Solicitors and uninvited house "visitors"

To get to my place in the Ozarks a person would have to drive over half a mile down a gravel county road. Then they have to turn onto a posted, private road and drive nearly another 3/8 mile to get to my driveway. There's another 1/4 mile to a solar powered gate in the woods where there's no view of the rest of my property. From there it's another 1/4 mile to the house.

Anyone coming to my door is a serious trespasser and I'm nearly always armed, often with a side arm and a long gun. BTW, I also have a backhoe...

Back when I lived at a relatives house for a while I was home during the day (night shift) and got all the solicitors, including the spray cleaner guy who tried to invite himself in and pulled the same crap with cleaning my sneakers and all that. Hard to get rid of. Only had one LDS come to the door, cute girl my age so I couldn't really be mean, but when I told her I was Catholic and not interested I thought she was going to spit on me....

More disturbing though, is that at my apartment I live at now, 3 times in the last 2 months I've had people come to my door between 2 and 4 am asking for money. "I need a couple dollars because I'm out of gas"..... "I need a couple dollars because I came here to meet a friend, but I don't know which apartment he lives in, and I'm out of gas" and so on. I guess it was because each time my lights were the only ones still on in the apartment complex. I answered the door the first time, armed of course. But the other 2 times I just spoke through the door while looking through the peep hole and then going out to investigate after they were gone.

More disturbing though, is that at my apartment I live at now, 3 times in the last 2 months I've had people come to my door between 2 and 4 am asking for money.

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Bit of advice, when you pick an apartment complex, find one that does NOT participate in government subsidized housing.

It's not PC, but it's true. A lot of places put people "from the projects" in an upscale complex with government money, and crime goes WAY up.

Stopping magazine sellers, god squaders and the occasional politician soliciting your vote from knocking on your door is pretty near impossible.

But minimizing the amount of time you have to waste on them is actually pretty easy. Just open carry in your home.

A couple of times a month some annoying person knocks on my door. I come to the door, check the peep hole and then open it wide with a big ole grin on my face and a 1911 on my right side belt or hanging under my arm in a Galco shoulder holster.

The shoulder rig almost always evokes the query, "are you a policeman". A "no" answer takes them aback and most leave right then and there without another word. Some want to talk anyway in which case I tell them "not interested, please leave". They almost always do. At that point if they still don't leave I just turn away and shut the door in their face. Only once has someone not left at that point - a religious type trying to get our kids signed up for their Sunday School. Stood out on my porch for about 5 minutes with a shocked expression on their face. I finally had to open the door and tell them to leave or I'd be forced to call the cops on 'em for tresspassing.

The belt holster - surprisingly - evokes the policeman query way less often which means they get told to leave as soon as they start talking.

Only once has this not worked and that was with a guy running for the state legislature. He asked if I was a police officer and when I replied no said he was a 2nd amendment supporter too. We stood out on my porch and talked RKBA and guns for about an hour. I let him put an election sign up in my yard. Unfortunately he lost at the primary level.

So just wear your gun when you answer the door - cuts the BS time way, way down.

Posting property is OK; but most of the time the high strung guru will only
ignore it. Hey a moat sounds like an excellent idea; but in my locale is
not an easy task to accomplish. I have been known too greet unwanted
guest with weapons drawn in their face. This helps too get their attention
real quick; and most will leave unannounced~!

Notice of my actions seems too have gotten a'round to other types
of solictors. Nowdays, (just last week Oct. 5th) someone tried to
steal my central AC unit, 'bout 4 o'clock in the morning. Just so
happens that my three landsharks ran 'em off; before I busted a
cap in their hind ends~!

Be careful putting up a "Beware of Dog" sign if in fact you have a dog. It might be construed as proof that you knew your dog was dangerous, if the dog ever attacks someone.

IANAL, but I understand that generally speaking in PA (where I used to live), every dog gets "one free bite". In other words, if the owner doesn't have prior knowledge that the dog is dangerous, the first attack isn't proof of negligence on the part of the owner. However, a "Beware of Dog" sign showed that the owner knew the dog was dangerous, and failed to control it.

Not sure about the law elsewhere, but lawyers are always looking to get money for their clients somehow. Best not give them ammunition, if you can help it.
__________
-twency

This advice is guaranteed to be worth at least as much as you paid for it.

How about a "Never mind the dog, BEWARE OF OWNER" sign, then?

My doctor's office has a sign that says "Every third salesman will be shot, the second one just left."

Sounds like you need a different dog. Here's the great Cadi, giving her "who are you, and why are you getting close to my yard" look.



She wouldn't leave the yard, but people usually asked before they entered the property .

Unfortunately, she died a while ago. Here's her replacement, Scout, at 3 months, practicing his stare:

Yep. Ears half way up, intent stare, weight forward, tail down.

I'd be asking permission, too.

Looks like Scout is going to be a big 'un, too. That left rear paw looks mighty large.

I've not had much trouble at home...but at work we had droves of solicitors...even though we kept signs on the door. I threw several out,( litteraly..hands on ) and one time it came very close to a full fight. I've had several say they wern't soliciting, so I suggested, that while they were out walking around, maybe they should stop by the library and look up soliciting. Told them to use the grown-up, adult, big dictionary. They never seem to like me much.
So, I have real sympathy for your problem. I don't know a good way to stop it. garden hose?
Mark.

I blame the marketing dillweed who invented solicitation sales/telemarketing. I've started to not hate the telemarketers and the door to door salesman, but the people they work for. They hire people with no experience and desperate for a job and teach them how to "pressure" people to buy products and maybe...just maybe they get a 10% cut. This is the impression I got after going to one of these seminars where they lure you in. Shows me to never go to a job interview when they won't even tell you what type of job it is on the phone! After lawyers, marketing majors are the next rung of evil .

Look up an appropriate sign here: http://www.worldpath.net/~minstrel/hobosign.htm.

Post at the entrance to your property.

And for those who think they are doing 'good works' by leaving flyers and tracts on my porch: Thanks a bunch for making me have to pick up YOUR trash.

In my area the door to door solicitors are far fewer than the phone creeps-Its almost impossible to take a nap on any day of the week -even Sundays!

I sympathize with the OP. These pushy sales guys and religious fanatics are a problem. I'd add to that the college kids in that cult that makes them sell magazines or have to get points to go on a world trip or some other bullsh*t story.

We don't answer the door unless we recognize the person standing there (neighbor, family, mailman, etc.). Ignoring them makes them go away eventually. If they persist, a very loud "NOT INTERESTED - GO AWAY" usually does it. The trick is not to get caught on the porch while the dog's pooping in the front yard. We let our dog poop in the fenced back yard.

My wife's especially good at this now. She won't open that door for any stranger. She's got a holstered 9mm next to the chair where she's usually nursing our 2month old son. Round in the pipe and a full mag, should any stranger not understand GO AWAY and foolishly try to get in the house. The 9mm is for her to fight her way to the 12 guage.

If I'm outside in the yard and an unwelcome stranger approaches, a firm STOP! will usually result in a halt. I'm a 6 foot five 240lb male with a shaved head, talk about intimidating. If they want to talk, simply say GO AWAY and they'll get the idea. I never converse about the subject they want to converse about. It's always GO AWAY or STOP.

You don't have to clear leather or brandish a gun for this to work, a simple motion of the hand to the hip as if you're about to draw, is pretty well understood. Then if you need to draw (if they present a real life threat, such as by drawing a knife or by having their buddies jump out of the bushes), your hand is already there.

Does anyone use an intercom system to screen visitors? I was thinking one that hooked into my phone system would be pretty nice (so I could just pick up any phone in the house and tell'em I'm not interested in buying whatever they're selling).

Kharn

The college kids selling magazines are sometimes working under duress and not allways due to a stupid choice.

Most others I have dealt with get a chance to tell me what they want. 2-5 seconds of spiel is enough to answer not interested. Also an instruction to leave my yard and do it RFN.

The pushy fellow who never answers the question and still trying to warm my heart with small talk first one handshake or if that doesn't take he thinks I expect a fancy hood handshake. He is the one I would like to answer the door with a long arm in hand.

I am guessing everyone knocking at my door is just phishing and taking a peek in the house.

The era of the welcome door to door salesman is over. No one is welcome to my front door (selling things) unless its the neighborhood girl scouts selling cookies.


In a scenario where a shady solicitor is trying to intimidate you, won't take no for an answer, or is getting visibly "agitated", I think pepper spray would be a better tactic than pulling steel on them. It would neutralize them in a nonlethal manner and give you a little separation to call 911.

I just moved from a nice little town in the San Francisco suburbs where it's illegal to solicit to Tucson, AZ, where it seems to be perfectly legal to do so.

Of course, my first-floor apartment right next to the parking lot seems to get a fair bit of attention. I've had two young individuals (probably 13-15) come by soliciting something (I can never understand their mumbles, though some research online indicates they were selling magazines, possibly scamming), in exchange for which they (not me!) will get a trip to Europe. They inevitably ask if I've been to Europe (I have), to which I reply that it's none of their business.

The first individual, a young man, left upon being told I was not interested.

The second, a mid-teenage girl, refused to believe that I wouldn't get off the phone (I was on the phone with my Class III dealer arranging to purchase a Gem-Tech suppressor, and possibly a Vector Uzi ) to help her out. I asked her sternly to leave, and closed (and locked) the door on her surprised face.

I really need to get a No Solicitors sign, or take to answering the door with my XD-45 on my hip.

Everyone calling at my door will get a pleasant "Hello!", but my responses from there depend on their purpose. Solicitors will be politely asked to leave, and if they don't, they'll be unpolitely asked to leave. Other individuals may have different responses, depending on their nature.

Options to get rid of unwanted solicitors vary. However one option to keep in mind could go something like this. For the god squaders if you are sure they are not a threat. If seen coming from a distance strip down to your skivvies and meet them in the driveway with a big stupid grin. Consider holding a large container of personal lubricant. This should give them pause to consider. If they make it to the door meet them at the door buck naked holding a large knife and ask if they would like to come in and assist you as you were preparing to sacrifice a goat to Beelzebub. They will probably leave skid marks as they leave.

I have several responses I use, depending on the situation. And I always have my cellphone in hand, ready to flip open to summon police for the trespasser.

1. The Politician: "Your kind aren't welcome here. You are instructed to leave at once."
2. The Shi'a Baptist*/SB-Act-Alike: "My faith is between me and my Creator, and is none of your concern. Leave at once."
3. The Kid Selling ___: "Young lady/man, we just aren't interested. Don't give up, maybe you'll hit a big one with somebody else on the block. Have a nice day..." I have a soft spot toward kids, what can I say.
4. The Salesman: "We're not interested. You are instructed to leave. Please do so at once."
5. The Already Escalated to Belligerent Contact (escalated from one of the above): "I have the police on speed-dial; you are instructed to leave before I call you in for trespass, harassment and intimidation along with whatever other charges may fit. Ya got 'til count of three. *dialing 9* One... *dialing 1* Two... *dialing 1* Three. (If not gone or leaving yet) *SEND key*

Alternatively, depending on class of belligerent or if it's merely an obnoxious twerp, I may fake the call just by opening the phone and hitting some random buttons. "Hello, I'm at XXXX and I'm being threatened by a trespasser. You'll have an officer right over? Great, thanks."

*A bow of the scaly head to our own LawDog for this one.

if you think you have it bad, wait til you hear my stories. i live in houston, tx and i believe most of the nola evacuees are here. they roam the streets at night and in my neighborhood screaming and joking.

it takes them forever to cross the street and when i honk at them they stick the middle finger. i approach one of them and ask them what was that for and he said he wanted to fight me. HAHA. i said no and drove off. when will these people learn?

another time, im pumping gas at about midnight coming home from school.
i ve got these two nolas who ask me for 20 bucks to fill their tank. i told them that i have 1 dollar and they say "looks like you need it more than me." i cursed them out because i had protection of 3 guys in the car with CHLs behind the dark tint. luckily the guys didnt do anything and started asking other people at the gas station. damnit, i hate these people.