Door To Door Solicitor Today

[hi-power]

Things are a little different from the days of door to door vacuum salesmen. Heck my dad used to do that in the 1960's. Suit, tie, buzz haircut, clean shoes, and even a U.S. Army tattoo on his forearm, (covered up by the suit).

I don't care if the solicitor is young, old, fat, skinny, white, black, brown, tats, no tats, there is nothing that I need that gets sold door to door nowadays. I don't need to buy meat from a freezer in the back of a pickup truck. I don't need magazine subscriptions. I don't want financial planning advice. I give enough in taxes for anything school-related. My religious needs are squared away.

I've been told by a couple of different LEOs in my town to call immediately if I see someone going door to door without a city-issued permit with their picture on it hanging around their neck. My wife and I have called about every one we've seen. I don't need any stranger on my property while the wife is home and I'm at work.

I have a sign that I bought from Lowes that says No Soliciting. Since that didn't stop anyone, I etched a sign that hangs below it that explains what No Soliciting means. It also says ignoring the sign is a ticketable offense. I have no idea if that's true, but a LEO can work that out for them. Both signs together seem to work pretty well.

I honestly believe most of the people going door to door today have no idea what soliciting is. When I had just the No Soliciting sign I had to explain it more than once and have even gotten the reply, "Oh, is that what I'm doing?".

[jimlongley]

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.

Thus exposing your own set of prejudices. Tattoos were not invented by young people and as an old fart with no tattoos I can testify that they have been seen as merely body art for more generations than I have been alive, but there is a clue in the type and style of tattoos that might well lead to conclusions about the lifestyle of the wearer. I don't judge people because they have tattoos, but if your knuckles say something obscene or your neck tat feature violence and you have three tears in the corner of your eye, that's a whole 'nother thing.

That said, I have called the cops on solicitors on a regular basis, and on a gas company guy who refused to show identification, and a water meter guy who couldn't show ID, and I will continue to do so. My property is just that, and you have no right to be there soliciting me, but if my city issues you a permit, you can come to my door and I will tell you to scram while prominently displaying my holstered 1911.

The gas company guy was almost funny, the gas had been shut off down the street and as a routine they turn off the gas at all of the meters fed by that main, and he was working his way down the block doing so. He shut off the gas at our meter, and then without even attempting to secure permission or even simply notify us, he entered our fenced back yard, where there is no meter. My dogs had him backed against the fence and he was threatening them with a wrench when I came out the door with my .45 in hand while my wife called the cops. I told him what would happen if he connected with one of my dogs while swinging the wrench and I sent the dogs into the house. Then I suggested that he wait for the cops to arrive while he protested that he had work to do and tried to leave.

When I asked him for ID after he explained that he was there to turn the gas off at the meter, he refused to present it, merely pointing at his headgear and saying "Look at my hat."

The cops didn't accept his hat as proof either.

And they explained nicely that I had every right to "pull a gun" on him when he entered my fenced yard and threatened my dogs and suggested that the next time he entered a fenced yard he might try knocking first.

[mullenski]

"...a t-shirt on his shoulder" Strike 1
"The second guy was in a black t-shirt and jean shorts holding a root beer can." Strike 2
"...out embarassing themselves" Strike 3
"...then asked me what positive career I was in?" Strike 4
"Our community has a solicitation permit requirement and all adult door-to-door presenters must possess it." Strike 5

Not a professional or credible presentation or appearance in any way shape or form. Highly suspicious. Smells like an "interview".

FWIW, I would have handled exactly the same way.

[steveincowtown]

Feel free to come to my door pedaling magazines, your church, lawn services, etc.

Wear want you like. Suit and tie, shorts, t-shirts.

Have as many tattoos as you want, even one of those little ear lob stretching earrings.

You will all get the same answer through a shut door "Sorry, we will have to pass, I would open the door but I can't trust my dog not to bite, have a good day."

I am a friendly guy, know most of my neighbors (just well enough ), and love my friends. My house is my home, if I don't know you, stay off my land and don't knock on my door.

Period...

[thenick_ttu]

I gotta admit after reading some of the responses, I may now see this situtation through the OP's eyes. I haven't had much experience with solicitors (on the homeowner side, anyway) and I never thought about the fact that these guys might just be fishing for easy targets. This thread has definitely opened my eyes to this situation and I'll have to re-consider my future interactions with these people.

That's what I love about this place... lots of great info and different opinions that can help us all to be enlightened (especially me).

[A-R]

I gotta admit after reading some of the responses, I may now see this situtation through the OP's eyes. I haven't had much experience with solicitors (on the homeowner side, anyway) and I never thought about the fact that these guys might just be fishing for easy targets. This thread has definitely opened my eyes to this situation and I'll have to re-consider my future interactions with these people.

That's what I love about this place... lots of great info and different opinions that can help us all to be enlightened (especially me).

seriously, kudos for having an open mind and ability to see other points of view

[RPB]

I gotta admit after reading some of the responses, I may now see this situtation through the OP's eyes. I haven't had much experience with solicitors (on the homeowner side, anyway) and I never thought about the fact that these guys might just be fishing for easy targets. This thread has definitely opened my eyes to this situation and I'll have to re-consider my future interactions with these people.

That's what I love about this place... lots of great info and different opinions that can help us all to be enlightened (especially me).

Utility Workers
http://www.google.com/search?q=Imperson ... =firefox-a" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Good video:
Video: Sheriff Taylor video on people Impersonating Door-to-door occupations
" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Sheriff Taylor discusses door-to-door people who impersonate different businesses and services.

http://www.kiiitv.com/story/17160790/mo ... e-invasion" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

"She said she had got punched when she opened the door. They came in and took control of the house.
"The victim opened the door and three White or Hispanic males pushed their way inside her home"
The homeowner told police she was watching television with her 7-year old son when three men came knocking and then pushed their way inside.

The victim of the robbery was unable to give a good description to the police.

I can take care of myself, calling police may save an 87 year old woman or a 7 year old child down the street... from 1) home invasion 2) scammers .....and if they are legit and have a permit... the old woman may get her driveway resurfaced

[speedsix]

...welcome and those of us in the first named group learn from those in the second named group, too...it's good for all of us

[speedsix]

...I walked out my front door about 5 years ago to get something from the truck...saw a man with khakis and a screwdriver either putting on or taking off the lock from the fence gate next door...the house was empty and a for sale sign with realtors' numbers on it...I asked him quite bluntly what he thought he was doing...he jumped like I'd poked him...told me he was from the electric company and needed to read the meter...I told him under no circumstances did a meter reader need to take a lock and hasp off a fence to get a meter read and breaking into someone's locked yard was a great way to get locked up or worse...he should call the numbers on the sign and have someone open the gate with a key...if I caught him doing that again he could explain it to the owner and the police...he was so rattled he sat in his truck out front for awhile and was still shaking when another neighbor went over to see what he was doing...he knew he was wrong...just too lazy to do it the right way..."official" doesn't mean right...

[Jumping Frog]

I usually answer the door with my gun drawn, and down low by my butt out of sight. 14+1 rounds of .45 ACP.

[speedsix]

I usually answer the door with my gun drawn, and down low by my butt out of sight. 14+1 rounds of .45 ACP.

...just don't get nervous and scratch yer nebbermind...

[VMI77]

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?

I've done some door-to-door soliciting for my church and I didn't know needing a permit was even a possibility so if that had been me at your door today, you would have gotten me a ticket... thanks alot.

I'm normally a live-and-let-live kinda guy, but I think it was a good call. Do you ask people where they work when you're going door to door? There is not a scintilla of doubt in my mind that this was, at the very minimum, a scam. I've seen 30-something tatted up guys like this going door to door claiming to be "students" trying to "win a contest" many times over about 20 years.

[VMI77]

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.

Wow, you speak for "most" young people? I have two in their 20's --no tats, and they consider putting permanent marks on their body rather short-sighted. I work with professionals --lawyers, engineers, economists, technicians, managers, etc-- and virtually none of them have visible tats. And of the very few that have tats of some kind, virtually all of them are related to military service.

I don't know what the statistics are, and I'm sure there are many fine people with tats (my brother has one from the military), but I'm also willing to bet that while most people with tats aren't criminals, most criminals have tats. And it isn't just the presence of tats that sends a message --their placement, size, type, and composition send a message too. The reality is that people react to appearance when no other information is available. Why do you think thugs dress differently when they're on trial than when they're out thugging?

[VMI77]

Feel free to come to my door pedaling magazines, your church, lawn services, etc.

Wear want you like. Suit and tie, shorts, t-shirts.

Have as many tattoos as you want, even one of those little ear lob stretching earrings.

You will all get the same answer through a shut door "Sorry, we will have to pass, I would open the door but I can't trust my dog not to bite, have a good day."

I am a friendly guy, know most of my neighbors (just well enough ), and love my friends. My house is my home, if I don't know you, stay off my land and don't knock on my door.

Period...

[Crossfire]

Feel free to come to my door pedaling magazines, your church, lawn services, etc.

Wear want you like. Suit and tie, shorts, t-shirts.

Have as many tattoos as you want, even one of those little ear lob stretching earrings.

You will all get the same answer through a shut door "Sorry, we will have to pass, I would open the door but I can't trust my dog not to bite, have a good day."

I am a friendly guy, know most of my neighbors (just well enough ), and love my friends. My house is my home, if I don't know you, stay off my land and don't knock on my door.

Period...

Is this you?
[youtube][/youtube]