Persistent salesmen?

[rl168]

I just saw this on KHOU's website:

http://www.khou.com/news/local/stories/ ... fa3ea.html

I was surprised by the sales tactics, but can't help wondering what will happen if they came upon the house of one of our fellow members on this forum?

[seamusTX]

This is yet another illustration of why it's important to have a way of communicating with someone who is outside the door without opening it. This "salesman" could just have easily been a rapist and murderer, and we would be reading a different story in the news.

There is no excuse for failing to have these devices. They cost well under $100, and the wireless versions are easy to install (though you have to change batteries).

- Jim

[Crossfire]

Why, WHY would any woman, home alone, open the door to a man she doesn't know and is not expecting?

[longtooth]

I cant at all believe one of them has not been arrested for trespass yet.

[boomerang]

I cant at all believe one of them has not been arrested for trespass yet.

I'm surprised one of them hasn't been shot for forcing their way in. Or at least pepper sprayed.

[DoubleJ]

I cant at all believe one of them has not been arrested for trespass yet.

I'm surprised one of them hasn't been shot for forcing their way in. Or at least pepper sprayed.

“And I said, ‘If you’ll wait a moment,’ and then he goes, 'Well that’s all right, let me see what you have,’ and he just walked by me into my house,� said homeowner Myra Uruski. “I know what a hard sale is, but this was ridiculous.�

I's just thinkin' the same thing. I know a certain little lady that, although I ain't yet to convince her not to open the door, if some dude woulda pulled this, he woulda had an XD up in his grill.
I *know* there are a few households that if this tactic were used, well, the salesman would have been relieved of his air-sucking abilities.

the nerve of some people....

[seamusTX]

The people that they push past are too timid or (inapppropriately) polite to either call the police or use force on these salesmen. People who do this kind of thing for a living can read body language pretty well, and they are not going to be pushy with someone they know will resist with force.

If someone does call the police, they probably will just beat feet and go to another block. The police generally won't arrest for criminal trespass unless the trespasser refuses to leave in the presence of the LEO.

- Jim

[RugerP345]

I had a similar incident a few weeks ago. As I pulled up to my home, I noticed a guy on the corner with a clipboard and an ADT sign looking around, looking for a "sale".
I keep my pistol locked up in my truck safe during the day, and I immediately arm as soon as I get home. I don't worry about concealment since I'm at home and just tuck it in my waistband. About 5min after I get in, I get a knock at the door. I look at my CCTV and see the ADT salesman at my front door. Well I open the door to tell this guy to bug off, and he immediately starts with the sales pitch. About 3 words in his pitch, his eyes glance down to my waist only to see the butt of my Ruger .45! You should have seen the look on his face. Needless to say he stopped right there, said thank you for your time Sir, have a nice day. I didn’t have to say a word. I got a No Soliciting sign from Wally Mart that evening; let’s see if it keeps them away.

[DoubleJ]

I got a No Soliciting sign from Wally Mart that evening; let’s see if it keeps them away.

Well, signs keep the Criminals out of the "Gun Free Zones," right?

[RugerP345]

I got a No Soliciting sign from Wally Mart that evening; let’s see if it keeps them away.

Well, signs keep the Criminals out of the "Gun Free Zones," right?

[Supercat]

My wife had a vacume cleaner guy do a similar thing, he came to the door to pitch his thing and my son started crying, so she said i'll be right back and closed the door. When she returned to the foyer the sales guy was in the front room cowering looking down the muzzels of 2 100 pound dogs that don't like people they don't know. She called the police and had him removed and charges of tresspass were pressed. He got a fine.

She normally complains about the dog hair, well I have not heard a complaint since that day.

And now she locks the door everytime she walks through it. It took that realization that something really bad could have easily happened if those dogs were not there. Her situational awareness has changed greatly since then.

[Charles L. Cotton]

(b) The actor's belief under Subsection (a)(2) that the
deadly force was immediately necessary as described by that
subdivision is presumed to be reasonable if the actor:

• (1) knew or had reason to believe that the person
  against whom the deadly force was used:

• (A) unlawfully and with force entered, or was
  attempting to enter unlawfully and with force, the actor's occupied
  habitation, vehicle, or place of business or employment;

Perhaps the Utah employer needs to learn of the new Texas "Castle Doctrine." Is pushing past someone entering "unlawfully and with force?" Pushing is certainly "with force" and if the homeowner said anything to indicate the salesman wasn't to enter, then . . . At best, it's a rude tactic, at worst it may be a deadly one. How is anyone, especially a woman, to know if he's a salesman, or a rapist in an APX uniform?

Chas.

[stevie_d_64]

"APX would not comment about the complaints, but the company did confirm that salespeople would be in the Houston area all summer."



"target rich environment"???

--kidding--

BTW, I get a really big kick out of these new Brinks and other home security and monitoring services...

[security monitor named...ahh, Chet...Yeah that'll work] "Are you alright?"

[home owner in TEXAS] "Yeah, just stitched a home invader!!! Boy are you guys worth the money!" /sarcasm

[RPBrown]

It would not be wise to try that with my wife or daughter. If the dogs don't get em, the girls would. They shoot better than I do.

[bpet]

I guess I'd have to see if the salesman agreed that selling security systems is a little tougher in Texas than in Utah. This, while looking down the barrel of my 45.

It would be the second question I asked.

The first would be a polite inquiry as to this supervisors name and whether he thought his supervisor should be present when the police arrived.

I just despise pushy salesmen. Actually, I often get intimidated by them and in some instances (like uninvited entry), have been known to fear for my life.