Chuggers

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Hi all

Just curious, does anyone here get bothered by the ol' charity muggers (chuggers) on a regular basis, those cheery, bright jacket wearing clipboard carrying gits who desperately try to get you to hand over your bank details?

I work in central London and popping out for a sandwich is like running the gauntlet every day just to try and avoid these fools.

What do people think? Any funny stories in dealing with them? Or does anyone support them?

 

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It sounds bad, but I strategically cross over to the other side of the street. I do however speak to them if I feel like it. If it was for an animal charity I would be more likely to hang around and chat.

 

Yep, just about every single day!!!

My daughter works in a shop on the main shopping area and as its only a 10 minute walk from my office, so I go in an say hello most days - and the chuggers are always there. The varies charities seem to take it in turns to harass the shoppers. I've learnt never to even look in their direction or a simple "sorry, too busy" seems to be the golden ticket for getting passed em

 

My thoughts mirror hers.

 

Precisely, I like to think that as and when I do donate something to charity, it's actually a decision I have made myself on many factors rather than being bullied into it.

The only response I have ever given (ok, barring once when I told them i don't speak English, in English) is that there is no way on God's good earth I will ever hand over my bank details to someone I have just met on the street. They have no comeback to that at all.

I've had them jump out right in front of me when I've had my iPod on and my head down. Nearly accidentally thumped one once as I thought I was going to be mugged!

 

And getting paid a commission to do so.

My main objection to the organisations using this method of charity collection is that they get round the "flag day" laws because they don't collect actual money, but take your credit card/direct debit details, so they can saturate the charity market and have very high visibility, whereas smaller charities who can't afford to employ people to do this or to process direct debits have to rely on volunteers to collect cash on pre-defined limited days per year. Smaller charities, who arguably need the local support more, are getting sqeezed out as a result.

 

Haha, brilliant!

There are dozens of these do-gooders in Bedford town centre every day of the week, I've become so accustomed to them that they barely register now. Like pigeons.

 

Pigeons, a fantastic comparison!!!!!

 

We seem to have more and more in Carlisle these days. They all seem to be students though which makes me very wary. It's ether help support our student newspaper or save the spaghetti monster as said if I give to charity then I do it through the bank.