Chuggers should steer clear of the other salespeople

Grabbing a quick break in a busy day yesterday, I nipped to the less-than-glamorous destination that is Hammersmith Broadway, a small shopping arcade built around the entrance to the tube station.
 
During my roughly 100-metre walk through the centre, I was stopped three times.
 
The first was by a heavily made-up woman trying to sell me a bag of “luxury beauty products”. I said I wasn’t interested, and carried on walking, feeling a bit harrassed.
 
The second was by a burly bloke asking me to join the local gym. I told him (truthfully) that I was already a member, and carried on.
 
By this point I was starting to get annoyed that I couldn’t just be left alone to pick up a coffee (and, I admit, concerned that I must’ve looked like I needed both of the products…)
 
And then I was stopped again. This time it was by a friendly World Vision chugger, asking me to sign up. My response, I admit, was more curt than usual. I certainly didn’t stop to talk to him.
 
There’s something really wrong with sending chuggers to a busy place like this.
 
By lumping themselves in with those flogging cheap make-up and gym memberships, charities become just another annoyance to busy shoppers who might otherwise be supportive of their work. Worse, they look like they’re only interested in getting at your wallet, like all the other salespeople in the arcade.