Door To Door Solicitor Today

[speedsix]

...Refreshing to start the day with a good dose of common sense...welcome to the forum!!!

[Keith B]

I completely agree that the OP should have called the cops, and I consider myself to be somewhat of a young pup (just turned 30 a few weeks ago). I personally have quite a few tattoos. Most of my back is covered along with most of my left forearm and my wife's name on my left ring finger. I happen to be a family medicine resident (read physician). As a professional, I take into consideration the fact that many people perceive tattoos as unprofessional at best, unclean at worst. It doesn't matter if their perceptions are correct. I'm not there to make some kind of personal statement. I'm there to represent my training program and the hospitals that allow me to train in their facilities. I'm also there to serve the people that need my help. When I am working, my tattoos are covered with the only exception being my ring finger.

I expect anyone that comes to my door to sell a product or service to be dressed appropriately for their profession. These people were supposed to be learning public speaking! Part of public speaking is dressing professionally! In short, an adult, regardless of how long they've been an adult, should know to dress according to their role. If they don't, they will not likely get my business. If they show up at my house, I will be suspicious; the police will be informed.

Welcome to the forum, and very well stated.

[dcbrown]

As far as I have been able to quickly check, most cities in Texas have the same ordinance requirement, you must have a permit to go door-to-door for anything. My thoughts are that this protects our elderly residents from be pressured into something by high pressure salesmen. Being able to somewhat remove the individuals that may be casing the neighborhood is a additional benefit. Most neighborhood watch groups would have done exactly what the OP did, call the police and let them sort it out, which is exactly what needed to occur.

[smilner01]

If I lived in your neighborhood, I would be sending you a letter of thanks for preventing a possible string of break-ins.

[magillapd]

I just had another one today. Knocking on door, no permit visible. I was getting ready for work so I didn't bother answering the door. The guy just turned and walked down the street to the next house. A quick call to my local PD and I was out the door heading to work. As I was pulling away, saw the officer pulling into the hood, so hopefully he found the guy.

I still say to people who tell me I'm wasting the PD's time the following.

City police enforce city ordinances. The person doesn't have a permit, which means that the PD doesn't know the person and a background check hasn't been done. It allows the PD to make contact with the person and run them for warrants and also to inform them of the ordinance. If that person then goes and gets a permit, that generates revenue for the city and will stop him from coming back to my house (since part of the permit is learning that they can't knock on doors that are posted no soliciting). If the person doesn't get a permit but is caught again, then they will be cited, again generating revenue for the city. It also gets a marked police car in the neighborhood, detering any other criminals who may be about.

My neighborhood during the day has many empty houses as most are at work. The people left are elderly, retired or stay at home moms. The daytime is when most burglaries occur, so it doesn't hurt to have the police cruising the neighborhood.

After explaining all this, most people realize that it indeed is good practice.

[speedsix]

...thanks for staying involved...too many crimes happen where folks ignore the warning signs and "don't get involved"...it is truly "us against them"...law-abiding citizens against those who ignore the law...and may or may not be citizens...

[WildBill]

...thanks for staying involved...too many crimes happen where folks ignore the warning signs and "don't get involved"...it is truly "us against them"...law-abiding citizens against those who ignore the law...and may or may not be citizens...

Next time I will make a call to my local PD.

[android]

I just put this sign by my doorbell. I got tired of ringing and knocking all weekend.
So far, nobody has dared ring the bell...

ATTENTION!
READ BEFORE KNOCKING OR RINGING THE DOORBELL

If we do not know you and you are not delivering a package, this applies to you.
If you are selling something (including fund raising items), we will listen to your sales presentation for $20.00.
If you are asking for charitable contributions, taking a survey, or asking for petition signatures, we will consider your cause for $10.00
Please have your cash ready and in hand before you knock or ring the doorbell.
If you fail to follow these rules, you will be trespassing and you will be asked to leave immediately.

[speedsix]

...neat...but to be effective, it will need to be printed in English and Spanish(for starters)

...it will have to be expressed in symbols, for those who can't read...

...and then the guy from the state sales tax office shows up.............

[Oldgringo]

Mrs. Oldgringo and I spend our summers as Camp Hosts in a NW Montana State Park near the Canadian border. We have people, in all manner of dress and accent, at our RV site/door at all hours of day and night.

Campers are basically all good people. We had to call the real law (Sheriff - 45 miles away) once last summer on a looney single woman from Kalifornia. So far, my steely-eyed, soft spoken, polite but direct and friendly demeanor has maintained order among the potential troublemakers. I sincerely hope that neither of us Texas CH licensees ever have to shoot one or more of 'em. OMG, the paperwork...
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[jimlongley]

A guy rang my doorbell a couple of days ago, wanted to trim my trees (which do NOT need trimming) but had already walked away by the time I got the dogs calmed down and opened the door. I had my .45 down by my right thigh as I opened the door and just after I opened the door he veered back around and started to approach me, but just as he turned his partner next to their truck said something, and then a cop turned the corner into the cul de sac. It seems, I found out later, they had already approached a couple of neighbors and one of them, cluing in on the pickup with merely a step ladder in the back and no obvious tree trimming tools, had gotten suspicious and called it in.

I waved to the officer, pointed to the "tree trimmers" and went back inside.

[DesertRadioRat]

Can I answer the door...wearing a gun in plain view? (like in a holster)

I'm still not sure if that is legal or not.

[speedsix]

Mrs. Oldgringo and I spend our summers as Camp Hosts in a NW Montana State Park near the Canadian border. We have people, in all manner of dress and accent, at our RV site/door at all hours of day and night.

Campers are basically all good people. We had to call the real law (Sheriff - 45 miles away) once last summer on a looney single woman from Kalifornia. So far, my steely-eyed, soft spoken, polite but direct and friendly demeanor has maintained order among the potential troublemakers. I sincerely hope that neither of us Texas CH licensees ever have to shoot one or more of 'em. OMG, the paperwork...
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...but don't it make you proud you can still drive a California girl crazy?!!!

[speedsix]

Can I answer the door...wearing a gun in plain view? (like in a holster)

I'm still not sure if that is legal or not.

...totally legal in Texas...but there goes your element of surprise...and a heartily rebuffed soliciter could say "He pulled a gun on me"...better if they never see the gun in your hand...in your holster might be too slow...read a few home invasion stories and you'll see that they happen fast and rough...READY is the key when you open the door...or stand near it...keep in mind if they kick it in, it only takes one good kick and you could wake up with a black eye from the door...I always look out the peephole with my foot wedged against the door...

[DesertRadioRat]

Can I answer the door...wearing a gun in plain view? (like in a holster)

I'm still not sure if that is legal or not.

...totally legal in Texas...but there goes your element of surprise...and a heartily rebuffed soliciter could say "He pulled a gun on me"...better if they never see the gun in your hand...in your holster might be too slow...read a few home invasion stories and you'll see that they happen fast and rough...READY is the key when you open the door...or stand near it...keep in mind if they kick it in, it only takes one good kick and you could wake up with a black eye from the door...I always look out the peephole with my foot wedged against the door...

That's good advice. My son's friends had been going in and out Monday night, and I heard someone knock on the door. I opened it (without looking) and it was guy from Woodbridge selling windows. All well and good and I told him I wasn't interested . He started arguing and I finally ran him off. Now, he did nothing to have a gun pulled, but , what if it had been a bad guy? We've had some sketchy people knock on the door over the years and I wondered if I, could open my front door, wearing a gun, and under what circumstances.