Do you normally answer your door (knock or doorbell)...? (apartment, house)

[ImmerLernen]

Sorry if this has already been asked & answered...

When someone rings your doorbell or knocks unexpectedly, do you usually answer? I'm asking because I sometimes do and sometimes don't. Either way, I definitely don't appreciate these unexpected arrivals!

Example: Daytime, I'm dressed (presentable), and I'm not in the middle of something -- I usually answer the door because I figure it's reasonably safe and probably a legit reason. Although you never know, right? After dark...I almost never answer. Like just a few minutes ago (8pm and dark outside), we got a ring, and I just ignored it. (My husband would've answered, but he was "indisposed". ) I find the after dark ones especially rude and annoying.

I always feel a bit like an idiot *hiding out* when someone's on my front porch knocking or ringing, especially when it's obvious someone is at home. And what if it's an immediate neighbor wanting/needing something (I would hope they'd call out if it were a real emergency, but who knows?).

We recently posted a polite plaque above our doorbell that reads, "NO Soliciting, Fundraising, Politics, Salesmen, Religion. Thank you!" It has helped, but we have had a couple people ignore it (like tonight). One young guy had the nerve to chuckle and tell my husband, "Yeah, uh, I saw your sign, but, uh, I'm just tryin' to do my job, ya know?" (He was a realtor whom we would never consider hiring because of that.)

We don't have a Ring doorbell or similar security system. I don't feel that's really necessary; I just don't think uninvited "guests" should ring or knock and expect an answer. What do you think and how do you handle this?

[Exitus Acta Probat]

No, I do not.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hv0M4mnrE8

[saibot]

I usually do, because so often it's someone I would want to see, like my neighbor letting me know she'll be gone for a week, so can I keep an eye on her place, or one of the kids on the street wanting my son to come over. Or, like yesterday, a man who had found a dog heading for the busy street, which turned out to be my neighbor's dog (and they weren't home).

However, if I see from an upstairs window that a realtor/sales person is making the rounds, I don't answer.

[duke944]

I look out the window, if it's not someone I know or the UPS guy I'm not answering the door.

[Mr_Geek]

Nope, never. And now that we have a Ring, I can just address them from my phone if needed.

[Patrolman]

Other than on Halloween, no one ever knocks on my door.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by Patrolman

Other than on Halloween, no one ever knocks on my door.

Rarely do we get unexpected guests but if we do, we always check to see who it is before opening the door and we live in an extremely safe city. If we are in the office we can see who is coming up the walk and if we are anywhere in the kitchen or dining room we can glance out the window pretty easily.

[eureka1]

I have a house where I can easily see who's at the door. So yes.

[Freebird]

We live in a secured apartment building now and up until now we've not had anyone knocking on the door unexpectedly - but when we lived in the ex-house, if there was knock or a ring, I would always first look through the peephole and scope it out and then run upstairs and talk to them through the window.

We had heard that intruders will ring doorbells in the middle of the day (or night) to see if anyone is home before attempting to enter - and if nobody answered, it would seem like fair game to them - or a safer option for them to take a chance on entering and not getting caught at least.

I wouldn't open the door if I was home alone to anyone unexpected. And something about NOT answering / talking to them through the upstairs window and indicating that someone was home made it seem more dangerous.


Edited to add, we only knew two of our immediate neighbors (the ones on either side) - I would open for them in a heartbeat even if it was unexpected.

[DutchessCottonPuff]

Not much . Rarely .