Door To Door Solicitor Today

[74novaman]

Sheesh, guys, times are tough. Be a good "X" (insert your religion here, yes even atheism is a "religion") and buy some stuff from door to door salespersons. A lot of them are unemployed and just trying to make ends meet. Some are helping out a church or youth group. My fave are girl scout cookies. Second are the chocolate bars sold by inner city high school kids. I hate peanut brittle. If I see peanut brittle, I'll just give 'em a couple of bucks but ask them to please not give me any peanut brittle.

If you don't like opening your door to strangers, that's fine. get a motion detector so you get advance notice of strangers at your door. Then, exit out the back/side door and flank 'em outside the house.

Or just get a door chain so you could answer the door without the risk of them forcing their way inside.

As always, keep your gun on you in your pocket. A little .380 or smaller caliber gun will fit nicely in your boxer shorts pckets so when you throw on that robe to answer the door, you're armed.

P.S. When I was a idiot teen, I went from door to door selling... knives. Not the brightest thing to do! What's even more amazing is, after showing my briefcase full of knives, a few ladies actually let me in and bought some knives from me (never had a male customer). I couldn't find a summer job, so I had the bright idea that I could sell knives door to door.

A door chain and a mouse gun??!!

(Sigh)

In New York folks quit using the door chains a few decades ago because they found they kept ripping them out themselves when they forgot the chain was on when they opened the door. Needless to say, nobody on the outside had any trouble getting past them out either.

There's a hint about their effectiveness in the fact that you don't see them on hotel or motel doors anymore except occasionally in establishments where room rentals are by the hour.

Preparing for a less than arms length encounter with a potential home invader by sticking a mousegun in one's pocket as the Plan B for the ripped out chain and voluntarily opened door isn't my idea of prepared.

YMMV - but history says it won't.

Meeting them outside the house doesn't sound too smart, either.

Been a lot of bad advice thrown out there lately....

[speedsix]

...we're not just a bunch of fear-mongers, nor are we wannabe heroes, nor do we see a gun as a hammer and every knock at the door a nail...these posts, news stories, personal experiences...are just for one reason...so that the reader doesn't ever find out about it the hard way...how many warnings is too many??? kinda like a new helper and a Skilsaw..."that thing'll git ya" can't be said enough...

[apostate]

Seems a little overboard to call the police in that situation. Assume these two really were just out soliciting and trying to raise money for a trip, how are they supposed to know they need a permit?

How indeed? I suppose it's too much to expect someone to check the law before they enter the property of another without consent.

[speedsix]

...it's called "professional responsibility"...these folks understand neither...

[Lupine]

http://www.wfaa.com/news/crime/Door-to- ... 96106.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Door to Door Magazine Solicitor stabs Dallas resident.

[urnoodle]

As a kid I strolled around neighborhoods selling girlscout cookies or whatever my school was using to raise funds at the time but times have changed. I don't believe you can trust anyone, regardless how they look or dress. I've had every age group and appearance showup at my door pitching one thing or another. There have been people who are well dressed and groomed that were obviously up to no good. The "high school kid" inappropriately dressed and poorly groomed selling magazines to raise money for the fake "international trip". There are good and bad in both so I have one philosophy, I don't buy anything from anyone that I don't know or that I don't go to their location to buy something. Sorry to all those door to door sales people, I'm not going to open the door period. All those that know me, know my strict policy to call me before they come over. Even my neighbors call me before coming by. When I lived in AZ, the residents were warned not to identify someone knocking by looking through the peephole because the sudden lack of light coming from inside is an indication to anyone outside that someone is looking through the peephole. Many people have been shot this way. So if you're ringing my doorbell and I haven't gotten a call, well you will be left out. To the girlscouts and boyscouts, I'll see you at Wally World. It's just not worth the risk. I've been through one burglary and I'm not going through another due to my own lack of judgement.

[speedsix]

...good policy!!! I wouldn't let even my boys knock doors in the "nice" neighborhoods...the danger goes both ways...and we don't know what we don't know...

[SewTexas]

If they're under 18 they're a little young to be soliciting.

around here the young ones go around selling their school stuff with a big brother or sister or with mom or dad...and I'll sometimes buy something depending on what they are selling. Or I'll donate to the church food drive or whatever...but it's only to the kids...


Birdshot: I like the sign change "if you're over 18 go away"

[urnoodle]

I try to contribute as much as I can feasibly afford. I have auto deductions taken from my paycheck to support the leukemia and lymphoma society and the salvation army. Co-workers bring in their kids with their fund raising order sheets to work or company sponsored events. I won't buy if a parent does all the fund raising but the kid can always pitch me on neutral ground. My church, I donate on their website. To me, door to door fundraising is no longer necessary and way too dangerous. Websites, fliers or setting up at local shopping centers work just as well. Eventually one has to say no anyway.

[goose]

I want a sign that says "I like my vacuum, I love my God, if you're over 18 no soliciting"

Love it!

[Jim Beaux]

Sorry, kid.

There it is!!

It's the disconnect between old farts and young pups. Most young people today don't see tats as anything more than body art or a way to express themself. Old people see tats as something that an upstanding member of society would never do, which is completely ridiculous in today's society.

And I go back to my previous statement... the OP did not know if these two had the required permits. Unless the permits are required to be displayed while doing door-to-door (like a necklace), then he couldn't have known if they had the permits. He knew that permits are required for his neighborhood and assumed these two "shady" looking characters didn't have the required permits.

And just to answer any speculations... no, I don't have neck tats or sleeves. I don't have any visible tats. I just don't automatically think someone is a criminal or thug just because they have tats all over their body.

Tats are prevalent in prison & with gangs; two groups that have proven to reject the rules of benevolent behavior. If you choose to assume their style that's certainly your business, and if I choose to be suspicious of this look, that's my business. Dont blame others for the image you chose to convey for first impressions. Your problem is not my problem. Get off my front porch before I get irritated.

[74novaman]

Tats are prevalent in prison & with gangs; two groups that have proven to reject the rules of benevolent behavior. If you choose to assume their style that's certainly your business, and if I choose to be suspicious of this look, that's my business. Dont blame others for the image you chose to convey for first impressions. Your problem is not my problem. Get off my front porch before I get irritated.

I've actually spoken at length with my dad about this subject.

His fathers generation (the WW2 generation) had a lot of military guys with some tattoos, so his generation thought they were uncool.

Since our parents generation wasn't a big fan of tats, my generation seems to think they're cool again.

Yes, gangs and prisoners get tats. Prison tats are pretty easily distinguished from professional work.

I do not have any tats. Can't think of a single thing I'd want written or drawn on me permanently.

That being said, I have lot of friends who have tats who have never been inside a prison or been around gangs. Med school students, graduate students, members of the military, business professsionals, etc. Granted, with the exception of the .mil guys, most of those tats are discrete and you'll never know about them unless you're at the beach.

Its a generational thing. Don't assume everyone with ink has been to prison.

[speedsix]

...it's not about appearance nearly as much as demeanor...I probably have 2 or 3 a month at my door...I've had slick-dressers be rude and pushy(not for long) and had tattoed, ring-in-nose old clothes types be polite and respectful, even when I said no to their spiel and their product...we get kids, kids with Mom, 50s men wanting yard work to do...dolls and dogs...and some of them are good folks just trying to make a living...but in all those groups, our experiences with the actions of one predispose us as how to deal with the next one of that type...I go through a lot of cold bottled water in the summer...don't abuse them...and don't tolerate abuse...it's kinda like when your teenager rolls his eyes at you...actions speak louder than words...and different, more mature actions often get a better response...
...leaving out the wanted ones(which I've had arrested) and those scouting a crime or trying to be home invaders...
...the ones trying to make a living, no matter their looks...dress...skin art...or whatever...would do well to practice common respect and good manners...and be quick to take no for an answer and thank us for our time...

...I've sold door to door for several companies...always gave respect...always got it...

...the pros http://nfsa.com/nfsa-code-of-ethics/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; do it professionally...

[Birdshot70]

I just don't automatically think someone is a criminal or thug just because they have tats all over their body.

I think here the point is to know your city ordinances...or at least the ones relevant to what is happening.
Unless someone comes to my door I know, I assume they're selling something and I ask for a proof of permit.

I know it seems like a 'guilty until proven innocent' but it is better to be more careful.
And stereotype or not, if they look shady and the radar goes nuts ... be extra careful!

[VeeTee]

Quote:
"HA!! You didn't call the police because he had pot in his pocket. You called the police because you didn't like the way these two fellows looked. One of the guys having pot is just a coincidence.

And it is absolutely wrong to think legit people don't have neck tats and sleeves. I can specifically think of one guy in my church who works with our teen ministry. "

er... Could it be that your "legit" guy is not so "legit?" Remember the BTK guy? He was a boy scout leader and "paragon of his church".

To the OP:

My hat is off to you. If your "reptilian brain" is heaving that alone is good enough - regardless of whether they had tats. With all due respect to anybody who is trying to hang guilt on the OP for having done what he believed was right all I can say to you (respectfully) is "tsk tsk".

V