"I've just come out from four years in prison . . .

[longwayoff]

Not me, the hefty young man who knocked at my door, started the above spiel, said "let me finish!" when I interrupted him and, when I said I haven't any money in the house, called me a cunt because I laughed when he said I could pay by bank transfer. AIBU to suggest these door knockers could use some training? Who are these people and where do they come from? They are always northerners and crop up about twice a year with a sob story.

@MissConductUS

And which one.....we’re a terrifying lot in the north. All sorts of tribes.

Aye. And the worst are the New Yorkers, who are also members of the notorious Yankee trible.

I know, right? NEW York, if you please! What on earth were wrong with the old 'un?

@longwayoff

Thank you Cynara. I apologise for my misleading tone. I have nothing against northerners and have family in Liverpool, Penrith, Sheffield, Chester and Glasgow. These guys, never women, always men, different ones, turn up here a couple of times a year. Today's visitor said he came from Middlesbrough. Earlier this year one said he was from Liverpool. I have never spoken to one who doesn't have a northern accent. I assume that they are from the north.

I am not looking down on this man because he may be an ex prisoner, nor because he's from the north. I have a lot of sympathy for ex prisoners and worked for NACRO for many years. I am looking down on him because he unjustifiably called me a cunt. You wouldn't like it if I called you a cunt would you? Of course not. Hope that's clearer for you.

The only reason I'm not overly keen on Northerners is they are mostly (not all tbf ) Brexiters.

Who would want their dusters and dishcloths anyway? Isn't that what One below and Poundland are for?

We know them as 'Nottingham Knockers'. There used to be a genuine group of ex-prisoners who sold door-to-door, but these are just conmen (and occasionally women). Not only are they are a con, but often this is just a prelude to burglary. They don't always have northern accents.

The door stickers don't put them off btw.

Well, aren't you a peach ? !!
It's not what you said about Northerners, but the snobby way in which it came across.

I don't say anything about Northerners as such, that would be both snobby and stupid. I said, in my experience, the young men who materialise on my doorstep once or twice a year, claiming to be down on their luck, have been from the North, evidenced by their accents. Enough now. Argue amongst yourselves.

Scammers. Where I live their appearance is always accompanied by a) a wave of burglaries b) car thefts c) drag races on the nearby straight stretch of A road and d) older/vulnerable people being bothered quite aggressively by the doorstop knockers.

Ps I've noticed since I got a video doorbell they have never knocked on me since despite neighbours being knocked on several times.

@WeBuiltCisCityOnSexistRoles you dust your cat?

Ugh!!! Hate the bloody northerners!

@AhhhHereItGoes

Always northerners... These people...

Yes door knocking is a pain but all you have to say is sorry I'm busy, not interested. There is no need to be nasty and hateful.

It’s nasty and hateful to be aggressive to women who won’t give you money when you knock on their door.

We get it a lot in the streets and they are not northerners.

@Wonkybanana

We have a variation. It's young Asian men (highly relevant) wanting money for a taxi. Their story is always that they've come from some distance to visit their cousin at number xx but the cousin isn't in, it's too late to get a train and they need to get back home.

I live in an area with a high Asian population, and house number xx has a small illuminated sign of The Blessed Slipper in the window, which is why they feel completely safe saying that's where they're going. But we know the people at xx well, so they feel a lot less safe when I say 'oh I know they're in, I was round there half an hour ago. They mustn't have heard you at the door. Hang on while I ring them, they wouldn't want to miss you.'

At this point most of them scarper, but one decided to call my bluff. His face was a picture when our xx neighbour appeared at our door and had a right go. Word must have gone round, because we haven't had anyone calling since.

I’m Asian, living in an area with a high Asian population and I always get white men asking for money for the bus or taxi! Do they just target people of a different race, thinking they’ll feel sorry for them?!

I love in the northwest, and the ones we get are brummies or cockneys! They are dropped off in the area from a van or minibus, with large sort of zipped shopping bags, so it is an organised scam pretending to be a charity. I just tell them no, and shut the door.

A friend had this, she tried to slam the door on them but was buried in a hail of whippets. Awful people.

@YoniAndGuy

A friend had this, she tried to slam the door on them but was buried in a hail of whippets. Awful people.

lol!