Bristol charity street collectors (Chuggers?) hit Redland hard

This month we are mostly being annoyed by charity collectors in Redland, Bristol.

There was a time when you could walk down the street without getting accosted by someone in a bright bib trying to get money out of you, not anymore.

Until recently, you could avoid charity collectors in the street as long as you steered clear of the City Centre and Park Street etc.

But in recent weeks they've moved onto the main trunk roads on either side of Redland - Whiteladies Road and Gloucester Road.

And it's not just one or two but scores of them, all standing within spitting distance of each other so you have to run the gauntlet to get past them.

I learned of an interesting nickname for them a couple of years back, 'chuggers', a combination of 'charity' and 'muggers'. Seriously, there's collecting for charity the old school way, some old boy or young cadet etc with a collection tin etc and hassling people into donating.

Some, not all mind, adopt some quite agressive tactics to try and get you to sign up to donate regularly to the charity they represent. The stand right in your path way and move around in front of your face to stop you getting past.

Others just stick to the old school technique of trying to get eye contact, smile and then trap you. All of them are a chore to avoid.

Don't get me wrong, I am in no way against donating to charity but I'd much rather do it on my terms. Responding to an ad, supporting charity shops and donating directly via websites such as Justgiving. I don't need some graduate feining interest in a cause to meet their quotas for sign ups.

I saw an ad for one of these jobs a while back and the hourly rate was more than most jobs I've ever had, I can't help thinking the charities would make more by not employing any chuggers and putting their wages straight in the fundraising pot.

It is quite amusing, however, hearing people's various ways of dodging the chuggers. One friend said he walks past them all arms out saying 'nnoooooooo'. Another stuck to the headphones on, eyes to the floor, carry on walking approach. Another foolproof way is saying you already donate to that charity. But my method of choice is simply saying 'sorry, I'm not 18'. Even if you blatantly look over 18 (which I don't according to bar staff, off licences and supermarkets!), it's got the shock value and should give you enough time to make your exit.

What do you think? Am I being too harsh on people who are actually doing a good job for charity? Or are you in the same camp as me and would like to see chuggers off the streets?