'Tis the season

Yep, you just know the season is upon us.

I just need to vent/rant on something I’m sure has been addressed on this board a 1000 times.

So today I went shopping for various things, let’s take them in order.
#1. I went to one of the Lowes in my area. Exiting the store was 4 of those soccer mom, Moos and their little toddlers. Little Girls to be exact. What it was is a shakedown to support some after school bullshit. So I’m my usual form I breeze through them like they don’t exist. That is I don’t acknowledge the kid begging for money. Of course it takes like 10 seconds for the moos to yell shit like “Have a blessed day and God bless you” Of course to piss them off more I ignore them. I have to laugh at these jaded cunts giving me blessings when they are out pimping their kids for money because they can’t support their after school shit.

#2. I went to Kmart. Waked past the “Salivation Army idiot” and bought a few items, Got to the checkout and before the transaction can be completed, you have to select from 3 options on the LED card swipe screen “even if you pay with cash” The charity is for the children’s hospital and you can choose 10, 20, or 30 dollars. Or no thanks. Now considering that Kmart is about to go belly up, why would they subject customers to this shit?

#3 I go to grocery store. Again walk past Salvation Army Thug who makes a comment that “you don’t want to speak?” To which I made a comment back “Who the hell are you?” I get in the store and buy $ 7.00 worth of vegetables and the checkout girl asks” Do you want to donate $5.00 to St Jude’s Children’s hospital? To which I answered, NO! . I exited the store and same Salvation Army thug says “Have a blessed Day” To which I ignored. Okay so I usually park way out and when I get to my vehicle another scumbag appears from the parked cars begging for some bogus kid’s charity! In these cases I generally tell them to Fuck off and back off.

It seems that this year has really taken off more so than previous years. They all seem to use techniques like “Shame, Peer Pressure and the Jesus bullshit to shame people. Anyway I needed a safety valve, thanks for letting me vent.

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Highwayman
I just need to vent/rant on something I’m sure has been addressed on this board a 1000 times.

Oh yes, it has. I myself probably have over 10K rants on the Salvation Army Assholes, alone

We absolutely DO need to keep addressing this topic - so we can - somehow - shut them DOWN!

These BEGGARS have edged into the range of HARASSERS!

I've nearly gotten into fist fights with some of the DING DONGS (Salvation Asshole bell ringers.)

I myself always try to be polite and well spoken. I don't want to come off as crass or rude.

But on the other hand - I am also One a dem Tough Jew Broads. I'm a Gemini liek dat

I try to be polite. I really do.

Yet on several occasions I've come close to blows with these assholes.

They DO! HARASS! YOU!!!

On the above also - I should tell these people I'm Jewish and their Christ O Crap offends me! But - I am not religious. And even better might be a simple PRAISE ALLAH!

I just *don't want to get into it* with these people. I just want to go in the store and buy my freaking toilet paper!

Cashiers begging being made to beg -

This INFURIATES! me too! That is NOT their job! I *have said* to these people (many of whom are embarrassed and apologetic about it) - I often say to them - You should be paid a commission to sell this. Begging, Biz Wise = Paid Commissions. Bring THAT up at your next meeting! Simple Biz principle, common knowledge, and that IS what you're doing - why shouldn't you get a cut, too?

GOD! ALLAH! Godzilla! Don't get me started on this! We'll be here til XMess!

I hear you; it's a giant PITA. Especially that many times in one day…Jesus. (No pun intended )

I understand why they do it that way. People are more likely to donate if they are confronted directly, because they feel pressured and uncomfortable saying no. I try to be polite, especially to the people who aren't begging for money for themselves, but you encounter them in damn near every establishment at LEAST once…they can't be that surprised when people are irritated. I was at the mall a few weeks ago and these boy scouts set up a table in the middle of the mall selling very expensive popcorn, and one approached me directly and I think I was pretty nice when I said not today, thank you. But I saw them again the NEXT weekend so I ran the hell away and thankfully they didn't talk to me. I hate being confronted, ugh.

I work retail when I'm on breaks from school, and this past summer we did some fundraiser where we had to ask every customer if they wanted to donate to this charity "to help a child in need" (that was the script, so it makes them sound like assholes who don't want to help teh chillunz if they say no). And if we didn't ask with every transaction, our supervisor was all up in our faces. (When she was out of earshot I usually didn't ask, because I know people don't like to be bothered and most said no anyway.) I plan on working over my Christmas break and am NOT looking forward to having to beg for more donations…in addition to, you know, dealing with the savage customers and, frequently, their ill-behaved shitlings.

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highwayman
Okay so I usually park way out and when I get to my vehicle another scumbag appears from the parked cars begging for some bogus kid’s charity! In these cases I generally tell them to Fuck off and back off.

I've been approached at my car once, by Jehovah's Witnesses doing their usual neighborhood rounds. They came up behind me while I was unloading my car, and when I turned around they were right behind me, ready to shove their pamphlets in my face. I'm usually polite but quite firm about telling them to go away, but I did yell at them that time. I hate being approached like that. It's one thing to have someone standing in one place soliciting donations from passerby, but following someone and approaching them at their car is an intimidation attempt, in my opinion, and I don't take well to it.

I stop going anywhere I don't absolutely have to go after Thanksgiving. The last time I was in a mall (several years ago) I was trying to walk by a toy store when a marine gets in front of me, blocking my path and pointing at the store, indicating I should go buy a toy to give to his BS child fetish charity. When I try to step around him, he continues to get in my way and block my path over and over. I eventually got annoyed and ended up faking to one side and doing a spin around him (stepping on his shiny shoe) and when he whirled around to try and grab me, I elbowed him in the gut and went on my merry way as he stumbled and fell down. I do NOT like men who use their physical size to try to intimidate me or force me to do something I don't want to do.

I no longer buy GS cookies either, not because it's not a good organization and not because I don't like the cookies. I just hate being literally SCREAMED at every time I go to the store by these little brats begging for money. I walk right past and buy the exact same cookies from Keebler, who DOESN'T have anyone screaming at me like a freak. I was fine with breeders passing around the cookie list at work. I didn't feel pressured to buy and it was discrete. Heck, I would seek out the moo for a yearly fix on cookies, but do NOT scream at total strangers as they're trying to enter a store. (Also, the GS cookies started getting cheap and putting less cookies in the box for a higher price. Screw that noise.)

This year, the charity crap came to me. My school has one of those BS "angel trees". Our class senator asked us to vote on if we wanted to do one (which of course he prefaced with "unless you're heartless" so of course the kids all decided they wanted to do it via peer pressure). Forget the fact that ANY charity that uses kids to be the focal point is child exploitation and ageist. What about the adults (like myself) who can't afford nice things? Do we "get no xmas" just because we can't be exploited?

Anyhow, he comes back with not one, but THREE "angels", because apparently they're a friggin matched set from a moo who didn't know when to stop and opted to add to her problems rather than be responsible. What do these brats want? A karaoke machine! WHAT? Seriously? No offense but I'm not able to afford to keep the electricity on in my apartment, where we have to call the cops at least once a month, and my car can't be registered because I can't afford to pay the toll charges... and we're supposed to plunk down 2-300$ for these entitled brats to play 'merican idle? I call BS! How about you give me the 300$ so I can turn the electricity on? I won't be a burden on society and I'll actually be grateful for the help, unlike the bratlings who will most likely be told that "santa" brought the DJ equipment for them and hence they won't be the least be grateful.

I don't encounter many of these people but my usual approach is to ignore them. If they are persistant or in some way physically in my path, I find that an unexpected answer stuns them.

"Would you like to donate to this children's charity?"

"No, I only donate to charities which promote contraceptives to prevent the birth of needy children."

Then you're past the person before what you said has properly registered. They're expecting a "No, thanks" or something similarly evasive, but I figure they've already abandoned the social contract by talking to me when I'm clearly ignoring them, so I'm not obligated to play the social game either.

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yurble
I don't encounter many of these people but my usual approach is to ignore them. If they are persistant or in some way physically in my path, I find that an unexpected answer stuns them.

"Would you like to donate to this children's charity?"

"No, I only donate to charities which promote contraceptives to prevent the birth of needy children."

Then you're past the person before what you said has properly registered. They're expecting a "No, thanks" or something similarly evasive, but I figure they've already abandoned the social contract by talking to me when I'm clearly ignoring them, so I'm not obligated to play the social game either.

I think I might try that one out. smile

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alana
I've been approached at my car once, by Jehovah's Witnesses doing their usual neighborhood rounds. They came up behind me while I was unloading my car, and when I turned around they were right behind me, ready to shove their pamphlets in my face.

Ohhh, no, no, no - you so do not do that to me. My first reaction would be an outraged squawk, followed by making defensive projectiles of anything I was holding.

Boy, that is a stupid ass thing to do to people.

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keeper of traken

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yurble
I don't encounter many of these people but my usual approach is to ignore them. If they are persistant or in some way physically in my path, I find that an unexpected answer stuns them.

"Would you like to donate to this children's charity?"

"No, I only donate to charities which promote contraceptives to prevent the birth of needy children."

Then you're past the person before what you said has properly registered. They're expecting a "No, thanks" or something similarly evasive, but I figure they've already abandoned the social contract by talking to me when I'm clearly ignoring them, so I'm not obligated to play the social game either.

I think I might try that one out. smile

I'm all over that. I'll be stealing that!

My first marriage came about because of a Salvation Army bell ringer.

My first DH ( my DBF at the time) and I went up to The City for some Christmas shopping We had met in college ,in a Criminal Justice administration class* and had been dating for sometime.As this was 1986, we headed to a mall.

As we approached the mall, we saw a Salvation Army bell ringer in front.No biggee...Until we got close and realized that this guy was taking his duties waaaaaay too seriously. Usually (at least in those days) bell ringers used a small bell,and it made a nice ding, ding sound that blended well with the Christmas festivities. This guy was using a cow bell, and instead of ding,ding, it was CLANG,CLANG!!!! It was so loud it hurt my ears, and conversation was impossible . We practically ran into the mall to get away from him, and as we did so, I thought, "I 'd like to take that bell and shove it up his ass."

And as soon as we got inside, my DBH leaned over and hissed in my ear,"Wouldn't you just love to take that bell and shove it up his ass?"

And I knew right then that it was Fate that had brought us together...that we were destined to be as one throughout eternity...It was meant to be...Now,is that not the most stirringly romantic story involving a Salvation Army bell ringer you've ever read.? :-D

We were indeed married, and stayed married till his premature death at the age of 42.:-( He was a true CF who had known since childhood that he never wanted children, but figured he "had to" have some kids because "all women want children". I was not so much a fence sitter as a person with zero interest in children,but possessed of a vague notion that in my 30s some kids would just magically be there, because there's no way to escape them forever. I shudder to think what might have happened if we hadn't found each other and actually discussed having kids** instead of marrying other people and letting nature take its course : There might well be two sets of kids out there, both of them with a parent who never wanted children but who thought they were inevitable and unavoidable.







* Which my DH needed for his degree, while I was taking it to pad my gpa and because I liked true crime books.I got an A, he got a B,ha-ha! (He was NOT amused.)

** We had the discussion AFTER we got married, a course of action I do NOT recommend.

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ex lurker
And I knew right then that it was Fate that had brought us together...that we were destined to be as one throughout eternity...It was meant to be...Now,is that not the most stirringly romantic story involving a Salvation Army bell ringer you've ever read.? :-D

Nothing like shared moments of snark to know that you're compatible with someone.

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Dorisan

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alana
I've been approached at my car once, by Jehovah's Witnesses doing their usual neighborhood rounds. They came up behind me while I was unloading my car, and when I turned around they were right behind me, ready to shove their pamphlets in my face.

Angryface1.jpg

Ohhh, no, no, no - you so do not do that to me. My first reaction would be an outraged squawk, followed by making defensive projectiles of anything I was holding.

Boy, that is a stupid ass thing to do to people.

I take my drooling monster with me in the zoovan when I go shopping. He is extremely protective, and with a button on my car key I can open the back door. If I felt in danger, I could just open and call him to me. Them JW would have sh*t their pants accosting me like that in front of the dog. He waits while I load the bags, but in such a situation he would lunge at them. He popped the glass out of the Cherokee hatch years ago. A stranger approached my hubs to ask him about the dogs (we had 3 back then), and Opie lunged. If not for the defrosting wires, the glass would have fallen on the ground, and pup would have attacked. Then, put to sleep by animal control. :goggle

When I see kyds selling candy bars or crap at store entrances, I call the store manager to report that they are blocking the entrances, harassing me, or getting pushy. Usually when I call the Wal-Mart, the manager informs me they are supposed to be xx feet from the entrance. I haven't called on a bell ringer yet, they usually have their post located away from the door and don't block it...plus they all seem borderline anyhow around here, and aren't too social/confrontational.
The icing on the complaint is when I throw in that a burly teen solicitor almost caused me to fall or trip into an elderly customer ahead/behind me....that has lawsuit risk written all over it. That honestly does happen quite a bit when they get in the doorway and cause a bottleneck of hesitant people tripping.
But I get sick of people I know they truck in from the city to sell candy bars for a dollar...I could walk right in the store and get the same damned bar 2 for $1....:crz
Hopefully my complaints will lead the manager to start denying requests for solicitors to plant themselves on the property.

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moot
When I see kyds selling candy bars or crap at store entrances, I call the store manager to report that they are blocking the entrances, harassing me, or getting pushy. Usually when I call the Wal-Mart, the manager informs me they are supposed to be xx feet from the entrance. I haven't called on a bell ringer yet, they usually have their post located away from the door and don't block it...plus they all seem borderline anyhow around here, and aren't too social/confrontational.
The icing on the complaint is when I throw in that a burly teen solicitor almost caused me to fall or trip into an elderly customer ahead/behind me....that has lawsuit risk written all over it. That honestly does happen quite a bit when they get in the doorway and cause a bottleneck of hesitant people tripping.
But I get sick of people I know they truck in from the city to sell candy bars for a dollar...I could walk right in the store and get the same damned bar 2 for $1....:crz
Hopefully my complaints will lead the manager to start denying requests for solicitors to plant themselves on the property.

I also take a complaint to the store/ maul management when I am solicited for money in an aggressive manner.
I do not mind a passive approach of having a quiet display or booth for a reasonable social justice cause available (especially if they give value for money (ie. gift wrapping, BBQ, crafts, sweets, etc) and a few metres away from any entrance.

I do buy discount cards the local band students sell outside stores. But they are quiet, they sit at their table and don't hassle people. The card is useful, you can get a percent off at a Chinese restaurant I like, a free pie from McDonalds, a free shake from Wendy's, and so on for a whole year. But these people selling candy bars that cost more than the store sells them for? Sheesh. The sad thing is, we're a 99.5% white community. Really, there's like one black kid in the whole of the local school district. And somehow, the people selling candy to raise money for the local high school sports team are all black and there are no children selling, just adult men. I think they truck a bunch out of the city and rotate through the small outlying towns on the weekends. SCAM.

Ugh, I hate the holiday panhandling too. And I give these bell-ringing assholes the same amount of money I give to bums: NONE. No, I don't want to pay $15 for shitty cookie dough so someone's little asshole can buy a jersey. No, I don't want to donate a toy to some brat whose Moo makes more on welfare than most working people make. No, I don't give a fuck about the March of Dimes. I shop at the local Salvation Army at least once a week, so no, the red-bucket bell ringers don't get money from me either. I even get it on eBay when I pay for shit - donate to some bullshit kid charity.

Nope! I only donate to animal charities. Maybe if these fuckfaces weren't so pushy with their collections, more people would donate. I get guilted into doing shit I don't want to do more than enough at home and I refuse to let total strangers do the same thing. Do they ever stop and think that maybe if they don't get in people's faces about donations, more people would donate? And donate more than 50 cents too? The salesman tactics do one of two things: drive people away while giving them a bad opinion of whoever the donations are for, OR guilting people into a donation that leaves a bad taste in their mouths. I know the collectors just want money at all costs. But the upside of holiday collectors - whether school fundraisers or annoying bell ringers - is they provide you with a place to dispose of counterfeit money.

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rudeawakening

I work retail when I'm on breaks from school, and this past summer we did some fundraiser where we had to ask every customer if they wanted to donate to this charity "to help a child in need" (that was the script, so it makes them sound like assholes who don't want to help teh chillunz if they say no). And if we didn't ask with every transaction, our supervisor was all up in our faces. (When she was out of earshot I usually didn't ask, because I know people don't like to be bothered and most said no anyway.) I plan on working over my Christmas break and am NOT looking forward to having to beg for more donations…in addition to, you know, dealing with the savage customers and, frequently, their ill-behaved shitlings.

That what our store does too. Often it's 'for a needee famlee' type charities, main supervisor always watching like a hawk to make sure we said the spiel. I always hated saying it, and every chance when she wasn't around (and sometimes even when she was) I wouldn't say it. Customers will donate when they want to donate, they'll need no prompting from me.

Fortunately though the annual beggathon has gotten less and less each year, and I can't wait to see it dissappear altogether one day.

I have to add something to my OP. I don't at all fault the checkout folks who ask for my change or donations. I realize that's the asshole management that makes them do it! When management isn't around I have had them not even mention it. There should be something in current labor laws that deal with this crap. However there is like 1% of clerks that through not having any life experience, or knowing what its like to make ends meet, will take this begging shit to heart and run with it.
Example today! Went to grocery store and bought some items. The clerk "a very young,otherwise pleasant kid" asks" Do you want to donate your change to hungry children s fund? I said no. Okay we completed the sale and she says "Thank you and here is your .65 cents" She said it in a way I took that was to shame me. I take this as a young girl who is clueless about the reality of life. In 30 years I wonder if her views will be different?