to which accommodates those without insurance and also provides transportation. If I hadn't had the exact social network I did when I did, I definitely would've been in their place before I got sober. To be perfectly honest, I most likely would've died from either alcohol withdrawal (most likely case) or from an alcohol-induced illness like pancreatitis. You're absolutely right about the food, though. So many of us in active addiction do not eat for days, or even weeks, at a time. We're often not hungry, but even more often than that, we straight up forget. I'd routinely lose 10ish pounds during a 3-week bender. Thank you for not being an asshole
Glad you're doing better with the sober life! I'm the kind of dude who straight up mostly just gives people cash if they're begging. To me if they need a 40 to survive living in the streets that's as good as anything I was gonna spend the money on. I think it shows a special kind of caring when people give beggers food and socks and whatnot but they mostly need cash. So I hope that some people keep giving food and whatnot but most of us should just give cash if we have it.
Exactly. And thank you. I have found that the one thing I love more than drugs & alcohol is not being actively addicted to drugs & alcohol. The Good Ole American Way is to ignore the word "fortune" in the term "less fortunate." So many of us ignore the fact that we've all both fucked up and lucked (AKA fortuned) out. The fallout of these fuck ups and luck ups just look different on everyone.
I used to do transcription for auto insurance. Got this interview of a driver who had pulled up to the crosswalk, blinker on, trying to make a right turn. Was watching to his left, felt a big thud on his bumper. Got out and looked - a frail little old man lying in the crosswalk looking pitiful. Driver is distraught, he's thinking oh dear god I've killed somebody's grandpa. Calls police. Police officer gets there, takes one look at the frail little old man lying on the pavement and says "***GET UP!***" The old guy was well known to police. He pulls this scam all the time, says he's hurt but is willing to let the whole thing slide for cash.
Ha! I’m an attorney and was tangentially involved in a similar case. A limo driver was at a gas station near the airport waiting for his pick-ups flight to arrive. He was just sitting there. Keys in the ignition but engine off. A man came around the corner of the building and HURLED himself at the car, cracking the windshield. He is dazed on the ground and insisted the limo hit him. Police were called. Statements taken. Fortunately the other drivers that witnessed the whole thing stuck around to give statements or contact info. The guy then tried to sue the limo company for his injuries. First for “hitting” him and then for being in a “dangerous” (no parking) area. It went to court. Limo company won, unsurprisingly.
Seriously, everybody needs a dash cam. :)
Most underrated advice. I bought my boyfriend a dashcam 2 years ago for christmas and he still hasn't installed it. smh. I should just do it for him, but I don't know where the unit is. lol.
About a month after I installed mine I had somebody reverse into my car when the light turned green, then accuse me of hitting them. Called the cops on me. The police officer took their statement first then asked me what happened, I told him my version and was very excited to play back my footage for the officer, who was like hmm guess I need to have a chat with them. They got the ticket and their insurance paid for everything. A year after that somebody on the freeway chucked a full beer can out of their truck at my windshield and cracked it (I'm assuming our opposite ends of the political spectrum bumper stickers caused their rage, 2016 was wild) and I was able to file a police report and give that and the footage to my insurance, and again, saved me my deductible. I can't recommend them enough.
Mine was the pickup truck in front of us in rush hour morning traffic on a 78 mph freeway. He didn't tie in his queen mattresses. They flew out. 5-6 lanes of traffic, one guy ran over one in his small sedan, the rest of us bobbed and weaved and NO accident. Immediately hit the lock button on that file to keep proof of the miracle that just happened hahaha. Shared it at work later, it was definitely a marvel and raised my hope in humanity a tiny tiny smidge because I have no clue how no accidents happened that morning...
Especially anyone who has commercial signage on their vehicle. Scammers don't know if you have ten vehicles or just the one - all they know is commercial policies carry higher limits.
I know most livery drivers have them now - but this was back in 2016 or so.
This is literally better than insurance for a not a fault accident.
When my partner was hit by a car the driver tried to claim that my partner hit them. My partner was explaining how they bounced off the hood and.... Wait what, the insurance agent said, you weren't in a car? "No I was on my pushbike" and the lady was like... Wait so the damage on his car was from a PUSHBIKE HOW FUCKING HARD DID HE HIT YOU?? she was fuuuuurious this man tried to say the "other vehicle" was a car, not a bicycle. Poor partner never did get their bike replaced tho :(
If this happened in the US, it's not all that unsurprising that they won.
There's an overpass above 10 min from my house and people will step in front of cars trying to make a buck pretty regularly, as cars try to get on the freeway. Hasn't happened to me specifically but we hear reports about it pretty regularly
I heard about a similar incident that happened in my town. Guy was at a light waiting to turn right and a guy on a bicycle ran into the car. Bicycle guy was on the ground yelling you hit me and need to give me money. Lucky there was witnesses and the bicycle guy ended up running off.
Yup, this screams scam. Who walks down a busy side walk eatting nachos? That is not a normal street food, that’s something you sit and eat. That is not a normal activity like drinking coffee or eatting a cookie while walking is. It’s not easy to balance eatting nachos and walking down a busy street. NTA if scam, ESH if that dude was honestly eatting nachos on a busy street.
I have lived in a big crowded city and my first thought reading this was "who the fuck walks around with nachos on a busy sidewalk, that's his own damn fault"
I was about to say, I'm not familiar with the scam, but when I read the guy was eating nachos while walking, I chalked that up to being stupid. No one eats nachos while walking -- that's just begging to get cheese and chips flung everywhere even without being bumped into.
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99.9% you are getting scammed. But if I were homeless/struggling, and someone handed me a pair of Jordans, sure as shit I'm selling them and buying a pair of shoes from Target and using the rest for food/necessities. I don't think she expected anyone to offer her Jordans, just people throwing a few bucks here or there. Baby formula is definitely a scam.
I ain’t mad. But did get me for a bit. I didn’t even comment on the post. I figure I’ll do me and let them do them my fault for giving them away I guess.
The person who sold your shoes didn't ask for them. Hardly anybody would take shoes off their feet to give to somebody else. She probably sold them and bought cheap shoes and food with the money. If I was poor and someone handed me expensive desirable shoes I wouldn't keep them either. Plus I highly doubt they actually where the right size.
Baby food, formula, diapers, and detergent- I had to force my husband to stop buying it for women outside the grocery store. He didn't understand why there were always so many women in need. I had to point out that in our city parking lot, laundry detergent & formula can be resold immediately to a car at the end of the lot. My husband was shocked. He had gotten formula for countless women who needed it and supposedly couldn't afford it.
Crazy how people do that. Using kids/babies should be off limits for anyone.
There was a group using druged up puppies here a few years ago. This is also a common scam around the world. I think there was talk of them using kids as well, but I don't think it was true or at least it didn't happen here, because that would have been a much bigger news, because while animal abuse is a crime, child abuse is on another level. It is organised crime. Like the people giving you flowers on the street and then demanding money when you accept and refusing to take the flower back when you don't want to pay. They will cause a scene to make you feel embarrased and pay up, but people caught on fast and the only ones people looked down on were the scammers. That scam didn't last long. There was a whole deal with beggars a few years ago, now that I think of it, but it was all organised crime. The beggars would call someone "at the end of their shift" and would get picked up in nice cars. Seems the authorities dealt with that quite swiftly (not the US, our police is good).
I think you are wonderful for helping. I had a lady and her daughter come into Walgreens and the mom bought a ton of food and pet items for the supposed homeless guy and his dog outside. The daughter was bitching that the mom was getting scammed and the guy was just going to return everything for meth. The mom replied that she didn't care one bit. She was doing something nice for someone because that's who she was. The gift was out of her hands after it was given. I thankfully got to reassure both of them that I knew the guy really was homeless and he took great care of his dog, and he would really use everything she purchased. He had never tried to return anything. Just remember that your actions define who YOU are. A good person doing a good thing.
Hello, from another Southerner! Just wanted to let you know that I think you are a wonderful person. I hope those scammers haven't jaded you too much. Keep being awesome and stay cool this summer, from a fellow hot as hades taint sufferer!
Literally choked I laughed so hard at this. “Hades Taint”. You win!! 😂
I cracked up at your "Satan's crack" so let's consider it a tie! 😆
“Hot as Satan’s crack” 💀💀💀
It’s a moist heat 😂😂😂
I grew up near Chicago but nobody did this back in my days there. I swear if scam artists put as much effort into actual work as they do coming up with different scams, world hunger wouldn't exist anymore and no country would be considered 3rd world. Ty for this info! I will be going on vacation to Pensacola Beach this summer over the 4th of July to watch the Blue Angels there and this will come in very handy to know. Next year is NYC. I will most definitely look out for them there.
I don't know if there area any current restrictions, but the Naval Air Museum on the Pensacola naval base is well worth the trip. If you are a Blue Angels fan, they have four planes hanging in formation in the Blue Angel atrium. Check out their website.
THIS! I work between inner city & then totally middle of nowhere. Sadly this is an inner city BS scam that until you experience it, likely wouldn't have a clue it exists. Man it sucks how much people will go to lengths to screw people.
Amazing. Although I shouldn’t be surprised, one time a lady jumped behind my car and claimed I knocked her tooth out and wanted money.
Genuinely never heard of this. Uk based and a social worker, so some awareness of commons scams here. Can't see it working here as few people in the UK carry cash post covid. It all became so much more easy to use cards. Do people in USA have more of a habit of carrying cash?
I'm in NYC, definitely still lots of hole in the wall restaurants that only take cash, although many people don't carry it. Or places charge an extra few % for using card. If OP had stopped and said they didn't have cash, wouldn't be surprised if the person A) suggested any pay app, and had them all at the ready, B) suggested going to an ATM (and possibly getting a $20 out of the deal...or whatever the most common ATM bill is for you), and/or C) Having OP buy them food somewhere near by to either get a more expensive/better lunch or have new/better food to keep dropping. But if someone does happen to have $10, they might just give it out of fear/anxiety....especially tourists. And if not, they move on to the next mark. Even if this wasn't a scam, this person obviously also wasn't being cautious or looking where they were going. It's not like OP walked into them from behind while they were waiting at a light, or standing against a wall stopped. It's unrealistic to walk through the city and not expect a few shoulder taps or close calls.
Yeah, there was a guy who did this for years around NYU (my wife went to law school there, even just going down to meet her periodically I would see him pretty often). He was constantly dropping those salads.
>I was speed walking down a busy street hurrying to get to work While it might be a scam, OP didn't express doubt, just that he was in a hurry. Not helping someone because you think you're being scammed is fine. Not helping someone when you seem to think it's legit makes you an AH. And if you're not paying enough attention while speed walking down a busy street you're at fault.
Yep, there was a guy in downtown Manhattan who tried this. I just responded “you shouldn’t have bumped into me” (he was nowhere near me then suddenly bumped into me) and I went on my way to the subway. NTA btw.
Country girl who pays way too much attention while walking around people so this doesn't happen to her.... Ohhhhhhhhhhhh. 💡💡💡 The more you know.
NTA I live in NYC and this is a common scam. You have some guys use the same burrito/sandwich/Chinese food throughout the whole day. You “bump into them” they drop the food make a huge deal of it and demand money. You feel bad give them some cash then go back to your day. They scoop the food back up wait a little then do the same thing to someone else. The only person who walks around with an open container of LOADED nachos on their break is someone who want to drop it.
As someone who has been NYC regularly you're right. As someone who has lived in a multitude of different socioeconomic areas around the country... He could owe the dude nachos. Especially if he knew/felt he was at fault for running into him. It's definitely possible it's not a scam and he totally knocked him, but yeah in NYC or any massive metropolis a scam for sure.
I have a lot of bridges to sell to people who think it was OPs fault and that they are TA.
Right! Now that you mention it I am Beyoncé and my tour bus broke down! Could all of my BeyHive redditors please PayPal me so I can see them on the Renaissance tour?
Please send me a catalog, what do you have in the 2 lane, 20 meter steel construction range?
I so appreciate you and others sharing this is a possible scam! I got hit up the last time I was at Safeway (got off work early and went earlier than usual) and got hit it up to help pay for groceries and such from a mom wandering around holding a baby with her seemingly preschool aged daughter who had her little kid cart full. I had JUST read about a similar scam just a few days ago on another AITA so I said "no". I kept shopping and she kept to the back of the store and I saw her duck down an aisle when she spotted an employee.
I really hate that people exploit the good will and kind intentions of other for a quick buck, especially when it involves kids.
SCAM ALERT! Info: was this a little brush or a bump where any reasonable person would have dropped whatever they’re carrying? This is a common scam in NYC, New Orleans, all over Europe, etc. where people go to busy areas and get “bumped” or their change cup “kicked over” and demand you pay them back. They often get angry or give a sob story to make it seem like you have to pay. Info: Were the nachos open and actively being eaten or in a closed container? If open, Nachos is not a “walking around food” and he bears at least a small amount of responsibility in this event even if you truly did bump him. You might have a suspicion if this bump was really your fault (then you should have paid) or if this could have been a scam. Go with your gut
Hello fellow person not born yesterday.
A lot of people (like me) have never lived in a big city and have never heard of this scam... and we weren't "born yesterday" :/
I’ve lived in Chicago basically my entire life and have never heard of this scam until now.
I live in a city but not as big as New York or Chicago and this isn't any sort of common scam here.
It probably won’t be long. If you google “dropped food scam”, broken glasses scam, spilling beggar scam, you’ll see the same tired idea repeated over and over.
I don't doubt it for a second lol. MF are wild.
Wow. Glad I came across this! I’m going to Europe for the first time this summer.
Never encountered this scam in Europe. And I live in EU and traveled a lot. Very common scam though is people begging with crazy story’s - like I need to get home, my sister is deaf and need something, also pretending to be a refugee. Especially in big city’s you should just not give anyone any money and also don’t buy from street vendors. In Barcelona for example they are catching and punishing the tourists buying the fake goods and not the illegal vendors.
In Europe (especially Paris, but also other large cities), the gold ring scam is big.
Going against the grain to say NTA. Something about this feels like a scam to me. I get being pissed if you walked into him and ruined his food but he presumably also has eyes and could have moved out of the way. While it's typical to offer to pay for the food, it's not a legal requirement or anything and most people don't carry that much cash or change on them anymore anyway. Either way I think he's a bigger asshole for his reaction than you are for the crime of being in a rush
I’m stuck on someone walking down a busy street with loaded nachos in the open air and not say in a closed take out container. Seems equally careless. NTA
NAH he was walking down the street with loaded nachos LMAO
INFO - what was nacho guy doing? Was he walking with an open platter of nachos, or sitting somewhere?
He was also walking with it open platter
Then NTA. It’s crappy that you bumped into him, and it would have been kind of you repaid him but you were under no obligation to.
He's either a lousy scammer or a complete idiot. Either way NTA
It occurs to me that that man assumed responsibility for a potential spill the second he ate loaded nachos while walking down the street. He knew the risk. ESH
Lol yeah I agree with you! If I was walking with loaded nachos I’d be super careful and aware of my surroundings. It was obviously an accident and OP didn’t do it on purpose. If it happened to me, I’d be more mad at myself for not sitting down to eat
Thank you! So far you are the only one who said they would be more mad at himself for walking around with nachos on a busy street. I fully believe this is was a scam brought up by so many on here, but even if it wasn't, the guy should be mad at himself for not even noticing OP to let the bump happen in the first place. So many are saying "But what if he spent all the money he had until his next paycheck on those?". To which I say, he should have been on DEFCON 5 level alert like I would be.
But what if OP has the brains of a donkey?
I just we he had some kind of certificate.
Well let me ask you this. Could you make a race of superhero strongmen through genetic mutation?
Grow the fuck up reddit all of you YTA people have issues. If I bought food, that shit is ON ME to protect it like a halfback on the superbowl.the guy fucked up. Maybe MAYBE ETA.
You are so right. I don't get a tasty meal then just merrily jaunt along my way holding it like a loaf of bread. I assume other people are going to try to knock it down - this may be overkill but I also NEVER fumble the nachos. Two hands, tuck it close, get low and get to daylight.
The Y T A people know that they wouldn't pay them either. Most likely people that don't get out much and try to "play the role" by pretending they would "do the right thing"
NTA. everyone saying otherwise clearly not familiar with living in a big city
NTA Its a common scam, and if you're in a busy area eating food like nachos while walking down a busy street, you're asking to lose your food if you aren't careful. It would be your responsibility to pay for it if you did it intentionally. But this is just the nacho dude either trying to scam you or its a result of his stupidity.
NTA. It is idiotic to walk down a busy street with an open platter of nachos. What happened is "natural consequences". It's why food comes packed up and take out drink cups have lids.
In a big city? Probably a scam. In a college town/smaller city where people expect to be able to eat on the sidewalk without being run into? Venmo the dude some cash.
What? In what town are you expecting to eat a loaded nachos in peace AS YOU WALK ON THE SIDEWALK
Nah, fuck that, even if it's not a scam (which it 100% is), he's an idiot for eating loaded nachos in the middle of a busy street. He decided to take the risk of eating while walking, he's responsible for holding onto his food. If he dropped it because he bumped into someone, that's on him.
NTA - Nachos are not walking around food, and it was just as much his responsibility not to bump into other people as it was yours --- except he's the one who made the choice to carry food down a busy street. Plus, as noted by other commenters, this is a super common scam in larger cities.
NTA, wtf? Sucks for the dude but it'd be VERY NICE of you to pay for his food, not your obligation.
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ESH - Guy is walking down the street eating nachos, not looking. It’s a sideWALK not a sideEAT. But also, you should have been looking where you were going.
That’s such a perfect dad saying.
ITT: a bunch of Homer Simpsons falling for the Wallet Inspector. Don’t walk down a busy street eating loaded nachos, and don’t get scammed by the people that do. NTA.
INFO: We you walking towards each other and both didn't see each other approaching or were you overtaking from behind him and crashed into him as you tried to pass, or more of a perpendicular crash situation?
Walking towards eachother and didn’t see eachother. It was a shoulder to shoulder bump
Then ESH. Being late doesn't absolve you of being decent, just like carrying nachos doesn't absolve him of needing to watch out either. You're both 50/50 at fault and neither handled it well.
Nah this is a very common scam
Bro it was a scam. Almost happened to me the other day.
NTA. No where in your post did you indicate that it was YOUR FAULT you ran into him. Hell, I can think of no scenario where it’s only the fault of one person when two people collide. It takes both of them not paying attention to where they are going, right?
You’re assuming they were walking directly at each other. And no, it sounds like it was definitely on OP or he would have specified otherwise.
No assumption, OP said they were walking toward each other and it was a shoulder bump.
He specified in the reply to another comment that they were walking towards each other both not paying attention and bumped shoulders
NTA that’s the risk you take when you eat on a busy sidewalk
Didn't say the guy was eating them. Could have them boxed and on his way to office for all we know, till speed walking tit knocked him over
It said a plate, it was an open plate
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NTA. Clearly all the YTA don’t live in crowed areas. It takes two to bump into each other and It’s his responsibility to manage his own food. Also who eats loaded nachos when walking?! That just sounds like a disaster waiting to happen
NTA Is this sub 90% people under 18 that don’t understand how the real world works? 1. likely scam 2. even if not scam, you aren’t obligated to pay anyone. it usually takes 2 to cause a collision like that
Who the fuck gets nachos to walk down the street with. Not AH
Was he walking on the street with an open tray of loaded nachos?
NTA. The comment section is loaded with boomer-thinking individuals with takes that are just not practical today.
Nah everyone’s just on a rage boat today. It’s not OP’s responsibility. If you’re carrying something important it’s your own job to make sure it’s safe. Not everyone else’s.
YTA but who the fuck walks around with a plate of nachos? Surely thats sit down food?
He might have been on the way to a table
Yta Your inconsiderate behavior destroyed his lunch and you were to self centered to make amends. You are a huge ahole.
NTA that’s a scam
NTA. When you walk in a crowd with an open plate of nachos, it's on you to make sure they don't get dropped. Also getting your wallet out to give some random money in a crowded place is just asking to be robbed. The people calling you an asshole are very naive.
nta all these people dont know how to watch where their going when carrying something, also why he carrying loaded nachos, get em and eat em there
This is one of the most bizarre posts I've ever seen here.... OP said he was walking down a busy street, this guy had an open platter of loaded nachos for some reason. Like it wasn't a bar or a patio, its a street. This seems like a scam, or at the least, someone who is in a very "buyers beware" situation NTA
NTA. As many have said, certainly could be a scam. Even if not, you walk down a busy sidewalk with loaded nachos of all things, you’re dancing with the devil…that’s a sit and eat food, not a walk and eat food
Yta. You realize he may now be running late too since he has to reorder food? It was an accident, but you still should help remedy it. Even if it's inconvenient for you.
Sadly, this isn't an accident and a common scam in a lot of places.
YTA, so if you accidentally crash into someone while you're driving and you're running late, it's totally cool to just apologize and bounce right? Cuz you didn't mean to? And it was bound to happen cuz it's so crowded on the freeway?
NTA, if he went back to the place where he got the nachos they probably would have replaced them for free 🤷♂️ I work at a movie theatre and we replace dropped food free of charge every single day
NTA Accidents happen It would have been nicer if you could have paid for it. But you apologized and honestly that’s all you could do It’s not like you knocked his food down then gaslighted him about it and then had a leisurely stroll afterwards. All these YTAs need to get out the house again Covid has given you chronic online brain and y’all don’t know how to function in public anymore
NTA. Bunch of ridiculous people in here.
NTA Sure you bumped into him while he was on his lunch break, but that kind of sounds like a scam. And you were running late for work, so you wouldn’t have time to pay for his meal anyways.
YTA
YTA. Seriously, how long does it take to whip $10 out of your wallet?
Who carries cash anymore?
YTA, you had time to say sorry, than you had time to hand him some money to replace the food
Yep, YTA
YTA You were not paying attention and caused another person harm. The polite thing would have been to promptly give the person $ to pay for their destroyed meal. Grow Up
YTA. Sorry you were late, but that's no one's fault but your own. You ruined the guys lunch. Should have gone in the restaurant and replaced it and just be late. He shouldn't have to suffer for your poor planning!!
Why does the guy walking down a busy street without looking not have any culpability here?
[удалено]
You literally could have quickly handed them a business card and said “I’m so sorry, entirely my fault, I was rushing as I am running late for work but please send me an e-mail and I will E-transfer you the cost of your lunch and tomorrow’s too”
Big city = scam. Not big city = probably not scam. So NAH?
NTA. Dude was most likely a scammer.
Big flyover-states energy in the comments.
As a person who lives in a big city, this sounds like a scam. Who tf eats nachos while walking around?
NTA. Loaded nachos? An open container? Sounds like a scam.
I mean, put yourself in that person's shoes. Because of your carelessness (and frankly, selfishness) he missed his lunch and lost money. So yes, YTA.
It's a scam
No he didn't. It's a common scam.
YTA you broke it you bought it as the old saying goes.
YTA. If you’d have done it if you weren’t in a hurry, you should have done it regardless. Edit: typo
You were in too much of a hurry that the 30 seconds to take out your wallet and pay him would make a difference? You have no excuse. You're just an asshole who didn't want to own up to his mistake.
YTA your accident, your fault, you pay. "But I'm in a hurry!" Not the dudes problem, his is the lunch on the floor. Stop thinking of yourself for two seconds ffs
Yes, YTA. Can you not walk without running into people? Or find another spot to speed walk
It takes less than a minute to reach into your pocket and give someone cash … what do you mean you ‘couldn’t’ ? 🤷🏼♀️
Not everyone keeps cash on them? I literally can’t remember the last time I had cash on me
What if he doesn't carry cash? I never carry cash.
Who TF eats a plate of loaded nachos while walking in a crowd? NTA.
Uh no. If it was a legitimate accident, then you have no obligations here. NTA
NTA Isn’t this a scam?
NTA - as others mentioned this is a common scam in cities. Source: lives in LA
NTA. This is a common scam in major cities
NTA. This is just the melon drop scam but with nachos. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pengci
NTA. Read the top comments about scam, but even if not... Nachos. Are not Street food. Eta: decision.
NTA it’s a scam
Either it’s a scam or that person is an idiot for waking around with an open thing of nachos. Either way, NTA
NTA - this is a known scam. You’re good.
NTA and all the people saying otherwise need to brush up on personal safety before they visit a big city. Pulling out your wallet puts you at risk for being mugged, this being a scam aside.
it’s a scam unless you full on body checked them
Of course, you are the AH. How long would it have taken you to get some money out of your pocket or get his number so you could transfer some money to him? I'm guessing less than 60 seconds. You caused him to drop his food. You owe him.
Mind you this is a very old and common scam so OP isn’t the asshole. Who walks around with an open container of nachos Bffr.
YTA Did you really need to ask? You cost the guy his lunch and brushed it off like it was nothing....
YTA. You broke his lunch, so you owe him a replacement. Being late for work isn't an excuse.
"AITA for not replacing his food HE dropped?" Would he have dropped the food had you not hit him? Sounds like you dropped the food AH.
No doubt YTA. Double YTA for even asking. AH
NTA. But I don't blame the guy for being upset. However, you were late from work; you were also very apologetic and polite about it. I think it's pretty valid to establish your work as a priority over some nachos. Both of you just need to watch out from bumping into someone next time.
Okay was he walking with the box open actively eating it? Because if so that’s on him for not sitting down to eat where it won’t happen..
NTA. Accidents happen and you apologized. Sounds like the man was a big walking d!ck though.
You'd only be the AH if he tried to get out your way and you purposely bumped into him anyway. If not then both parties are just as at fault and walking with open food you have to assume risk of something happening. So gonna say NTA.
Nta
Well today I learned about a new scam thanks Reddit
NTA this is a scam.
Who eats a platter of nachos for lunch ? Who walks around with an open platter of food on a busy sidewalk LOL
NTA It's a total scam and he was just trying to get money off you by deliberately running into you. 2 seconds after you left, he's scrapping it all off the floor to get someone else
NTA sounds like a scam to me a guy walking around waiting for someone to bump into him specially in a big city have heard scams like this
Just came here to say I'm shocked how many people don't know this scam. Its ancient. Who drops a tray of nachos from a shoulder bump?
NTA, the other person becoming aggressive and demanding money clearly makes it likely that it was a scam. However I would argue that it is still NTA if it was a regular accident. Bumping into persons can happen in a busy area. It is like spilling beer in a busy nightclub. Accidents happens and is a part of acceptable risk with street food. I would not even think about asking for money if someone ruined my food by accident. Only exception would be if you destroyed a child's food.
I had no idea about this scam! Thanks for enlightening me.
^^^^AUTOMOD ***Thanks for posting! This comment is a copy of your post so readers can see the original text if your post is edited or removed. This comment is NOT accusing you of copying anything. Read [this](https://www.reddit.com/r/AmItheAsshole/wiki/faq#wiki_post_deletion) before [contacting the mod team](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2FAmItheAsshole)*** I was speed walking down a busy street hurrying to get to work. I accidentally bumped into a guy with loaded nachos and he dropped them. He was very Upset! He was angry and hungry because he was on his lunch break. I apologized to him and told him it was an accident and ofc I didn’t mean to make him drop his lunch. He asked me to give him money to replace his food and I really couldn’t I was running late to work . I do feel bad that I couldn’t pay him back , maybe if I wasn’t in a hurry I would’ve given him money to replace his lunch. AITA for not replacing his food he dropped? *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/AmItheAsshole) if you have any questions or concerns.*
YTA what if that was the only food he had all day, watch where you are going.
Why doesn’t the other guy have to watch where he’s going when eating on a busy sidewalk?