Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To speak to my neighbour about her cherry knocking granddaughter

144 replies

Jannerite · 22/01/2017 18:10

On Friday night around 6-ish/6:30-ish there was a knock at the door. It woke my 5 month old nephew up, who wasn't feeling well and had just nodded off - he was staying the weekend. My mum, who I live with, went to answer the door, nobody was there. Obviously it was cherry knocking (for anybody who doesn't know, or uses another phrase, it's the act of knocking on somebody's door and hiding so they're left with nobody there when they answer). Most people have done it in their teens.

My mum came in to the living room a bit miffed at it. I just laughed. 15-ish minutes later another "knock". I answered. I waited. I heard a giggle - obviously girls. No boy would laugh like that. My neighbour's granddaughter and two friends then rounded the corner and were "shocked" to see me stood outside my house and then proceeded to get into a conversation with me.

There was about 5 knocks on Friday night. One knock yesterday. And another not long ago. My sister saw the girls knock tonight. She said it was 3 girls.

I am almost 95%, if not 100%, sure that it is my neighbour's granddaughter. I've spoken a few times with her, and get on pretty well with her. I'd say she's probably in her 50s. Would I be unreasonable to go knock on her door and have a word with her the next time there's a knock on my door?

OP posts:
ApocalypseNowt · 23/01/2017 18:14

My NDN's son and his friend did this. Was v annoying as our living room is upstairs so I had to keep traipsing downstairs to answer the door.

After the third time I went out into the street, found them easily and told them they were crap at hiding and not to do it to me anymore.

Has been peaceful ever since!

ExcuseMeButtingIn · 23/01/2017 18:14

I'd just go round. We called it spook knocking

ThaliaLuxurySpa · 23/01/2017 18:19

Any progress, OP ?

mum2Bomg · 23/01/2017 18:19

I'd take a photo of her doing it and stick it to the front door. Bet it'll stop then.

MadMags · 23/01/2017 18:20

Knick-knack here!

We call it 'To ask for Lazarus before the thrice day' This made me actually lol! Grin

I would either catch them in the act and give them a bollicking, or I'd go around and tell grandmother they're waking the baby

mycatwantstokillme1 · 23/01/2017 18:22

knock down ginger - we used to do it as kids. but i don't remember doing the same house endlessly! I think I'd have a word and just say you didn't mind it the first time but it's a drag now, and see what she says.

ShakeofFara · 23/01/2017 18:28

I knew/know it as chap door run Grin. North of Glasgow though live on the coast now.

Kids round here still play it and it's irritating as hell. Caught one unfortunate child one summers eve though and it was brilliant!

We'd all had our doors chapped several times so I lurked in our porch and waited...opened the door just as they reached out to press the bell! Poor child got such a fright but left us alone after that.

Downbutnotoutyet · 23/01/2017 18:40

We called it chick-a-nelly. No idea why. I reckon I win the most random name for it competition.

Jannerite · 23/01/2017 18:41

wasonthelist - 🙄 There's always the one.

There was another knock at the door tonight. I tried to catch them from the upstairs window but there's a porch-y, roof-y bit that overhangs downstairs - which would make the bucket of water useless. It's a good idea though hah.

I decided they were definitely taking the piss now and popped round to my neighbour's. Knocked on the door, apologised.. and told her. She didn't seem very impressed, apologised and said she'd talk to her granddaughter when she got in.

Just had another knock at the door, before I had time to post. I was just preparing myself to have a full blown rant in the street. At the door was my neighbour, her granddaughter and the friends. The granddaughter was there to apologise and claimed "it was just a joke". Her grandmother then told her "once is a joke, you're taking the piss. The next time it happens just let me know, Jannerite, and I'll give her a bollocking".

OP posts:
Confutatis · 23/01/2017 18:43

Top Granny

fluffiny31 · 23/01/2017 18:51

I'm ashamed to say i did this as a kid but never the same house twice and mostly people i knew got me some exercise running away haha.

KayTee87 · 23/01/2017 18:52

We called it 'playing chappy'. I'd ask the kids to stop first and if it happened again speak to your neighbour.

KayTee87 · 23/01/2017 18:53

Just saw your update!

SherbrookeFosterer · 23/01/2017 19:14

Buy a cheap camera so you have proof.

BlueFolly · 23/01/2017 19:22

It's totally bugging me that I can't bpremember what we called this!!!

Funny that it seems to be such a universal 'game'.

MoonfaceAndSilky · 23/01/2017 19:25

We call it 'To ask for Lazarus before the thrice day'

That's hilarious Grin

It's fantastic that there are so many names for it. Knock down ginger when I was a kid (Kent)

Glad the Gran sided with you and not the little darlings.

specialsubject · 23/01/2017 19:26

The right result - great news, op!

The name for it now is 'pissing people off'. Well done grandma.

And you know if there is any more trouble, grandma is on side.

Bananamama1213 · 23/01/2017 19:29

I'm loving seeing all the different names! It's Ding-dong-dash here.
I personally would say something.

Bananamama1213 · 23/01/2017 19:30

Just seen that you've sorted it! That's good!

groovejet · 23/01/2017 19:45

Pleased it got sorted.

I have always called it cherry knocking (grew up in Leicestershire) probably stopped doing it at the age of about 9, not sure if that was just growing out of it or the fact that one of my friends got caught and escorted back home.

We then settled for going to the farmers field to climb up and jump off the hay bales, until we got caught doing that.

Natsku · 23/01/2017 19:56

Love all the names, it was 'ding dong dash' for me. Played it once when on holiday, and once against on the night before I turned 20 (so doing one last really immature thing before I stopped being a teenager) but I did it in a student village after the pub closed so doubt it bothered anyone!

Ceaser1981 · 23/01/2017 19:57

Glad you got it sorted. We called it chap door run, simples haha. Last time i had someone do it here i went to door and shouted out 'the next time someone plays chap door run at my house im calling the police', scared the shit out them lol

WanderingStar1 · 23/01/2017 20:37

I call it ginger knocking too, conserve but although in Wiltshire now have lived all over the south and abroad. And I'm rather old..... Grin

Ezzie29 · 23/01/2017 20:58

Glad to see I'm not the only one with the very boring term "knock and run". I don't even know why we bothered, we were the only kids on a tiny estate...not like we could have blamed it on someone else.

Purplealienpuke · 23/01/2017 21:05

As a kid down south we called it knock down ginger. Now where I live in the north it's chap door run.
I'd definitely be having a polite word with the neighbour. I'm sure she wouldn't like it if it was happening to her.
Good luck

Swipe left for the next trending thread