Am I the only person who never opens their front door to anyone?

[jugglingjugs]

I just heard my front door go, so I hid in the kitchen out of sight, no idea who it was but I'm now very curious.
I wasn't expecting anyone, if it was family I would have answered because they wouldn't come unannounced.
I also never answer my phone if I don't recognise the number. Is this just me or does anyone else do this?
I have never really thought about why until now.

I can see from my bedroom window who's at the front door, and also from the kitchen window.

I usually answer the door, unless I haven't heard the bell, when in garden. I don't like answering the landline, because they're normally scam calls, so I let it go to answerphone and then block the number if it is a scammer. Anyone who needs to speak to me rings my mobile.

A ring doorbell is probably the way forward if you don't like answering the door.

I am good at shutting the door in the face of hawkers, so I don't mind opening the door.

Except for next door's kid with his ball. That little shite nearly had the fence down, he can wait.

You hide when you hear the doorbell? I'm sorry but that is seriously weird behaviour.

How ever do you get a parcel delivered?

I agree :).

Some people have sociophobia.

I live alone. I answer my door (without knowing who's on the other side of it) and I answer the phone, whether or not I recognise the number.

The odds of an axe murderer being on the other side of the door aren't evn worth thinking about. Cold caller? - "sorry, no thank you" and the door is shut. Phone cold caller? Same. Scammer/autocaller? Hang up, block number.

I genuinely do not understand the thought processes of anyone like the OP (or even the slightly less paranoid).

I do try to avoid being in the same room that the window cleaner is working on though! I'm not sure why that feels so awkward, but it does! It's certainly nothing to do with fear or anxiety though.

I've just popped out from under the bed to read this, and it sounds perfectly normally to me, and now, to paraphrase Captain Oats, "I am just going back under the bed and may be some time."

Well I’m autistic so I didn’t used to hide a very long time ago. It seems odd to me now though. I sometimes scream because my dogs bark and I’m very easily startled🙂.

I’m in an upstairs flat so I often open the window and see who it is and if I’m not sure, I shout down and ask!

I'm so pleased my neighbour our normal, I mean imagine if they didn't answer when I was knocking to tell them their house was on fire.

Jill Dando was killed on her doorstep as she was about to unlock her front door on returning home. Completely different scenario

I did used to hide!

I live in what is considered a nice part of London but we still get regular requests from the police looking for evidence from anybody with video door bells or security CCTV.

*I do answer my door not hide!

I hide if it's Jahovas Witnesses or Charity chuggers, but only if I'm lucky enough to spot them at my neighbours before they get to me. Otherwise I just answer the door.

I never answer FaceTime calls, I need warning and to prep for that!

But yes I do answer the front door

From a security point of view, it's probably better to answer the door/talk to them (with the chain on or via a video doorbell) rather than let random people think your house is empty...

I answer the door, don't answer numbers I don't recognise as it's always a scam call.

I do open the door.
but I tend to ignore my phone if it looks like a junk call number.
I figure if it’s important enough they’ll leave a message lol.

Unless I’m expecting visitors or a delivery I don’t open the door to anyone. I do answer the phone.

Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't. Depends on my mood. I don't feel compelled to answer either my phone or the door if I'm not expecting anyone /anything 😂

Loads of people on MN do that, but it is weird, and it shouldn’t be normalized.

my mother does this because she loathes having to interact with people outside of her exact control (not that she would permit that way of phrasing it).

It isn’t normal and it isn’t a standard of behavior that you should model for children.

Isn't that for something which happened on the road or pavement, rather than for something which happened when you answered your door?

Until I joined Mumsnet, I had no idea that people did this.

That doesn't work with my neighbour. She just ignores it and keeps talking. Lots of people are like that. Besides, on a bad day I may not even have the energy to say that kind of sentence and listen to the response which is often lengthy as people feel they need to get their money's worth in terms of your time, not understanding how quickly your energy can become depleted if you're not well/very introverted.

Well if you'd answered then you'd know wouldn't you?

I live in a block of flats with an intercom, so I have to buzz anyone in if they come to the building. It's usually the postie or takeaway driver!