AIBU to think this is odd entrance hallway behaviour.

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I have a large doormat outside my front door, and wood floors inside the house. There’s a small entrance hallway between the door and the main hallway and on the floor of this entrance hallway I have a woven runner from B&Q to trap dirt. Some visitors wipe their feet vigorously on this runner, which to me seems odd as it’s not a doormat but more of a carpet, in my opinion. Do you think this is odd or would you wipe your feet on it?

I’d assume that it was a door mat because it’s inside the door.

Bonkers.

You not them!

Sounds like a doormat to me!

Well, you wipe your feet when you get inside, so it makes sense?

Do you have a doormat inside for them to use instead?

I would wipe my feet on it. It's a doormat.
I would be a bit confused by the mat outside. I wouldn't know what to do with that one.

If it is to trap dirt as you have stated then surely it is for people to wipe the dirt off?

Doormats are small and for wiping feet. I'm with you on the runner OP. What sort of heathen would wipe their feet on it??

I wouldn’t wipe my feet on it if I was going to take off my shoes - no point.

However I would wipe my feet on it if I was going to keep my shoes on.

People are clearly assuming it's a door mat. So it doesn't seem odd at all. You yourself say it's to trap dirt.

I'd assume it was a doormat. What other use for it?

They're wiping their feet twice to make sure they're clean.

You need more hobbies.

Op, you have a runner/mat to trap dirt. What do you expect people to use it for?

So you’d assume a long narrow woven runner running the length of the entrance hall/corridor about two metres long was a doormat? Even though there is an actual traditional hairy-type coir doormat outside the door?

They must think that it’s a door mat.

I've always found that wiping my feet on an outside doormat doesn't do anything to take off water/mud, since an outside doormat is usually covered in whatever weather is going on. So too wet to really get a good wipe on.

Doormats go inside for a reason.

Is the coir doormat in a porch? Because if it's just outside, it will be as wet and dirty as their shoes!

Great minds, Zaphod...

Outside doormats don't do much in my opinion as they're pretty exposed to the elements, so unless your shoes are really muddy, I wouldn't expect them to be a lot cleaner after using the outside mat.

If the runner is the first thing inside the initial doorway, I would also assume this is a secondary mat to wipe your feet on. Why don't you put the runner in the second doorway and put an actual mat inside the first doorway, then there's no confusion?

YABU to use a runner as a doormat, he's probably itching to be allowed out.

You need an actual doormat inside the entrance , I wouldn’t wipe my feet on what is obviously a runner but then I wouldn’t expect a doormat for feet wiping to be outside as that would be a bit pointless .

Put a doormat inside the door, where most homes have one, and they will stop using the runner. They are doing it because you haven’t provided an indoor doormat.

If a lot people are doing this, YABU and need to consider how to reorganize things to encourage them to wipe their feet where you want them to

Yes I would - particularly if I knew there was wooden flooring across the second threshold. I would see the final matted area as the shoe cleaning area - partic as you have laid down a dirt trapping may from b and q right there !
Cour mats outside are stage 1 and frequently leave more clients on your shoe than anything else.