Beggars knocking on front doors

IK09

Its strange that this thread has popped up.

The council bought a house on our row and moved an "undesirable" in about a month ago.

She has called 3 times now.

The first time was for butter...no problem...heres some butter on a plate, even though the shop is open literally less than 100 yards away from her door.

The second time was for a cigarette. No I dont have any.

The third time was for a lighter...at 10.45pm last night while my kid was alseep. She rang the doorbell and then when I didnt answer she started knocking loudly on the door.

I think its time to move.

Dempo1

Gregor Samsa wrote: »

It used to be common when I grew up in Dublin in the 70s and 80s (also D9), but I haven't experienced it in decades. Fashion is cyclical, though, so maybe it's making a comeback. Less people out walking the streets of the city centre since Covid 19 lockdown/restrictions, so the take is bound to be down for those begging on the streets. If the mountain won't come to Mohammed...

Gosh, just dawned on me we had an itinerant family (as they were once known) called regularly, the mother mainly and there was always something for her, foodstuffs, clothing etc. I lived in the Dun Laoghaire area back in the 70"s/80"s, I've not seen or heard of such an occurance since then.

Pkiernan

We give non perishables to a traveller family every Saturday.

I wouldn't give cash to Roma beggars though, unless they were using them for a 1 way ticket home.

Pkiernan

Church on Tuesday wrote: »

Sometime in the 50s my grandfather opened the door to a tramp who begged for money and was being fairly smart about it, my grandfather replied with "wait a minute" and went back inside to bring out his Lee Enfield from his time in the IRA during the Tan war, cocked it and then let out a volley of shots over the tramps head, reckoned he never say a man run as fast in his life before.

I miss my grandad.

He sounds like a good Christian!

Rhyme

Dempo1 wrote: »

Gosh, just dawned on me we had an itinerant family (as they were once known) called regularly, the mother mainly and there was always something for her, foodstuffs, clothing etc. I lived in the Dun Laoghaire area back in the 70"s/80"s, I've not seen or heard of such an occurance since then.

We had two families call to my door in the late 90's/early 2000's. They were better dressed than us but there would always be some small bit of clothing, cans of food spare so whoever answered the door would give them out. It didn't take long before they became aggressive and demanded money and we'd find the cans of food thrown back in our garden or the clothes in a tree nearby. A few confrontations and a word to the rest of the houses on the street and they got the message.

We had a guy who would call to the house once week in the late 90's who would literally 'sing for his supper' and the train fare back home. Had a battered violin and a great voice.

jamesbondings

I have lived all over and never experienced it. I am over in the other halfs mams a fair bit and it happens her loads.
I stayed there for xmas a couple of times. Christmas day 11am, presents getting opened, knock on the door. Any money. I didnt open the door, if I had they would have been very swiftly told where to go on Xmas day of all days. They were lucky they got the mother in law, she gave them a tin of roses!

It has happened twice in the mils since lockdown.

evad_lhorg

Only people who have ever called to the door are travellers in my experience.

Gregor Samsa

evad_lhorg wrote: »

Only people who have ever called to the door are travellers in my experience.

Which stands to reason, as anyone visiting you who isn't travelling is already in your house.

topper75

Pkiernan wrote: »

He sounds like a good Christian!

I would say. Teaching that other poor sinner soul not to covet his neighbour's goods. Lights up Heaven, that sort of ministry.

Church on Tuesday

Pkiernan wrote: »

He sounds like a good Christian!

He'd give you the shirt off his back as long as you weren't a cheeky prick.

evad_lhorg

Gregor Samsa wrote: »

Which stands to reason, as anyone visiting you who isn't travelling is already in your house.

Don't make me use other terms

Strumms

Thingymebob wrote: »

I checked the local estate Facebook group, and there were a few mentions of dodgy behaviour in the area in the last two weeks. None matched the description of the OAP, but possibly matched the description of the lad. The neighbours had a home invasion about four years ago (no logical reason, they’re Joe Average healthcare workers) so we got CCTV installed then.

Ordered cctv here too... not as expensive as I thought all be it courtesy of a company a family member works for but still great value... HD quality and viewable from tv, phone, tablets both at home and remotely....

Be a real peace of mind giver with everything going on.

trellheim

Nothing wrong with going door to door selling sky/leccy/broadband thats how a lot of people switch, and if you say "happy with what I have, thx bye" thats all you need to do.

antix80

Shoot them.

Pkiernan

Pkiernan wrote: »

We give non perishables to a traveller family every Saturday.

A tin of beans in a sports sock?

Pkiernan

Strumms wrote: »

Ordered cctv here too... not as expensive as I thought all be it courtesy of a company a family member works for but still great value... HD quality and viewable from tv, phone, tablets both at home and remotely....

Be a real peace of mind giver with everything going on.

Why do you think CCTV adds security?
It doesn't.

Feisar

Pkiernan wrote: »

Why do you think CCTV adds security?
It doesn't.

Same reasoning applies to locking the door. It’s the illusion of security.

kenmc

trellheim wrote: »

Nothing wrong with going door to door selling sky/leccy/broadband thats how a lot of people switch, and if you say "happy with what I have, thx bye" thats all you need to do.

BS. Why do they think it's ok to knock on someone's door to try sell them something they haven't requested? The person could be sick in bed, sleeping after a night shift, just after settling a baby for a nap or what not. If anyone wants to switch provider, there's several ways to do so at their convenience - internet of course primarily, but also stands in shopping centre, advertising etc not to mention junk mail.

There's absolutely no excuse for disturbing people in their own home. You don't see them providing their own home address or personal phone number to allow prospective customers to call over to their place whenever the notion takes them.

Shower of cnuts.

Edgware

kenmc wrote: »

BS. Why do they think it's ok to knock on someone's door to try sell them something they haven't requested? The person could be sick in bed, sleeping after a night shift, just after settling a baby for a nap or what not. If anyone wants to switch provider, there's several ways to do so at their convenience - internet of course primarily, but also stands in shopping centre, advertising etc not to mention junk mail.

There's absolutely no excuse for disturbing people in their own home. You don't see them providing their own home address or personal phone number to allow prospective customers to call over to their place whenever the notion takes them.

Shower of cnuts.

I'd never knock at a door except at election time when I have to canvass the great unwashed for their vote. Then I have to pretend that I am interested in their "problems" and make sure that I don't call during Corrie or what ever ****e these people find entertaining.

Rodney Bathgate

evad_lhorg wrote: »

Don't make me use other terms

Just say Travellers rather than travellers.

Gregor Samsa

trellheim wrote: »

Nothing wrong with going door to door selling sky/leccy/broadband thats how a lot of people switch, and if you say "happy with what I have, thx bye" thats all you need to do.

I has one representing Electric Ireland call to my house 5 times over a 2 week period last year. First time she called, I wasn't in. For some reason my wife told her to come back that evening when I was around (despite her knowing I have a strict, but polite policy, of not signing up for stuff at the door). When she came back, she seemed really pissed off when I said I'd gladly take her brochure, but I wasn't under any circumstances signing up at the door. She kept asking why my wife told her to come back if I wasn't interested, and saying. Then she came back the next day to take her brochure back and challenge me on my position and argue with me some more. She seemed to take it very personally that I wouldn't engage with her pitch. Again I held firm and politely declined.

4th time she came back, a few days later - she was with another guy - I got the impression she was training him. At that point I straight out told her that under absolutely no circumstances was I signing up for her services, that she was completely wasting her time, but that I was giving her a special offer, and willing to stand there and let her waste it for as long as she wanted. She was trying everything from being nice to insulting me (you must be stupid if you don't sign up for the offer). That went on for about 30 minutes.

Last time she called a few days later again. I didn't even bother engaging this time. I just opened the door, said "You are not to come onto my properly again", and closed it. That was the last I heard of her.

From then on, my polite policy of saying I'm not signing up at the door, but I'll take the brochure has changed to a firm "No thank you", and I close the door. I'm not wasting all that time again, and I've realised that being polite to these people is seen as a sign of weakness.

My dad, in the last few years of his life, was convinced into switching his phone, gas, electricity and house alarm, none of which offered him any benefit. When he switched his phone, they didn't tell him that he was being moved onto a VOIP system, and he permanently lost the phone number he had for decades (since the 60s, with a few numbers added over the years), which caused him a lot of anxiety. He never got to the point where he could remember his new number, and had to have it written down beside his phone and in his wallet, which made him feel stupid. He lost a bit of his identity when he lost that phone number

Switching house alarm ended up with him being sent a bill for over €300 from Phone Watch, because he was still in contract - the company he was switching to promised him that they would pay the charge for breaking the contract bill, but they didn't. Their installer also did a really sloppy job of fitting the alarm and sensors. Luckily, Phonewatch helped him cancel that contract during the cooling-off period, so he ended up not owing it, and their installer cleaned up the installation, as well as fitting a more modern system than he had to begin with. Both of these experiences caused him a lot of stress. So I have a particular disdain for door-to-door sales people from that.

tl;dr: Nothing good ever comes from answering your door.

kenmc

Edgware wrote: »

I'd never knock at a door except at election time when I have to canvass the great unwashed for their vote. Then I have to pretend that I am interested in their "problems" and make sure that I don't call during Corrie or what ever ****e these people find entertaining.

Same issue. Instead of knocking or ringing the bell,why don't you leave a note in the door with your address, saying "feel free to pop over any time you feel like to discuss how i\my party\my candidate will lie through our teeth to you and once at the trough gorge ourselves blithely ignorant of the false promises we spouted in the previous few weeks?
You'd soon get fed up of that too, wouldn't you?

Strumms

Pkiernan wrote: »

Why do you think CCTV adds security?
It doesn't.

Quite simply it does...

It’s a proven deterrent

And if something does happen it can be used as an evidence gatherer.

By your logic then no airport, shop, prison, court, bank, restaurant, gym etc... should bother with CCTV ? It adds security by virtue of it being there as a deterrent firstly and an evidence gatherer.

If I’m watching tv at 1am, I hear something, I can just switch over onto the cctv channel or app on iPad . If I see someone messing at the car, trying to break into the garage I’m straight onto the Gardai. If it’s just a fox at the bin, I’m back watching the game.

If the Gardai arrived after the person leaves, they can check cctv and if the person is known to them, face is identifiable they can possibly head them off as they’d know where they live. It also would have evidence value to convict.

Cctv adds security, it’s absurd to suggest otherwise, tinfoil hat territory to suggest otherwise.

tupenny

I rem. 1 woman who used to call. Pram and looking for clothes.
My mam told her come in 1 Saturday, it was lashing rain.
Mam gave her tea and toast. She was so appreciative, and 8 year old me learned a lesson from it. She was a harmless lady, prob sent out to do what she was doing. Not her fault

tupenny

What I'm trying to say is "they're not all the same"

kenmc

tupenny wrote: »

8 year old me learned a lesson from it.

Was it "never let strangers into your house"? Or "always make sure to not leave your purse easily accessible"?

Pkiernan

Strumms wrote: »

Quite simply it does...

It’s a proven deterrent

And if something does happen it can be used as an evidence gatherer.

By your logic then no airport, shop, prison, court, bank, restaurant, gym etc... should bother with CCTV ? It adds security by virtue of it being there as a deterrent firstly and an evidence gatherer.

If I’m watching tv at 1am, I hear something, I can just switch over onto the cctv channel or app on iPad . If I see someone messing at the car, trying to break into the garage I’m straight onto the Gardai. If it’s just a fox at the bin, I’m back watching the game.

If the Gardai arrived after the person leaves, they can check cctv and if the person is known to them, face is identifiable they can possibly head them off as they’d know where they live. It also would have evidence value to convict.

Cctv adds security, it’s absurd to suggest otherwise, tinfoil hat territory to suggest otherwise.

It doesn't add any security to your house. If you want to feel otherwise, go ahead and keep on dreaming.
They don't t prevent anyone entering your property.


Strong, less pickable locks and guard dogs are more effective

Not sure that you quite understand the "tin hat " reference, but then again you're not as smart as me.

anewme

Dempo1 wrote: »

Gosh, just dawned on me we had an itinerant family (as they were once known) called regularly, the mother mainly and there was always something for her, foodstuffs, clothing etc. I lived in the Dun Laoghaire area back in the 70"s/80"s, I've not seen or heard of such an occurance since then.

We had a similar lovely lady (Maggie) that called every couple of weeks (early - mid 70's). Her husband was a 'drunkard'. We were extremely poor and often had no food ourselves but yet something was put aside for this lady( stupid stuff like a tin of peas). We had no idea that she was begging till years later, we just thought Maggie came for chat with my Mam.

I remember my Mam gave my Communion dress to her (which itself was second hand) for her little girl. At Christmas she always came with a lucky bag and a bar for us. I often wonder if the kids turned out ok.

anewme

Strumms wrote: »

Ordered cctv here too... not as expensive as I thought all be it courtesy of a company a family member works for but still great value... HD quality and viewable from tv, phone, tablets both at home and remotely....

Be a real peace of mind giver with everything going on.

I'm looking into this, but am concerned it may make people think there is sonething worth stealing as not many others have it. Will upgrade alarm first, I dont have the one to phone as installed 14 years ago.

Mules

I remember that around 30 years ago, I didn't realise it was back.