Why don't people use the doorbell?

[AnotherAppleThief]

We got a new doorbell (Ring) to try and stop the dog going nuts as he did with the knocker or old doorbell. It's working when people use it but now even people who used to use the old doorbell have taken to using thr knocker. Why?

I haven't asked anyone, it seems a bit weird to say 'why didn't you use the bell?'

Any ideas?

Our ring bell gets used hy delivery drivers but usually people we know just walk in the side door and call out.

Maybe people don't like the thought that they are on video/ you can see them and they can't see you?

We don't leave our door unlocked so people don't have the option to just walk in.

That happens regardless of them pressing the button though?

Is it obvious it's a doorbell if it has the camera? People might just think it's a camera? I don't know as not seen them on a door but the camera lens could be misleading people.

I think it's because people (wrongly) think that pressing the button activates the camera. It's annoying though

Maybe I'll put a sign up.

Alternatively, if anyone has any tips to stop a usually well behaved dog from losing his actual mind when the door knocks, I'd be grateful.

I would guess as Dragonskin says, people think pressing the bell activates the camera. I don't know this is the reason, if people have a ring doorbell I use it. If people have a regular doorbell I don't always see it until after I knock, but ring ones are pretty obvious.

We have an old fashioned ding-dong doorbell, and delivery drivers usually ignore it and bang-bang-bang on the door. It really annoys me!

I've had to use a Sharpie to draw an arrow and the word bell. I'm partially deaf and didn't hear the Postie knocking the other day.

I've taken to putting out a note advising them to use the bell and then knock as I'm partially deaf and that I am in. Yesterday the cat heard the Amazon delivery guy before I did but I expect he just wanted a new box to sit in.

I have the same issue with my Nest doorbell occasionally, always with one particular post man (not our regular lovely ones). After a couple of times, I said in a friendly tone “you’d be better using the bell (pointing to it) as we often don’t hear a knock on the door”. He said he won’t use them because he doesn’t like being filmed. I explained that this kind of bell records in response to any movement, so “it starts recording when your van pulls up and continues until you are back in it and have driven away”. He repeated that he won’t use them. After the second time of missing a parcel due to his (deliberately?) very gentle knock, when I next saw him, I explained that there are various types of cctv cameras up and down the street and they are all filming him. The twat responded by saying I’m not going to use your bell 🤬

Yeah I had this problem, I think people didn’t know it was a door bell to start with so wrote on a sticker label ‘door bell’ and stuck it on the actual button of the door bell. Now most people use it. One of the posties here still doesn’t use it, and does the gentlest quietest tatataptap you have ever heard on the door, so quiet in fact you can only hear it if you happen to be going through the hallway by the front door at the time… I end up needing to book redeliveries even though I was actually in. It is really annoying!

My large kitchen window is right at the side of my front door. Nearly everyone bangs on the window and it drives me crazy. I'm usually in the kitchen and the loud banging on the window frightens me to death if I haven't seen them. Even a friend did it. There is a bell at the side of the front door and I usually answer the door by saying "isn't my bell working" and pressing it. If it's someone who wants to sell something, I will never ever buy if they knock on my window. I just don't understand why people do it but I can't seem to stop them.

People

So glad you posted this. I thought it was just my door this happens on! We had a Ring doorbell but had issues with it always disconnecting from WiFi so moved to a regular doorbell.

The Ring doorbell would set the dog off barking, as do Ring doorbell TV adverts now 🤣, but the new doorbell I can change the ring sound to 50+ different options so I regularly change it up and he doesn't get used to what the noise is... then someone knocks? The doorbell is white on a dark door frame so it's not like it blends in. It infuriates me more than it should.

I have debated getting a sticker on the door to tell them to ring the bell.

On a side note though, I have often pressed a Ring doorbell and it hasn't worked because the battery is dead...so I then knock.

Because so many people seem to have doorbells that either don't work or you can't hear them and don't know if it has rung, if there's a knocker I go straight for that to save time.