Not really sure if i was overreacting. This morning i was sitting eating my breakfast in my dressing gown (9ish). I am 38 wks pregnant (not sure if that's relevant to my mental state!). Suddenly there was the loudest rapping of our letterbox. It really made me jump. It was about 10 sustained/continuous bangs.
I thought the house was on fire or something. So i raced to the door to see the post man holding a package. I said to him politely 'next time can you not knock like that please, you really frightened me' and he looked furious and said 'how am i supposed to knock then' and i replied 'perhaps a bit softer and not for so long, it was really loud'. He then stormed back to the van shaking his head (didn't get me to sign the slip) and muttering and swearing and drove off.
I could understand if he had knocked gently first but he hadn't. Also our front door opens straight off the street into the living space, so you really don't need to rattle the hinges for us to hear it.
I am very tired as not sleeping well, and the way he reacted has made me think maybe i was in the wrong. But i was really expecting him to say 'oh sorry' not give me a load of verbal.
No biggy in the grand scheme of things of course, but AIBU to think that kind of alarm raising banging should be kept for emergencies? How would you knock on a door? i always start gently.