S/O door locking - answering the door

JCM · November 2013

Do you answer the door every time someone knocks or rings the doorbell or only if you are expecting someone or something? I only answer when I'm expecting someone or something from UPS or Fed-Ex. I don't the door otherwise. It's usually someone trying to sell me something & I'm a sucker. I also am a bit paranoid about some one trying to push past me & rape & murder me! I've watched too many Cold Case/Forensic Files!

joyfullyfound · November 2013

Only if I know who it is.

notkateanymore · November 2013

What @cnamom said. I answer or I talk through the window to them. I actually don't answer if I see it's FedEx or UPS. They just leave it at the door.

nevertune · November 2013

I never answer the door unless I am expecting someone. I really love all my neighbors, but they stop by to chit-chat often enough and I don't have time. It's almost always when I'm cooking or helping my son with homework. They're usually wanting to talk to my husband anyway, so I let him answer the door if he's home. We're not rural, but our neighborhood is rather hidden, so we don't have too many solicitors. I get all flustered when we do and hide until they're gone. I don't like when people don't take one "no thank you" and leave. I really hate being rude, and I feel I have to to get most of them to go away.

rosesandpetals · November 2013

I'm kind of a bitch about this. Next to our door is a floor to ceiling window that is about 6 inches wide. I walk into the entry way and if it's someone I don't know, I just wave and walk back into the living room. So they know I'm home but I am not going to open the door for someone I don't know.

When I pregnant with DD, I opened the door for a stranger and ended up paying $150 for 3 children's book to be donated to the hospital and the extra money went to some school in the area. I am a huge sucker, I can't say no.

Eskimokisses13 · November 2013

I almost always open the door, the main exception is if they are holding a bible. ; ). We have a very large dog who always goes to the door with me.

pitterpatter129 · November 2013

I always answer until I'm half-dressed or nursing a baby. My complaint is our new house doesn't have windows by the door or one of those viewer things. I bought one to install, but we haven't yet. So, I open it to a surprise, which I don't like. I usually just crack it first so I can slam and lock if I get scared. We have a 85lb dog too.

penguingrrl · November 2013

I always open the door, never occurred to me not to. It's usually my neighbor who I'm friendly with or family. Most people text before they come, but not always. I also only lock my doors at night. Otherwise we're in and out of the yard all day so there's no point in locking the house.

notkateanymore · November 2013

NandaB said:

I will never forget that there was a thread like this once before and someone said their husband only answers the door with his gun.

That is usually kept in the diaper bag?

penguingrrl · November 2013

LalaMama81 said:

I always open the door, never occurred to me not to. It's usually my neighbor who I'm friendly with or family. Most people text before they come, but not always. I also only lock my doors at night. Otherwise we're in and out of the yard all day so there's no point in locking the house.
This. I always answer, I think it's odd not to. Much better for them to know you are there. Just say "no thank you, I'm not interested," several times if needed. I've never bought something or anything like that.

I've never seen a door-to-door salesperson. Until this thread I thought they were a relic of the past!

eaglesfan700 · November 2013

LalaMama81 said:

I always open the door, never occurred to me not to. It's usually my neighbor who I'm friendly with or family. Most people text before they come, but not always. I also only lock my doors at night. Otherwise we're in and out of the yard all day so there's no point in locking the house.
This. I always answer, I think it's odd not to. Much better for them to know you are there. Just say "no thank you, I'm not interested," several times if needed. I've never bought something or anything like that.

Ditto, I always answer. It is usually a neighbor or their kids looking for our kids to play. Sometimes it is someone selling, but I don't have a problem saying no. Our UPS guy knocks to let me know there is a package but doesn't wait around.

One time I was in the shower and the UPS guy knocked. Well 3.5 y/o DS answered the door. I heard him talking to someone but just assumed H came home early. It was a big box, so the UPS guy brought it in the house. MOTY right here

penguingrrl · November 2013

LalaMama81 said:

LalaMama81 said:

I always open the door, never occurred to me not to. It's usually my neighbor who I'm friendly with or family. Most people text before they come, but not always. I also only lock my doors at night. Otherwise we're in and out of the yard all day so there's no point in locking the house.
This. I always answer, I think it's odd not to. Much better for them to know you are there. Just say "no thank you, I'm not interested," several times if needed. I've never bought something or anything like that.

I've never seen a door-to-door salesperson. Until this thread I thought they were a relic of the past!
I've only had companies looking to replace old windows and maybe a roofer. Most of them are guys trying to get us to switch our energy provider or grassroots groups looking for signatures.

Ah, that makes sense. That hasn't happened to us, not sure why. As many dumb rules as my town has it may not be allowed.

Allycat11 · November 2013

I always answer even though it is never someone I want to talk to. Friends and family who come over usually walk right in. Our UPS guy has pretty much become my BFF and doesn't knock because he knows our dog gets worked up so he drops the package at the front door if my car is in the driveway or the backdoor if it is not. It really is fabulous.

kalette · November 2013

I don't answer the door unless I'm expecting someone. The dogs bark like mad and I dont hide the fact that we're home, I just don't answer. But if some idiot wants to try and break in after that I wish them luck. There's only one way in and it won't go unnoticed.

ASullivan1231 · November 2013

I answer the door, however, I wish I was friendlier but I really dislike unexpected visitors. I just like a quick text or call to know you're coming.

FYI - If an unwanted salesperson comes to the door, I always say I'm the nanny and they'll have to come back later. Works really well and they've never come back later.

bumpuser924057 · November 2013

penguingrrl said:

LalaMama81 said:

I always open the door, never occurred to me not to. It's usually my neighbor who I'm friendly with or family. Most people text before they come, but not always. I also only lock my doors at night. Otherwise we're in and out of the yard all day so there's no point in locking the house.
This. I always answer, I think it's odd not to. Much better for them to know you are there. Just say "no thank you, I'm not interested," several times if needed. I've never bought something or anything like that.

I've never seen a door-to-door salesperson. Until this thread I thought they were a relic of the past!

I thought that too until we moved to this neighborhood. Holy moley, the number of solicitors we were getting was off the charts! Any religion that knocks on doors came through at least weekly, plus there are all of the home renovation salespeople, the alarm system salespeople, the solar power salespeople, the "kids" trying to sell magazine subscriptions, discount cards to support their high school sports team (they lie and pretend they're from the local high school), and candy. I had one woman show up a few times trying to get me to take some kind of survey about breast cancer who wanted an ass-ton of personal information. I think it's a combination of a few things - our neighborhood is flat and easily walkable, with well-maintained sidewalks and single family homes, and we have a lot of elderly neighbors who probably get suckered into stuff easily.

We found out that our city's laws require solicitors to have a license, and that if you have a "No Soliciting" sign on your door they are required by law to leave you alone. Got a sign, put it up, and bam - we went from literally 3-4 a day to maybe one a month. It is awesome.

To answer the original question, I started doing what my neighbor does - I yelled "WHO IS IT?" from behind the closed door, and then "NOT INTERESTED!" when they said who they were.

littlemermaid · November 2013

We have a glass storm door on the outside of the wooden door so I'll open the wooden door and just keep the storm door locked and talk through the glass.

peacelove&mama · November 2013

I check out the front window, if I see a familiar car or the UPS truck, or if I'm expecting some other delivery, I answer. If not, I ignore. So many door to door sales people and JW around here.

minerswife17 · November 2013

I answer if I know I'm expecting someone. But if I'm not I check my security camera to see who it is, then answer if I want

most of the time, if it's someone trying to sell something or someone that is lost, my dog barking usually scares them off.

S/O door locking - answering the door

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