Canvassing: What time is too late?

Paracord

Had a local SF councillor knock on my door tonight at five to nine. Irritated me as I had just settled down and was nearly off to sleep. This seems to be a tad too late to me. I wouldn't knock on a friends door unannounced like that, never mind a stranger. Are there rules that canvassers have to stick to? Specifically regarding time etc?

COYW

Not that I know of but 2100 is very inconsiderate on the part of the canvasser. I hope you told him to go and jump. Anyone who has to start work in the early hours of the morning needs to be in bed by that time.

Can anyone tell me what the rules are regarding entering private property?

Boulevardier

In my (quite considerable) experience, canvassing is carried out between about 6.30 and about 8.30, or 9 at the absolute latest. It is also done on Saturday mornings between 11 and 1. Canvassers become a bit wary if corrie or a big match are on the box.

I would say those limits are OK. We understand if people want to slam the door on us.

Regarding private property, a person must leave when asked, but it is generally accepted that people are entitled to knock on doors except where there is a specific indication to the contrary.

Sierra Oscar

Yeah, general rule of thumb for all canvasses I have been on is to finish up at 8.30 with 9 being the latest you would ever knock on a door.

COYW

Boulevardier wrote: »

Regarding private property, a person must leave when asked, but it is generally accepted that people are entitled to knock on doors except where there is a specific indication to the contrary.

Thank you. So just to clarify. If I told a canvasser that he or she should not walk up a private driveway but they did exactly this minutes after I left the area, then he or she is in the wrong. Is there an authority that one could lodge a complaint with about this?

GBXI

COYW wrote: »

Thank you. So just to clarify. If I told a canvasser that he or she should not walk up a private driveway but they did exactly this minutes after I left the area, then he or she is in the wrong. Is there an authority that one could lodge a complaint with about this?

Seriously - let it go. Enjoy your life.

Manach

GBXI wrote: »

Seriously - let it go. Enjoy your life.

Was not what the OP was doing before the canvasser called.

GBXI

Manach wrote: »

Was not what the OP was doing before the canvasser called.

Yeah, the OP seems to have got a response which told him/her that calling after 9 is generally considered too late and he/she now knows.

The next poster then decides like having a good moan and wants to make a formal complaint because someone walked in their driveway - hence my comment.

Paracord

Cheers for the input folks. Emailed the offending councillor just after putting up the thread and received a reply apologising and explaining his canvass hours are 7.30pm to 9pm. Still couldn't grasp that 8.55pm might be an inconsiderate time to call (just as kids are being put to bed etc) . He mentioned that ''other parties'' use that as a guideline, but I have yet to hear from any of those other parties past 5pm. Voting for SF in my area does not appear to be a vote for common sense.

Sierra Oscar

Paracord wrote: »

He mentioned that ''other parties'' use that as a guideline, but I have yet to hear from any of those other parties past 5pm. Voting for SF in my area does not appear to be a vote for common sense.

In fairness, it would be very difficult to meet all of your constituents if you can't canvass at all past 5PM. Most people don't have a problem with a canvasser knocking so long as it is before 20:30 or there about.

Canvassers are by and large volunteers, they have day jobs and lives outside of politics too.

Paracord

This wasn't volunteers knocking it was the candidate himself. My point was that these other candidates can make the time during the day, why can't this guy? I work Pat Mustard hours and have to go to bed early. Do you when you are canvassing consider that before disturbing people or is it just pushed to the back of your mind? - Not attacking you, that's an honest question.

Sierra Oscar

I would be pretty conscious of it myself, if lights were out and blinds drawn I would be apprehensive to approach a door considering some people work nights and the like. I do so myself at times so I know how annoying it can be to be disturbed! If there was a note saying 'No canvassers' or similar then obviously I wouldn't knock.

Its a tricky one I guess. On the one hand candidates get a bashing if they do not visit people, then on the other they would get to visit no one if they could only canvass during the day.

Paracord

Sierra Oscar wrote: »

I would be pretty conscious of it myself, if lights were out and blinds drawn I would be apprehensive to approach a door .... If there was a note saying 'No canvassers' or similar then obviously I wouldn't knock.

More or less this is why I am annoyed. Car in the driveway, blinds drawn, all lights off - again common sense would dictate, either no one is in or they are asleep. I have a VERY dark front garden so even if I had a sign up it would not have been visible. I may have to invest in a deterrent for nuisance callers. A rottweiler perhaps.

Can I name and shame? Someone who can't grasp basic manners or apply common sense should not be in any position to legislate or take part in any legislative processes.

Nino Brown

If somebody knocks on your door at an inconsiderate time, don't answer the door. Worst case scenario they knock again, so you're total inconvenience would be 2-3 secs total of knocking/ringing. Surely you'e put yourself through more inconvenience, by starting a thread, and emailing the Councillor than they have put you through by knocking on your door. I don't know why people get so worked up about such insignificant things.

Paracord

Nino Brown wrote: »

If somebody knocks on your door at an inconsiderate time, don't answer the door. Worst case scenario they knock again, so you're total inconvenience would be 2-3 secs total of knocking/ringing. Surely you'e put yourself through more inconvenience, by starting a thread, and emailing the Councillor than they have put you through by knocking on your door. I don't know why people get so worked up about such insignificant things.

When someone knocks at my door, I answer it. Its rude not to in my opinion. I was nearly asleep. Let me know if you work nights and forward me your address and I will knock unannounced at 9pm some night. It really is irritating being woken up. Significance is subjective. I find it extremely significant that it took me another hour to get to sleep after I was woken up. Sleep is a precious commodity to me.

If I was more inconvenienced emailing the offending candidate or starting this thread Nino, I will let you know, until then do not presume to know what I find inconvenient.

Nino Brown

Paracord wrote: »

When someone knocks at my door, I answer it. Its rude not to in my opinion. I was nearly asleep. Let me know if you work nights and forward me your address and I will knock unannounced at 9pm some night. It really is irritating being woken up. Significance is subjective. I find it extremely significant that it took me another hour to get to sleep after I was woken up. Sleep is a precious commodity to me.

If I was more inconvenienced emailing the offending candidate or starting this thread Nino, I will let you know, until then do not presume to know what I find inconvenient.

I do work nights. Feel free to call to my door at any time of the day or night, because I never answer it. I don't want to vote for anybody, I don't want to find Jesus, and I don't want to switch to Airtricity, so I'd rather just go back asleep, because sleep is precious to me too.
But fair enough if you'd rather get out of bed to go tell somebody you don't want to talk to them, rather than let them just walk away, that's your choice. But it is a choice.

Boulevardier

This problem is going to get much worse between now and the 23rd May. After that it will go away for a while.

I would suggest that people who are seriously put out by canvassers should put up a "no canvassers" sign during this period.

delthedriver

Interesting debate.


Personally I don't open the door. If a friend is calling they would ring me in advance.


On the other hand my wife opens the door to canvassers. Why?


I will exercise my duty as a citizen by voting.


Listening to someone prattling on about how great they are, what they are going to do when elected just turns me off.


Would I be rude to canvassers ? No. Do I want them calling to my door ? No


Meanwhile best wishes to all those willing to give up their time to go out canvassing.

4umbrellas

My doorbell doesn't work. My friends know this and phone me when they arrive. I've no plans to fix it!

Boulevardier

If I press a doorbell while canvasing and I am not sure I heard it ring, I always wait a few seconds and then use the knocker - loudly.