I have a blog in which I use to educate consumers and communities about the potential dangers posed by traveling sales crews and the difference between legitimate and rogue door-to-door companies. My latest blog was inspired by yours and provides a little information your readers and community may find helpful. The blog is at http://www.southwesterndifference.info.

Also, I researched quickly on the Internet and found the Municipal Code for San Carlos. There seems to be a permit requirement and a link to it is on my blog.

Again, thanks for your insight and entertaining blog post on this issue!

- Trey Campbell

Thanks for your comment. You brought up good point that I probably didn’t stress sufficiently in the post. Whenever the economy tanks, people obviously get more desperate for money whether it’s a panhandler downtown or someone knocking on your door. A good dose of extra vigilance is in order today.

Thanks again…CG

Thanks for writing in, and for clarifying the City’s policy on soliciting. In hindsight, I probably should have researched the policy and included it in the original article. But it’s something that every resident should know, because there seems to be a ton of illegal soliciting going on lately. And I always worry about what some screwball will do when they’re told NO and they’re not happy about it. I’d rather just not have to deal with it in the first place.

Thanks again for writing in, and see you around the ‘hood!

CG

Great tips on the soliciting issue! Because I’m your neighbor and we “share” the same solicitors, I thought I would post to your blog.

Just so everyone is aware, all soliciting in San Carlos is prohibited by our own laws, except for non-profit organizations, or for religious or political purposes. If you DO happen to open your door (I always look out the window and don’t open the door if I see the infamous clipboard), and find out that it is indeed a for-profit soliciation, ask to see their solicitation permit from the Police Department (which they won’t have). Then call 802-4277 (Non-Emergency Police Dispatch). Give the exact location and direction the person is headed. The Police will come by and cite them.

I had an aggressive solicitor one time who actually took the mail out of my mailbox and threw it on my lawn (A federal offense). I called the Police to report it immediately.

Keep up the great blog!

Since moving to white oaks six months ago, I have been sketched out by the following visits:
- Female wanting to clean a carpet for free for a school project (evening)
- Male wanting money for a baseball team. He was son of X down the street!? (late-morning)
- Two separate males looking for magazine subscriptions and/or donations. Solicitor #2 was not too happy when he found out someone had been on his turf a few weeks earlier. (evening)

I am almost looking forward to visits from religious zealots. At least I know their intentions.

You hit it right on the head — “uneasy” is a good way to describe these kinds of exchanges.

Thanks for your comments….

CG

Last week in the afternoon, a guy wearing a baseball jersey came to my door & claimed that he lived up the street & that his mother was X. I did not recognize him or his alleged mother’s name.
After trying to chat me up about baseball, he asked for $ so that his high school team could go to Hawaii. He looked too old to be a high school student, but, the again, so do some kids who play HS football.

I declined to donate. He then asked me if a had a bottle of water. Again, I declined. The whole thing was, at the very least, odd and left me uneasy.