[olivia]

Please Please Please tell me you don't get cold callers in NZ like we do here. I've just put my son down for his nap and just as he was dropping off someone rang the doorbell asking me if i want to buy some dusters & cleaning stuff. I now have to re-settle my son who is of course wide awake and refusing to go back to sleep.

I think i'll have to put a sign on the door. We seem to get people at the door all the time and we're hidden away down a cul de sac so they have to really make the extra effort to come here.

I know it's a job to the person at the door but it still drives me mad.

Olivia

[StevieD]

How about a huge dog in the driveway as well as the sign?? :)

Steve

[Moorf]

The sign outside our front door here says "Please ring the bell and run, our dog needs the exercise!"

I'd like to say it worked but the local Jehovah's still rang...

... fast runners.. :exit

[olivia]

Like the sign Moorf.

We do have a dog but he's only a border terrier and his bark doesn't sound very threatening. Might have to get him a microphone.

Olivia

[Smiler]

Our local Jehovah's wrote to us instead....................:laugh

But no, not had any cold callers at all, during the day or evening.

Didn't realise that until you mentioned it, thats one thing I really don't miss from UK. :D

If there was someone selling shoes and bags I'd be interested, but why would I buy dusters at the door? :confused:

[Cardiff Irons]

Once me and my cousin were staying in Somerset and travelled to one of the local hostelries for a few jars. We were just about to set foot in the establishment when we noticed a sign on the door that said "NO TRAVELLERS". Not wishing to antagonise, having travelled from London, we turned on our heels and departed.

It was only a matter of months later I discovered that "Travellers" referred to gypsies. :o

[Smiler]

Once me and my cousin were staying in Somerset and travelled to one of the local hostelries for a few jars. We were just about to set foot in the establishment when we noticed a sign on the door that said "NO TRAVELLERS". Not wishing to antagonise, having travelled from London, we turned on our heels and departed.

It was only a matter of months later I discovered that "Travellers" referred to gypsies. :o


:laugh:laugh:laugh

[willsken]

Once me and my cousin were staying in Somerset and travelled to one of the local hostelries for a few jars. We were just about to set foot in the establishment when we noticed a sign on the door that said "NO TRAVELLERS". Not wishing to antagonise, having travelled from London, we turned on our heels and departed.

It was only a matter of months later I discovered that "Travellers" referred to gypsies. :o


:laugh :laugh

[Diny]

Don't get any sales people cold calling but have had several God botherers knocking.

The other day 2 young lads knocked on my front door and one of them had a name badge on saying 'Jesus Christ' ......... I thought my long awaited epiphany had happened, getting a personal call from JC - am I the chosen one?

They lasted about 5 seconds, I wished them a good day and closed the door on them while they were still waving the bible around with that look of divine serenity on their faces.

I don't do God.

Diny

[KerryS]

In the UK if you are fed up with people cold calling just ask to see their peddlars licence. If they can't produce one, call the police. It's actually a criminal act to peddle goods at the door without a licence (although off the top of my head I can't remember the act).
Word soon goes round that you aren't to be messed with - and no more cold callers!

[jubjub]

Its a rare day we get anyone at our front door, the "Beware of the Dog" sign kind of sees to that, and our back door is all the way round the other side of the house, and mostly they cant be bothered walking that far!

[Avalon]

Not two weeks after moving in to this house (miles down a dead end back country lane) we got a visit from the JW. Couldnt flippin belive it :wah

Other than that - no. We used to get quite a few people knocking because they couldnt find Stonehenge. But stonehenge now have a tiny sign up saying where it is (apparently they couldnt see the whapping great ring of chickenwire, polystyrene and concrete "stones") :laugh

[Bruckner]

Olivia, I feel your pain. When the twins were newborns and I was operating on about four hours of sleep a day, more than once a nap was ruined by someone randomly ringing our buzzer trying to get into the building to deliver menus, have me take a package for a neighbor or to save my soul. I practically chased a menu guy down the steps once. Haven't seen a menu from that particular restaurant since.

Emily

[Moorf]

The one that gets me EVERY time is the meter readers - they just turn up and wander round your property - dog goes mad (she's a sweety but her bark will have you running :nice1) - ok, they have huge 4x4's with METER READER written in big letters on it and jackets with METER READER written in big letters on them but when you're on the loo and someone in black walks by the window and the dog goes mad METER READER isn't the first thing that goes through your mind... :laugh

[Avalon]

but when you're on the loo and someone in black walks by the window and the dog goes mad METER READER isn't the first thing that goes through your mind... :laugh
:laugh Cracked me up :laugh

[Avalon]

more than once a nap was ruined by someone randomly ringing our buzzer trying to get into the building to deliver menus, have me take a package for a neighbor or to save my soul. ily
Reminds me - when we lived in a city apartment - we were forever getting people buzzing up to us to let the in the building cos thier mate wasnt answering thier buzzer. Maybe cos they - like us - were trying to get some flippin sleep! And strangley enough - no - im not going to let a complete stranger into the building to wander round :nice1

Now its just those Pesky cows that wake us up in the morning.

[sarahw]

This is a good thread! Yes we get JW here - my Dad has a classic line that soon gets rid 'I don't come round your house telling you which football team to support, so don't come round mine telling me which religion to belong to!!'

We do get local kids asking to sponsor them - for really good causes & kids with fundraiser Cadburys choccies (as a chocoholic I can think of worse door-knockers!)

[Carol]

Kenny (my hubby) has a line...

"I'm behind the door I am naked and ready for action. I'm going to open it after the countdown. 10, 9, 8, 7,............"

:laugh

[MB]

Ooh, on this topic, a related question for folks here in NZ:

if you have French windows or similar open-up glass double doors at the front of your house, do visitors often ignore the 'official' front door in favour of knocking on them instead?
I ask because most people come up onto our little front deck and knock on the glass of those (i.e., the French-wndow-style glass double doors) rather than knock on the door -- which is on the front of the house too -- with the ordinary front-door keyhole in it.
I can well believe that in our case this has to do with our front door not being all that obvious -- I'll put a knocker or numbers next to it or something -- but maybe it's a cultural thing.

[Caroline and Dave]

About three years ago I installed CCtv and put up notices. Before this we were inundated with cold callers,loose tiles,double glazing,insurance etc.
Ever since we had this installed we have not had one cold caller apart from, yes you've guessed it, Jehovahs Witness. Will they ever get the hint?
So it might be worth a couple of dummy cameras.

Dave and Caroline

[bpk]

That seems very strange to me. I have never ever had someone knoking my door or ringing the bell to sell me something (in Germany). I can not imagine that happening particularly when I am resting! My reaction would be abnormal in this case.

Anyway, if I were you, I would write a sign at the door saying " Absolute Calm...Intensive care unit" :laugh

[GeordieLass]

In the UK if you are fed up with people cold calling just ask to see their peddlars licence. If they can't produce one, call the police. It's actually a criminal act to peddle goods at the door without a licence (although off the top of my head I can't remember the act).
Word soon goes round that you aren't to be messed with - and no more cold callers!

Isn't it funny you almost never hear the work "pedlar" unless it's in a Sun headline and followed by the words "of filth". I'd almost forgotten it had an innocent meaning!

Kerry's right. Under section 4 of the Pedlars Act 1871 you need a certificate to peddle goods from door to door and you have to produce it if requested, otherwise you are liable to a fine. It doesn't apply to books or to food though.

[StevieD]

but when you're on the loo and someone in black walks by the window and the dog goes mad METER READER isn't the first thing that goes through your mind... :laugh

Moorf, at least you in the right place to get over the fright!!! :laugh

Sorry couldn't resist that :laugh

[Moorf]

:laugh:laugh .

[Moorf]

MB - quick reply to your patio question - yes, our neighbours just go in whichever gate is nearest their house, and knock on the first window or door they get to.

Since we banned one set of neighbours from coming round without ringing (!) we hardly get anyone coming round without calling first!

If, like my SIL, you like a houseful then that's fine...but we don't.

[Smiler]

I've found that if delivery men don't get an answer from the front door in 2 secs flat, they start walking up to the next level which is our deck and living area.

Poops the life out of me to see them appearing at the windows.:eek: