To just ignore Chuggers and similar

[wasonthelist]

A woman trying to flog some kind of lottery tried to accost me with the usual "Hello/excuse me". Politeness probably dictates a polite response - but I feel the normal rules of social discourse are being subverted here and I've taken to just totally blanking such folk.

I know they have a job to do, but I think it's wrong to take advantage of the circumstances in this way.

Where I live we've had some problems with really aggressive chuggers, who ignore 'No thanks' and even ignore a hand held up to keep them at bay. They operate on lone shoppers in pairs.

They are shouty, invasive and basically rude.

"I had an NSPCC one have a go at me near Oxford Street once. He had the gall to shout after me (after I'd given a polite, no thank you) "DON'T YOU CARE ABOUT CHILDREN BEING RAPED???" - to which I shouted back, "NO, IT'S CHARACTER-BUILDING".

I'm sorry, but that made me laugh. A lot. I had one come to my door a while ago; I can't remember what he was raising money for, but I told him I already supported several charities (true) and didn't want to give to any more - at which he went off on a little lecture about how he also gave to a lot of favourite charities, but did it on alternate months so everybody benefited! He was like a sticky burr in a mohair jumper...

We have a regular lady in our town. She's been there for years. She asked me four times in one shopping trip once, that's my record so far. I just keep saying no thank you, I can't be rude, I'd feel awful.

I did stupidly fall for one on the doorstep once. I felt such a twat after he'd gone and cancelled it. Why the fuck I thought it was a good idea to give my bank details to a random stranger I will never know.

I think being rude is the only way to deal with chuggers.

Really 'fucks off and get a proper job' should suffice.

My hero. Couldn't agree more

I smile in strange overzealous way, nod vigorously and keep walking. Basically I adopt a crazed lone woman look and I get left alone

Hate it all. Hate that people have to do these jobs, hate that charities are such huge operations that it's worthwhile contracting out to these firms. Most of all I hate being approached. I'm good at slowing down enough until they are talking to someone else and then speeding up. Otherwise, 'sorry' covers it all.