Chuggers - "charity muggers"

segadreamcast · 11-08-2005 01:57PM #1

Hiya,

I'm aware that this topic has been discussed at length in two other threads. However, I am looking into a consequence of these chuggers - and effectively the question of the poll is:

Are chuggers helping or hindering charities in the long-term?

Personally, I think they're hindering charities as long-term subscribers, such as myself, are cancelling their long-term standing orders due to the constant harassment which these people provide on a daily basis. However, perhaps I'm the exception here?

Kingsize · 11-08-2005 02:00PM

Make chuggers history

LadyJ · 11-08-2005 02:06PM

My cousin once got chugged by his weed dealer.
If they employed drug dealers to do it then they'd make so much more money because you can't tell your dealer that you can't afford a tenner a month even though you order a half ounce every week!

BizzyC · 11-08-2005 02:25PM

Sure you could, tell him it's either a tenner for the poor, or into his pocket.
A dealer would never put a starving african kid first....

I hate the one that hunt you down.
You walk past one, then 4 more will run after you.
One kept walking in front of me saying:"You can stop if you want to"

Jut said, "well I dont.."

They just put me off charities...

DonkeyStyle \o/ · 11-08-2005 02:34PM

I think the mistake a lot of people make is being polite and engaging in conversation with the chuggers... "eh, no sorry, I uhm..."
Don't give them an opening.
We had a chugger follow us half way down Henry Street because my friend was polite enough to acknowledge one of them with "eh hmm no?".

I'm not popular enough for someone I don't know to stop me in the street and want to talk to me for any good reason... I think it's an ego thing, "Wow, a hot chick stepping infront of me to talk to me, it must be because I'm so good looking, she couldn't possibly be trying to sell me something!"

Just blank them, you don't owe them anything just because they're speaking to you... you're nothing more to them than a wallet with legs... fúck it, ignore them, what're they going to do?
I believe more and more that there's such a thing as being too good natured... you're just setting yourself up to be exploited... if it's not a chugger, it'll be someone else with some other request for your time and money.

A lot of people would swear this kind of pressuring doesn't happen, and I mightn't have believed it until I saw it with my own eyes, but after the kind of tactics I've seen employed by both chuggers and other marketing types, they can all suck my balls... I stop for no one.

super_furry · 11-08-2005 02:41PM

If anyone from any kind of charity even looks my way now, I'll just blank them.

drunkenfool · 11-08-2005 02:44PM

I once puked on a chugger

DonkeyStyle \o/ · 11-08-2005 03:04PM

drunkenfool wrote:

I once puked on a chugger

That's a good idea... I wonder if everyone carried around a bottle of salty water with them

thelordofcheese · 11-08-2005 03:13PM

The only use i can see for chuggers is they have helped me perfect my thousand yard stare.

DublinWriter · 11-08-2005 03:17PM

DonkeyStyle \o/ wrote:

Don't give them an opening.
We had a chugger follow us half way down Henry Street because my friend was polite enough to acknowledge one of them

Watch the way they work - female chuggers will approach single guys, male chuggers will approach groups of females.

I personally note the charity they work for and refuse to ever give that charity money ever again. UNICEF Ireland being public-enemy number one, how they get away with tarnishing the good-name of UNICEF with this type of Chugger activity is beyond me.

We should have a "Chugger Charity ban-list" Sticky here.

If you had the time and inclination, you could really think up games to play with their minds when they stop you on the street.

But seriously, if you do get stopped, ask them what percentage of their charities actual annual turn over actually goes to the cause in question. Most Irish charities never disclose this figure, which can be as low as 20%.

Go read the following....

http://www.cidb.ie/comhairleVCS.nsf/0/7aa3f4b089500ee880256bfb003c7164?OpenDocument

Dyr · 11-08-2005 03:17PM

The sad thing about chuggers and religious nutjobs is that nowadays when someone approaches me in the street i just blank them. They're making dublin a much less friendly place to live in. Having said that i make a point of giving to voluntary collectors nowadays.

shellby · 11-08-2005 03:21PM

simple:
Chugger: "hi, would you like to support ....."
You: "sorry i'm a student"
Chugger:"ye...(tries not to laugh|) but"
You: "sorry..student"

Megatron · 11-08-2005 03:27PM

shellby wrote:

simple:
Chugger: "hi, would you like to support ....."
You: "sorry i'm a student"
Chugger:"ye...(tries not to laugh|) but"
You: "sorry..student"

I prefer

Chugger: "hi, would you like to support ....."
You : No i don't give money to chuggers"
Chugger:"What's a chugger
You:"Someone who annoys you for money to give it to a charity . defeting the whole purpose of Charity"

Then just walk off , now i know it won't make a dent in there sales pitch, however anyone around who hears this usualy remembers it

DonkeyStyle \o/ · 11-08-2005 03:50PM

Tell them you'll donate €5 if they do a crazy dance in the middle of the street... after all it's for charity... you do want to help your chairty don't you?

Dellgirl · 11-08-2005 04:01PM

At the risk of getting shouted down here, does noone think that these guys are only doing a job....and not a very enjoyable one at that. They all seem to be students and they are only trying to earn money the same as the rest of us? Is my sympathy unwarrented>
i once saw a chugger getting slaughtered by some skangers on O Connell Street. they were shuting all sorts at him...not about wanting money but how he should go back to where he came from and give them the money....not strictly in those exact words!
They are a pain in the arse but Ive never been harrassed by one either.

DublinWriter · 11-08-2005 04:27PM

Blingarella wrote:

At the risk of getting shouted down here, does noone think that these guys are only doing a job....and not a very enjoyable one at that. They all seem to be students and they are only trying to earn money the same as the rest of us? Is my sympathy unwarrented>

Yes, death to chuggers.

They are only doing a job...sheesh...just like are Traffic Wardens and those guys who have to pull the lever on death row.

The very fact that they are doing 'a job' doesn't automaticly validate the righteousness of the 'job' in the first place.

While it's on my mind, the guys who ask you if you wan't to do a 'free personality test' are Scientologists. Avoid, avoid, avoid.

DonkeyStyle \o/ · 11-08-2005 04:41PM

Blingarella wrote:

At the risk of getting shouted down here, does noone think that these guys are only doing a job....and not a very enjoyable one at that. They all seem to be students and they are only trying to earn money the same as the rest of us? Is my sympathy unwarrented>

Yeah they're just trying to earn a living, there's nothing wrong with that... except for the lengths they'll go to in order to get people to donate, I assume harassment isn't a part of their job description.
Just because they're doing a job, that doesn't waive any personal responsibility to act like decent person and respect other peoples wishes.
I think the only reason they get away with it is because they've got some righteous cause to hide behind and mask all that nasty self-interest... if someone selling wrapping paper on the street acted like that, I'm sure there'd be more of fuss made.

nlgbbbblth · 11-08-2005 09:44PM

Chuggers rely on bullying and intimidation to try and get people to donate.

They are common in Naas during the week and make walking to the shop/lunch/whatever a very unpleasant task. I now take my life in my hands as I step off the footpath and onto the road to avoid them.

A good tip would be to print off this thread (or one of the others on chuggers) and hand it to them the next time they try and harass you.

Alternatively buy a crossbow and shoot them with it.

In the face.

Capt'n Midnight · 11-08-2005 09:47PM

I've no problem with unpaid people collecting for charity - like Carol Singers.

But if I'm giving money to charity I don't want a significant amount of it going to someone who isn't involved in what the charity does.

grimloch · 11-08-2005 09:52PM

I just tell them I'm under 18. I'm generally too polite to tell them to F off but a new phrase will have to be employed soon.

Last summer they laid siege to my office and on a trip from Wicklow to Grafton Street I was stopped 5 times, for God sake. Granted one of them got me twice but still.

I don't like the way they put you under the spot when they ask for money. It's quite awkward.

Yes they're helping charity and the poor but they're paid an awful lot more than the average Joe Soap and seeing them talking to each other isn't a rare sight.

funky penguin · 11-08-2005 09:55PM

I have no problem with the unpaid ones, like the Capt says. Problem is knowing which ones they are.

Scraggs · 11-08-2005 10:52PM

I occasionally volunteer to collect money for charity/ sell pins,ribbons etc. that i havnt a problem with. I'm doing my bit for the good of mankind blah blah for free! its the ones that get paid for it/work on comission and harass you i have serious issues with!
When crossing a chugger i give a cold bitchy dont mess with me stare and proclaim i'm only 10 and i dont have a bankaccount and leg it. Its funny when ya see them trying to figure my age...

squiiish · 12-08-2005 07:21AM

I want to get a t-shirt that says "Young, Angry & Poor".
I usually just tell them that I don't have a bank account or credit card.
I really hate the fact that they try and act like they care so much and have just arrived back from Africa themselves.... when they just want you to get drinking money for the weekend. I bet half of them have never donated to charity themselves.
Plus the fact that they insult my stupity being all "Hey there, I know I'm just the hottest person ever and if YOU hand over your hard earned cash I'll stand here gracing you with my fabulousness and, loike, every one will think you're hanging out with cool kids!"

Bah I'm glad its not just me who hates 'em

thatkindofgirl · 12-08-2005 07:43AM

I used to work on Henry street and was harassed every day by these people. It's not right!

It makes it a hostile place to be. I don't want to have to be rude to somebody, and I feel rotten blanking people BUT I simply cannot afford to give 3 times a day, 20 days a month!!!

And, yes, they don't care. They are on commission just like a car salesman.

Kermitt · 12-08-2005 08:15AM

I got harrassed by one guy who was giving me a lecture on the plight of the African people in a condescending manner, So when I told him i spent 2 years studying environment and development in sub-saharan africa (which i did by the way) he backed down like a scolded child. It was priceless!!

DOWN WITH CHUGGERS!!

jor el · 12-08-2005 10:16AM

I usually ignore them, I have a DD to Concern and that's all. If anyone approaches me I normally just walk on. But this one time, at band camp (not actually at band camp), this one chugger followed me up the street bullsh'ing on about this charity (can't remember which one now), so I stopped. I asked to see his ID badge to see he was legit, which he showed me. I then took out a pen and wrote down his name. He asked me what I was doing and I said that I already give to <insert charity name> (a lie but anyway) and was going to ring up when I got home and cancel my direct debit, and tell them he was the reason I was cancelling it. He looked a little shocked as I walked away.

So, ask for their name and say you're going to never give to that charity and you'll use them as the reason. That might make them think twice about following people up the street. In fact, it may be an idea to ring the charity in question and let them know that you would never consider giving to them because of the underhanded tactics they use to get your money.

And of course the biggest reason of all, never EVER give your name, address, bank details and signature to a complete stranger on the street. It'd be remarkably easy to get a fake charity ID and a hi-vis jacket for some identity fraud.

Cactus Col · 12-08-2005 10:22AM

If i make the mistake of making eye contact with one as I approach, I'll just smile and say no thanks and keep walking, and usually I'll get a smile back, so that's nice. But, if they're more aggressive and try to stop me, then, as long as I'm not busy, I'll tell them I'm not interested, usually they'll go into their spiel and try to guilt me into donating, can take 10 minutes or more, and when they're finished I'll tell them no, and go on my way happy in the knowledge I've wasted their time, and lessened the amount of commission their likely to make that day.

jaggeh · 12-08-2005 12:42PM

its very easy, just say to them 'why would i want to STOP suffering'

Sleepy · 12-08-2005 01:35PM

I've a novel idea for Santa Strike Force this year:

A "Death to Chuggers" t-shirt with the profits going to the SSF.

Dellgirl · 12-08-2005 01:41PM

Not too much of a backlash there! How much do they get paid does anyone know? You couldnt pay me enought to do it.

LegacyUser · 12-08-2005 01:55PM

i'm a monthly dd set up with concern, so i just tell em that.

one prik got v sarkey with me, should have got his name and got em sacked.

maybe you should get a "fcuk off and leave me alone" badge when you sign up.

Chuggers - "charity muggers"

Are chuggers helping or hindering charities in the long-term? 5 votes

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