What’s that NWA song again?
When we moved to Colorado, we considered giving up our land line entirely. Considering that the phone company offers bundled services “for my convenience” (which translates to “paying through the nose for a bunch of stuff I don’t need simply to get two services that I DO need”), it seemed like a better idea to use our cell phones exclusively.
But because we had a newborn baby (CJ, at the time) and neither of us were very good at remembering to keep our cell phones charged, we opted to get a land line with bare bones service. Local calling and 911 service only; no call waiting, no voice mail, no caller ID.
Unfortunately, not having caller ID means that either we pick up calls we really don’t wish to answer, or we let calls go to voice mail that we’d rather pick up. I rarely guess right: routinely, I rush to the phone with Oliver hanging on for dear life only to get that stupid recorded message from Mile-Hi Services where the dude acts all buddy-buddy like he’s not really a recording and makes me dislike him even more than I already did for sticking a zillion flyers all over my storm door and front window.
Anyway.
Even though I still hate being interrupted by the phone, I know enough about automated dialers thanks to my stint as a repo woman to realize when I’ve got a solicitor on the other end. The dead air is a dead giveaway in itself, but the nitwit on the other end totally gives himself away when he hollers “HELLO?!” as if I didn’t already say hello when I picked up the phone.
Usually I don’t even hear them say hello because I hang up as soon as I hear that dead air. If you call me – and you’re not a solicitor – say something right away or I will automatically hang up on you.
(Yes, I’ve put us on the Do Not Call list. That doesn’t eliminate charitable organizations or college alma maters.)
So a couple years ago the Fraternal Order of Police called and bothered me asked for a donation. They said they’d send a decal and a donation form. I said whatever I’d write a check.
When I received the envelope, I stuck it in the pile of mail for Kyle to sort through, and he threw it out. I thought nothing more of it until I received another call from the Fraternal Order of Police.
Unlike most solicitors, these guys apparently aren’t on a dialer. So there’s no dead giveaway air to let me know I really ought to hang up.
They politely inquired as to the status of their check. I politely responded that my husband had not been pleased that I’d promised a donation without consulting him and that, per his preference, we would not be sending them a check.
Then they got nasty:
“You COMMITTED to sending us a donation. Do you understand that? Do you know what a commitment MEANS? You PERSONALLY told us that you would send a check, which means that you NEED to send us a check NOW.”
Needless to say, I didn’t listen much further. Click.
Unable to take a hint, this organization has continued to call back and harangue me. While one female solicitor understood my objections to making a financial commitment without consulting Kyle (and acknowledged that her male counterparts can be pushy bastards unwilling to take “no” for an answer) – every man who has called on behalf of the Fraternal Order of Police has badgered me to make a PERSONAL COMMITMENT to send them a check.
To the Colorado Fraternal Order of Police: Congratulations. Because of your persistent hard-sell and the rudeness of your male solicitors, you have guaranteed that you will never receive a donation from this household.
Now move along.
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Where should BlogHer09 be held? (cough…DENVER!…cough) Go vote now!
August 6th, 2008 at 5:15 am
Man our Fraternal Order of Police is the same way. I’ve stopped donating as well.
Margarets last blog post..Psst…
August 6th, 2008 at 5:25 am
To Me Caller ID is worth EVERY penny I pay for it
FYI, even though I’m East Coast, I voted for Denver. I was there last year and had a BLAST.
Truthfully anywhere but CA is good for me.
August 6th, 2008 at 5:56 am
Advantage of living in a poor neighborhood, they leave you alone for the most part. But I agree, they are nasty, and needlessly so. We had a similar issue with them at our old number.
The one that recently got me was some call center calling on behalf of my beloved democratic party. They would NOT leave me alone about some representative that doesn’t represent me being bothered by special interest about something. I finally asked for a physical address to have my lawyer send them a cease and decist letter and they managed to someone finally do what I asked for all along and quit bugging me.
The threat of lawyering up works every time.
Amelia Sprouts last blog post..Another year older
August 6th, 2008 at 6:24 am
Oh my gosh I’m going through the exact same situation! And until recently I’d thought that it was actual police officers making the calls, and didn’t want to hang up on them, but I’m pretty sure it’s just solicitors all the same doing the calling. They do NOT give up.
Steph
Adventures In Babywearings last blog post..We Don’t Need Another Hero
August 6th, 2008 at 6:54 am
I asked if the caller were a policeman or a caller on behalf of the police, and then asked what percentage of my donation would actually go to the police association. That ended that call and continues to elicit a ‘no’ answer.
August 6th, 2008 at 7:09 am
This post made my skin crawl…how rude! I let Graham deal with all the phone crap. He’s great at it, and always calls back telemarketing companies to have us removed from their lists.
August 6th, 2008 at 7:13 am
This year that I’ve been home, I’ve been amazed at the number of phone solicitations we get. There is no (as far as I know) Do NOT Call list in Canada yet.
What I dislike the most is that I try to be pleasant to the callers and instead of taking my, “No, and please take my name off the list” seriously, they try to debate me. As if it will change my mind.
Mandys last blog post..Now I Can Breathe Easy
August 6th, 2008 at 8:15 am
Ugh I can’t stand the money calls. I just tell them we’re on welfare (we’re not).
Heathers last blog post..Giveaways!
August 6th, 2008 at 8:47 am
Evil Evil solicitors. My mother has reached the point where she will just up and scream into the phone “TAKE ME OFF YOUR GODDAMN LIST.” Sometimes I wish I had the balls to do that, but I think its just the menopause monster possessing her.
Hannas last blog post..Pre-everything stress.
August 6th, 2008 at 9:04 am
I just got a similar call last night and asked to know what percentage of my donation was guaranteed to go to the firefighters. “A minimum of 12%” was the answer.
TWELVE percent? Time to hang up.
Lady Ms last blog post..Calling All Octopus Marketers
August 6th, 2008 at 9:06 am
Dude.
What the FUCK is up with the FOP? Ours is the same way. I don’t get it. I DO have call waiting but they called and left messages FOREVAH.
Now, I give to the fire department. Pushy, hard-sell bastards can suck it.
the new girls last blog post..While I Wasn’t Looking: A Photo Essay
August 6th, 2008 at 9:47 am
I do the same thing when I hear dead air. Hang right up.
Also, when considering making a donation, I tell them that I am not committing to anything. They can send me information and I will discuss it with my husband but I will in no way be obligated to follow through. And yet… they still keep calling asking where my donation is. Urg!
BTW, it isn’t police officers who call. It’s contracted solicitors.
caramamas last blog post..Random Thoughts From An Exhausted Mama
August 6th, 2008 at 9:48 am
I get the same crap from them, it’s ridiculous. Have you ever considered Vonage? It’s a flat rate: $28 and that includes everything–caller id, call waiting,long distance, local, etc etc. And my favorite feature, they will send your voice mail messages to your email. Just a thought. .,
(And no, I am not sponsered by them in any way, I’ve just loved the service for the last 3 years)
Amys last blog post..Tale of Woe, Part: Present Day
August 6th, 2008 at 10:28 am
That’s starting to go beyond annoying into creepy!
mayberrys last blog post..Overheard
August 6th, 2008 at 10:29 am
I think that the FOP solicitors must all be cut from the same cloth, because they are the same way in my state. And I won’t give them a dime because of it.
midlife mommys last blog post..Babytalk
August 6th, 2008 at 10:55 am
Fuck the hard sell. When will those bastards just do a nudey calendar?
Seriously.
Motherhood Uncensoreds last blog post..The Incredible Shrinking Toddler
August 6th, 2008 at 11:37 am
Wow, we must have the same guys in Arizona! They call me over and over and over even though I’ve told them no. Even though I tell them my husband is in law enforcement and we donate to his group. Sometimes I check the caller ID and they’ve called 3-4 times each day for days on end (I do screen and won’t answer).
August 6th, 2008 at 12:07 pm
Ick. that’s why I rarely answer the phone.
Gretchens last blog post..
August 6th, 2008 at 12:14 pm
Oh my god, do I hate the FOP. What is it with those guys? I have told them no less than 10 times that they will NEVER part me from my money and yet they keep calling. We got caller ID for the exclusive purpose of screening out their calls. Any number that I don’t recognize comes up, and I don’t answer.
Caras last blog post..Travel Tales: Part 1 – The Friendly Skies
August 6th, 2008 at 12:51 pm
I totally love the cause that the Fraternal Order of Police supports.
However, because of rampant bullying and overzealous collection tactics, I no longer donate to them.
It’s very sad. I have heard more negative reports about their tactics than every organization put together.
You are made to feel like an unpatriotic pariah if you do not/cannot donate or fail to follow through with your donation.
It puts a very bad taste in my mouth and gives them a really hideous reputation.
Loralees last blog post..Sideblog: The thing that sounds “Yum”
August 6th, 2008 at 12:54 pm
FOP is most definitely the hardest selling organization. They are all a bunch of pricks and I won’t give them a cent of my money because they are so rude.
Christys last blog post..1-2-3-4
August 6th, 2008 at 2:48 pm
I never answer the phone – ask anyone who knows me, they may hate it but it’s just part of who I am. I married someone exactly like me. And part of the reason I don’t answer the phone? The police selling circus tickets would leave me the hell alone. Apparently this is an international problem.
motherbumpers last blog post..I figured my retirement plan would involve something like this
August 6th, 2008 at 8:33 pm
I don’t even answer my home phone anymore, knowing that if they know me and really want to get a hold of me, they’ve got my cell #. But I did get a door to door guy trying to get a donation for the Police Retirement yada yada…and I did 2 things.
1. I walked him out to my front yard and pointed to my neighbor’s sheriff-mobile and told him that whenever I want to donate, I just buy HIM a beer.
2. I told him my daughter has cancer and unless he wants me showing up on his door to donate to bald cancer kids he’d better get GONE.
He shut up and left.
Anissa@Hope4Peytons last blog post..Peyton gets her Rocky Balboa on
August 6th, 2008 at 8:44 pm
I am so with you. My husband gave to them about five years ago and they won’t stop pestering us, even though I’ve said oh, about ten times that they won’t get money from us again and asked them to stop calling.
The last time they called, Axel screamed out right in the middle of the guy’s pitch – it was the perfect interruption to get me off the phone.
Ozs last blog post..Boy Oh Boy
August 8th, 2008 at 4:54 am
AMEN!
Although, I have to say I personally claim geek because there is nothing sweeter than a clean-coded WordPress theme, a new app, or when I get the hankerin’ for a new design and spend 2 to 3 days pulling it together while my house goes to pot around me.
I so missed going to Blogher this year – missed the only friends I have that don’t roll their eyes at me when I mention blogging without MySpace.
OMSHs last blog post..Y’all ready for a bit of WordPress again?!
August 8th, 2008 at 4:56 am
so…um…I think I er…got that comment in the wrong post.
Oops.
OMSHs last blog post..Y’all ready for a bit of WordPress again?!
August 16th, 2008 at 6:25 pm
Scoundrels.
I hang up on them.
magpies last blog post..Can We Talk About Pie Crust?