Today has made me feel like such a bad person

So today I went shopping in Stratford. I had finished, and was walking down the high street.

Down the high street, various people tried to collect money off of me, sign me up to employment schemes etc etc. Slowly, my patience was beginning to wear thin.

After being hassled multiple times down the street, I was at the end of the street, and was encountered by a man collecting for charity. He said to me 'hello miss would you like to help raise money for disabled children'.

I lost my temper. 'NO I DO NOT WANT TO HELP DISABLED CHILDREN LEAVE ME ALONE' I replied, to which general onlookers tutted and one even called me a cow :frown:

Looking back on it at home, I feel really bad. Of course I want to help disabled children, but all the other people who hassled me really wound me up.

My question to TSR, how on earth do you deal with these sort of people without losing your temper?

(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 1

Hopple

18

Ignore. Or say you're 17 so they can't sign you up.

I guess if you really don't want them to even talk to you, you can walk so that someone else is closer to them than you are, a human shield. But really, ignoring is the easiest option.

Reply 2

kayak dan

1

Hey, no fear!!! I totally sympathise with you!!! :smile:

Charity pots and those horrible AA/RAC tents that line every street are like locusts!!! They always jump on you and then look at you like your Satan if you don't give them money!!! If and when you want to given money to charity you will walk up to them and give them it!!! Constantly asking over and over again is just annoying!!!

Instead of shouting however I tend to avoid them by crossing the street or just plain old ignore them!!! Now I donate to charity plenty but those street pots do my head in!!! Totally not your fault!!! :smile:

Reply 3

PotterLaw

12

Ignore or say "sorry I'm in a rush" as you speed past. That's what I do!

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Reply 4

Deyesy

20

Original post by Phoebe Buffay

So today I went shopping in Stratford. I had finished, and was walking down the high street.

Down the high street, various people tried to collect money off of me, sign me up to employment schemes etc etc. Slowly, my patience was beginning to wear thin.

After being hassled multiple times down the street, I was at the end of the street, and was encountered by a man collecting for charity. He said to me 'hello miss would you like to help raise money for disabled children'.

I lost my temper. 'NO I DO NOT WANT TO HELP DISABLED CHILDREN LEAVE ME ALONE' I replied, to which general onlookers tutted and one even called me a cow :frown:

Looking back on it at home, I feel really bad. Of course I want to help disabled children, but all the other people who hassled me really wound me up.

My question to TSR, how on earth do you deal with these sort of people without losing your temper?

Headphones in. Signal's that I don't want to be interrupted or approached. Simple really :yy:

Reply 5

Phoebe Buffay

OP

19

Original post by Hopple

Ignore. Or say you're 17 so they can't sign you up.

I guess if you really don't want them to even talk to you, you can walk so that someone else is closer to them than you are, a human shield. But really, ignoring is the easiest option.

Hmm I have tried the human shield. Its good when there is a single collector, but today they were everywhere, like on all sides :frown:

And ignoring them makes me feel bad :frown:

Reply 6

Hercule Poirot

Erm, you just say "no thanks" or "sorry" without slowing down, and you'll be past them. There must be something wrong with your head if you felt the need to SHOUT at a charity collector.

Reply 7

Hopple

18

Original post by Phoebe Buffay

Hmm I have tried the human shield. Its good when there is a single collector, but today they were everywhere, like on all sides :frown:

And ignoring them makes me feel bad :frown:

I guess the only option left is to lie, then :tongue:

You're in a rush, too young to sign up, don't have your card on you, will sign up when you're at home, etc.

I suppose you could run through, like jogging? Or pretend to be talking on your phone.

Reply 8

Phoebe Buffay

OP

19

Original post by Hercule Poirot

Erm, you just say "no thanks" or "sorry" without slowing down, and you'll be past them. There must be something wrong with your head if you felt the need to SHOUT at a charity collector.

The point was that I had 'no thanks' to the last 5 or so people that had hounded me :frown:

I just lost my temper :frown:

Reply 9

Phoebe Buffay

OP

19

Original post by Hopple

Or pretend to be talking on your phone.

I suppose this would work. Although I have seen people hassled as they are on the phone :confused:

Reply 10

squeakysquirrel

20

Original post by Phoebe Buffay

Hmm I have tried the human shield. Its good when there is a single collector, but today they were everywhere, like on all sides :frown:

And ignoring them makes me feel bad :frown:

Chuggers as you know are paid for however many people they sign up - so I never give to them on principle.

The other guys with the charity tins I also never give to. Some of them - not all - are fraudsters and they should have ID prominently displayed. Also they shouldn't be hassling you and definitely never rattle their tins

If we gave to all the people that asked us we would have no money at all.

My way of dealing with them is to just raise my hand and say no thank you not today - with a smile. Sometimes I tell them I already give - which I do - we have about 6 charities that I give to - we have done the research and they have the least amount of admin fee deduction and are charities we feel strongly about.

To assuage your guilt and believe me there will have been others who snapped too and who can blame them - go and put a pound in your favourite charity shop. Don't feel bad. If would have been worse if you didn't care. :smile:

Reply 11

Hopple

18

Original post by Phoebe Buffay

I suppose this would work. Although I have seen people hassled as they are on the phone :confused:

Then just glare at whoever 'interrupted' you.

Reply 12

Ndella

18

I just keep walking. I'm 17 anyway so I wouldn't need to sign up for anything. I usually just listen to music so my headphones will suggest I'm not bothered.

Reply 13

Izzyeviel

19

Headphones are all you need.

Reply 14

Truflais

20

The people near me try to pull you in with compliments. 'BUT YOU HAVE SUCH BEAUTIFUL HAIR! PLEASE DONATE!' I just say 'nope', don't make eye contact and keep walking. I just find them very intrusive and pushy. Don't dwell on it. Saying you're under 18 always works too if they somehow manage to rope you in.

Reply 15

octoberbaby

8

Original post by Phoebe Buffay

So today I went shopping in Stratford. I had finished, and was walking down the high street.

Down the high street, various people tried to collect money off of me, sign me up to employment schemes etc etc. Slowly, my patience was beginning to wear thin.

After being hassled multiple times down the street, I was at the end of the street, and was encountered by a man collecting for charity. He said to me 'hello miss would you like to help raise money for disabled children'.

I lost my temper. 'NO I DO NOT WANT TO HELP DISABLED CHILDREN LEAVE ME ALONE' I replied, to which general onlookers tutted and one even called me a cow :frown:

Looking back on it at home, I feel really bad. Of course I want to help disabled children, but all the other people who hassled me really wound me up.

My question to TSR, how on earth do you deal with these sort of people without losing your temper?

Because for the majority of them you have to be 18 or over, I usually just say I'm not 18 xD it's a good trick if you can get away with it/look around that age.

Reply 16

DiddyDec01

3

I understand the frustration. Working in central Birmingham there are loads of chuggers (charity muggers). After a stress day at work the last thing I want is to be bothered. I try not to give them any eye contact. But on a few occasions I have lashed with such comments as "Go f*** yourself" and "Shove it up your arse". If I wanted to give to charity I would approach them otherwise they can leave me alone.

Reply 17

username991125

14

I get this many times while walking from the station to my work place. I just walk really fast as if I'm in a rush down that one section and say 'no thanks' if they do try to ask me.

It really gets annoying having to put up with it everyday... And then I get the same person on the tube begging for money as well. The same person every day who has money to travel via zone 1 of the tube everyday to ask people on the carriage for money.

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