To not answer my front door and ignore any knocking?

[Bartyy]

I’m as anti social as you can get. I have to interact with people at work but when I’m at home I want to be left alone.

In the past I’ve rushed out of the shower to answer the door to someone who turned out to be selling double glazing. I’ve stopped mid bake and washed my hands etc to answer the door to someone pushing religion. I’ve cut short telephone calls to answer the door to someone pushing a political agenda. A few months ago I decided I will no longer answer the door unless I’m actually expecting someone. I’m sick of it. This is my home, my “space” and I want to be left alone!!

I now ignore all knocks unless I’m expecting someone, including ignoring the parcel man wanting to take shit in for next door. I’m sick of that too, he should arrange delivery for when he’s actually home.

Recently a little lad has been asking to come around and play with my dogs. At first him mum used to text me first but now he just turns up so I’ve started ignoring him too. It’s tea time, DH has just got in from work and the dogs are settled. I don’t want to be disturbed and answering the door, even to tell him no sets the dogs off and disturbs my dinner.

AIBU?

again, sorry to be thick, but why is it so essential? I have been looking online and I can't see why. Do the ONS ever ask for volunteers?

The ONS gather all sorts of demographic data that is used by councils and other public bodies to inform and plan the need for various public services, housing etc.

As a method, using a self-selecting pool of households, like volunteers, doesn't produce an accurate picture, because they're not random.

missmouse
you would have had an advance letter explaining what it is about and that an interviewer will be calling. We never just cold call.

An ONS interviewer called to my dad's. He did the little interview at home and got told that they'd be in touch next year too.

The next year, he was in hospital having surgery on his brain and was bombarded with phone calls from the interviewer. I answered the phone and explained the situation, and they said "oh, it's okay, we can do the interview with him over the phone."

Then when he returned home from hospital he had 2 letters that had been left from the interviewer, stating he needed to speak with him, and was going to keep calling until he got an answer, really nasty in tone. Horrible piece of work. I wouldn't answer the door to any of you for that reason.

I do the same. I only answer the door if I'm expecting someone. I do the same with my mobile too, I'll only answer a call from an unknown number if I'm expecting a call. I'm sick of time wasters. You have no obligation to answer the door or the phone if you don't want to but there are so many people out there who think they are entitled to 5 minutes of your time

Do what you like. It's your home. Your rules.

I’m also a touch unsociable. I don’t ever answer the door either unless I’m expecting someone. Never.

A long time ago when I was living somewhere else the doorbell went a few times. I looked out a window to see it was my (at times rather draining) neighbour. I didn’t answer. Half an hour later an ambulance arrived and I saw her being carried out of another neighbour’s house. Turns out she’d taken an overdose. She survived fortunately. But I’ve never forgotten that.

Ha, I was caught right out today.

I am one of those people who also believe that once you close your door when you get in, you are in your own little haven/sanctuary.

So I don't answer it. So far I must have avoided hundreds of cold callers, beggars, scam artists, and possibly a few nice people too.

I have a video doorbell too for deliveries, and with tracking I know roughly when parcel will arrive. Anyone who knows me has my mobile number.

Anyway had the day off today, and was out front clipping the hedging. Got the JWs who just happened to be passing by. Very pleasant they were too, I didn't know what the leaflet was about but I am now supposed to think about a life after death and buy/read a bible. I am partially deaf, so I sent them on their way very politely too, but TBH I couldn't be arsed interracting with people I never want to see!

It is just so unproductive, and a waste of everyone's time.

I am a happy person though. I do it my way!

DH and I never answer the door to anyone unannounced nowadays. We can see on video if it is a delivery. We actually ask via Intercom if the delivery is for us personally or our business and now refuse to accept anyone else’s packages. We live in central London, quite a transient neighbourhood and people move and leave constantly, so we don’t know many of the neighbours. However, so many people seem to order loads of stuff without the slightest provision for deliveries. Delivery people cottoned on to us being the only ones in all day and tried to leave what was becoming a shitload of stuff. We had to chase people then drop their stuff around. One day, one irate person had the audacity to moan at us because we ‘missed’ their delivery slot, which did amuse us in a warped way. Door steppers interrupt and disturb our work flow. We had to get very tough on acquaintances too who would try and come around on their days off, not respecting our work schedule. Ditto to stopping other parents trying to offload their kids because they got it in their heads that we are home all day. We will not answer the door to them either, unless a play date had been specifically arranged. When they were small, we organised for childcare, even so we are in a workshop or studio next door because we need to focus and concentrate. Our workshop is certainly not somewhere kids could be allowed to hang around. I have zero compunction to ignore anyone calling around, even if they know we are there. With most people you can’t just rock up at their place of work either. As for other people’s parcels, there are at least 4-5 shops near us that offer a dedicated pick-up service. Might be very different in a very rural setting but probably not for us if it disturbs our work.

PS: If we spot that it is cold callers or the god squad, we play a tape of growling and barking dogs. We have Greyhounds but they never bother to bark or even get up from the sofas...

Ha ha you sound like my kinda friend. I feel the same. Got out of shower once to find it was next doors estate agent! I was like Errrr.