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.

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

Clearly it is quite normal and it doesn't matter if children decide they don't want to answer the door / phone either if they don't want to.

I don't answer the phone if I don't recognise the number because they'll just be trying to sell me something or scam me. I generally answer the door as it is often a delivery.
I think it's strange though that people think it's weird to not answer your phone or door if you don't want to. It's your phone and your door so if you don't want to answer it then don't.

I also find it weird that people don't seem to realise/understand that lots of other people do lots of things differently to the way they do it. It doesn't make you neurotic or deficient in some way just because you don't want randoms phoning you up or turning up at your door - but lots of people like to take any opportunity to look down on others I guess.

I answer the door. I did think, as I opened the door at 1am a few nights ago, that maybe I shouldn't be answering it! It turned out to be the police and they had the wrong address...

Really? You say ‘I can’t speak right now, I’m very busy, call later’ and she ignores you? And lots of others do it also?

So do I. I can't understand people who don't.

She just ignores it and keeps talking. Lots of people are like that

Yep. That is just so irritating. And you're expected to stay, be polite whilst your eyes are glazing over. No thanks.

@jugglingjugs are you me?
I don't answer the door or the phone unless I'm expecting something.
Just had somebody knock now, trying to sell some roofing stuff 🤷‍♀️ judging by the leaflet.
I leave it to my NDN, she always answers the door and keeps them chatting for 10-20 mins. 🤦‍♀️

Parcel arriving later - I'll probably open the door, but might get them to dump it on the step and then go around the side to collect it...

I always check to see who it is. I usually ask for parcels to be delivered to a collection point so I don’t have to wait around for deliveries.

so I am with op I do not open the door unless I know who it is. Same with phone because it’s always someone trying to sell something these days. If it is something I should know about they’ll leave a message and I will get back to them.

I bought a sticker like this. I didn’t buy the one that said about religious groups, because I know they have to do it, and don’t mind at least politely declining, however since having the sticker the only people that knock, are with deliveries. __

If it had been my NDN, there's no way I'd open the door!

I sometimes answer cold calls. If its a scammer I might waste their time but 99% of times I just hang up on them. No need to say anything, just cut them off. No need to be polite to people like that.

Just as well you did answer then. It's not unheard of for police to break down doors before discovering they've gone to the wrong address.

I’m not like the OP in that I’m not scared or hiding but I can give you some insight into my thought process. I check who it is and then I decide if they are worthy of my time. If they’re not, I don’t answer the door!

Deliveries are always put in my porch. So other than those no I don’t answer the door either.

I answered a phone number I didn't recognise this morning, it was a health professional with appointment details.. if I never answered these calls I'd probably be taken off the waiting lists! Never occurred to me to not answer.

I don’t open the door to anyone I don’t expect (and have missed parcels I forgot I ordered because of it). I got a ring doorbell and it’s heaven.

I was like this for a while years ago in a previous house...shortly after moving in we discovered the previous tenant had essentially done a moonlit flit and had racked up ££££ in debt. Some of the debt collection agencies her creditors used had quite intimidating methods and trying to explain to them on the doorstep that we weren't Ms Paid-You-Not was pretty challenging, especially as my husband has a serious mental health disability. So I/we stopped answering the door unless we were 100% expecting a visitor or a delivery in case it was bailiffs looking for the previous occupant, while I carried on contacting the companies to get them to call off their attack dogs. It was one of the most stressful periods of my life, and such a relief when we moved a couple of years later.

But now I open the door quite happily! I have no qualms about being polite but firm with cold callers / salesman / Jehovah's Witnesses or whoever.

Yes, that's what I said. Not lots in the sense of a majority of the population. But it's certainly happened to me enough times and has involved having to cancel plans to recover on enough occasions that I'm not willing to take the risk anymore. Some people are just utterly selfish and self absorbed and don't listen or pretend not to hear because they were looking forward to a long chat and they're going to make sure they get it. Others are more considerate and accept that you're not going to be able to talk for as long as they wanted but still think it's polite or acceptable to have a quick chat for 5 minutes not understanding how long that will take me to recover from. There's no best case scenario that would make up for it either. Nobody's going to knock on my door to tell me I've won the lottery or been awarded PIP. People can contact me in writing if they want a response or arrange to see me in person when I can make sure I've got enough energy.

I answer the door if I am expecting someone and sometimes if it is a package for a neighbour, other times no.

I never answer the phone if I do not know the number. If they want me they can leave a message. Usually it is one of these spoof numbers that once you answer, they know the number is active and you start getting lots of scam calls.

@Flowerblooms · Today 10:10
I never open the front door either unless I know it’s a relative/friend who would have text before or for a parcel that I’m expecting that’s tracked so I know it’s the delivery person.

I also don’t answer calls that are not contacts in my phone books as 9/10 it’s a scam caller calling about debt schemes or loans

THIS for me too albeit the calls won’t be for debts or loans. Usually insurance!

I also don’t answer calls that are not contacts in my phone books as 9/10 it’s a scam caller calling about debt schemes or loans etc.

Our GP calls from a withheld number as do other important people.

I don't hide but I don't answer the door if I don't know who's there, I might run upstairs and peep out of the window.
Anyone I want to see has a key because they know I won't answer the door.
I don't answer the phone if I don't recognise the number either.

I rarely answer the door. The porch is the safe spot for all deliveries and I can look out the window to see if I recognise the car. I let unsaved numbers ring out too; if it's important they'll leave a voicemail.

It's not fear or anxiety-based. Usually I've got my hands full with something else and don't want to take the time to tell them I'm not interested or take in a neighbour's parcel etc. I don't think it's weird.

YANBU to open the door to who you want to. Before I got a video doorbell I used to look out the living room window to see who it is. This is because there are often people posting videos of dodgy people trying to gain entry into their homes on flimsy pretexts.

*on Nextdoor