Just Been Called a Fucking Bitch by a Nottingham Knocker

[LuluBlakey1]

So, our doorbell rang. I answered it. He looked like a Nottingham Knocker. The conversation went like this.
Him (Nicely) 'Hello. Sorry to bother you. Can I explain who I am?'
Me (Nicely) 'Hello. Well you can but if you are selling anything, I don't want to buy anything so I don't want to waste your time.'
Him (Frowning) 'Can I show you what I am selling?'
Me (Still nicely) 'It really won't change my mind. I don't want to buy anything.'
Him (Annoyed) 'Not even the cheapest thing'
Me (Politely) 'No, sorry'.
Him (Angry) 'So you don't want to help me?'
Me (Politely) 'I just don't buy anything at the door, ever.'
Him (Angry) 'Nobody does in this street. Nobody even comes to the door.'
Me (Politely) 'Sorry we get lots of people knocking to sell stuff.'
Him (Raging and stomping off) 'Piss off you stupid fucking bitch.'
Me (Politely) 'Glad I didn't buy anything now. You are very rude.'
Him (Still raging) 'Just fuck off. You're all fucking rude. Just fucking buy something and we'll fuck off. There's no need to be so fucking tight. Bitch.'

AIBU to have wanted to pick the spade up that was in the garden and brain him with it?

I didn't, of course, but I wanted to. I can't even feel any sympathy/empathy for him - the veneer of 'nice' was so thin and the 'thug' so quickly emerged. I wish I just hadn't answered the door. I bet he wouldn't have spoken to DH like that- 6ft, nearly 15 st and looks quite like a thug himself.I'm so angry.

Hasn't been a problem here since I moved in, but I'm from the area mentioned earlier (NKs being bussed in), so thanks for the heads up.
I used to work with someone who did Kleeneze, this was - dunno, about 15 years ago? And I bought some pizza scissors from him. So much better than a pizza wheel, and still going strong, but I've never seen them in the shops. I wonder why not?

Bloody awful behaviour. We had similar with our DM who may have looked frail but was by no means frail. When she told us what had happened, she phoned cos she was so angry, we phoned the local police station and we were the 3rd call that day and a car had been sent out to have a look. Totally concerned that some one would have been intimidated into giving him money.
The man was trying to get her to have some roof work done. When she said she wasn't interested he got a bit mouthy and when she tried to shut the door he'd put his foot there and told her he was trying to help her and how stupid was she. She then told him noone calls her stupid, not even her DH and to move his fucking foot before she called the police!

Well, I had an update to my report from the police today. Neighbourhood team officer rang. Can't do anything. But I am to 'feel free to report any further incident' and 'you never know'. Total waste of time. Gave me a crime number and said it will be recorded as 'not actioned'. It's an 'old problem' that 'raises its head every so often' but they are given permits by the police in the borough/area they come from - he suggested Cleveland police often issue these. So unless they are abusive, as this one was, it would not be a crime. I pointed out I had said in the report I just thought they would want to be aware they are around and it was happening,
Just pointless - but I 'am right to have reported it and next time' I 'can ring and if an officer happens to be in the vicinity and not busy, he might just see him and catch him being abusive.' Waste of a 20 minute phone call.

Of course, he 'is aware because of his position, whereas (I) may not be, that there are many demands on the police and this wouldn't be a high priority.' I bit my tongue and said 'Thank you' at the end.

I would like to understand a bit more about "that permit" - is that a national one? Does he mean the pedlar permit referenced on here? And why Cleveland? (We know down here (south) than the supposed Nottingham knockers are not from anywhere specific). You were given guff - and you know that as well as we do. Shame - because I do believe that dealing with low-level offences probably stops more damaging ones. Thank you for trying.

@LuluBlakey1 How dare you inconvenience them OP.

I just look at them now as a branch of social services. And merely act as a conduit between you and your insurance company.

God forbid anyone suggests proactive law enforcement!

Older people are not all stupid or easily taken advantage of.just buy a cloth.they are desperate.these knockers.

If you buy a cloth, they keep coming back. Also, do you really want to pay £5 for a 10p cloth?

The door knocker themselves though doesn’t really benefit from the sale i don’t think? It’s like modern slavery and they are dropped off by the “business owner” who drives a swanky car, lives in a big house and takes advantage of vulnerable people while paying them a pittance. If people didn’t buy stuff then the exploitation would stop.

advice from the police is that it increases your risk of being burgled https://www.oprepeat.co.uk/nottingham-knockers/

No need to spend money. I printed this and put it on the inside of the glass (glass is slightly wavy). I've never had anyone knock for any of these things (although the mail person does shove bloody junk mail through the door with letters).

Nice click bait OP 😂

Obviously everyone clicking to find out what you are on about.

Don't engage!
Say, "No thanks" as you are closing the door (pop a tea towel on your shoulder or rubber gloves on, if you want to look busy 😎)

These stories are all awful!! I'm glad I live in a flat.

I bought the no cold caller sign. In the summer we have Jehovah's witnesses who to be fair are perfectly polite, charity canvassers and the like. One lady for charity was particularly annoying and was banging on my door whilst I ignored her. Dd2 was crying her head off in my arms whilst I told the women I wasn't interested and had my hands full. I got a lot of spiel because I wasn't willing to help kids less fortunate than my own. I shut the door on her. I already support 2 charities on a monthly basis and dh donates to different charities on a monthly basis too. I didn't appreciate the guilt trip.

Since the sign it's rare that people knock and if they do I'm bunt and breezy and shut the door. We also live on an estate and people give others a heads up if people are going round the houses.

Love this!

I had a rude one at the door the other day - he just thrust a tatty ID card with something written on it along the lines of being an ex-prisoner. When I politely said I wasn't interested he went off swearing. We get them a lot here Kent/Surrey/G London border area I think because we are minutes from the M25 and I see them being dropped off in vans.

We get this as well - a lot - they adults usually sit in a van whilst they send a boy that looks about 10 knocking on doors asking if you want the drive done, last time one knocked the 10 year old insisted he wanted to buy the car on the drive and started to try and do a deal - we get the lot here on a regular basis N Knockers, JW's, travellers - annoying.

If travellers knock on our door about driveways, roofs etc I do say that I rent the place and I'm not the owner and the rental is just about to expire, it draws the whole thing to a close very quickly.

I have also done this with phone cold callers asking about insulation etc. Works a treat because the moment you say you're a tenant they're off 🙂

As PP said I just tell them any old shite and tailor it to what they’re selling. Windows roofing etc ‘it’s rented’ charities or someone selling crap ‘I’m the cleaner I haven’t even got my purse on me’. Works a charm every time.

I always say politely sorry but I don't buy anything on the doorstep. And if they are rude I phone 101. You can also put it on local Facebook or WhatsApp

DH got scammed by this. He bought a £10 duster and said to me 'Well, it's expensive but he's just got out of prison so hats off for trying to do something'.

I was approached by the charity chugger at our supermarket last week. I said that we already had a direct debit for that charity (we do) and he frowned at me really aggressively and said 'everyone says that' with clear antagonism. I was quite taken aback as he was quite aggressive.

I've never had anyone knock for any of these things (although the mail person does shove bloody junk mail through the door with letters).

“No junk mail” signs only really cover flyers and door to door distribution. Postal workers have to deliver letters when the postage has been paid, even if the recipient would consider it junk mail - the sender is the customer.

Same thing happened to me. I was cooking dinner, didn't open the door but spoke to him out of window to side of door to say sorry, I'm really busy but I'm not interested and he called me a fucking bitch.

I'm glad our village whatsapp group is hot on this so I usually know when to ignore the door but there are a handful of neighbours who go on about how nice and polite they are and how others are mean for not buying from them.

The whole thing is a scam and NK activity should be reported to local Police.

What an unintelligent comment.

I don't wish to buy anything from anyone who knocks on my front door.

These blokes, in particular, are aggressive and charge rip-off prices. £10 for a duster is ludicrous.

Why should I buy anything from them- they lie about who/what they are : it is not a 'scheme to re-habilitate offenders'; they are not just out of prison; they are quick to become persistent and unpleasant and there are many reports of them exploiting old and vulnerable people.

I'm not in the habit of lining the pockets of men like these.

Years ago one gained access to my mum’s sheltered housing (one door
pad access if the manager wasn’t there). Few of the residents locked their flat doors, so he had a whale of a time. Luckily one of the residents spotted him and called the police, but he scarpered out the back door with quite a lot of money. Now our police are very keen to hear if any are in the town.
When i first moved in I had a traveller woman come selling pegs! Thought that was something out of Dickens. She then offered to read my palm. Bit of a change from urban living.

My front garden at the time was honestly an absolute mess. I had a door knocker offering to clear and fix the garden so I told a lie and said it was a rented property

he then spent 5 minutes trying to convince me a new law had been introduced for just this situation. He told me as a tenant I could pay for him to do the work today and by LAW my landlord had to give me my money back. He thought he was being very sincere and convincing

When I stopped laughing I told him to do one. I don’t bother engaging these days