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Answering the door.
Topic Started: Apr 14 2018, 09:07 PM (2,293 Views)
Fluffy Pumpkin
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Friend and I were talking and we got onto the " someone knocking on the door" topic. It stemmed from discussion on the guy who shot at a kid who just knocked on his door to ask directions, but we didn't delve too far into the obvious racial aspect.


Do you answer the door if you aren't expecting anything or anyone?

I don't. If I know you, you can call me and tell me you are coming over. Do not just show up, because I'm not leaving the kitchen to even check the door if I'm not expecting you.

Ill look out the window upstairs or the one next to the door to see who is out there if I feel like it. Sure as hell not opening the door if I don't know you.

She finds this rude. I'm fine with that.

She thinks if someone knocks you should at least see what they want. I think that's how you get killed. Fuck what they want.
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FrootLoop
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Naturally Frootilicious
I do, and i never ever remember to use the peephole first!
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Stimpy
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Amateur Rabble Rouser
At my prior place, I would surreptitiously look out a window to see who is there. I occasionally got solicitors and the neighbors usually kept to themselves. I would not open the door.

A few years back, one of the neighbors down the block opened the door and had a home invasion.


Current place is gated so I have even fewer visitors to the area.
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OR rainy
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Dontcha!!!!!!
No peephole in my door (upper part has glass....if I hear the door I check but that is because we don’t get visitors so if someone is knocking then I want to make sure it isn’t an emergency...
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Aqua
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Sad Sack Puppy
No. Never. If I didn’t order food from you or invite you over, don’t knock on my door. I just let my big loud dog with the teeth answer.
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miss jojo
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That’s one of the best things about living upstairs in a duplex. I don’t get random strangers and I can look out the window halfway down the stairs and have a clear view of who’s there.

I don’t see any need to answer the door for people you don’t know. It’s bound to be dangerous or annoying.

Someone tried to attack my SIL once when she answered the door right after my brother left for work. The big dogs scared him off.
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Roor
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bad hombre
Depends on my mood.
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Koalabella
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Sure. 99% of the time it's a package. The rest of the time it's someone polite or a Jesus peddler, and they're super nice and pleasant around here.

Also, if I didn't answer the door, Adelaide might die of sadness and Zelda would take a lot longer to overcome her indignation that someone dared set foot on her property.
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Parsnip
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Depends on if I feel like engaging.

Up until recently I thought it was safer to let someone know the home was occupied because it would be less likely to be burglarized. Home invasions tended to happen at night, IME.

I was raised as a latch key kid and taught to holler at my ficticious uncle and dad if a stranger came knocking. I've done that twice as a single adult.
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Parsnip
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Double post
Edited by Parsnip, Apr 14 2018, 10:05 PM.
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Fluffy Pumpkin
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I mean, if a Jesus peddler catches me outside, I'm more than happy to be polite.

We've had some boyscouts selling overpriced popcorn and magazines I don't want, or people wanting me to switch my cable. Neither am I interested in.

Door to door soliciting shouldn't be a thing. If I want something, I know where to go for it, and I will seek it out. I guess hey still get a few bites to keep at it though.
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Sparkle DNA
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I can see the front door porch from my laundry room. I check to see if I want to talk to who is knocking. I answer the door less than half the time and almost never to someone I don't know.

Our door is half cut glass on the top and when we do the replacement project next month I am going to have a solid door with a peep hole. I hate the idea that people can look into my house just because they are standing on the porch.

Do you know how hard it is to find a snazzy looking solid door? Ugh
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collegebound
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We have a storm door that I will roll down the screen portion to talk to someone rather than open the storm door.

If the front door isn't open, then I'm not answering.
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Sarcastic Pants
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NO. I am sexy and pretty.
Yes, in case it is burglars checking to see if someone's home. But I don't open it, I just call through the window that I'm not available to talk.
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Walternate
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Walternate is a fuzzy smurple.
Depends on my mood. If I look out the window and see a kid I'll open the door to see what they want but if it's an unknown adult I generally don't open the door. They usually are both selling something but if it's a kid I'll likely buy something unless I feel like it's a scam, if it's an adult I get irritated because I have a no soliciting sign.
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notstillme
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Geek by proxy
If I'm up to it. We have no soliciting signs and ppl actually have been following them which is nice.

Since those signs went up, I've had 0 solicitors of any kind, so the handful of times someone was at the door, it was either a neighbor or a delivery.

I have senior neighbors and one was recently rushed to hospital, so I do try to keep aware of them, in case there's an emergency. Since I work from home, I could help in a pinch (they also have my phone number).
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adrienne
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"Who can it be now"?

Usually it's Calli (said in a Seinfeld tone of voice,Newman), the abandoned psycho tortie that we've been feeding for the last three years now.
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Elphaba
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I never answer the door to anyone I haven't invited or am not expecting. The loud dog is also useful in keeping strangers from lingering on the porch.
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Millicat
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We live in a rural area so 99 times out of 100 it is a neighbor who needs something. I answer the door but through the locked storm door where visitor can see and hear our Akita doing her Hound of the Baskervilles routine.
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Fluffy Pumpkin
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You all with your dogs.

See, my torbie cat would sell me to Satan for one cat treat.
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Potatochiplady
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Depends on what I feel like doing.

Last time I did it, it was 2 am and I thought it was my kids & husband coming home from a camp out so I didn't look first. Turns out it was a drunk guy that crashed his car into a pond.
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Strawberry Blondie
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It depends on my mood and state of dress.
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FrootLoop
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Naturally Frootilicious
I'm usually just in a t-shirt at home but I keep a maxi skirt in my living room just in case the door bell rings.
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Strawberry Blondie
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I’m pretty much always clothed in the winter because I’m cheap with the heat, but summertime is a crapshoot:
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Ennacrone
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We have a gate alarm. We are out in the boonies and the house is over 150 feet from the front gate so when the alarm goes off in the house there is plenty of time to see who is out there through the front windows.
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SweetHomeTexas
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CowGirlUP
No, I let my loud dog go crazy on their asses.
Edited by SweetHomeTexas, Apr 14 2018, 11:52 PM.
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Roor
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bad hombre
Sparkle DNA
Apr 14 2018, 10:10 PM
I can see the front door porch from my laundry room. I check to see if I want to talk to who is knocking. I answer the door less than half the time and almost never to someone I don't know.

Our door is half cut glass on the top and when we do the replacement project next month I am going to have a solid door with a peep hole. I hate the idea that people can look into my house just because they are standing on the porch.

Do you know how hard it is to find a snazzy looking solid door? Ugh
They're sooo expensive. WHYYY.

Ours needs replaced and at a minimum it will be around $450 not including install.
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LapisLazuli
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It depends on what I'm wearing. My default is "yes", though, and I have no concerns about the safety aspects.

The worst it will be is a charity caller (potentially a neighbour who, for maximum coercion value has been organised into going door to door in our street) or some evil creature wanting to woo me away from our telco or energy provider.

I can see who is there from a bedroom window without being observed but I will also happily call "who is it?" and "no, thanks!" through the front door if I'm in my pjs.
Edited by LapisLazuli, Apr 15 2018, 12:41 AM.
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Suzanne Sugarbaker
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Nope. My dog answers for me.
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Charybdis
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Vicious Sea Monster
Yes, always. The dogs barking starts to drive me crazy after maybe 30 seconds. We have an entryway with a metal gate so no one can actually come up to my door.
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Yvonne 2
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Only about half the time. I try and see who it is first. If I do open for a stranger my huge dog is right behind me barking meanly.
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Time Lord
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If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is not for you.
I usually don't answer the door if not expecting anything or anyone.

Most people just knock but don't say anything. If they don't announce themselves, I do not answer the door. There are religious groups that go around knocking on everyone's door, and leaving material on the door if no one answers. I just throw the pamphlets away.

When I am at home, I do not get very many knocks on my door, which is just fine with me.
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PolarBearIce
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I always check. If I know them, I answer. If I don't, I don't.

A month or so ago the door bell rang when I was upstairs. My daughter yelled up at me asking if she should get it. I looked out the window and saw a man & woman with a clipboard. I yelled down to her, "No. I think they're politicians & im not in the mood to talk!" I think they may have heard me because they started walking back to their car & they were laughing. :$
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Walternate
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Walternate is a fuzzy smurple.
PolarBearIce
Apr 15 2018, 02:19 AM
I always check. If I know them, I answer. If I don't, I don't.

A month or so ago the door bell rang when I was upstairs. My daughter yelled up at me asking if she should get it. I looked out the window and saw a man & woman with a clipboard. I yelled down to her, "No. I think they're politicians & im not in the mood to talk!" I think they may have heard me because they started walking back to their car & they were laughing. :$
I had forgotten this one. When we first moved into our current house the windows were the original windows and not very soundproof. Only a couple of days after we moved in a teen girl with her younger sister knocked on our door selling cheesecakes for school. Due to the moving mess and boxes we asked them to wait outside for a moment. Spouse yells from the door to me in the back of the house asking if we want cheesecakes, then we had a yelling discussion back and forth about not really wanting cheesecakes but that we probably should so as to get in good with the neighbors. I think we included some smartass comment about the cheesecakes being expensive but should still buy multiple anyway. It didn't occur to us until later those kids probably heard every word including buying cheesecakes to appear friendly. :$ :D
Edited by Walternate, Apr 15 2018, 02:33 AM.
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greenbean
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Queen Bean
Walternate
Apr 14 2018, 10:27 PM
Depends on my mood. If I look out the window and see a kid I'll open the door to see what they want but if it's an unknown adult I generally don't open the door. They usually are both selling something but if it's a kid I'll likely buy something unless I feel like it's a scam, if it's an adult I get irritated because I have a no soliciting sign.
Mostly this. If it's a woman I'll probably answer but if it's a strange man I have no qualms about waving him on his way from my window. I feel worse about being rude to a woman, which is probably horribly sexist of me, lol.
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miss jojo
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IME, it’s either a religious solicitor or someone trying to get me to switch the utilities.
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notstillme
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Geek by proxy
Fluffy Pumpkin
Apr 14 2018, 11:16 PM
You all with your dogs.

See, my torbie cat would sell me to Satan for one cat treat.
My one cat, Candy Cane, will charge at the door growling as the White Fluffball of Doom.

And then promptly walk away like nothing happened.
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Cary On
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Honestly it depends upon which door someone is knocking. If you knock on the front door we will avoid you. All of our friends and family know to use the back door.
There are a couple of acquaintances that we will avoid answering the door for. Didn't call first, we aren't home to you. Sadly if we could just get through to family about this as well.
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paperbackwriter
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Parasitic Lurker
I have a Ring doorbell, so I can see who's at the door on my cell phone. Unless I'm expecting someone, I don't bother with the door. I don't care if they can see me, it's not rude to ignore the door/doorbell in my own home. I can think of too many ways opening the door could be a bad choice for me to want to even go there lol
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DarlingDewey
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Coach
I open the front door but not the security door. I can't see anything through my peephole because of the security door so I never know who it is. If it's someone I don't know I won't open the security door and I'll just ask them to leave. I have had some people try to get me to open it by saying they needed to hand me things and I just say leave them on the table, if I open this door I don't know what my dog will do.

Some of the retired folks in my neighborhood get really pissed at sales people and call the cops as soon as they spot them, I usually check my Next Door app a few minutes after they have been here to see which neighbors called the cops.
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Saffie
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I normally will, because it’s quite often a delivery person with something for a nieghbour who is out. It’s it someone recruiting for religion, selling something or collecting for charity (invariably wanting to sign us up for a direct debit - cash collections are a thing of the past in the UK). I shut the door again with a quick “no thanks” as soon as I realise what they want, which is usually just about the time they begin to speak. My DH thinks that’s a bit rude. I think they’re a bit rude for trying to recruit/sell/collect at our door.
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miss jojo
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Recently I came home from visiting next door and there was a woman from the cable company on the front steps talking to my downstairs neighbor. I walked quickly, hoping to avoid her, but she finished that conversation (he already has their cable) and started asking me questions. I ignored her till she got snotty, implying I was being rude, so I yelled that I didn’t have cable and I didn’t want it.

Look, the stranger coming to my home uninvited is the rude one.
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TudorFan
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Kate Middleton Board, sparkling goddess of whimsy
Nope. I have no desire to talk to a random stranger. I don't really care what they want. Go away.

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DarlingDewey
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Coach
I've only ever gotten really rude one time. Some guys caught me outside and shoved a clipboard in my hands, I was holding it before I even knew it happened. I told them I wasn't interested and tried to hand it back but one of the guys got really pushy and said "Nope, we aren't taking that back till you hear what we have to say." So I counted to three and when they didn't take it back I threw the clipboard in the street and went inside.
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Koalabella
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Time Lord
Apr 15 2018, 01:31 AM
I usually don't answer the door if not expecting anything or anyone.

Most people just knock but don't say anything. If they don't announce themselves, I do not answer the door. There are religious groups that go around knocking on everyone's door, and leaving material on the door if no one answers. I just throw the pamphlets away.

When I am at home, I do not get very many knocks on my door, which is just fine with me.
I can’t imagine knocking on someone’s door, then shouting at them about who I am. Sadly, my Jesus would remain unpeddled.
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Strawberry Blondie
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Koalabella
Apr 15 2018, 11:27 AM
Time Lord
Apr 15 2018, 01:31 AM
I usually don't answer the door if not expecting anything or anyone.

Most people just knock but don't say anything. If they don't announce themselves, I do not answer the door. There are religious groups that go around knocking on everyone's door, and leaving material on the door if no one answers. I just throw the pamphlets away.

When I am at home, I do not get very many knocks on my door, which is just fine with me.
I can’t imagine knocking on someone’s door, then shouting at them about who I am. Sadly, my Jesus would remain unpeddled.
This made me spit my drink out, I didn’t really consider TL’s post in practice. What would that look like?

*knock**knock* [screams] “IT’S SALLY!!”
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Aqua
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Sad Sack Puppy
Strawberry Blondie
Apr 15 2018, 11:36 AM
Koalabella
Apr 15 2018, 11:27 AM
Time Lord
Apr 15 2018, 01:31 AM
I usually don't answer the door if not expecting anything or anyone.

Most people just knock but don't say anything. If they don't announce themselves, I do not answer the door. There are religious groups that go around knocking on everyone's door, and leaving material on the door if no one answers. I just throw the pamphlets away.

When I am at home, I do not get very many knocks on my door, which is just fine with me.
I can’t imagine knocking on someone’s door, then shouting at them about who I am. Sadly, my Jesus would remain unpeddled.
This made me spit my drink out, I didn’t really consider TL’s post in practice. What would that look like?

*knock**knock* [screams] “IT’S SALLY!!”
“IT’S SALLY, I BROUGHT JESUS!”
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Buffy the Vampire Slayer
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Annoying, little twerp.
Your friend is going to be on a future episode of Forensic Files.
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Lady Wolf
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I answer but Wolf is usually right behind me acting like he'll rip your face off
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Figment
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Young kids, women, neighbors and the mailman...but the women have to look like church ladies.

A broker left their card in a flower pot yesterday afternoon, maybe they rang while we were making the love...I gave my information to a real estate woman yesterday at noon in another city...if she gave my information to this broker I find that very aggressive on both their parts and we won’t use either of them...use the damn e-mail address I gave you don’t come to my damn house!
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