Solicitors who are “not soliciting”

[Spryte]

Seriously?! I can’t believe I answered the door. 🙄

This is the new thing in our no soliciting neighborhood. We have signs in our neighborhood and on our porch.

They knock. I answer. They go into their spiel. I point to the sign or say, “no soliciting.” They argue that, “oh no, we aren’t soliciting.” Depending on my patience level the arguing can go on and on or I can just shut the door while they are arguing, like today.

If they are looking to provide a service for which we pay that falls under the same umbrella in my book — whatever word they want to give it.

Grrrrr.

[Katy]

Call the police. It’s illegal trespassing to ignore the signs where I live. 

[Lady Florida.]

44 minutes ago, Spryte said:

If they are looking to provide a service for which we pay that falls under the same umbrella in my book — whatever word they want to give it.

Yep that's soliciting. So is asking for donations even if the cause is a good one. So is selling Girl Scout Cookies and Boy Scout Popcorn (though in our area neither is done door to door anymore). I'd be tempted to have some printed slips with the definition of soliciting by the door and hand them out whenever a solicitor shows up (adults of course - I wouldn't do that to kids but would just politely tell them no).

[wisdomandtreasures]

I had this happen a few years ago. Makes me crazy. I pointed to the sign and this guy told me, 'I'm from Estonia. I don't know what that means. I see it all the time!" 😦

[TheReader]

yea, they do it all the time here, too. We also have signs at the neighborhood entrance, and we have on one our entry way/porch post. 

I usually stay relatively polite and say "I'm sorry, you must have missed my No Soliciting sign, have a nice day" while closing the door on them. I have learned it's better for my blood pressure if I don't let them keep talking after that, b/c the argument just gets me going too much. 

[QueenCat]

38 minutes ago, Lady Florida. said:

Yep that's soliciting. So is asking for donations even if the cause is a good one. So is selling Girl Scout Cookies and Boy Scout Popcorn (though in our area neither is done door to door anymore). I'd be tempted to have some printed slips with the definition of soliciting by the door and hand them out whenever a solicitor shows up (adults of course - I wouldn't do that to kids but would just politely tell them no).

Girl and Boy Scouts & other youth programs are excluded from our town's soliciting laws.

[itsheresomewhere]

They have been doing this for a while where I am.  So I have given lessons of what soliciting means to the young ones who seemed clueless they were misinformed. The other get my you ignored my no soliciting sign and must pay the price.  My sign says violators will be tortured with song so they either get Baby Shark or This is the Song that Never Ends. 

[Spryte]

4 hours ago, itsheresomewhere said:

They have been doing this for a while where I am.  So I have given lessons of what soliciting means to the young ones who seemed clueless they were misinformed. The other get my you ignored my no soliciting sign and must pay the price.  My sign says violators will be tortured with song so they either get Baby Shark or This is the Song that Never Ends. 

You win! I may have to sing next time!

[itsheresomewhere]

37 minutes ago, Spryte said:

You win! I may have to sing next time!

Not saying it will work for you but if you do the hand motions to Baby Shark, they avoid your house for awhile until the new guy gets your route.  And make sure it is off key.  😂

[regentrude]

I completely believe that many people do not understand the meaning of "no soliciting" signs, especially if they're not from here.

If I look up soliciting, I get the Oxford dictionary definition that only mentions offering one's services as a prostitute. Cambridge, likewise. Surely they aren't doing that.

I was fluent in English and had lived in the US for years before I was aware of the more general use. (To me, a "solicitor" is an attorney, and the title of the post baffled me)

[Melissa in Australia]

55 minutes ago, regentrude said:

I completely believe that many people do not understand the meaning of "no soliciting" signs, especially if they're not from here.

If I look up soliciting, I get the Oxford dictionary definition that only mentions offering one's services as a prostitute. Cambridge, likewise. Surely they aren't doing that.

I was fluent in English and had lived in the US for years before I was aware of the more general use. (To me, a "" is an attorney, and the title of the post baffled me)

same

I was thinking the thread was about a solicitor not doing  legal paperwork correctly , maybe miswriting a will or something

 

Dictionary :

a member of the legal profession qualified to deal with conveyancing, the drawing up of wills, and other legal matters. A solicitor may also instruct barristers and represent clients in some courts.