Cold callers knocking on door

[alemci]

just had someone at the door to do with Marie Curie, I know it is a good cause but I don't want to sign up for anything and I hate being bothered on my doorstep.

I often give money if someone is in street etc or certain charities.

this makes me feel lousy, would others have done the same or just retreated like me?

I can't stand them. We don't get them often now but at our old house we'd get them daily. I try to be polite and say no thank you, etc (mostly willing them to leave before DH hears them at the door, as he doesn't hold back!). Once we had one saying how generous our neighbours had been so DH asked which neighbours and how much they were giving. The girl said it was our neighbours at no.77. We were no. 40 and the houses only went up to 48...it didn't go down well with DH who proceeded to interrogate her about the charity and why she was knocking on people's doors, and then berate her for lying about our neighbours. It was a bit awkward as she didn't have any answers at all.

I don't even open my door to them. It's my house so I will open the door when I bloody well want to and in the case of chuggers/sales people, I don't want to!

They always say that, the thing about the neighbours. I've lived on my street for years and know everyone so if I can be bothered I say to them "Oh really, that's interesting. I know ALL my neighbours....which ones have given then?" It is always a lie and I think it's despicable. I absolutely loathe them. In fact I'm a bit like AliceDoesn't and avoid opening the door if I can. Maybe there needs to be a MN campaign. I don't know of a single person who enjoys this.

the ones who STILL knock even though theres a sign and say 'no English', I shout, through theclosed door.

' you go learn English, you in England! and learn reading too!'.

that usually sends them away!

A coin operated bell or knocker may be something I might just try on Dragons Den ....

I always feel a bit sad when so many people say they 'can't stand' people who knock their door, and those that don't care when they're rude to them etc.

By all means don't like the companies for choosing this method of business...and for those individuals that are really, really pushy or aggressive (which IME is rare).

But the majority of door-knockers are just poor buggers who need the job. Years ago dh got made redundant with no notice and no payout, 5 weeks before Christmas, when I was 30 weeks pregnant with our first. Desperate and royally fcuked pretty much covers our situation at that time.

He did the door knocking thing for 2 months (can't even remember the company now) because it was the only job he could get that close to Christmas and we were skint. It was utterly soul destroying and the stories he'd tell me about people looking at him like he was shit on their shoe, telling him to fuck off, shouting abuse, standing smirking and looking proud of themselves as their huge mutt barked aggressively in his face...and then the real arseholes who like to try and 'teach them a lesson' so would invite him in and waste as much of his time as possible in 'signing up', then laugh and tell him to fuck off.

It's really, really unnecessary. I don't want to waste anyone's time, so I don't even let door-knockers get started. A polite 'I'm really sorry to interrupt, but I just don't sign up for things on my doorstep', and if they persist, again 'Look i'm sorry but I don't want to waste your time. I'm not interested. Bye now'...gets rid of the even the most persistent most of the time.

I treat door knockers like they're, you know, an actual person with feelings and stuff. You can be firm without being rude, or worse, even if they do annoy the fuck out of you.

Crazy whatever , if theres a clear sign on the door and they don't take notice of it and knock anyway, THEY are the ones being rude.

I would love a big yellow dog :)

As it is, I just don't answer the door. Family have keys, friends pre-advise and no-one else is wanted.

Knocking on doors, invading I my personal space, can't stand it. I thought it was illegal to tout for charity donations at the door. I have been woken up from a doze to face a determined chugger who is hell bent on making me feel rotten as I won't give bank details. Like other posters I give to certain charities but must admit have become increasingly reluctant as I am continually pursued for more donations. I thought texting to donate would be okay but then the phone calls started. Then there are the vulnerable type sellers of cleaning articles who I have purchased from until I decided I wasn't prepared for this type of emotional blackmail. As I explain that I am sorry but I don't need anything I feel terrible and the feeling stays with me after the door is closed. Get loads of these poor young people with their cases.