Search Sort Posts:  Oldest to newest Newest to oldest

10/09/2007, 4:55 PM Jayne Joined on 10/09/2007 Posts 1 "Chuggers" I am absolutely ticked off with the number of people who stop me whilst walking up the High Street to sign up for various charities or to save money on gas, electic and telephone bills etc. When I walk up the High Street I am on my lunch break and don't wish to be constantly "time mugged" by these people. It is impossible to enjoy an hour's free time as you have to keep your head down to avoid eye contact and scuttle to the other side of the road to avoid them.  If I wanted to change my energy supplier I would do so of my own volition and if charities didn't pay these people to sell their causes they could save themselves an awful lot of money.( I have a friend whose daughter signed up for a summer of selling and she made a mint so I do know what they get paid.) I am not a complete Scrooge, I give a lot of my time to Woodspring Talking News which is a charity for Blind People and support Weston Hospice and Cancer Research UK, I always put money in envelope collections at my door and sponsor everyone at work for their chosen charity, then there are the grandchildren who are always doing something or other at school that needs sponsoring. Please, please, please whoever it is that gives these people permission to "sell their wares" think again as I am sure I can't be the only one who is fed up with having to dodge a line of these people every day!!!!    Report

04/01/2008, 1:58 PM Maverick Joined on 16/07/2006 WSM Posts 23 Re: "Chuggers" Do what I do, just walk passed them and ignore them.    Report

21/02/2008, 12:03 PM AllMouthNoTrousers Joined on 21/02/2008 Weston Posts 373 Re: "Chuggers" They're only doing their job, so I do feel a bit sorry for them - but the little bleeders are just so persistent, sometimes it's really hard not to be rude to them...   If only they would take 'no' for an answer...    Report

17/04/2008, 1:29 PM tiggerfan Joined on 11/04/2008 Posts 1 Re: "Chuggers" The trouble is ...if we were rude to them we would probably get arrested for disturbing the peace............!    Report

17/06/2008, 4:35 AM lemoncakes Joined on 09/06/2008 Weston-super-Mare Posts 264 Re: "Chuggers" Ah, I knew there was a name for them!, The main reason I don't like their method is because they always ask for your bank account and debit card details - I find that kind of direct selling - well rather too direct and these days I don't like giving out details to complete strangers in the street - just like I am careful who I give my debit / credit card details on-line - they could be anybody. Sometimes it remind me of some of the streets in London where you'd get like 10 big issue sellers down one small stretch of street of a similar size - if you were carrying a takeaway it would be cold by the time you got to the other end - the amount of sorry's and no thanks. The zigzag method seems to work to avoid the problem of getting stopped - weaving in & out between the benches. Remembering they are real people just doing there job, is also a point, just like you can't kick the pigeons (no matter what the strange urge you may get to do so occassionaly), you can't kick the people either - plus you'd look really evil doing that to either! :P I'm a Video blogger and an Internet Thingy too! You can twitter me: @lemonknickers    Report

19/06/2008, 8:18 PM The Green Knight Joined on 23/02/2008 Weston-super-Mare Posts 57 Re: "Chuggers" I know from working alongside them that the Town Centre Management team have been trying to remove the chuggers from the High Street but they are slightly restricted by government rulings which force them to alow certain types of collections and businesses to work the High Street area if they fill in all the necessary forms and apply forall the right licences. Although it has deterred a few, there are still those larger charities which can afford to go through all the red tape in order to put people in the high traffic areas of towns. They have managed to limit the number of chuggers and the number of days they can operate, so there has been some progress. Personally, I never have a problem and rarely even have to say no. I think it may due to my size and demeanor rather than luck though as I'm over six feet tall, heavy and ,as my wife tells me, naturally disposed to a grimace when I'm concentrating on something as I walk! The Green Knight    Report

20/06/2008, 8:17 AM lemoncakes Joined on 09/06/2008 Weston-super-Mare Posts 264 Re: "Chuggers" We'll all walk behind you then, and we'll be alright :) I'm a Video blogger and an Internet Thingy too! You can twitter me: @lemonknickers    Report

23/06/2008, 10:37 PM westonwatcher Joined on 23/06/2008 Posts 4 Re: "Chuggers" That's the point to remember...they are doing a job... one that they get PAID over the minimum wage for, any £2 donation you sign up for gets nowhere near the charity as the first lot of signatures they get just pays them. They mainly work for a company called 'GIFT' see their ad in the Evening Post jobs section most weeks and you will see where the money goes. If you want to give to charity always give direct to your chosen charity/s    Report

25/07/2008, 9:29 PM Jerry Attrick Joined on 25/07/2008 Posts 10 Re: "Chuggers" In asimilar vein, have you noticed how the Big Issue sellers have changed over the years.  They used to be dirty, unwashed , semi-literate oiks but these days they seem to be developing much more up-market patter and are frequently quite presentable.  I must admit that years ago I used to wind them up badly by going up to them as if to buy a copy, then at the last minute say "oh, sorry, I've already read that one!  Old skinflint!    Report

27/07/2008, 2:56 PM lemoncakes Joined on 09/06/2008 Weston-super-Mare Posts 264 Re: "Chuggers" I think in the early days of big issue people had to actually be homeless (i.e sleeping on a park bench, in a night shelter occassionally) to sell it - but it is widely recognised now that the only type of person that sleeps rough longterm these days has a mental health and/ or addiction problem with drink or drugs in something like 90% of cases - and at the same time the scope of what is defined as homeless is abit broader - i.e if you are staying in temporary accommodation approved by the council - i.e a bed and breakfast or a hostel you are classed as homeless. Dispite what people might think, it has always been possible to claim the dole with no fixed address/ while homeless - when I lived in Glastonbury, all the travellers used to go to Street to collect their dole money every fortnight, and up in London I remember homeless people picking up social fund/dole money from the Elephant and Castle dole offices. My point being, the people selling the big issue around here, have the funds to look after the basics - like grooming/scrubbing up to present themselves to the public and some of their problems are being taken care of - which makes them fit/mentally stable enough to stand around in public all day and hold converations with people - they are essentially mobile retailers or 'chuggers'. I'm a Video blogger and an Internet Thingy too! You can twitter me: @lemonknickers    Report

The Weston Merc... » General » General chat » "Chuggers"

(Quick links) Forums Home |- Search Forums |- Active Topics |- Unanswered Posts User Options |- Sign In |- Join this community |- Forgot Password Announcements |- How to post, how to complain and other FAQs General |- Weston's Grand Pier - the fire and the future |- Hot News and Poll Topic |- News |- ExPats |- T4 On The Beach |- General chat |- Sport |- Reunion: School or Friends & Family |- Trying to trace family or friends? |- The Green Knight's gardening answers |- Fitness Flash with Tash |- Weird Weston and Strange Somerset.... |- Money saving tips |- Lost and Found |- Poetry Corner