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<br>Raz
The laws have been there for over 150 years – the Metropolitan Police Act 1839 and, for England and Wales outside Greater London, the Town Police Clauses Act 1847.
The problem is failure to enforce.  Self-help is your best bet.
Before discussing anything, demand to see their passport or driving licence plus  a second proof of current residential address in the form of a utility bill no more than 3 months old (mobile phone bills NOT acceptable). ÂÂÂ
Explain this as an unfortunate but necessary measure to protect both you and them under anti-terrorism and anti-moneylaundering legislation.
Ask also for telephone number, fax or email details and contacts for two personal referees – JPs, notaries, barristers, solicitors, GPs or clergy – each with not less than 10 years’ experience of the individual.
Advise them that verification of  details should be processed within 28 working days,  at which point if no problems you will be pleased to listen to them..
If they play up, express annoyance – which is all that’s needed under the Victorian legislation – summon a constable and demand he/she take enforcement action.
Same for the phone pests, but ask additionally for shoe size
For the taped message, either receiver down or let the answerphone deal. ÂÂÂ
best regards
wit<br>
Raz, you’ve come to the right place for help.
I was walking down the street with a friend a couple of weeks ago and this guy (Hare Krishna, perhaps?) asked me if I would give him money for his cause.
I laughed at the idea and said with a smile "me? Give you money? I think you’ve no idea what sort of person I am" which made my friend laugh out loud (neither of us is known for supporting organised religion).
Poor guy. He just didn’t know how to pick them.
For some reason, I went though a period of attracting those guys who invite people to their church. They can be quite persistent, but I soon learned that the response "are there girls there?", followed by "you know, hot girls that put out?" seems to help them understand that I’m not quite ready to accept jebus as my saviour.
If it’s one of those bib-wearers, I’ve 2 different approaches:
(1) If it’s a good looking girl, I ask what the charity does and then say "hmmm … fascinating … we should discuss this further in bed" which, I guess, is probably some form of sexual harassment, but she hassled me first.
(2) I just smile at them and walk past.
For phone calls, if they’re using a centralised dialler, there will be a pause before they speak. This is because once you pick up, the computer passes the call to one of the telesales people and the person has to react to getting the call. If it’s a real person, they’re ready straight away.
That way, I know within 2 secs of saying "hello" if it’s a call centre and I usually hang up in that 2s gap.
However, I’m on the list where they can’t call you, so I don’t really get call centre calls anymore.
However, in the past, when they got to talk to me, I had a few strategies.
A good answer is "sorry, but I’ve already got one" and then hang up. This works best if you do it before they actually tell you what they’re selling (because it makes no sense).
If they were Indian and I felt like messing them around, I’d just speak with an accent that’s about 5 times more scottish than my real voice (and use scottish phrases). No Indian is going to understand that.
There’s lots of options. Remember, they’ve entered into your world and it’s your rules and that means you get to playfully ****
with them if you want.One thing that I’d like to try is simply let them talk and talk and, whenever they stop for you to respond, you’re only allowed to say:
"yeah, really?" or<br>"that’s interesting, how does that work?" or<br>"I’d like to know more"
and see how long you can keep the conversation going while only saying these 3 things.
The only system I’ve not figured out how to mess with is those recorded "you’ve won a holiday" messages. Hanging up’s probably all you can do.
Steve
Ask them for two forms of ID in the street as Wit says.Ask them if they are trying to sell you sonething (if unclear) If they won’t or don’t ask them if they are familar with all our Paliamentary laws and if not do they know they are encroaching on one of the laws about licensed traders. If they still try to sell you something tell them you’re consulting your lawyer. I don’t think they’ll worry you again.
If you are stopped in the street just look at them blankly and then walk on. If they persist laugh at them and then walk on. Don’t be afraid ..
The phone thing is easier, I don’t speak to foriegners on the phone .. end of story.<br>
On a related point I think I must look an easy target. I walk down the street in Edinburgh (albeit a rough part) and get acosted by people asking me for loose change. I usually blank them and walk past but its a bit disturbing to see them walk into a nearby shop and see them produce a load of change.
These street- beggars should simply not be allowed to ply their ‘trade’.
Incidently, I recently visited Edinburgh for their world-renowned festival.<br>A more horrible experience I shall never have.<br>The locals are a bunch of ungrateful louts, who really should be thankful for the income that tourists like myself bring to their run-down cess-pit of a town.
And an area called Leith is one of the most vile ghettos that it has been my misfortune to visit.
Incidently, I recently visited Edinburgh for their world-renowned festival.
Mug!
And an area called Leith is one of the most vile ghettos that it has been my misfortune to visit.
Well, no arguments there. You should see the people who live there ….. wall to wall losers…..
just pull the most disgusting face you can think of and glare at them!
who on earth said i’m sweet!!
daiesy<br>belle of the valley
I once worked in a call-centre cold selling (needs must and all that). The worst thing you can do to a cold-caller is to give them verbal aggro, some will then key in your number for the computer to call you again (and laugh when their colleague/friend gets you fuming). It was like a game of roulette – seeing which "adviser" got Mr Angry next time around. (I hasten to add that I never did this to rude people.)<br>Best to be polite; better to set your own high standard than to imitate other peoples’ low.
<br>:old:
People who by necessity walk the streets<br> are the real beggars and urchins of modern life<br> Wit I am sure you like me<br> favour a leather smelling horseless carriage…
to put glass between them <br> the peasant pedestrians with peanut pensions<br> and us the chance grabbers who own the city
… nicely ariated<br> with a peaked cap up front<br> who dares only speak at red lights<br> and will not be offended at no reply<br> shutingup for an hour at a grunt<br> and no concern if the times for no reason<br> hits him hard around the head<br>
<br>  :old:worrier
There’s a big worry here<br> for those that must on occasion<br> use the stone segmented griddle paths that straddle the  Queen’s uncertain highway.<br> If these pariahs who munch into the kind natures<br> of the good breeding stock of this country<br> have extended their gang operations to the striped trousers<br> and green leaves of Bromley<br> there is much to concern over, even fear for the future.
THere’s also the inverse problem.<br> Those like me who are most times spurned an approach<br> check their appearences in shop windows to wonder why.
 It’s the jolly factor I hate<br>  all smiles guffaws and clapping hands<br>  on the bleakest of days.<br>  The gangs operate on a going rate of £8 an hour<br>  and take no commission – but seek out bank accounts<br>  like a rat searching for an opening in a rain filling tunnel.
 These are high IQ people with a cleverness factor<br>  who prey on our emotions.
  A lady approached me with an outsretched clipboard.
  ‘ I only want a minute of your time sir "
 " My mother told me not to talk to strange women in the street "
  Of course she waited a second, then came the clever reply
  " Your Mum was right right, don’t worry I am a man in disguise "
  I forced a smile, hating having been press ganged into joining a tranvestite comedy club on the bleakest of days.
   The trouble was that my getting so intimate with the lady meant my return journey back down the same griddle path a quarter of an hour later was fraught with embarrassing worry and even a touch of Ronnie Biggs.<br> I was forced to bury my nose in WH Smith almost cleaning the shop window with my coat and offering the inside shoppers a free view of a man on the run,in my desperation to avoid her noticing<br> the odd one that dared a reply and strode for freedom.
Internet shopping is possibly now the only solution
(Edited by gamble at 9:12 am on Mar. 1, 2006)
swift and effortless yet still effective.
How about: "sorry, mate, I’m as tight as two coats of paint".
or (smiling) "it’s not going to happen, forget about it"
I don’t see where the effort is.
I guess that, having lived through dozens of Edinburgh fringes, I’ve learned how to deal with people who stop you in the street.
Nowadays, I can stroll down the royal mile during the fringe without accepting any leaflets. And I don’t have to be rude to anyone or feel uptight about saying "no".
But, then, I actually feel I’m helping them by not taking their leaflets. They can give the leaflet to someone who might actually consider going to the show rather than wasting it on me.
And the charity people in the street are far better off spending their time talking to someone who might actually give them some money.
So, I don’t feel bad.
It seems, Raz, that you might have some guilt for walking past them.
Steve
sorry to be serious but this can be helpful on the phone front. 0870-444-3969 is the number to stop those calls from the machine. 0845 0700707 is the call preference number to stop the "real" people calling you. Both are free.:)
I agree with those who say Leith is rough or vile. Im about 3m away and I can smell the place from here.
I agree with those who say Leith is rough or vile. Im about 3m away and I can smell the place from here.
While I’m not going to defend leith, I have to ask, are you 100% sure the smell isn’t coming from Gorgie?
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