I did something rude, today!

[Timewalker]

Not on the phone, but I snapped at a guy going door to door trying to sell Bell service a few years ago. I told them bluntly that we weren't interested in their service, that the company had treated us badly in the past and had no interest in returning. The minute he tried his spiel again, I had had it and tore into him asking him if he knew what NO meant. He and his partner walked away afterwards bewildered. I felt bad afterwards, seeing as these were just college kids hired to go sell some service, but sometimes you just have to just take no for an answer and just move on. Being persistent is not going to make me like them any better.

Yeah, sometimes it feels like kicking a puppy if you know they're just kids trying to earn money for college, and if they take "no" for an answer the first time, I don't get too upset.

But those persistent survey questions... holy crap, if I tell you that my opinions about the price of gas is not helpful because I don't drive and never have, and don't want to answer, you should believe me and hang up.

There was one time when a company insisted on sending me a booklet so I could record my weekly radio listening, even after I told them I never listen to the radio (true; it's been over 40 years since I last had any radio habits). But since this company includes a toonie as "compensation", I finally said okay, if you really want me to take extra time and effort to tell you what I already did, that I don't ever listen to the radio.

This afternoon I was rude to a telemarketer. It has to be an absolute emergency before I tolerate anyone calling during my soap opera. So of course somebody did, and started prattling about heating ducts. I was pretty hostile, and I guess I should go back to taking the phone off the hook for that hour.

 

[rahullak]

I put the energy in it and say "I'M NOT INTERESTED." It works most times.

 

[Timewalker]

I put the energy in it and say "I'M NOT INTERESTED." It works most times.

Most of them don't understand that, though. Say that, and the next thing out of their mouths is "Why?".

The last time somebody asked me that, I said, "Because you're a scammer out to get my money, and I want you to never call me again."

They continued to argue, so I just started yelling and swearing at them. The word "fuck" was used several times, probably loud enough for the neighbor across the hall to hear.

Rude? Definitely. Effective? Time will tell. What gets me is that most of these people have Indian accents, everyone I hear in the background has an Indian accent, and they really think I'm stupid enough to believe that the Canadian-sounding name they give me is real. It's like the CRA scam or the computer scam where some guy with an Indian accent expects me to believe that his name is really "John MacKenzie."

It's more than obvious that he's really somebody else, sitting in a boiler room in India, along with dozens of other people who aren't Canadian.

 

[rahullak]

Well to the question of "Why?" I simply say I am not interested. Period. If they push, i just hangup. Nowadays though, I don't even pickup because I have Truecaller telling me who is calling most times.

 

[Timewalker]

Well to the question of "Why?" I simply say I am not interested. Period. If they push, i just hangup. Nowadays though, I don't even pickup because I have Truecaller telling me who is calling most times.

I tried that. The next question was "Why aren't you interested?"

It's like trying to reason with a 4-year-old.

 

[Refuge]

These people that ring you usually are just trying to make a living. I hear them out usually, say I'm not interested and wish them luck. It's like the WatchTower people who come to the door. I hide. However sometimes I inadvertently open the door and then I smile and listen. Say I have my own beliefs and hope they don't insist I take one of their magazines. I had some poor guy come to the door the other day he was so painfully apologetic, it almost hurt.

 

[MacLeod]

Some security company called me up and wanted to sell me some kind of wireless security system but you have to put a sign of their company up in your front yard. I told him, No thank you, not interested." He then processed to keep pitching me. Instead of repeating what I just said I just hung up the phone while he was in mid-sentence.

Anybody else ever been rude on a phone? I know I was pratically yelling at the Dish Network once because they screwed our bill up by not giving us the right info. I have had telemarkers and collection agencies that I have also hung the phone up in mid-sentence or if I am being petty I tell them to hold on and I will be right back only to sit the phone down and ignore it. I don't even bother with their new tricks where they basically have a computer message call you on the phone and expect you to hold and wait for a person. Do they think anyone is actually going to sit around for a company that doesn't even have the decency to have a human being call and annoy you only to give that job to a automated computer program?

Jason

I've hung up on people trying to sell me stuff over the phone plenty of times. If they continue after I've said Sorry Not interested or something similar. Unless of course it's one of those scams

Caller :"I'm calling about your computer which has a virus"
Me: "Which computer" (we have several)
Caller: <some more nonsense>
Me: <hits disconnect>

Had one recently saying they where going to disconnect my broadband due to something along the lines of noise on the line causing bad packets. Just a few things wrong with that I hadn't noticed any major issues with my connection, and you're talking our your arse. Suffice to say I called my provider afterwards and there was nothing wrong.

 

[Jayson1]

These people that ring you usually are just trying to make a living. I hear them out usually, say I'm not interested and wish them luck. It's like the WatchTower people who come to the door. I hide. However sometimes I inadvertently open the door and then I smile and listen. Say I have my own beliefs and hope they don't insist I take one of their magazines. I had some poor guy come to the door the other day he was so painfully apologetic, it almost hurt.

I'm also different when people come to the door. I've had realigious people and even a guy sellling meant like steaks come buy. When the realigious types give me pamplets out of respect is to smile and say "No thank you" take the pamplet put it on a table and after a certain amount of time to toss in the trash. To instantly toss it feels rude but to wait a minute and toss it feels okay. People on the phone though feel more predatory. Something about sitting in some comfortable room while calling people randomly feels wrong. PLus once you say no that should be the end of it but when they continue it's hard to just listen.

Jason

 

[CorporalCaptain]

Cool story, bro. I hang up on tele-spammers all the time, usually with a "Have a nice day!" and click.

 

[Refuge]

To instantly toss it feels rude but to wait a minute and toss it feels okay. People on the phone though feel more predatory. Something about sitting in some comfortable room while calling people randomly feels wrong. PLus once you say no that should be the end of it but when they continue it's hard to just listen.

Jason

That's funny about holding onto the pamphlet for 'x' amount of time. I do that too. Those blessed WatchTower ones are so old fashioned with pictures of Jesus and animals... oh man it feels a bit wrong throwing them in the bin.

 

[Jayson1]

That's funny about holding onto the pamphlet for 'x' amount of time. I do that too. Those blessed WatchTower ones are so old fashioned with pictures of Jesus and animals... oh man it feels a bit wrong throwing them in the bin.

I have the same feeling with birthday and valentines cards and stuff like that. I mean it's not like you ever are going to go read them again yet if you kept ever card you got you would be overrun with the stuff. To be honest I even feel guilty tossing anything away that ever once was a gift. PLus I even feel guilty sometimes returning stuff to stores after Christmas. I got some dvd's of movies I don't want to see and I can tell my mom made a mistake in buying the crappy "Robocop" remake instead of the old one but it's not like I am going to watch it. I also got the dreaded 98 "Godzilla" movie. as well. PLus that Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn "The Internship." What in the world could I possible do with these movies! They weren't meant to be watched. They were meant to examples of why remakes are bad or why Vince Vaughn never really did much good after "Swingers."

Jason

 

[SPCTRE]

I just hung up the phone while he was in mid-sentence.

the wife has informed me that among my family (i.e. when talking to my mom, uncle, etc.) we end phone calls like they do on TV shows - no "goodbye" or "talk to you soon" or the like, we just go okay and hang up

at first I had a hard time believing that, but I guess she is right and we just don't notice it - it seems really rude tho

 

[Jayson1]

the wife has informed me that among my family (i.e. when talking to my mom, uncle, etc.) we end phone calls like they do on TV shows - no "goodbye" or "talk to you soon" or the like, we just go okay and hang up

at first I had a hard time believing that, but I guess she is right and we just don't notice it

Really? I never heard anyone do that in real life. I once told a stranger , love you, by accident out of habit of ending a phone call in the same way I do when I talk to a family member. That was kind of awkward.

Jason

 

[Timewalker]

I've hung up on people trying to sell me stuff over the phone plenty of times. If they continue after I've said Sorry Not interested or something similar. Unless of course it's one of those scams

Caller :"I'm calling about your computer which has a virus"
Me: "Which computer" (we have several)
Caller: <some more nonsense>
Me: <hits disconnect>

Had one recently saying they where going to disconnect my broadband due to something along the lines of noise on the line causing bad packets. Just a few things wrong with that I hadn't noticed any major issues with my connection, and you're talking our your arse. Suffice to say I called my provider afterwards and there was nothing wrong.

I've had those. The first time, I called my telecom and asked them to confirm if anything was wrong with my connection, and to tell them that I suspect a new kind of scam is going around (new to me, anyway). They said my connection is fine, I'm in no danger of being disconnected, and that I was right to report this.

It's too bad I have a hair-trigger temper when it comes to phone calls; I could really have some fun stringing some people along. Next time they mention Windows, I should tell them, "Yeah, the situation is pretty bad. Please send someone over to wash them immediately."

I'm also different when people come to the door. I've had realigious people and even a guy sellling meant like steaks come buy. When the realigious types give me pamplets out of respect is to smile and say "No thank you" take the pamplet put it on a table and after a certain amount of time to toss in the trash. To instantly toss it feels rude but to wait a minute and toss it feels okay.

I have no problem whatsoever, refusing religious pamphlets. And when a couple of doorknockers buzzed my suite to be let into the building, I asked them, "Do you see the sign in the lobby that says "No solicitors"? When they said yes, I told them, "That means people like you. Go away."

That's funny about holding onto the pamphlet for 'x' amount of time. I do that too. Those blessed WatchTower ones are so old fashioned with pictures of Jesus and animals... oh man it feels a bit wrong throwing them in the bin.

Why? It's just paper and ink. Nobody is going to smite you for tossing it in the garbage/recycling (whichever applies).

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

To be honest, I don't answer the phone 99.9% of the time if I don't recognize the #. My regular contacts have ringtones assigned to them, plus the person's name is there.

It's the pre-recorded voicemails I get on my work phone that nobody would know is actually mine claiming that the IRS is "after me" and I have to act now. I don't even know what particular scam that one is, but I block one #, then it comes from another #.

Believe me, if the IRS wants to get hold of you. they won't be using pre-recorded messages to do it.

I remember when the FTC no-call list was somewhat effective. Another useless government agency. They aren't even trying anymore.

 

[Spot261]

Was it just me who read the thread title as "I did something nude today"?

 

[Jayson1]

I've had those. The first time, I called my telecom and asked them to confirm if anything was wrong with my connection, and to tell them that I suspect a new kind of scam is going around (new to me, anyway). They said my connection is fine, I'm in no danger of being disconnected, and that I was right to report this.

It's too bad I have a hair-trigger temper when it comes to phone calls; I could really have some fun stringing some people along. Next time they mention Windows, I should tell them, "Yeah, the situation is pretty bad. Please send someone over to wash them immediately."




I have no problem whatsoever, refusing religious pamphlets. And when a couple of doorknockers buzzed my suite to be let into the building, I asked them, "Do you see the sign in the lobby that says "No solicitors"? When they said yes, I told them, "That means people like you. Go away."


Why? It's just paper and ink. Nobody is going to smite you for tossing it in the garbage/recycling (whichever applies).

I think it comes down to how they act. Usually they are polite when they knock on your door and at least sincere about their beliefs when it comes to the realgious ones and I don't really like rejecting people who are polite or nice even if i'm not interested in what they are promoting. Little different when it comes to making money. Their is something noble about the idea of someone busting their hump walking door to door trying to sale something to you that you have no interest in most of the time. It's more personable than someone just talking to you on a phone. Granted if they start pushing to hard just like on the phone then it's easier to just brush them off but i've never been that good with even that stuff. I usually try to avoid conflict as much as possible. Even when I argue I find myself censoring myself. Something about phones and even internet stuff I admit though sometimes triggers me more than actually someone insulting me to my face. I think it lacks a certain human touch to be something you should be doing but of course when I get triggered I sometimes make the same mistake like anyone else.

Jason

 

[Jayson1]

Was it just me who read the thread title as "I did something nude today"?

I'm saving that thread on the miracle of me someday finding a woman who will marry me and thust having a Honeymoon.

Jason

 

[Spot261]

I'm saving that thread on the miracle of me someday finding a woman who will marry me and thust having a Honeymoon.

Jason

You don't need to do threads about that stuff dude, it only gets people jealous.

Anyways, frankly I'm much ruder to salespeople than many of you guys seem to be. I tend to simply say "not interested, thanks" and shut the door, hag up the phone, whatever.

 

[MacLeod]

You don't need to do threads about that stuff dude, it only gets people jealous.

Anyways, frankly I'm much ruder to salespeople than many of you guys seem to be. I tend to simply say "not interested, thanks" and shut the door, hag up the phone, whatever.

At least you said thanks, drop the thanks and it'll be ruder.