What can one do when their "No Soliciting" sign is constantly ignored?

Self (homeowner fed up with trash left on door) | 4/24/02 | Occam's Chainsaw

[occam's chainsaw]

I posted a "No Soliciting" sign next to my front door a couple of months ago because I was fed up with the constant ads (garbage) being left on my door. The sign seems to have decreased the amount of garbage being forced upon me, but I still get stuck with the occasional pizza coupons and realtor ads. I have called a couple of the sources and complained, but the complaints inevitably end in disagreements over what "No Soliciting" actually means. It seems many advertisers out there believe that as long as they are not knocking on your door and talking to an inhabitant, they are not "soliciting". Can any of you good Freepers out there provide a legal definition of "(no) soliciting"? What do I have to do to keep these idiots away from my home? Do I have to plaster big ugly "No Trespassing" signs all over my house and lawn?

[occam's chainsaw]

Personally, I think the city should outlaw the practice. Not only is it an annoyance, it also signals burglars to easy targets when someone is out of town. Until that day (which will likely never come), what should I do?

[Bikers4Bush]

Post a No Tresspassing sign right under the No Soliciting sign and then you'll be able to counter the only arguement that they've been making with you.

[Bikers4Bush]

Better yet "Beware of Dog". heh heh

[D-fendr]

Or: "My dog is armed."

[camle]

when I did my (very) brief stint as a cold salesman, I was told to target homes with "No soliciting" signs because that meant that the occupants were pushovers. I got out of that business.

[lowbridge]

What can one do when their "No Soliciting" sign is constantly ignored?

Do you own a gun? :-)

[occam's chainsaw]

My wife and I own and carry handguns, but we are usually not home when they leave the garbage on our door.

One morning as I was leaving, I spotted someone walking from one house to the next (walking right thru lawns) hanging his crap on everyone's doors. I waited behind my truck as he walked up to my house and I jumped out with my handgun (in my hand but still in a small concealed-carry holster to satisfy legal technicalities) and yelled at him to "GET THE HELL OUT OF MY YARD!!!". I don't think he spoke english, but he had a pretty good idea of what I was saying, because he jumped about 3 feet and ran like hell.

Unfortunately, I can't catch all of them like that - I have to pay the bills 8^(

[Cagey]

I haven't had any Jehova's Witness' stop by since I put this on my front door.

[Lazamataz]

Or: "My dog is armed."

Or "My dog is armed and barks swarms of killer bees and has laser-beam eyes."

[occam's chainsaw]

One of my friends used to have a lot of fun with the Jehovah's Witnesses by answering the door in the nude and inviting them in for a beer while playing porno tapes at high volumes.

I personally have never had any visits from them (thanks for the sign - I am definitely saving that one! ;^).

[another cricket]

Put up a fence, lock the gate and put a beware of dog sign up. If you don't have a dog rig a recording of barking to the bell at the gate.

This also keeps those pesky kids off your lawn ;~)

a.cricket

[EggsAckley]

I live in the woods, end of private GATED road. They STILL leave their brochures on my gate, despite all kinds of signs. We have a bigger problem with the "nature lovers" who chose to walk their dogs up and down in front of our house, past all the keep out signs.

I had two signs made that say: "This is Private Property, this is NOT a Park. If you wish to walk, there is a Park nearby where you will be welcome. You are not welcome here." It does stop most of them, but now and then we get bozos who actually argue with our right to declare the road private.

[glock rocks]

[Lazamataz]

Very nice! I especially like the Nazi-stormtrooper helmet.

[glock rocks]

it's kind of reminiscent of the day i came home and found my rottie with a 12-pack box stuck over his head.
he could see out of the hand holes, and bark, but i imagine any solicitor would have probably
just laughed, and hurt his feelings. you don't want a rottie to have hurt feelings.

[RippleFire]

I posted a "No Soliciting" sign next to my front door a couple of months ago

Do your visitors speak English?.

Beyond that there is the following - I have no idea if it works:

Scare Intruders Away With Spike, The "Barking Guard Dog" That Lives In A Microchip!

Nothing scares a potential burglar away like the sound of an attack dog on the other side of the door! But this "dog" is simply a microchip recording...you get the security of a watchdog, with none of the responsibility! Simply place "Spike" near a window or door. When the sensor detects motion within a 30' dia. — even through a 4" thick door — the dependable microchip will immediately sound the alarm (15 seconds per movement)! Four alarm choices: 1) single dog, 2) multiple dogs, or 3) siren, all of which sound more "frantic" the closer the intruder gets; or 4) growling dog. Includes adjustable sensitivity and volume controls. 105-115 dB speaker. Weatherproof, for outdoor use. Four "D" batteries not included. 4-7/8"x5"x7-1/4" tall.

[occam's chainsaw]

Thanks, but I am really more concerned with pollution and nuisance control than burglars. I have a Doberman for burglar prevention...except when I take him camping with me.

[S.O.S121.500]

A friend advised a certain pizza business that if they didn't cease littering his door knob he would see to it that their glass insurance premiums went through the roof.....A single after hours wrist rocket attack on their front windows convinced them to quit the practice entirely......Use a pay phone so the neighbors won't know whom to thank.

[boris]

"Better yet "Beware of Dog". heh heh"

I was a summer substitute mail carrier when I was in college. As a substitute, I walked a different mail route every day. One time I came to a house that was surrounded by a ten-foot-high cyclone fence. A huge sign in fluorescent letters said, "BEWARE OF AGGRESSIVE DOG!"

I surveyed the place. Saw no dog. Eyeing the distance between the fence and the mail slot, I opted to roll up the mail and leave it in the fence, rather than enter the fence.

Upon return to the post office, I was called in my the Postmaster.

"Lady at 6304 Liberty says you left the mail in the fence."

"Yes, sir. She has some kind of monster killer dog, and I was afraid to enter."

"Oh, we should have told you. That's old lady Rankin; she doesn't have a dog. The fence and sign are there to scare away burglars."

Worked on me.

--Boris

[Great Dane]

I finally got my junk delivery guy cured, I would keep an eye on him, after dropping the junk and when he was half way down the street, I would call him back to pick up his junk, had to do 3-5 times...... but I don't get junk anymore.

Had another guy, a little harder to train, he was delivering a small community paper, it was nothing but a propaganda sheet for our Liberal City Council, told the man I didn't want it, he said we had to accept it...... order of the City, told him it was my property, get lost, he tried to deliver a few more times, I then told him I would hold on to them, and when the stack was big enough, I would bring the papers to his office and dump them on th floor.......he is now cured.

[supercat]

Perhaps you need to be clear about what you mean? "Distributors of unwanted literature other than bona fide common carriers will be prosecuted for littering" or something?

[chaosagent]

In towns that have No Solicting laws, it means that they can't come and knock on your door. Nothing about leaving flyers.

[chaosagent]

Re: #2

But then who does the NO TRESPASSING apply to?

What about UPS, FEDEX, etc.?

What about the phone company when they drop off new phone books?

The neighbor's kid selling Girl Scout cookies?

The Publisher's Clearing House Prize Patrol?

Or just people you think you won't like?

[petuniasevan]

I don't know...

Poorman says that "No Soliciting" signs say to the prospective salesperson,
"Here's an easy mark! They can't say no so they put up this sign!"

[brat]

A simple flag will keep them away. They consider it to be adolatry.

[weegee]

You could have tried training him by hitting him with one of those rolled up newspapers...

[irishtenor]

If the offending litter (literature)has an address on it, I will take a bag of garbage, attach their offending litter to the bag, and drop it at their door. If it has one of those postage paid cards, I drop that in the mail without anything written on it. They have to pay the postage.

[occam's chainsaw]

In towns that have No Solicting laws, it means that they can't come and knock on your door. Nothing about leaving flyers.

IMHO - that amounts to little more than littering (same with tucking fliers under windshield wipers).

[Great Dane]

You could have tried training him by hitting him with one of those rolled up newspapers...

LOL, That would have been my next step.

By the way, we don't get many sales people anymore, Jehowa's witnesses comes by now and then, stop and look at the house......... then they take a pass.

[RangeRatt]

Fortunately, we live back in the woods, at the end of a gravel road, with two gates. If someone wanted to come out here to try & sell us something or talk about their religion, they would have to be damned determined. However, if they step one foot past the "No Trespassing" signs without an invite, one button on the home security system brings sheriff's deputies flying...they (the solicitors) seldom visit more than once.

[Swordmaker]

Oc, here in Kalifornia we are beginning to look on these unsolicited flyers and junk mail as BTUs from heaven!

I have often thought it be kinda neat to design a hardspam burning furnace to heat the house... I could then sign up for every junk mailing list I could find and the US Postal Service would hand deliver my night's heat to the door every day.