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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Postman smashing on door and shouting

447 replies

OttilieStonelady · 19/10/2021 11:12

I live in a house with other people. Someone else had something sent to them by a family member so neither of us knew it was arriving. He's not in. Postman came to door to drop off. Saw me upstairs and I swear was banging on my door for 5 minutes so hard it sounded like he was going to break in. Rang the door over and over and over banging in-between. He disappeared, I guess delivered neighbours post then came back and banged on my door again, then next again, then back to me again. He even shouted 'i can see you'. I can't leave when I'm in the middle of presenting to people, especially not senior management, presenting extremely sensitive data. It's not a big house so he would've known I'd have heard him. WIBU not to open the door? Was he BU to keep banging aggressively on my door? All round a weird experience.

OP posts:
Original poster
OttilieStonelady · 19/10/2021 11:15

P.s. not a postie bashing thread. My usual postie is lovely!

OP posts:
ThisIsStartingToBoreMe · 19/10/2021 11:16

He was being unreasonable. I think they might have targets to meet or something coz i'm seeing this more and more.

Original poster
OttilieStonelady · 19/10/2021 11:17

@ThisIsStartingToBoreMe

He was being unreasonable. I think they might have targets to meet or something coz i'm seeing this more and more.
I don't think I'd have wanted to open the door to him anyway after that. He was being so aggressive with my door my heart was in my throat. Totally threw me off for my presentation.
OP posts:
outofservice · 19/10/2021 11:17

Weird not to answer the door to somebody who is busy trying to do their job. Am sure a quick excuse me to your very important colleagues would have been less distracting than listening to someone aggressively banging on your door for 5 whole minutes.

MrsTulipTattsyrup · 19/10/2021 11:19

@outofservice

Weird not to answer the door to somebody who is busy trying to do their job. Am sure a quick excuse me to your very important colleagues would have been less distracting than listening to someone aggressively banging on your door for 5 whole minutes.
In the middle of giving a presentation? No way. What should she have done, put up an ‘intermission’ sign?
WakeMeUpin22 · 19/10/2021 11:19

Ours usually knocks and leaves the parcel on the door step. Surely they know more and more people are working from home and using teams etc so can't answer the door. Perhaps send an email to your local delivery office.

AnotherMansCause · 19/10/2021 11:19

I'd be having words with the housemate who was expecting the parcel. If they knew they weren't going to be in, they should have rearranged delivery.

ShirleyPhallus · 19/10/2021 11:20

@outofservice

Weird not to answer the door to somebody who is busy trying to do their job. Am sure a quick excuse me to your very important colleagues would have been less distracting than listening to someone aggressively banging on your door for 5 whole minutes.
This is so odd, of course you can’t interrupt a presentation to answer the door Confused
JurgensCakeBaby · 19/10/2021 11:20

This has happened to some of my colleagues while we're on meetings. I think before it was simple for the postie, person is home they take delivery, out at work it goes back to the sorting office. They don't seem to understand that whilst you might physically be in the house it doesn't mean you can just get up and walk away from a meeting. I had it, luckily in a casual team meeting so I could get up, the parcel wasn't even for my house it was for next door! He banged on my front window and said 'you need to come and get this parcel'

acatcalledjohn · 19/10/2021 11:20

@outofservice

Weird not to answer the door to somebody who is busy trying to do their job. Am sure a quick excuse me to your very important colleagues would have been less distracting than listening to someone aggressively banging on your door for 5 whole minutes.

Oh come on.

If you are actively presenting you can't just walk out. You can't do it in person and to think it's ok on a video link shows very little understanding of other people's jobs.

The postie was out of order and I would make a complaint to Royal Mail.

outofservice · 19/10/2021 11:22

So your job is more important than the postie trying to do theirs??

gamerchick · 19/10/2021 11:22

A sign on the door when you're doing an important thing and can't answer would probably be easier.

PerpendicularVincent · 19/10/2021 11:23

@outofservice

Weird not to answer the door to somebody who is busy trying to do their job. Am sure a quick excuse me to your very important colleagues would have been less distracting than listening to someone aggressively banging on your door for 5 whole minutes.
The OP also needed to do her job.
MrsEricBana · 19/10/2021 11:23

Eh? Answer the door in the middle of a presentation? That sounds awful. So I think 1. contact the local office and report 2. Don't sit in sight of door just during a critical call. Horrid though.

Whatelsecouldibecalled · 19/10/2021 11:23

Hello! Are you my neighbour?! Just had a similar experience.

GabriellaMontez · 19/10/2021 11:24

@outofservice

So your job is more important than the postie trying to do theirs??
Obviously.
girlmom21 · 19/10/2021 11:25

@AnotherMansCause

I'd be having words with the housemate who was expecting the parcel. If they knew they weren't going to be in, they should have rearranged delivery.
They didn't know the parcel was coming. It says that in the OP.

@OttilieStonelady I'd actually make a complaint re: his aggression.
How did he see you though?

marcopront · 19/10/2021 11:25

So many people complain about delivery people not knocking.
Here is one who tried very hard to deliver a package but that is also wrong.

RJnomore1 · 19/10/2021 11:26

And this is why I work at the back of the house.

Ffs no one is saying their job is more important but the royal mail has systems in place if there is no answer at a property they are delivering to. It’s not their job to vet whether the householders reason for not answering are acceptable or not.

And my husband used to be a postie so I know that behaviour would be strongly frowned upon if you complained op.

Viviennemary · 19/10/2021 11:27

Answer the door. What is wrong with people. So selfish and rude.

ANameChangeAgain · 19/10/2021 11:28

I think it was just one of those unfortunate things. I can understand him being upset, he knew you were in and you being too busy to answer means that he will have to come back again, which is unfair. You however were in a position where couldn't answer the door. Your friend obviously thinks that if you are wfh you are available, so the problem lies with them. Get a parcel box.

ClaudiaWankleman · 19/10/2021 11:30

So many people complain about delivery people not knocking. Here is one who tried very hard to deliver a package but that is also wrong.

Come off it. They didn't 'try very hard' they acted unreasonably (and weirdly).

MrsTulipTattsyrup · 19/10/2021 11:30

@RJnomore1

And this is why I work at the back of the house.

Ffs no one is saying their job is more important but the royal mail has systems in place if there is no answer at a property they are delivering to. It’s not their job to vet whether the householders reason for not answering are acceptable or not.

And my husband used to be a postie so I know that behaviour would be strongly frowned upon if you complained op.

Yep, all of this. The majority of working people would have been out at post delivery time before the pandemic. What would the postie have done then? That’s what he should do now.

(In my road, it would have been 1) try a neighbour, then 2) little red form through the door and take it back to the delivery office for me to collect another day)

UnsuitableHat · 19/10/2021 11:31

Really weird behaviour from postie. It’s your choice whether or not you answer your door, certainly not his.

antoniawhite · 19/10/2021 11:31

It's selfish and rude to hammer on the door insisting that somebody else drop everything they are doing [their own work] for your convenience.
The OP was in the middle of a work presentation. Her attention should be focussed on that. People arrange delivery slots so as not to be interrupted at work - it's completely out of order for the postman to bang on her door like that because the neighbour is out.