Are you a door opener or a non door opener

[disorganisedsecretsquirrel]

I find this concept so far from my reality that I always contribute something sarcastic on the threads... but it made me think, AM I in the minority? Is this an actual thing ? Personally I would NEVER not answer the door... is this because I live in a quiet village in the Highlands.. or because I have scant regard for the worst of human kind...and will come a cropper.

YANBU = I always answer the door , why would I not

YABU = It could be someone wishing to do you harm and not worth the risk, be it a parent , parent-in-law, psychotic axe murderer...

Age would be helpful to understand this mindset (but not essential obvs)

I only open the door when I can see who is there. I never just go to the door and open it.

I'm 27.

Forgot to add and if I don't know who it is or not expecting anything then no, I don't answer the door.

Man came to my door the other day. Electricity board needed to trim trees which were too close to overhead cables. If I'd ignored him what a waste of his time and very frustrating. Unless you feel unsafe to answer the door it's very selfish not to.

Nope. I'll tiptoe to the peep hole and check it's not a parcel.

No good can come of answering the door to someone who hasn't rung or text ahead

“None of you are titled people inhabiting a stately home with staff“

Speak for yourself.

@Chillipeanuts

You have a title, land and staff? Fair enough. You can be anyone on the Internet.

Only twice have I not opened the door.

Once was the early hours of Boxing Day this year. A car pulled up in our cul-de-sac, music blasting. Then started beeped his horn. Then started hammering on the front door and window. I was awake downstairs with my 10 day old baby. Like fuck was I answering that. One of the neighbours shouted at him in the end.

The other time was carol singers who foolishly started singing before I got to the door, so I dropped and commando crawled back into the living room.

Pre this I always opened the door, but now I do not. I have a vulnerable child so won't be answering the door any time soon... However when this is over I will go back to answering the door.

Oh except on Halloween. I live on a very quiet road which no one ever comes down. First year we lived here I bought sweets and the kids were excited to give them out and no one came. Since then I dont bother to get anything in 😁

I open the door. Generally give a pleasant "thank you" to the postman or delivery driver as that seems to be the only people who knock on my door, even before lockdown.
Very occasionally we'll get someone who wants to sell us something or persuade us to vote for someone, in which case it's a cheery "no thanks, we've already decided who to vote for".

I did once answer the door to someone looking to buy drugs, but he happily accepted that I didn't have a clue what he was talking about, then went next door 🤷

We do live in a fairly safe area though. I imagine it's different if you live somewhere rough.

I've never met anyone who isn't a door opener, mind you that's probably not surprising.

I think its terribly rude to knock on the door / ring / call unnannounced / without texting first

^ (Not a direct quote of anyone in particular)

• When I had to call the fire brigade for the cleaner who had arrived at work next door to a smell of burning - she didn't really have the opportunity to make an appointment and didn't know my number

• When I've let the next door neighbour's teens 'borrow' the spare key I hold over the years, they, oddly, didn't plan to forget their key, so didn't make an appt.

• When someone needed help after a car accident outside my home - they, oddly, hadn't planned it in advance either

• When the police called (on my parents) to let them know my sister had been found dead, they hadn't made an appointment either

• When another neighbour shut herself out and wanted to try and climb over my fence into her back garden, she hadn't planned to do it either

• Several times, neighbours have kindly brought round a parcel they'd taken in for us, as they saw us arriving home. I'm the only one who would have missed out on receiving my things

That's not counting all the lovely conversations I've had with friends who were near, and knocked on the off chance. Fully understanding I might not be there or it might not be convenient, but how absolutely lovely to have an unexpected catch up over a cuppa.

I work from home a day a week even when not on lockdown. I don't want my concentration regularly interrupted by complete strangers invading my space and trying to sell me stuff. On the other hand, I do order a lot of parcels and have no problem taking them in for my neighbours.

I'm thinking a Ring doorbell might be a good answer!

It depends. If I'm in the house on my own I'm more likely to try and see who it is first. If it looks like people selling stuff, then I might not answer.

Theres been quite a few scammers in our area recently, so I'm probably more cautious.

I look out the window first and see if I want to answer it and if I don't recognise them I'll keep the chain on when i open the door but I'll ignore it if they look like a chugger or salesman. Our family and friends don't live locally to us so I almost always know if they're coming round.

Always open the door.

Politeness levels are dependent on who it is!

I don’t actually understand the ‘scammers in the area’ argument.

If you know they’re scammers, then it doesn’t matter? You take their leaflet and close the door. Why doesn’t answering the door mean you’re more likely to be scammed?!

I’ve known people be burgled before and I remember stories from Crime Watch with folk being kept talking at the front door while someone robs them from the back, but I’ve never heard of someone forcing their way into the house. Someone known to them and a danger (abusive ex springs to mind) but then, it stands to reason you wouldn’t be opening the door?

area’ argument.

"If you know they’re scammers, then it doesn’t matter? You take their leaflet and close the door. Why doesn’t answering the door mean you’re more likely to be scammed?!"
Because I've had them force their way in before and dont want that experience again.

YANBU. I always answer the door. Even when it's clearly mormans. I open it when it's inconvenient and I'm not expecting someone. I fucking wish I was one of those who didn't.

I'm 31 and live in a village.

I’m a door answerer. We live in a farmhouse down a long-ish lane (a view of which I have from both our kitchen and our sitting room to an extent) and have a free range, loud Alsatian roaming about the place (not even ours, it’s our nearest neighbours but 🤷🏼‍♀️) The way I see it, if they have balls enough to come past her, they have balls enough to not care whether I choose to open the door or not, and me ignoring it wouldn’t make them go away.
The chances of someone coming in to do over the house or cause me harm are significantly less than the chances of them scoping out and/or robbing our outbuildings, something they’re more likely to do if their door-knock check goes unanswered.
I’d always rather know who was in my yard, you don’t get here by accident.
If it’s family or friends, I love people and love unannounced visits so of course I’d answer to them.

I always check who it is through the window. Usually a delivery person.
I don't open the door to anyone I don't know.

We don't have any neighbours, and if I'm not expecting a parcel then a knock at the door is ALWAYS a delivery driver looking for another address as we are the only house at this postcode which is on the main road. So if it's convenient I will answer, otherwise I would not rush to the door as I know it's not for me. Once the doorbell rang at 10pm, me and DH looked at each other in astonishment and did not answer it.

Unless im expecting someone or a parcel I dont answer the door.

There's only been one time when I haven't answered the door. I was at BFs, he was working, it was around 10pm when someone knocked at a side door. I repeatedly asked them to go to the front door, which had a light and peep hole but they refused. They weren't very nice, luckily I had all doors locked. Was never so happy to see BF though.

I did have a stalker a while back, they tried to get in my house, but I had a staffy who was more bark than bite. Stalker was the reason I got the dog - I needed something that would be a little intimidating, and he certainly sounded scary.

I always have my doors locked and have security screens as well. Even small dogs like the ones I have now deter people. My westie went for someone one night - going off like a frog in a sock and I got cranky with him only to be met with a sheepish apology from a neighbour who was trying to retrieve a toy remote control plane from my roof.