Chuggers and "leading questions"

[HellomynameisIcklePickle]

I've had quite a few on the phone/at the door and I honestly don't mind them trying. I like to be polite and will generally wait to say "not interested" at the available opportunity.

But what really, really winds me up is when they do really staged "Yes" questions.

"This is just a terrible problem, isn't it?"
"£2 a week seems reasonable to help, doesn't it?"

Oh fuck off. Is it just me who gets so annoyed and thinks these "leading questions" are really them saying "You're so stupid, if I just get you to nod your head and agree with me you'll do anything I suggest."

I know that it's a recommended selling technique and lots of people use it, but the main people who pitch to me are chuggers and it's only them who I notice it with. It just gives me the rage.

Recently I've had a couple of chuggers (I must have the sort of face that looks like I'll be receptive or something) tell me that they are the most cost effective way of raising money for charity.

Great, then I don't need to feel even the slightest twinge of guilt that I will no longer give to the charity they're working for. I really hope that none of the charities I regularly donate to ever have someone stop me in the street.

I feel quite sorry for them -- young kids standing in rain and wind without hourly pay, just commission.
But also i find them annoying. I usually say i have no money to give you, but i can give you some sweets :)

"Dont you want to help children less fortunate than yourself?"

"No not really"... it does throw them. If I feel the need, I say I have my own favourite charities

I resent them pulling the emotional blackmail thing

This reminds me of when I was in town one day and bumped into a mates daughter.

We're stood having a catch up when we get asked that question by a chugger

"Hi, I'm raising money for and I take it that you like to support children as you are here with yours"

"No, I don't like them really ".

"You can't say that in front of your daughter! You should be ashamed of yourself. I'm sorry your mother doesn't like you"

She said..

"Oh, it's ok, we're little shits so it's not surprising really"

The chuggers face was a picture as we walk away pissing ourselves laughing. I bought my mates DD a coffee for that.

mybodyisatemplate one chugger did approach me when I was in the middle of a phone conversation! So rude...

Another came round to my door and told me that "1 in every 4 children is born blind". Pardon me if I'm wrong, but I seriously doubt that 24% of the population cannot see!

Urgh, 25% even

Smiles that is brilliant. My dd would say similar.

I had one once from WWF who came at me with the line 'but don't you like lovely pandas?' after I had said I wasn't interested. I just said 'no, not really, they'd be just fine if they learned to go along with evolution and adopt,adapt and improve. I'm not giving money to animals too stupid to evolve' .

I'm not giving money to animals too stupid to evolve' .

Years ago I had one for RSPCA or something. She asked me if I liked dogs.

"Not really, no".

"But yours is there behind you"

"Yeah, I know, I don't like him because he's eaten my bloody dinner" then shut the door on her.

You should start a support group for sufferers of chuggers.

Publish a book full of smart and funny come backs for the Chugger Questions.

I tried the "I already donate to xxx" as suggested by someone upthread. Cheeky bugger told me to cancel it and give the money to them instead!!

But my favourites are the ones that are collecting for disabled children. I play along agreeing that it is an excellent cause etc etc and that the sum mentioned is indeed reasonable. At some point I raise the subject of my disabled son - if they are at my door I point out his wheelchair ramp - and ask how they plan to make the payments to me....

I had one last year knock at my door and when I answered he said 'Hello, is your mum in?' Outraged I said of course not, it's my house and I'm 26 years old. Silly really, should have taken advantage of his stupidity and just said no!

I've had one try that line. I am in my 40s.

I LOVE that line, "Is your mum in?"

There's a thread somewhere on here about what to say when someone asks you that.

One poster said:

"I don't know, she's retired but she's always out and about, wait a minute and let me call her."

I am DETERMINED to use that line myself one day.

Haha, that is brilliant, I will try that next time!

I found it a bit weird considering my age, being 26, I was not old enough to have been potentially flattered by such a comment, it was just a bit weird! Also I was confused as to whether he genuinely thought I was a lot younger than I am, or whether he thought I was a lot older and therefore trying to compliment me?! Not that anyone would be flattered really, it's a stupid thing to ask!

National charities are an industry. The people who run them are paid a lot of money. They are usually politically well connected and it is just another step on their public sector, university, charity, quango career path to the House of Lords.

Look at the boards and chief executives of any major national charity and you will see what I mean.

Our town has recently banned chuggers from the high street as shops complained it was driving away trade.

The only charity I give to is RNLI and they don't use chuggers as far as I know and the people that go out on the lifeboats are all volunteers.

We had some scumbags who weren't actually from a charity, saying they were from a 'childrens wheelchair charity' - my suspicions first arose when I saw one asking a woman to tip all the change in her purse into his rucksack - I also noticed the only ever targeted old people and women with pushchairs.
I walked up to them and loudly asked them what their registered charity number was, and when they obviously didn't have one, I reported them on the non-emergency police number and got a friend to do it as well - strangely I haven't seen them or their scruffy old spiderman outfits in town since!

MoreBeta. Yes they use volunteers.
But up to a few years ago, and may be still, they are the most wealthy charity in the country.

Thought the two "richest" charities are that donkey one and help the heroes. (Now, whatever your feelings about that charity, if you don't have some visible sign that you have donated in a neighbouring town you will get some looks. I don't but I'm Teflon)

There are some other 'heroes' ones cashing on the trend.

www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/andrew-penman-afghan-heroes-charity-3139335

People don't even notice the difference when they are handing over their money.

I find saying, 'I'm happy with my giving as it is, thank you' in a friendly voice, without stopping, works every time.

It's good because it's true, positive, in agreement to giving and can be a legit answer to a leading 'yes' question.

Before I learned this technique, my personal best was with a National Autistic Society man, who began with, 'How are you?' and got an honest answer, 'Bursting for the toilet'. I truly was. I had been legging it to the shopping centre loos when he spoke to me. Irony is I have AS and couldn't think of a socially appropriate answer on the spot so blurted out the truth. For the record, I think the NAS is brilliant, but I have since learned my more appropriate stock phrase for charity muggers!

The worst was when I ran away from another guy and he shouted, 'Run Forest!' after me. That sucked.

Really? I would have shouted back 'fuck off you stupid piece of shit'.

These chuggers who feel it is ok to abuse you because you don't want to pay their commission do the whole chugging race a disservice.

Sorry but run Forrest made me spill my coffee!

Usually I just walk past chuggers without making eye contact, but last year one poor bloke was on the receiving end of a total bollocking. We have chuggers outside my office building on a daily basis and that day it had just started snowing and I was struggling out on crutches to catch a cab, one leg in a cage brace having seriously injured my knee, fearful of slipping on the wet footpath, and a chugger jumped in front of me and stopped me to talk.

Suffice to say, he will never be approaching another person on crutches "just to chat" ever again.

I do a lot of voluntary work with a poverty-focused charity and I appreciate that raising money is difficult, but I will never donate to the NSPCC or any of the cancer charities that use chuggers.

Everythingsdozy - if you are the type who finds it hard to say no because you are too empathetic, the best approach is to not make eye contact and just keep walking by. Or if you do make eye contact just say 'Not today thankyou' or 'Not interested'. No sorry required but add one if you are more comfortable.

They have no right to stop you in the street.

They are being paid to harrass you and however rich you are you are likely not rich enough to ever satisfy all the charities that would willingly take regular contributions from you.