I like Traffic Wardens

[Jayneflakes]

Today was filled with bad news, difficult decisions and more than a few chores and to cap it all I don't know for how much longer I will able to work due to a back injury. So when I was walking down the High street this afternoon, soaked to my bones after some really heavy rain that crushed my brolly, I was not really in the mood to discuss my life with Chuggers.

Chuggers just in case you do not know, are those people who try to stop you while shopping and make you sign up for what ever charity they are promoting that day. These people do not even believe in the charity they are pushing, they are paid to harass shoppers by an independent agency. Today I was ambushed by three of them.

I managed to swerve past the first, was nearly tripped up by the second who could not even be bothered to apologise and then came the third. Who deliberately stepped into my path and kept coming despite my trying to avoid him. The sudden and rather rude verbal exchange caused me to stop, turn back and give him a piece of my fragile mind. The encounter left me so angry that I was shaking and rather upset. Who are these people to judge me over what I give to charity and which charities I choose (of which I have chosen four that actually mean something to me)?

Just around the corner was a traffic warden who saw that I was upset and he stopped to help. Cue one complaint to the town council about the chuggers harassing people.

So I have a question, what is wrong with the world when Charity Fund Raisers are horrible and offensive, yet traffic wardens are compassionate and kind? I am going to hide back under my rock.

[Bibio]

hope you feel better soon Jayne. don't get me started on charity..

not all traffic wardens are horrid.

[squirrel_hunter]

If you ever have someone approach you in the street that you don't want to talk to, be it a Chugger, "A few minutes for a survey", or "Trip or fall anywhere?" all you need to do is repeat the following sentence to them clearly and concisely:

"I'm sorry, I don't speak English".

Works a treat everytime...

[savage86]

hey there just people at the end off the day and i'm sure people will have had good run in's with people who are pre-judged by their occupation or their uniform they wear. Same like police and business with a bad reputation for example. There not a'll bad. :)

[savage86]

and also i heard that if charity folk aren't allowed to shake buckets of coppers at you can anyone confirm this??

[yorkie_chris]

They do p*ss me right off.

Stuff for charidee is fair enough but not a jobs program for a load of overpaid executives.

[Grant66]

and also i heard that if charity folk aren't allowed to shake buckets of coppers at you can anyone confirm this??

Shaking buckets and asking for donations are forms of begging. Pretty sure it's still illegal in the former "great" Britain.

[Ch00]

.... buckets of coppers ....


Due to budget cuts it could be the only time you see lots of cops together !!

[Amadeus]

Jayne, I'm glad you reported them - you should also refer them to the charity that they were collecting for, if possible giving the name of the individual. I had the misfortune to meet a persistent chugger - I just kept saying no as I walked away but on the way back I saw that he had cornered a rather fragile looking woman. I for my sins did not intervene.
I did however email the Red Cross when I got back to my desk and told them that I was never going to donate to them again which (I suspect was due to my wife and I donating a certain %age of our salaries to a number of charities which changes every now and again but for the last couple of years had been the Red Cross) resulted in some kind of manager contacting me. We've not donated to them since.

[tigersaw]

I find most charradies are just businesses when boiled down. Ex had a standing order with a known charadee that sponsors a kiddie in a foreign land. All well and good, but can't say I was impressed when I downloaded their annual accounts to see the number of 'directors' paying themselves over 60k. And all these overseas aid just seem to spend money on brand new Toyotas and drive around telling people how bad things are and send more money.
I prefer direct action charradies - was one in Brighton that collected clothes, toys whatever and donations. Once they had enough, they hired a couple of 7.5 tonners and drove to Romania, dished out everything to orphans and came home again.

[dizzyblonde]

Chuggers? :lol:

When you have to run the gauntlet through the town centre, because at every escape point there's one standing in their red bib, flashing that stupid forced grin fed by Prozac........


Don't you just want to punch one of them in the head and tell them to bog off?

In fact I'd like to play wack a mole with them!

And what's worse, is when you manage to get away with giving them an evil bog off stare they can't forget and they chase somebody else, you forgot something and have to run back through them all, only to get each and everyone of them pull you, and they forgot the woman with the bog off stare

Just leave us alone!!!!!!!!

[MisterTommyH]

I think that there was a change in the law recently (or maybe it was one of our local councils) where it was stated that chuggers weren't allowed to pursue a conversation after an initial refusal - Definitely worth taking it up with the charity as they won't like this either.

[Bri w]

They are definite PIA. JF, the chugger will have forgotten about you 10secs after you walked past. Don't waste your time worrying about them, because in truth they don't care about you.

[Fallout]

ARGGHGHH! Don't feel guilty Jayne. As had been said, these people don't care about you or the charity. They're simply employed by an agency to get signatures on paper. They need to realise their job makes them scum and find some other work.

Just totally ignore them. If they block your route, shoulder barge for all you're worth. :)

[-Ralph-]

Don't you just want to punch one of them in the head and tell them to bog off?

The other way round works quite well, if you do it in such a way that they truly believe the punch is on it's way if they don't obey the 'bog off'.

[Spank86]

I just wait for them to ask their question and tell them no.

Or yes, depending on what the wrong answer is.

"how do you feel about children?"
"hate the little buggers"

"what do you think of aniumal cruelty"
"I'm all for it".

[Geodude]

Sorry to hear of your upset Jayne (hug for you) glad there are still a few nice people around when you need one :) We have a pedestrian bridge in Durham (http://goo.gl/maps/qrqxj) where the chuggers lie in wait as you can only avoid them if you jump off the bridge and they know it and it takes all your 'good' thoughts not to drop them off the side. Can be twenty of the ****ers on that bridge at one time so its a bit like gladiators run the gauntlet to get by them but you only have to do it all again on the return journey.
Luckily i dont get too much hastle as i look like a crazed hobo but some of them still try grrr.

[dizzyblonde]

:lol: Geo!

Perhaps this could be a new game thread idea.

Chuggers : your craziest way of dealing with them!


Only rule...... You have to make them want to walk away from you instantly :)

[PyroUK]

Wow, don't think I have ever seen a "chugger" as intent as you lot have!

Must have a different species down here!

I usually find saying that I already spoke to one of them works a treat, otherwise I am pretty blunt and tell em to simply Foxtrot Oscar!

[Sir Trev]

:lol: Geo!

Perhaps this could be a new game thread idea.

Chuggers : your craziest way of dealing with them!


Only rule...... You have to make them want to walk away from you instantly :)

This could turn into an epic thread, rather like the hire car thread from a few years ago http://forums.sv650.org/showthread.php?t=127806&highlight=hire

[Bluepete]

No eye contact and absolutely no recognition that they are there. If they step n your path, knee up, elbows out, carry on!

Having said that, when I was on crutches after breaking my leg whilst flying a kite, I was cornered by a "no win no fee" lout. I was happy to tell him about how the First Manchester bus driver had run me over on a crossing and was arrested for drink drive, all on the bus CCTV! Fake name and phone number...

Pete ;)

[appollo1]

they normally start with " have you got a few moments" to which i ask them to walk with me if they want to talk to me. Some freak out abit when they get too far away from their colleagues and they end up leaving.

If it is a charity hassling me i normally ask the individual lots of questions about the charity which start off easy then go into the likes of how much money has been raised over the last 3 financial years, how much does the CEO of the charity get paid and if they are collecting for a charity then why is the money being spent on a "fat cat" instead of the cause that they are raising money for. Best one is to ask the person if they are a volunteer for the charity and how long they have been volunteering. Then ask what the hourly rate of pay is as i would be interested in helping raise money. if they tell me they are getting paid then i start to raise my voice asking why they are being paid when collecting for a charity that obviously doesn't need the money as they can afford to pay people to collect on their behalf. Most walk away.

[yorkie_chris]

then i start to raise my voice asking why they are being paid when collecting for a charity that obviously doesn't need the money as they can afford to pay people to collect on their behalf. Most walk away.

Try that asking about how much commission they are on per membership signed up or whatever ;)

[Jayneflakes]

Thank you every one. I still feel a bit silly for even getting into the argument to start with, but in my defense it had been a difficult day.

There have been some really interesting points made here and one of them can even be applied to one of my chosen charities that has recently and quite rightly, got into trouble over payments of executives. I am seriously considering dropping that one, despite it being close to my heart.

[Spank86]

As a general rule charity is about rich people asking poor people to give money to even poorer people.

[PyroUK]

Too true Spank, too true!