To think banging is so unnecessary

[DrierThanANunsNasty]

Several times this year I’ve had delivery drivers fully banging on the door like the bloody gestapo whilst also ringing the video doorbell - I also had one who rattled the letterbox and another who banged on the living room window all at the same time.

Now I know being a delivery driver is probably an underpaid job with tight deadlines, and I really do appreciate that. BUT is there actually any need to bang so loudly on the door? Especially when there’s a clearly working and noisy doorbell?

It sets off the dogs barking and I’m due a baby any day now, which is making me worried they’ll end up waking them up. It’s also not the same delivery driver every time, so it’s not like I’m renowned for being slow to answer or anything.

I’ve heard them do the same with my neighbour (a woman in her late 80s who lives alone) and I dread to think how she feels whenever someone bangs on her door like that.

So AIBU? Is it just delivery drivers in my area or does everyone else get bangers too?

YABU - Let them bang
YANBU - It’s so unnecessary

I bought a wooden sign from Etsy that asks people not to knock but to leave parcels by the door due to barky dog/small baby combo. It's vaguely humorous and very polite. It worked well. If you have ring like us you know when something has been left anyway so not too risky, depending on where your door/porch opens onto. Definitely recommend.

How many things are you having delivered that this is such a big worry? We only get parcels a couple of times a month. Use the drop off points or even, shock, horror, go into an actual shop and buy your stuff in person.

OP i'm with you. When I had a newborn I stuck a post it to the doorbell saying 'Please knock quietly and wait, newborn baby sleeping' and left it there for 3 months. It really did help

We have a sign. Notes get tatty.

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/371338804547

Ours all seem to just stroke the door then scarper. I wish they would knock properly.

Ours do not ring and just leave it outside, so annoying when we are home

Ours has a cute habit of banging on the door glass and simultaneously ringing the bell - once he’s put whatever it is through the letterbox. It’s infuriating, the whole point of a letterbox is so I don’t have to immediately pay attention to the post!

I've come to expect it now from delivery drivers, but it really irked me when someone did the same thing when they came to collect something I'd advertised for free on FB. I just felt they should have been a bit more respectful as they were getting something for nothing.

I'll swap you. If ours get past the intercom, they bang on the door like it's a police raid

I do love our Evri driver though. My colleague turned up with a parcel for me at work, I was
Colleague "evri driver lives next door, said you were out and to bring it to you"

We have a man from the royal mail who really really thumps the door. By the time I get there he's halfway up our street 😳😳 I've asked him to give me time to get to the door 😂😂

I agree with you OP, leave my door intact, please!!!

But to be fair to them, most are on some kind of clock for deliveries and get paid or appraised on how efficient they are, and therefore really can't be doing with people that pretend not to hear or wander to the door without any urgency. Likewise people who complain that they were in despite the item going back to the delivery office/behind the bins/with a neighbour and say they didn't hear. By bashing the door off the hinges, at least you'll not be able to make that complaint!!

Oh, and I thought this was just me being a miserable old hag.

Amazon drivers are the worst culprits IMO. We had a new front door recently with a rather lovely knocker in the shape of a bee. What a bad mistake that was! Things were bad enough when the door glass was rapped on, the letterbox rat-a-tat-tatted and the bell rung 45,287 times, all simultaneously.

Now we've got a knocker, it's obviously adding to the drivers' entertainment. I honestly think our Amazon drivers are octopuses or squids, because they somehow now manage to do the letterbox, the bell, the knocker and a few thumps on the glass all at the same time.

Honestly they can't win. Some people get really worked up that they didn't try hard enough, others have a fit that they knocked too loud. They have no idea where you are in the house or how far back it goes. There's also little point in a sign. Most can't actually read. We have a huge parcel box right next to the gate with a sign on the bell and on the box....they still mostly ring to be let in. If it bothers you go to collection. This isn't one you can win.

I agree. Although on the flip side, I have discovered a special breed of moron (looking at you last Sainsbury's delivery driver) who is unable (or possibly unwilling - unclear) to use a doorbell. I had a totally mad conversation with Sainsbury's last week where apparently it was my fault that I missed the delivery even though the driver didn't ring the bell. Obviously my telepathy skills aren't up to scratch and I should have just guessed he was there. No attempt to ring the bell or phone me. Now have to put "ring doorbell" in delivery instructions. It beggars belief.

Both of these things are significantly more miserable and less convenient. I am not spending my one wild and precious dragging myself round a shopping centre if I can help it.

I feel so dreadfully sorry for you OP, it must so terribly dramatising!

Get a grip!

i just wrote 'please use bell' on a small piece of paper and put sellotape completely covering it on the door. It's been there at least 3 months now and is no worse for wear. The delivery people here go to both extremes, either loud banging like you get, or a very gentle tap while wearing a glove (instead of using the door knocker) so I can't hear them. The note has cut down annoying behaviour by about 90%, though some of them still gently tap and leave the parcel on the doorstep.

We have the opposite issue here.
Some delivery drivers must just tickle the door then leave.
We've had plenty a message to say 'no reply' when we were in but they didn't make any effort to use the door knocker.

Seriously, delivery drivers can't win. They are on incredibly tight time frames and just can't try every door bell....wait 3 mins to see if anyone answers..... try knocking gently.....wait again....try knocking louder.......wait again. They just don't have the capacity.

I just get an email to say it's been delivered but I don't order anything needs signing for. I was on a zoom call between 2 and 4 today and got a message to say they had handed it to John. There is no John here when I got off the phone it was in the hallway. He or she must have seen I was in a call and tried the door and put it in the mat. I was so greatful as it was really raining and contained clothes.

Ugh I live in a gated apartment block and every other day, delivery drivers try and call every apartment to be let inside the gate regardless of who they are delivering to.

My parent have that too in a retirement complex

I imagine some people like them to bang on the door loudly otherwise they might not hear them. Do you expect them to send a message asking who wants a quiet knock and who wants a loud one? Honestly, it's just one of those things in life you have to deal with, and they can't possibly please everyone.

They knock very quietly on my door, sometimes I don't even hear them, but it doesn't matter either way as they don't need to wait for me, they just knock and run.

Yanbu. Ours either knock so hard it feels like they might smash the door down, or tap like a flipping fairy wing knocking on the door.

Just knock like a normal person ffs.

Oh god we had one yesterday who rang the bell and I'd just stood up and she started hammering on the door. Scared me half to death - I honestly thought it was the police trying to break in! We had a sign up during covid asking parcels to be left in our porch and that worked.
My neighbour however has an extremely pretentious and frankly rude sign up asking people not to knock or ring the bell which i cringe at every time I see it.

They drive me mad with it. When I had babies I turned the doorbell off and glued down the knocker and put a sign on door saying leave on the step!