chuggers, charity muggers

Dublinstiofán

Just wondering if it’s only me or is everybody getting sick of being tormented by chuggers, (charity muggers) on the streets of Dublin? The huge influx of them in the last 12 months is ridiculous. It's getting to the stage that I can't even get to where I want to go for lunch without two to three of these guys from charities trying to stop me.

Personally I think it’s a great idea for people to go and volunteer for a charity if that’s what floats their boat but tormenting people on Dublin streets is not the way to get sponsorship in my opinion.
I have done loads of work for both Goal and Trocaire but I wouldn't stoop to the level of basically begging and putting pressure on people to have a certain amount of money taken out of ones bank account every month. And what’s worse is that we all seem to have gotten used to in the last 12 months.

Only one guy ever managed to stop me by standing in my way, thus blocking my only means of escape and the only way out was to give him a swift kick in the b**ls, I didn't. I did however stick around giving him a chance to wow me partly out of curiosity.

This particular worker went into a big detailed well rehearsed speech about building homes for blind people down the country and how they need a place to live altogether to keep each other company. He then began telling me there is no help for blind people in this country. I brought up Guide dogs etc but he said that that only X amount of blind people get them a year and there is no help for the rest etc. I then asked him how many houses they have built so far and after him previously telling me 6 in his introduction speech at the beginning this had changed to 9. Now as far as I know charities can’t build 3 houses in less than 5 minutes so I ask you. Do they think were all retarded? Do they even have a f**king clue what they’re talking about? or are they making things up on the spot to sucker us into donating?
Anyway long story short he eventually asked for money. Now I’m a broke student working my ass off for the summer to try not to have two jobs during the college year yet again. I explained I don't have any money to donate once a month but also added I could donate my time if they needed help, I suggested I could be a volunteer for a few days if they needed me. To which he got snotty exclaiming that he was a 'professional fundraiser' and that just any Joe Soap couldn’t walk in and do his job. I happen to disagree with him as even he didn’t seem to know what he was talking about. Anyway I said bit my lip and said I had to go back to work and was told that it's fine but that if I couldn’t money I could f**k off. And That was that.

If there was some sort of badge that you could buy if you sponsored one of the charities that they see the badge and never bother you again I’d nearly consider paying for 12 months in one lump sum and never have them bother me again. But the fact there’s so damn many of them from different companies it would probably cost about €4000 to never hear from them all again.

So here is the Definitive guide of where not to walk in Dublin.

I've seen them on:
1. The corner of west Morlan Street/ College Green at Bank of Ireland Every day lunchtime
2. Central Bank,
3. Lower O'Connell St.
4. Henry St.
5. Liffey Street Lower and Upper
6. Middle Abbey Street
7. Stephens Green Shopping Centre
8. Grafton Street
9. Ilac Centre entrance
10. Jervis St entrance
11. Dame Street
12. Stephens Green Park outside main gates
13. Bachelors walk
14. Mary Street.

That’s all I can think of now but I’m sure there are many more. I have also taken the liberty of marking on the map of Dublin where not to go if these guys torment you. The places I have seen them are marked with pink X's

So as you can see if you can't bear these guys you’re a prisoner in your own city.

And nobody seems to see the solution to making it all go away again. Now don't get me wrong I have never been mean to anybody who has tried to stop me. I have politely said I have to go back to work and walk on. But after a year of the same thing day after day it’s trying my patience more and more. If nobody signed up to these charities for a few weeks they would realise that they are not getting enough people in a certain area and move somewhere else so as not get the sack. (AFAIK they need a certain number a week to keep their jobs)

I have tried the old fashioned approach to ignore them and they will go away but that doesn’t seem to be working as they’re still here a year later. Maybe we should take the American approach they use with telemarketer phone sales and just shout abuse at them until we’re blue in the face.
What do you think?
Comments, Opinions, how to make them go away?

Miguel_Sanchez

When they ask you can they talk to you you could always just politely but firmly say 'no' and keep walking.

Works for me.

Shouting abuse at them is pretty juvenile and damn rude.

They're not going away - just get used to them.

Pighead

Jesus DublinStiofan, Pighead passes about 76 of these people evryday and it doesn't annoy him one iota. Why aren't you concentrating on the pretty girls or the lovely new trees on O'Connell St. Stop Looking for problems and.....

http://www.dosima.org/rajan.khakhar/just_say_no_hasan_s.gif

OMcGovern

Don't make eye contact with them in the first place.
If you make eye contact, they'll target you.
Also, they'll target certain people more than others... the ones they think they'll get money out of. The female chuggers will target the men, and the male chuggers will target the women....

I find a can of pepper spray particularly effective against chuggers....

Dublinstiofán

Jeff_Lebowski wrote:

When they ask you can they talk to you you could always just politely but firmly say 'no' and keep walking.

Works for me.

Shouting abuse at them is pretty juvenile and damn rude.

They're not going away - just get used to them.

I never for a moment said i shouted abuse at them, i have never been rude to any of them and have ignored them every day for a year just getting sick of the hassle. I know how best to deal with them and shouting abuse isn't the answer. I'm not starting a debate on how to deal with them. Just looking for opinions of what others think and wondering is there anybody getting slightly annoyed at this stage with them constantly butting in. Even when your holding a conversation they still want to interrupt you and stop you which is the height of rudeness.

Ruu_Old

Just ignore them, they are likely to increase in numbers.

Dublinstiofán

OMcGovern wrote:

Don't make eye contact with them in the first place.
If you make eye contact, they'll target you.
Also, they'll target certain people more than others... the ones they think they'll get money out of. The female chuggers will target the men, and the male chuggers will target the women....

I find a can of pepper spray particularly effective against chuggers....

Look i'm not an amature when it comes to ignoring them. I never make eye contact with them and stress again i'm not looking for advice on how to ignore them im well practised at that after a year. Just want opinions.

Thomas_S_Hunterson

Carry around a large spatula to fend them off.

They'll learn quick enough.

Rhyme

Push some innocent onlooker into their path...

That or rely on their inability to see people if they don't move.

Pighead

Dublinstiof&#225 wrote: »

Look i'm not an amature when it comes to ignoring them. I never make eye contact with them and stress again i'm not looking for advice on how to ignore them im well practised at that after a year. Just want opinions.

So whats your beef then buddy? They don't annoy you, you're able to ignore them yet you feel compelled to write a 973 word post bemoaning their existence. SHAME ON YOU. Its a bank holiday weekend.

Go take your girlfriend for a walk in the meadows and watch her beautiful smile as you present her with a daisychain.

Morlar

Pighead wrote:

yet you feel compelled to write a 973 word post bemoaning their existence.

I counted 972.

monkeyfudge

Just start to slowly remove your clothes and drop each item on the ground as you gently back away... the chugger shall stop to closely investigate each item of clothing you drop on the ground...

Oh wait... that's polar bears....

Thomas_S_Hunterson

Pighead wrote:

So whats your beef then buddy? They don't annoy you, you're able to ignore them yet you feel compelled to write a 973 word post bemoaning their existence. SHAME ON YOU. Its a bank holiday weekend.

Go take your girlfriend for a walk in the meadows and watch her beautiful smile as you present her with a daisychain.

thats funny, i got 926

englander

It must be working for the charitys in question (e.g.Concern) to hire these 'people' to do this.

It must be bringing in more for the charity than its costing them ?

The question I want to know is, who the hell is giving their bank details to these annoying creatures ?

Anyone here give their details to these annoying feckers ?
If so, why did you do it ?

They're not volunteers either...

they get a pretty decent pay

TomCo

I'd like to point out that these guys are NOT charity workers, they get paid a base of €320 a week and they aim to get 5 people to sign up a day. I ****ing hate the bastards.

Pighead

Morlar wrote:

I counted 972.

You forgot to count the word dubmap in his link you silliest of billies. Good to see a fellow thread counting anorak on boards though. Pighead looks forward to dueling with you in the future.

On topic Pighead hates the word chugger and feels its lazy in the extremes. If the lovely Piste was looking radiant would you walk up to her and say "Hows my rapiste doing today" No you wouldn't.

monkeyfudge

sean_keevey wrote:

thats funny, i got 926

I got 926 as well.

973 is the amount of times a thread moaning about chuggers has been started here.

Pighead

monkeyfudge wrote:

I got 926 as well.

Hmmmm looks like Pighead may be wrong. As the old saying goes "He who loves the simian shall be blessed with supreme counting powers".
I really don't know how I messed this up, though perhaps my stammer is to blame.
Apologies OP, monkeyfudge and sean_keevey for my wrongness.

monkeyfudge

Pighead wrote:

Hmmmm looks like Pighead may be wrong. As the old saying goes "He who loves the simian shall be blessed with supreme counting powers".
I really don't know how I messed this up, though perhaps my stammer is to blame.
Apologies OP, monkeyfudge and sean_keevey for my wrongness.

Well it takes a big man to stand up and apologise like that... and so concisely too with just 228 characters.

Well done!

scojones

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=230029
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=232635
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=222645
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=290109
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=305851
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2054854159
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2054862390
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=288890
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2054915601
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2054913968
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2054906357

Hobbes

There is a wiki entry for this. I suggest you use it rather then just spam links.

Piste

Pighead wrote:

You forgot to count the word dubmap in his link you silliest of billies. Good to see a fellow thread counting anorak on boards though. Pighead looks forward to dueling with you in the future.

On topic Pighead hates the word chugger and feels its lazy in the extremes. If the lovely Piste was looking radiant would you walk up to her and say "Hows my rapiste doing today" No you wouldn't.

Why would someone call ME of all people a Rapiste?!

Those actions were entirely legal at the time they were filmed in the country they were filmed >_>

Pighead wrote:

If the lovely Piste was looking radiant would you walk up to her and say "Hows my rapiste doing today" No you wouldn't.

Also, If? IF? There is no *If* about it! The lovely Piste is always radiant!

Caco

Pighead wrote:

On topic Pighead hates the word chugger and feels its lazy in the extremes. If the lovely Piste was looking radiant would you walk up to her and say "Hows my rapiste doing today" No you wouldn't.

So by your logic, we shouldn't abbreviate and just continue to call them "charity muggers"?!!!
I like abbreviations... though I think they went too far with abbreviating abbreviation to abbrev.!

Pighead

Never question Pighead Caco(4/10, has potential but reminds me of poo). abbreviations are fine for one word, but when you start cramming two words together then thats when things get messy.

Now no more arguing. You don't want Pighead to call you a fucanker do you?

Dublinstiofán

Pighead wrote:

So whats your beef then buddy? They don't annoy you, you're able to ignore them yet you feel compelled to write a 973 word post bemoaning their existence. SHAME ON YOU. Its a bank holiday weekend.

Go take your girlfriend for a walk in the meadows and watch her beautiful smile as you present her with a daisychain.

I have every intention of doing same. Was just a quiet day at the office had to find some way to make the time fly. And it just happened one of those arseholes approached me again during lunch so it was fresh in my mind. 973 words of pure crap. I'm obviously pretty talented at writing crap. Should be working for Hearald AM or Metro.

Flex

I honestly cant stand them anymore. Pisses me off that I always have chuggers trying to stop me 6 or 7 times everytime I go to the city centre to get stuff, and some of them are so damn pushy too. One time there was this woman who wouldnt leave me alone so I eventually let her say her speech, because I didnt havea job at the time and only had a tiny bit of money in my bank account. So I told her after she'd finished I was a student and didnt have a job, then she said (with kind of a grin on her face) "Oh really, then where did you get the money to buy those?" (pointing at some stuff Id bought). I shouldve just said **** off and walked off then, but told her I didnt have my bank account details on me anyway so she asked which bank my account was with because they could ring it up and get my details over the phone.

Aard

Start touching yourself if they start hassling you. Moaning gets you bonus points.

Space Coyote

Jebus, they are quite annoying but if you are incapable of ignoring them then try pulling a few spontaneous scary/weird faces as you walk towards them. I assure you they will quickly look/run away from you. Either that or they'll join you in the face pulling game and want to be your best mate.

Flex

Space Coyote wrote:

Jebus, they are quite annoying but if you are incapable of ignoring them then try pulling a few spontaneous scary/weird faces as you walk towards them. I assure you they will quickly look/run away from you. Either that or they'll join you in the face pulling game and want to be your best mate.

Orrrrrrr...... they'll shoot you.

stepbar

Add south great georges st to the list (both sides of the street), have met a few of them in the past few days. Also met a guy on camden st one of the days as well

The people who do these jobs are either retarded or just too lazy to get a proper job...