To hope social distancing puts an end to chuggers?

[dancinguser]

Since moving to a large town 5 years ago I've grown to hate chuggers. No matter where in the town centre you shop it's almost guaranteed you'll run into at least one of them trying to get you to stop by shouting something along the lines of "you look like a nice person!" or "do you care about sick children?"

My method for dealing with them used to be walking just far enough out of their way that they couldn't stop me by law (by keeping over 3 steps away from them, walking within 3m of shop entrances). However after having several charities break these rules and one man even stand in front of me to make me stop I decided to not go out of my way to avoid them, and instead walk in my usual direction and ignore their existence (much to their annoyance).

AIBU for hoping that this is the end for charity muggers? With social distancing sticking around for a while I don't see how it's possible for them to do their job for the foreseeable future. I also think that our behaviours will be a lot different in the going forward even if we are clear of the virus. It's hard to imagine anyone would be happy with a complete stranger making a point to come into their personal space on the street.

I believe the charities that use chuggers are mostly moving that budget to phone based fundraising. So I guess you'll get phone calls in the future?

That will probably make less money due to GDPR so I suppose some charities will cut services as a result - fewer Marie Curie nurses, for example. But yes. I don't see chuggers as being feasible until social distancing ends, if it ever does.

Another good tip with chuggers if you have the time is to bore them to death with your personal problems when they do that nicey nicey approach

Yes or whatever the particular cause is, tell them you personally are suffering from it or affected by it and seeing as they're representing that charity, what help can they give you?

You have to edge past them covering your eyes like Sandra Bullock in Bird Box. You catch their eye and it's game over.

😂 Brilliant!

I have a tried and tested method when dealing with chuggers in the street and it works every time.

I just tell them that I already have a direct debit with them. Then they sod off and annoy someone else.

And on one occasion, a couple of years ago, when they knocked on the door and my son (who was about 7 at the first) was just about to have a bath, so he was naked.
Well...my son answered the door stark naked and the young man was like a cat on hot bricks and couldn't get away fast enough! 😂

I hate them too and will not donate to a charity that uses them. Nasty people who prey on the vulnerable.

A golf umbrella can be a useful prop and when when they were prevalent in Victoria High St I used to swing it about so none of them could get close.,

I wish all charities well but the lack of chuggers is one of the many plus points of my new location.

@TheLightSideOfTheMoon thank you. I must dig that out and read it again

They're an absolute pest.
Some of the stories on here are awful.

If I ever come across them again I intend to tell them I'm not allowed a bank account.

I have a tried and tested method when dealing with chuggers in the street and it works every time. I just tell them that I already have a direct debit with them. Then they sod off and annoy someone else

Don't they then just ask you to increase the amount?

@cologne4711

I'm long gone by then!

They usually just say 'thank you very much' in that very upbeat way they all seem to have and let me go on my merry way.

Most chuggers aren't work hard party hard

My sister was unemployed to got a job knocking on people's doors. She had to pay petrol to be transported to each area and basicslly made a loss each day (She wasn't good at pressure sales). She quit after a while.

So yes whilst it can be twats it's also struggling unemployed people who end up doing this.

I think they should be banned however I'm quite aggressive / can ignore really well so they never bother me. When they have started following my I count 3 steps then say take 1 more and I'm calling 999 (they can only walk 3 steps with you and 1 more is harassment)