To not open the door if I'm not expecting anyone?

[PageNowFoundFileUnderSpartacus]

My friend and I were chatting yesterday and the subject turned to chuggers - she had had a bad experience with a rude one in town yesterday morning. While talking about the doorstepping ones I said something like "they don't really bother me, I only open the door if I'm expecting a visitor or a delivery". She seemed to think this was really odd and couldn't imagine not answering the doorbell.

I'm an introvert and a bit of a hermit once I'm in the house each evening. I don't have family nearby and the local friends I have wouldn't just drop in, so I don't feel as though I'm potentially missing out on a spontaneous pleasant visit. Anyone else feel the same or is my friend right and im an oddball who is BU?

(For the avoidance of doubt - this is semi-lighthearted; I didn't lie awake last night mulling over it but I thought it might be interesting to see if the world is divided into door openers and doorbell ignorers.)

[Euripidesralph]

I'm absolutely with you on this, unless it's a prebooked appt or I'm specifically expecting a parcell I don't open the door

I had an odd conversation with a friend about her mother in law issues and I asked why she answered the door when they turned up enexpectedly and she genuinely hadn't seemed to realise it was an option not to

Forget my mil (who would possibly fear for her wellbeing if she turned up announced partly because she doesn't have my addrrss) but my own mother would fully expect to be carTed to the doctors for a full checkup because clearly she would have lost her mind if she randomly turnew up

[wishcarry]

I get LOADS of charity workers and JW's doing their rounds here.if I get a knock at the door and I'm not expecting anybody I normally have a discreet peek out of the window to see who it is.

[DJBaggySmalls]

YANBU, I have a visible disability and if I answer they still try to keep me chatting on the doorstep, even in in winter

[MapMyMum]

YANBU Im the same

[Clankboing]

I am going to begin to ignore unexpected calls a bit more though I might peep first. I remember when my child was seriously ill - and I do mean seriously, a long term thing. We had a string of double glazing salesmen, roofers. It drove me nuts.

[PageNowFoundFileUnderSpartacus]

I didn't realise it was already a MN hot topic Hecate. But the crucial question - is it more or less divisive than loo brushes?

[streetface]

I have been harassed, sexually assaulted, and verbally abused too many times by random strange men in the street as a young woman to ever allow one the opportunity to do it on my own doorstep. I've lost trust in strange men so I never answer my door unless I'm expecting someone or my husband is in. Then he answers it for me anyway. My friends and family always let me know when they are coming. I won't lose any sleep over missing out on charity chuggers, religious groups or sales people.

[teenagetantrums]

I live in flats and never answer my intercom unless I'm expecting someone. Everyone l want to see has my phone number and can call if they outside.

[nemno]

I was able to have a fantastic experience last year that I wouldn't have if I hadn't answered the door to a stranger. And I would want to help if someone had an accident or some sort of emergency. But if I can see that it is an unwelcome type of visitor then I think it is fine not to answer.

[Reow]

I HATE unannounced visits and this old mentality of "popping in". I think it's rude and presumptuous to thinkit is ok to intrude on someone else's free time, unless they have specifically invited you to drop in whenever.

I'm quite an anxious introvert and it seriously freaks me out when I get an unexpected knock.

I always check the window to see who it is. And if it's a chugger or someone flogging someone I will gladly shut the door in their face without a word. Sorry if people think that is rude, but I think it's rude to turn up on someone's property to try and get money out of them.

[wigglesrock]

I've opened my door twice in the past few days without knowing who it was - first time it was the man across the street (we don't have driveways/ paths) telling me I'd left the car lights on. Glad I answered that knock & the second time it was a workman telling me the electric might be knocked off for 10 mins if I wanted to boil the kettle. I get chuggers/sales calls the odd time too but I've no compunction telling to go away & irritate somebody else. And sometimes it might even be my mum who calls in on her way back from the shops

[Cosmicglitterpug]

YANBU. If you're not expecting it and don't want to.

I've noticed people getting very annoyed about this on MN. Along with people pushing older toddlers in pushchairs, using reins and of course, loo brushes.

[Scribblegirl]

Yanbu. Our house is in London, but it's hard to find. After six months of frustrated supermarket delivery guys I put a sign up directing people down the footpath to ours... I so wish I hadn't! In the month since I've done it I've had 3 door to door charity types and they have all, without exception, rung the bell midway through me cooking dinner. Have decided to ignore now

(That said we do have a sneaky little window so I peek out to confirm it's not a random friend calling before I ignore)

[Renaissance2017]

I'm sorry Reow but this made me laugh someone flogging someone I will gladly shut the door in their face. I imagine I would shut the door on a dominatrix whipping the life out their slave!

[Reow]

Renaissance2017

Yeah, I can picture it too now.

[ILostItInTheEarlyNineties]

Someone flogging someone ahaha the mind boggles

My general rule of thumb is don't answer the door if they have a clipboard or a holdall full of dusters and sponges.

[ILostItInTheEarlyNineties]

I am very hot blowing your own trumpet there, Navy !

[glitterglitters]

I don't answer the door most of the time. We have a sign up but one or two stupid glazing agents usually knocks per month. Best thing to say to a chugger is you don't have a bank account or just pretend to talk a different language to them. I used to door to door chug at uni. 🙊

[ageingrunner]

Someone knocked the other day. I knew it was some kind of salesman because I heard him knocking at my neighbours first. I looked out of the spy hole just in case it was someone I knew who'd got the wrong house. I stared at him, he stared at the spy hole. He knew I was there because he would have seen the door curtain move. I didn't open the door and he moved on. No one's time was wasted

[MaudLyn]

I never answer the door either, unless I know who it is, or am expecting a parcel.

[Wando1986]

Banned in my city, same as anyone flyering in the citycentre.