People who stop you in the street..

I think Brighton is the worst for this. You see them with their clipboards, their top which advertises some charity / organisation, and they wont let you pass. Well they do let you pass but its really annoying.

I will never forget when my 7yr old was having a bit of a strop, and i was trying to calm him down, and this woman was trying to talk to me about whatever, oblivious to what i was doing. I spun round on here, and said 'seriously is this a bloody good time to talk to me!!!'.

The best time though, was when i was eating my lunch in town, and this woman just sat down and asked me questions, for a survey she was doing.. i just carried on eating...

Its worse when they come to your door though, and this happened just the other day, this guy from St. Johns Ambulance wanting me to sign up, donate to get more people aware of CPR. I told him i was a nurse, that i had regular CPR updates, and that i had trained my family also, but he still wanted me to sign up. In the end i shouted at him, and said, 'isnt it enough i work 50 hours a week looking after dying people, and that i donate to NSPCC, how much more am i supposed to give? He just walked away...

I guess they have a job to do, but man, some people just annoy the hell out of you..

They're a pain in the arse everywhere, particularly so no in Cheltenham where pedestrians are coralled in to a bottleneck on the main shopping street.  I've had one girl (who was well worth it) say, "Would you stop to talk to me, please?  I'm lovely."  I told her she was, but in order for me to stop to talk to her I'd expect her to do things she might not be comfortable with.

I once saw a passer-bby hit a charity mugger with a rolled-up newspaper.  I stepped in at that point to defend the mugger, but still refused to sign up.

Most impressive mugger was from Virgin Energy years ago.  She said to me, "Could I ask you one quick question?"  "Yes, OK".  "Do you know who Richard Branson is?"  I answered "Yes", and set to walk off.  She protested that she hadn't asked her question yet.  I then explained that she said she wanted to ask me one question, and I entertained that. I also explained to her that she needed a better question.

i get like 2 a week at my door, its really annoying, i have a DD set up with 2 charities, but i wont be bullied into it on my own doorstep by someone putting a guilt trip on me, I have no issue giving to charities, but i want to pick which ones, and when i do. 

I've resorted to just making them so gobsmacked they dont even try any more. for example, a few weeks ago.

Them: "are you aware of the amount of children who are abused in this conutry?"
me: "i am, but i really dont care....why?"
Them: " erm.. no reason, sorry to bother you" 

I had it in the street, although not a charity - someone stopped me to 'talk' about solar panels and a grant I could get - I talked to him for a while expressed a lot of interest as he moved in for the kill, I asked one question - as I lived on the ground floor of a 4 floored block of flats, did the solar panel go on the roof and would I have to ask my landlords permission??  (I don't live in a flat and have my own place - but the look on his face was priceless)

We get lots of chuggers around where I work, but I haven't had any be annoyingly persistant after I've said "sorry, I don't have time to stop".

I once got stopped by a wild-looking bald woman with an armful of religious pamphlets, her opening line was "Excuse me, do you know that there are demons prowling the streets just waiting to drag you down into hell?" I wonder if she was talking about herself  

Telling them you don't have a bank account is pretty effective for the ones that want you to set up a direct debit.

Even when they know you are lying to them, there is nothing they can do.

I had one run alongside me once when I was running for a train. She stepped in something horrible though and had to stop. I missed the train but still laugh about her language when she realised what had happened.

Don't get too many Charity people in the north west, but I do get pestered by 6:30pm phone calls almost every night trying to sell me everything from AOL, Glazing, Carbon certificates, Solar panels, Gas and Elec deals, etc etc.... I also get up to 20 emails per week telling me my bank accounts and Student loans (Various institutions) are being frozen unless I use the link to update my details. I wonder if I'm on a "obvious tit list" somewhere  

I've had charities approach me in the street. I try to be polite but some of them really do get on my nerves. I was walking a friend in a wheelchair through the pedestrian zone and they came in front of us to block of way. I moved the wheelchair and they moved again in front of us. After indicating that my friend urgently needed the bathroom and could they move out of the way otherwise they were going to get a messy puddle When my parents had two dogs they stopped getting charity callers. I never knew why

Intermanaut wrote (see)

They're a pain in the arse everywhere, particularly so no in Cheltenham where pedestrians are coralled in to a bottleneck on the main shopping street.  I've had one girl (who was well worth it) say, "Would you stop to talk to me, please?  I'm lovely."  I told her she was, but in order for me to stop to talk to her I'd expect her to do things she might not be comfortable with.

F'nar f'nar

xine267 wrote (see)

 

I once got stopped by a wild-looking bald woman with an armful of religious pamphlets, her opening line was "Excuse me, do you know that there are demons prowling the streets just waiting to drag you down into hell?" I wonder if she was talking about herself  

That's a fantastic opening line!

Before my doorbell broke/battery ran out (still not sure which) I used to get the odd Jehova's Witness knock on a Saturday morning.  Really pissed me off cos at the time I was still in the habit of getting caned during the week and trying to catch up on sleep at the weekend.  These days I think I'd be more inclined to try and have a serious theological/logical chat with them and try to exhaust them into submission (does this work?) but I'll never find out because I've never fixed the bell.  Anyone who knows me will know to call; even the curry take-away delivery man knows the score.  Sorted.

PhilPub wrote (see)

These days I think I'd be more inclined to try and have a serious theological/logical chat with them and try to exhaust them into submission (does this work?) 

No, it doesn't work.  You can't pound Faith into submission.  God knows I've tried!

EG Graham wrote (see)

Don't get too many Charity people in the north west, but I do get pestered by 6:30pm phone calls almost every night trying to sell me everything from AOL, Glazing, Carbon certificates, Solar panels, Gas and Elec deals, etc etc.... 

Join the TPS.

It won't get you off existing lists, but means you won't get added to any new ones.

Ratzer wrote (see)

You can't pound Faith into submission.  God knows I've tried!

 

He would do.  He's omniscient!

Wilkie I've heard of things like TPS but does it actually work?

Wilkie just tried to register for TPS guess what, already registered (wife must have done it) so I am pretty sure that's not 100% effective

Phil,

The Jehovah's Witnesses stopped bothering my parents after my dad invited them in for a (not at all quick) chat.  He enjoys debates.

TPS does work, I used to get 5 calls a night from sales companies, registered with TPS, took a couple of months to stop happening.

We still get the odd call, but you just have to ask for the company name and then mention TPS and they can't the phone down quick enough.