Personal Post: Solicitation
So, I'm between two and three centimeters dilated. My back has been killing me since Friday, and few things are bringing me any relief.
But I cannot, for the life of me, understand door-to-door solicitation. I think bothering people at their homes with your cookie sales or magazine wrangling is just about the rudest fucking thing you can do at any time of day during any part of the year. And it wouldn't bother me so much except that it's been an ongoing issue ever since B and I moved into our townhouse complex.
This, despite the fact that the sign that greets the only entrance into the complex spells out, in big bold letters, "NO SOLICITATION." It also advises commuters that they can only drive five miles an hour or face prosecution, and children that they cannot skateboard in the street. I've yet to see anyone violate the other two, so why is there such an issue of solicitation?
And make no mistake; it isn't like this is a wealthy part of town. Heck, it's not even a particularly nice part of town (there's a reason our rent is so low) so I can't imagine these folks are thinking they're going to be ranking in the big bucks. But in the three months or so we've lived here, I've had to deal with half a dozen solicitors, and that's just the number I know about.
The first solicitor I dealt with also has some responsibility for why I've developed such an antagonistic relationship with them. I listened patiently to his schpeel, not reminding him that the complex has a strict "No Solicitation" policy, and then politely explained I wasn't interested. He came across hard then, trying basically to guilt-trip me into supporting his "Scholarship Program," so I finally told him I wasn't interested in any faith-based literature (he was selling all kind of religious books and magazines) and he switched tactics, offering me a cookbook that wasn't connected to the faith-based organization. I finally got mad (because, by this time, he had taken 15 minutes of my time and was ignoring me telling him, 'No, no, no') and snapped that the complex didn't allow for solicitation precisely because of types like him who made it essentially harassment. He left after that.
Just now, I opened the door to a gaggle of kids selling cookies. I can't tell if they're from the neighborhood or what, but automatically seeing what they were doing pissed me off. I was nice about it but told them that the complex doesn't allow for solicitation--or going door-to-door trying to get people to buy things, since they didn't seem to understand what solicitation meant. They walked away, but I saw them immediately go to the next house.
I'm tempted to put a sign up under my own doorbell, but if the sign into the complex hasn't stopped any of them, I don't imagine that sign would do much, either. I would complain to the manager if I thought it would accomplish anything, but my experience is, if the management doesn't know you're name, it's better for everyone. So I'm wondering if there is a city office or something I can call because I'm getting tired of it. It's not a big deal now, but once the baby comes, if a doorbell rings and wakes Sephie from her nap, I cannot be held responsible for my actions. Seriously.
But I cannot, for the life of me, understand door-to-door solicitation. I think bothering people at their homes with your cookie sales or magazine wrangling is just about the rudest fucking thing you can do at any time of day during any part of the year. And it wouldn't bother me so much except that it's been an ongoing issue ever since B and I moved into our townhouse complex.
This, despite the fact that the sign that greets the only entrance into the complex spells out, in big bold letters, "NO SOLICITATION." It also advises commuters that they can only drive five miles an hour or face prosecution, and children that they cannot skateboard in the street. I've yet to see anyone violate the other two, so why is there such an issue of solicitation?
And make no mistake; it isn't like this is a wealthy part of town. Heck, it's not even a particularly nice part of town (there's a reason our rent is so low) so I can't imagine these folks are thinking they're going to be ranking in the big bucks. But in the three months or so we've lived here, I've had to deal with half a dozen solicitors, and that's just the number I know about.
The first solicitor I dealt with also has some responsibility for why I've developed such an antagonistic relationship with them. I listened patiently to his schpeel, not reminding him that the complex has a strict "No Solicitation" policy, and then politely explained I wasn't interested. He came across hard then, trying basically to guilt-trip me into supporting his "Scholarship Program," so I finally told him I wasn't interested in any faith-based literature (he was selling all kind of religious books and magazines) and he switched tactics, offering me a cookbook that wasn't connected to the faith-based organization. I finally got mad (because, by this time, he had taken 15 minutes of my time and was ignoring me telling him, 'No, no, no') and snapped that the complex didn't allow for solicitation precisely because of types like him who made it essentially harassment. He left after that.
Just now, I opened the door to a gaggle of kids selling cookies. I can't tell if they're from the neighborhood or what, but automatically seeing what they were doing pissed me off. I was nice about it but told them that the complex doesn't allow for solicitation--or going door-to-door trying to get people to buy things, since they didn't seem to understand what solicitation meant. They walked away, but I saw them immediately go to the next house.
I'm tempted to put a sign up under my own doorbell, but if the sign into the complex hasn't stopped any of them, I don't imagine that sign would do much, either. I would complain to the manager if I thought it would accomplish anything, but my experience is, if the management doesn't know you're name, it's better for everyone. So I'm wondering if there is a city office or something I can call because I'm getting tired of it. It's not a big deal now, but once the baby comes, if a doorbell rings and wakes Sephie from her nap, I cannot be held responsible for my actions. Seriously.