Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Piano Teachers Forum NO SOLICITATION!

UGH!

Nearly every day last week, I've had at least one lesson per day interrupted by someone trying to sell something or to ask me to vote for someone. I need a sign for the door, evidently, that says do not disturb, lessons in progress. Does anyone have anything clever I can use?

Just get a "no soliciting' sign. But that won't stop most Jehovah's Witnesses.

get a camera and keep a small lcd by the piano, if you don't recognize the person, ignore them. this along with some type of sign.

A no solicitors sign should do it for most of them, kids don't usually pay attention to it though, you're stuck buying cookies lol. As far as the JW, I called the city once about it because they are such a nuisance and they told me that after you tell them not to come back one time and they do come back, you can charge them with trespassing. I told them that, and they haven't been back since

Many of the door-to-door religious people feel themselves under very great social & moral pressure to make their visits. Nearly every person involved in a door-to-door religion is also of quite limited intelligence, but in general they are not bad people and they don't truly want to hurt or bother anyone when it's pointed out to them. Talking directly to these people and explaining the situation, i.e. you don't want them to come back, is probably the best solution.

A sign saying lessons are in progress means to them "I'm busy just now, but please come back later." You'll need to actually talk to them, once, to get your point across.

Stanny,
I don't have a clever answer for these solicitors. But your post reminds me of a recent situation. I was teaching an afternoon lesson, and the doorbell rang. I asked the 10 year old student if he saw anyone come to the door (since my back was to the window, but he had an easy view out the window). He said he thought it was "a man with a backpack". It sounded creepy to me and I didn't answer the door.

The caller rang 3 or 4 times, and we ignored it. (My studio is in the front of the house so it was obvious that we were ignoring the caller.) Later I had a phone call and it turns out my dog had gotten out and a neighbor had come by to return him to me. LOL!

So my plan to just ignore the doorbell isn't always the best solution either.

Too bad we end up stuck in the house pretending we're not home. That happened on Sunday. I got in from a walk and saw the nicely dressed young couples (Bible in hand I presumed) making their rounds of the neighborhood. I got in and wanted to start my practice, yet felt I needed to hide out and wait until they passed. I ended up getting my husband to answer the door--as he has an easier time of just saying "No thanks" and closing the door.

So I guess this wouldn't do the trick? ;-)


It's not really so much the bible thumpers. It's people wanting me to buy things. All the school fund raisers have started. They can look right through the front door window and see me teaching. I could use "Lessons in progress, do not disturb." What I want to say is "If I did not specifically invite you to my home today, DO NOT ring the doorbell. Turn around and LEAVE."

I even got woken up from a VERY rare Sunday afternoon nap last weekend. GRRR!

Sign:

WARNING
VICIOUS
DOG

DOORBELL
UNLOCKS
DOG
CAGE

That reminds me. My son has a sign on his bedroom door that says:
WARNING: No Trespassers
Trespassers will be shot
Survivors will be shot again

Could sustitute the word SOLICITORS for Trespassers.

Why did I think your a bigot when I read this?

D4v3 I agree.. that is quite a prejudice remark. I know quite a few JWs, and quite a lot with a high level of intelligence! (One who did post grad studies in mathematics and another who is working as a solicitor!) :P

btw Stanny JWs don't believe that Jesus died on a cross so I dont think that sign seems to be aimed at them.

They are interesting to listen to, even if you don't agree, ... I've had quite a few interesting conversations with them!

The Last time the Witnesses came to see me I started talking to them about His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Haile Selassie I, King of Kings, Almighty Jah, The One True Living God. They looked at me like I was nuts, backed away slowly and have yet to return.

While I am not a JW, I am thinking to myself, is this thread really devolving into these types of comments? From "no soliciting" to tips on how to scare away religious door to door people which are insulting?

In my neck of the woods the #1 door to door types are environmentalists looking for people to sign petitions/donate to their cause. Second is local kids primarily selling coupon books for school/sports. We see JW maybe every couple of years. Personally I don't mind the JW and overall they seem to be better equipped to "stray from the script" than the youngsters the environmental groups send out. Nothing like seeing the smoke come out their ears when you start to go into the issues in depth vs the superficial training they seem to get. Overall though, most everyone tends to be polite and when we say "no", they generally say "thank you" and move on.

You hand paint a sign in all capital letters: "TRESPASSERS WILL BE VIOLATED".

OK, maybe not appropriate for a business that works closely with families, but it would certainly keep solicitors away.

I caught that too. +1

I apologize for sounding harsh. In the area where I live, it is the plain and simple truth. I am not bigoted - I've been living and working with people in door-to-door religions for quite some time, including my former boss and my next-door neighbor. They are in general nice people and I enjoy their company. If things have worked out better in the places where you all live, that's good news and I'm glad to hear it.

Perhaps a simple sign on your door that says "Lessons in progress. Please do not disturb unless it is an emergency. Thank you."

In our subdivision, the entrance sign says "no soliciting." That cuts down on everyone except the children selling things and the foreigners who say, "but I have a license to do this."

[When I opened this thread, I was expecting a rant about students selling things. I'm getting quite frustrated over the number of students who want me to buy their cookies, wrapping paper, magazines, etc, for school, soccer, etc. And they look so hurt when I say no. However, last week a parent came by selling cookie dough, and asked me to pick out my favorite. Her son has to sell 10, so she's buying all ten, and using them as teacher presents this Christmas!]

That's a nice idea for your student to do! I only have one or two per year that sell me stuff, and I don't mind supporting them in what they're trying to do. I remember as a child hating to have to do those fund raisers. As long as it doens't get out of hand (which it hasn't thus far) then I can continue to support them.

This is why you need an annual enrollment fee - to cover these small, miscellaneous expenses. Then you can gladly, wholeheartedly, support your student's fund raising efforts. It's really the parents, but only you know that!