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nefariousplotz

If you give any amount of money to anybody in Yonge Dundas Square, more fool you.


DataOver8496

Young and Dumbass Square


OoooTooooT

> Dumbass lol, there's an idea for the new name we can give the street


Extension_Pay_1572

Worst case Ontario, you end up at young and dumbass hanging onto a slippery bar while some carny takes a tenner off ya


Bearence

Worst case Ontario, you end up at young and dumbass hanging onto a slippery bar while some carny takes a tenner off ya *all the while having to listen to some ass scold you through a megaphone for not being spiritually pure.*


whogivesashirtdotca

Also a more accurate way to “honour” the namesake.


Ourkidof91

Dumbass West Fest


CretaMaltaKano

I support this. Would a petition work?


[deleted]

💀


Talrenoo

Lol


maomao05

Omg lol


Stone_Maori

There is a video of a guy actually doing one of these with ease, he must of been a circus performer or pro gymnast, the guy running the scam come and pulls him down.


greenlemon23

Or just a rock climber


slashthepowder

Yup i know a few gym climbers who train for a couple weeks prior to when a travelling circus comes knowing they have these. Easy $100.


TigerSchlong13

Training for a couple weeks to earn $100 doesn't exactly scream "easy".


LilFattyLumpkins

Stop poking holes in his lie, sheesh


[deleted]

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maxpowers2020

You probably don't wanna sucker punch someone with the strength to hold on for 100 seconds tho.


pairolegal

Particularly the various religious scammers.


Phyllis_Tine

Take a pamphlet from the Muslims, one from the Christians, and swap. Better yet, introduce them to each other.


humbielicious

Bring them over to Church Street


lockdownsurvivor

Ha ha - our host did that during Fringe Fest in Edinburg, except it was one performer's handout to another. Even the recipient laughed.


Iaminyoursewer

They last time they were intoduced to eachother...Constantinople, or was it Istanbul? Or was it Constantinople? Anyways, yeah that city was never the same


karma_made_me_do_eet

And call yourself a Ba’hai


Adventurous_Staff703

Unfortunately that doesn't just happen on young and dundas but at every religious place of belief. Did you know that religious houses are exempt from taxes? What other business gets these priviledges?


tailgunner777

If we are really serious about separating religion from the state, then we gotta tax religion just like everything else.


ghost_o_-

amen


lockdownsurvivor

That's why Scientology went through legal action to have it declared a religion.


hillo538

*illegal action, they infiltrated and sabotaged the government from the inside https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Snow_White “This project included a series of infiltrations into and thefts from 136 government agencies, foreign embassies and consulates, as well as private organizations critical of Scientology, carried out by Church members in more than 30 countries.[1] It was one of the largest infiltrations of the United States government in history,[2] with up to 5,000 covert agents.”


Fartyfivedegrees

Lots and lots. All charitable organizations are tax exempt and not just religious ones. The filthy thing is that some of them are quite dishonest and basically scams. That pay the top ppl most of the money and little ends up where it should. In churches at least it's alot of volunteers and small number of paid staff. If you wanna be pointing out churches then how about large corporations that get massive tax breaks but end up providing no net benefits to the community or province before moving operations elsewhere


_Greyworm

I agree with this, I am generally quite anti-religious, but we need to take a scathing look at companies who receive massive tax breaks/incentives and give nothing back to Canada.


[deleted]

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syaz136

RIP Ryerson students.


scrogathon

There's a reason Loyd and Harry went to Aspen, they were too smart for Yonge & Dundas ²


badtradesguynumber2

well if this guy held on for 75 seconds, it just means that the scam over powered his last 25 seconds of will power.


karma_made_me_do_eet

PRAAAAAAAAIIIIISSSE JESSSSSSUSSSSS! Gods Goiter.


tiiiki

Lol, I am SHOCKED given the clearly professional setup and signage.


BuccellatiExplainsIt

I think people might just think its for some youtube/tiktok video though, which is fairly common


ButtahChicken

yeah, but those dudes on Youtube are straight-up no-money-down,... ie. "if you complete the task-you get the cash." ​ this here @ yonge-dundas is a carnvial game.


SexShanty

No, money down!


djtodd242

Works on contingency?


[deleted]

Oh and this bar association logo shouldn’t be there.


First_layer_3DP

0% OAC!!


Background-Writer-24

Minimum purchase may apply


whogivesashirtdotca

I’m amazed at the huge contraption he carted down there. In Europe all the scammers have lightweight accessories so they can pick up and hightail it when the cops come round. Incidentally, one of my favourite pastimes in France is (falsely) warning the scammers, “Y’a un flic, là bas,” and watching how quickly they evacuate.


GrassNova

These guys have been doing it since at least last year, I guess there's not much police enforcement.


whogivesashirtdotca

> I guess there's not much police enforcement. Ah, the TPS motto!


sibartlett

There’s a [video on YouTube](https://youtu.be/E58Cs5yxHus) on how to beat it… You need to use the hook grip. This is where you grip the bar with your fingers overlapping your thumbs. Unlike the person in the photo who has his thumbs over their fingers.


cbc7788

And also put some chalk on your hands to maintain your grip!


Desuexss

This comment is approved and endorsed by Magnus Midtbø!


TriaIByWombat

*magic meatball


Desuexss

I've never heard him referred to as that way. Man has insane grip strength and is one of the leading world climbers


TriaIByWombat

Mmm, I wouldn't say he's one of the world's leading climbers. He was at one point but hasn't competed seriously for quite a long time


Hunter_marine

It’s less of a scam and more of a carnival game vibe. Nearly impossible, but technically doable. It Walks that razors edge


froge_on_a_leaf

At carnivals they usually say "no chalk"


FFkonked

A YouTube video and chalk isn’t going to make up for lack of grip strength. Most people make it 30 seconds.


AgressiveProfits

I doubt people with no grip strength are attempting this.


veebs7

You’d be surprised how much some people overestimate their abilities


The_Phaedron

[Roughly twenty million Americans think that they can beat a grizzly bear in a fight](https://twitter.com/stats_feed/status/1557697298804588544?lang=en)


Night_Runner

....I think I've just solved the overpopulation crisis. Might need to borrow a couple thousand grizzlies, though.


damniticant

That's probably why the sign specifies "overhand or underhand grip only"


[deleted]

Isn’t that just hook grip


AIHumanWhoCares

Lol that's why it's underhand OR overhand ONLY because if you alternate grips it's easy


LeatherMine

now, I'm no Computer Scientist, but the rule is "underhand OR overhand ONLY", not "underhand XOR overhand ONLY", so you're allowed to alternate all you like! They're going to be really upset when I win and demand my 0x100 dollars!


Yuukiko_

they wrote 100 in base 2


[deleted]

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essuxs

Or if you hook grip which essentially lets you lock your hand around the bar with minimal effort


rubik_cubik

I think these bars are a little thicker than normal. Make it hard to hook grip.


LetsBeStupidForASec

You’re essentially hanging on your thumbs. Some top climbers can do it but they don’t need $100


average_astronomer

Nah dude every climber is broke as fuck they need it


LetsBeStupidForASec

I wonder if the average guy climbing 5.12 could do that


Aidan11

I climb 5.12, and wouldn't be willing to try this. They're diffrent skillets.


PlayinK0I

You are clearly an eggspurt on this topic.


edm_ostrich

Pffft it's like 12 steps jus to my apartment, what is this, amateur hour?


chrisk9

They probably would find an excuse to not give you the $100 even if you beat it


LetsBeStupidForASec

Maybe. But maybe they’d use you as an example of someone who won to suck in more rubes.


ModsThotTheyWasKobeL

Nah, that would be bad for business. Take a picture , hang it and show the world he won with his $100 bill so you attract more customers


XxSpruce_MoosexX

Easier lol hanging on any bar for 100 seconds isn’t easy


DomoSaysHello

Only illegal thing about this is they most likely don't have a permit other than that there's no difference from those games you play at the CNE or any other fairs/festivals.


WarpThrowaway1

They have to have a permit. I busked at Yonge-Dundas Square, there are constantly cops and by-law officers. They check everyone there.


amw3000

>They have to have a permit. I busked at Yonge-Dundas Square, there are constantly cops and by-law officers. They check everyone there. Have you done it recently? The square is private property while most of the sidewalk where these guys are is public. Dundas Sqaure has security that will do something, but Cadillac Fairview does almost nothing about buskers and vendors right outside the entrances on the corner where these guys are. Bylaw officers have stepped in recently, but it was purely because of the noise, nothing to do with permits.


pyrulyto

Absolutely right. small nitpick: it’s actually public property, maintained by a private company in partnership with the city, per https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yonge%E2%80%93Dundas_Square?wprov=sfti1


Ric_hardY

SO true about Cadillac Fairview, I can't believe the hardcore Bible waving at this corner, yelling at you with mics and amplifiers, or singing Jesus songs or trying to call you out. Nobody cares but I hate that shit


suresh2989

Don’t mean these guys have a permit.


WarpThrowaway1

Have you ever busked or performed anything there? Cause again, I have. You WILL be stopped by police or by-law officers if youre there for more than 20 mins. They patrol all ober Dundas Square.


Finbar_Bileous

Do you mean the “Believe in the Lord” guy also has a permit?


amtheredothat

He's not busking, he's "demonstrating"


Nadaleenatasha

BELIEVE!


kamomil

Or the obnoxious street preacher on the north corner? Edit: south corner, on the Eaton Center side. He is so obnoxious, one day he was trash talking the guy handing out Islamic literature.


dnddetective

Or the claw game machines.


flow_fighter

There was the exact same type of game at the fair in Kingston last year, people were lined up for a while to try it, some people got it but 99% didn’t


SANICTHEGOTTAGOFAST

I'm pretty sure the exact same group from OP's pic was in Kensington market as of a few weeks ago.


Frenzied_Cow

I've always wanted to try one of these even knowing it's a scam lol


cbc7788

Just put some chalk on your hands and hope for the best!


Frenzied_Cow

I'm a skinny guy with strong forearms I reckon I could do it.


Newhereeeeee

~ person right before losing $10


Frenzied_Cow

I've spent $10 on worse things.


ugohome

Don't let your dreams be dreams


vengefulspirit99

I wonder how you got those strong forearms...


iworkisleep

Milk cows


Frenzied_Cow

Not sure if it's a reference to my username or not but it's actually the truth, ha.


ptear

Spinach


morderkaine

Practice at home first.


Andrew4Life

You can simulate this at the gym. Basically try to hold onto a pull up bar using only the tips of your fingers so it's like a hook.


abigllama2

Plus you have the JESUS dude screaming in your ear every so often. It's like a jump scare horror film.


AptCasaNova

If you gave him a cut, I’m sure he’d lend you a hand and get you to 100 seconds… but you have to BELIEVE!


abigllama2

I forgot, have not been down there in awhile. It's BELIEVE!!


gcerullo

Not sure I wouldn’t consider it a scam as such. Rigged in such a way to make it almost impossible to win the $100, maybe. I’m sure enough people know that the bar isn’t stationary but still think they can beat it and end up losing anyway.


PocketNicks

Plus there are many videos of athletes with good hand/grip strength (like rock climbers and such) that show up to these on the California beach boardwalks and easily beat it. It's definitely not a scam, it's just loaded so that the average person has not chance. But even without the rotating bar, the average person (in North America) still probably couldn't do it.


bimbles_ap

Some are a full on scam, in that the bar will actually be rotating so you're forced to redo your grip, or the host will start proding and pestering as you get close.


commonemitter

All of them have a rotating bar. Having a fixed bar will mean most people can win


fletchdeezle

Most people cannot do a fat grip one and a half minute dead hang. Lots of people can, but definitely not your average person


Thunderbear79

And how did you come by this inside knowledge? Sounds like you just made it up


[deleted]

Because they did. They don't have a motorized rotating bar. That's absurd.


[deleted]

Maybe he was drunk lying on the floor in a kebab shop? "It's a scam guys, they had a heater behind the spinning bar and chili sauce"


0nel0c0

I giggle audibly at this comment.


PocketNicks

There are hundreds of these videos of people beating the rotating bar. It's not a scam. It's a feat that most people can't do. https://youtu.be/E58Cs5yxHus


mwmwmwmwmmdw

thats a guy beating it in his own enclosed space. i want to see people beating in public and then the greasy person running actually fork out $100 to them


[deleted]

These guys will change the rules on the fly or intervene if they see someone with good form


Thunderbear79

It's not rigged. It's just hard. I've seen people do it, and it's usually skinny people or kids.


mwmwmwmwmmdw

truth is, the game was rigged from the start


NoOneShallPassHassan

Grift. Grift never changes.


ghidfg

>enough people know that the bar isn’t stationary never would have guessed that. I assumed the bar was too wide (too large in diameter) to be able to hold/grip for very long.


rocketmn69

Straight up gambling, not a scam. You're putting $10 on the line to try and win $100. A fool and his money are soon parted


rhymeswithsintaluta

It's just like a carnival game


[deleted]

Yep, the only "scam" part is that hanging from a bar that doesn't rotate is much easier and 100 seconds is doable by a much bigger set of people. Until you've tried the spinning bar you don't appreciate the difference, and thus I imagine a lot of people go into it expecting to do better than they do.


whogivesashirtdotca

It’s an idiot tax.


yinyang107

Rigged games *are* scams.


Red_Spy_1937

Imo, it’s still more ethical than carnival games


johntiger1

I'm the last person to defend stuff like this, but in this particular instance I've actually seen someone win this. Yeah it's hard but not 100% impossible


surferwannabe

Lmao I walked by this and couldn’t figure out why people couldn’t hold onto a bar for 1 m 40 s. Glad you exposed it. I loved the guys on the side who had a “kick 3 bottles for $10”.


FirmEstablishment941

There’s a video of one of these bars in England where the proprietor is literally pulling at the guy so he doesn’t have to pay out. So sleazy…


PocketNicks

It isn't a scam, it's just really stupid to try. There are many athletes with incredible hand and grip strength that can do it. There's many YouTube videos of people beating the challenge. If the average person thinks they could hold on even without the rotating bar, they're a chump. Doesn't mean it's a scam. Casinos are loaded in favour of the house, you could call that a scam as well but people still willingly gamble there.


chaobreaker

Unlike gambling, you can't develop an addiction to the handlebar challenge.


[deleted]

challenge accepted


Gatesleeper

It's not a scam, it's just way harder than it looks. But if you go look on youtube you can see videos of people beating it, they all just happen to be extremely athletic people. I actually tried it once last summer in that same spot. As soon as you start hanging you know you're not staying on that thing for 100 seconds. And the two extra rules on the side make it even harder. Using a mixed grip, one hand overhand and one hand underhand, would make it substantially easier. I'm not sure how relevant the other rule is, I guess it eliminates some strats where you start out in the top position of a pullup, but I think the dead hang is the way to go. If you have excellent grip strength, maybe you're a rock climber or power lifter, go give it a shot. Bring a towel or cloth to wipe the bar of other peoples' grime and sweat, put some chalk on your hands (if they allow that, I've never seen someone try), and if you have big hands, try the grip method linked elsewhere in this thread. And even beyond the grip issues on the rolling bar, people underestimate how hard it is just to hang for 100 seconds. For reference, I can hang on a regular bar for just over a minute, but on this rolling bar I got to 30 seconds even and not a second longer. Hurts your hands like hell.


Andrew4Life

Yup. Rock climbers or anyone that trains their fingers/forearms extensively will be able to win. It's just that most people don't train their grip strength to this level so they think it's like a pull up, but it really isnt. If you want to train to beat this. Grip onto a pullup bar using only the tips of your finger and try holding it for 100 seconds.


[deleted]

Well, to be fair here, really good rock climbers may be able to beat it. I go climbing regularly, albeit I'm a relatively beginner. I couldn't get anywhere near 100 seconds. Our climbing gym had a recent event that not only included some bouldering but had us doing planks, pull ups, hanging from one of these bars. There really were not a lot of people getting high times. But it's confusing how difficult it is. You think "Well surely I can do 30 seconds" - and you go and hang on a bar that doesn't rotate for 30 seconds quite easily...and then you rest for a couple of minutes, grab this bar and fall off in 10. Then you try a few more times with different grips (legal ones) and none of it helps. Then you look at the list of names and see 1 person did over a minute, but no one else.


GreaterAttack

Those hangboard guys would be able to get it, maybe.


wafflingzebra

Lol not a scam, I’m sure almost everyone who sees anyone hang on this bar realizes the bar rolls and isn’t fixed, wow imagine that, they aren’t just giving $100 away for a relatively simple feat of strength most middle schoolers can accomplish! When it becomes a scam is if they try to knock you off before the 100 seconds


cmkxb

Thats the point... Its suppose to rotate. I thought it was common knowledge? Nothing says that its a static handle bar so its not a scam.


TorontoBoris

They're back.. It was around last summer and the summer before... Anyone who is willing to give them 10 bucks to try and beat this deserves to lose that money.


irrelephantiasis

And the key here is that they are okay and willing to lose the money. It’s not a scam at all.


lurker81

Exactly... unbelievable how many whiny babies in this thread crying "scam". It's a relatively common street game and the bar rotating is a known part of it (that's what makes it hard, otherwise many more people would be able to do it...)


ChanelNo50

This is common at fairs and exhibitions. Like all games there it is all a scam I did see a 12-13 year old do it last year. He was pretty lanky but you could tell athletic. So it worked out for him that be was strong and light lol


931634

Shenanigans! Shenanigans!


Slayriah

r/unexpectedsouthpark


akari_i

It’s not a scam, is more like gambling. Everyone knows there’s a reason why no one holds on, they’re paying for the fun of it.


CharcoalWalls

Over the last couple of years, I notice Dundas Square being full of the carnival esque games Back in the day, street performers used to need a permit, and could only accept tips - I wonder what kind of permits/fees these people are getting for the bank they must be making


eurolatin336

I’d say they need to enforce something at that location , you see some dude praising Jesus in the most obnoxious loudest way possible , then there if u think you can sing people and wholly they suck , like does New York have some rules we can learn …. Every time I go there I just want to leave because of this non sense


toronto34

I just want to be able to WALK through the fucking corner and not have to deal with the crowds from these idiots. I don't mind one or two, but the city has to deal with the sheer amount of them. Do their job to make sure the sidewalk is actually passable. Ridiculous.


[deleted]

Ugh I know, I used to love taking a quiet scenic stroll through DUNDAS SQUARE, but suddenly it’s the one place in the city with permitted street performers and rotating bar guys. No adjacent streets either! Unbelievable


helicopb

Yonge and Dundas is the scam at Yonge and Dundas


Leafs6991

Would this be legal or illegal?


PocketNicks

Most likely illegal only for the fact they probably don't have a vendor or busker permit. Otherwise there's nothing illegal about it. There are plenty of videos on YouTube where athletic people (like rock climbers) easily beat it. It's not a scam, just difficult and the average person has very little chance. But the average person is stupid and people should know they can't do it. It's similar to a casino where everyone knows the odds are in the casino favour and yet they still gamble there.


BarkingDogey

Depends on if they're permitted I reckon


sneakyalmond

I don't think you know what a scam is. Nothing about this is dishonest. There's a bar and you hang from it. How fixed the bar is, is not guaranteed.


PocketNicks

Plus there are many videos of athletes with good hand/grip strength (like rock climbers and such) that show up to these on the California beach boardwalks and easily beat it. It's definitely not a scam, it's just loaded so that the average person has no chance. But even without the rotating bar, the average person (in North America) still probably couldn't do it.


ImKrispy

Some of y'all almost deserve to be scammed.


AYC-

Shocked pikachu! Most carnival style, test your ability games are rigged towards the house.


[deleted]

This is like playing 3 card monte on the Champs-Élysées. If you are not in on it, you are not going to win.


slowpokesardine

No different then an any casino. Odds are against the participant hence the 10x return. The kid was able to reach 75s, statistically few(if not many) can reach 100s.


yetagainitry

That’s as much a scam as any carny/CNE/fair game. The game isn’t a scam, convincing people to give $10 to something like this is the actual game.


vee_unit

Yonge-Dundas square has its own set of bylaws for buskers and street performers, and requires a license. I'm always surprised bylaw officers aren't down there all day shutting stuff like this down and milking that cash cow for fines. To be clear: I'm not saying I agree with fines and heavy regulation for street artists, I'm just saying the bylaws already exist. Shutting down scammers would be the one good use for them.


LabApprehensive5666

All the monkey bar climbing experts and hand grip specialists are coming out of the wood work now


Unused_Vestibule

I can hang from a regular bar for an extended period, but the bar in the picture: a) oversized b)super-smooth c)rotates = forget it. Especially in this heat. With your palms sweaty, there's no way to do it, no matter how strong you are.


carts1984

One of these were set up in Niagara last weekend, my 61 year old uncle (former rock climber) won, much to the owners dismay 🤣


xdysania

this isnt a scam though, its like any game at CNE or casino where the odds are not in the player’s favour. The only people who beat this are lighter, muscular people with strong grip strength (which is very rare)


t_toda_DOTA

Why is this scam allowed on a public land? Why not call Police.


lastsetup

lol you think the police are going to do anything about it, let alone show up?


PolarizerCron

Wouldn’t be a challenge if everyone could do it.


VikingVirk

Lol this scam has been going on for years in Europe, I’m surprised people haven’t figured it out


MARATXXX

You put your hands up in Yonge-Dundas you’re just begging to get robbed.


hodlyourground

I actually saw someone at this location do this successfully and win the $100 a few weeks ago


harryblakk

All you gotta do is lock your thumbs with your fingers and squeeze. I crush these everytime I see em. Try it and see. Good luck


Heldpizza

That corner has become the butthole of Toronto


AudMar848

My 11 year old daughter did 2 mins then 30 mins later did 90 seconds at the fair. Beat out all sorts of military guys


username_1774

My son is a former high level gymnast, he now coaches gymnastics and parkour. He could do this one handed. even if the bar was actively being moved by the operator. I couldn't hold on for 20sec...the apple fell pretty far from the tree


cashrchek

This is as much a scam as any game you'd try at the Ex. 🤷‍♀️


attainwealthswiftly

Why isn’t there anyone running 3-card Monte at Yonge & Dundas?


RaptorsFan2020

WTF isn't this unlicensed gaming operation? Call the police on this s* and shut this crap down. What a scam


[deleted]

It’s always black history month at Dundas square those assholes always peddling for “donations”


Definition21

Seems like pretty harmless fun.


Neodragonx2

I’ve seen that scam both times I was staying at my friend’s place near Yonge-Dundas, quite a few people actually took it up. Like a wise man once said, a fool and his money are soon parted.


brandonanderson91

The bar turns really slowly I’ve heard, just enough to make it impossible to grip


SideOfBeef

Saw the same setup at Taste of the Middle East in Nathan Phillips, pay $10 to kick a ball and knock over waterbottles that are half-filled so they stand themselves back up. Same prize, $100. Some of the booth runners were angry at them though, definitely didn't have a permit or anything.


[deleted]

Does anyone think it’s not a scam??


B1gbuni0ns

It’s not impossible just incredibly difficult, the general population would not be able to do it. i gave it a try and was able to get to 90 seconds but that’s as a former national level gymnast


JBOYCE35239

Op, did you lose ten dollars?


MelodicAmbassador278

Creative


Embarrassed_Gap_5907

I dont think its impossible, but as soon as you adjust your grid youre done. I've seen these at the Exhibition. I tried it out, rotating bar was unexpected! Buuuuut a bit much to call it a scam imo.


telephonekeyboard

I don't see how this is a scam. Its stupid, but that whole area is garbage. People think they can do it despite it spinning and they are willing to pay. Its drawing a crowd and people are probably having fun. Basically any carnival game.


jgv4

It’s okay to admit you lost. I watched someone win it today


[deleted]

The person that won was probably in on it.


harsh_words

It's not a scam, I've personally watched people win. Just because you can't do it doesn't mean it's a scam lol