To not answer the door if I don’t know who it is?

[BluntJadeCritic]

I always feel anxious when someone knocks or rings the doorbell, and if I don’t recognise them, I just ignore it. People I know say it could be a friend/family member, or even an emergency, but that seems unlikely. With so many stories about door-to-door salespeople or worse, I feel justified. AIBU for prioritising my comfort and safety over potentially disappointing someone on the other side?

But how do you k ow who it is and whether you know them or not, until you open the door and see their face?

It isn't @Ytcsghisn who is the one being ridiculous here.

You have come on here, presumably a grown adult, saying you don't open your front door if someone knocks or rings the bell that you aren't expecting.

It's not PP that needs to chill.

Btw I've knocked on strangers' doors when caught out with travel sick children and a broken down car (among others, but they're the ones that spring to mind) and been very grateful for the help we received.

It would never occur to me not to answer the door.

I have clearly said if people I don’t know

and the poster was asking how you know who it is, unless you open the door.
There really is no need to get ratty with people answering the question you asked.

No I’m exactly the same. I have a ring door bell- unless it’s my family , neighbours or delivery I don’t want to engage . I don’t want to have to get up and then have the awkward chat in my personal space where I say no thank you to them for selling/mormans etc. I don’t want to answer - rather than im
scared or anxious. It’s my personal home and space and I didn’t invite you round. We have electric gates on the perimeter of our house and are locked and a ring doorbell on the outside. You can’t get anywhere near our house and I love the peace that gives me! If I see the doorbell is someone I don’t know- I fully ignore!

I don’t answer to Jehovah’s Witnesses or obvious door to door sales (they sometimes wear branded uniform so I know what company they are from) but I would answer the door if it was convenient for me to do so.

Get a Ring or Blink doorbell. I only answer if I’m expecting someone or a parcel. My area has endless salespeople and this investment has been great, I ignore them now

Get a Ring doorbell, then you can see who is there without getting up.

We are lucky because it is nearly always a delivery or a friend.

This is Mumsnet @BluntJadeCritic Some people don't like it when you don't answer the door. It offends them for some reason.

Anyone who doesn't answer the door - even when they're not expecting anyone - is regarded as miserable, anti-social, boring, farcical, and ridiculous. They are labelled as weird, and mocked and derided.

In real life, many people don't answer the door when they're not expecting anyone, because it's almost certainly going to be salesmen, scammers, energy companies trying to get you to change to them, charities begging for money, religious callers, or delivery drivers trying to offload a neighbour's package onto you.

Answering the door to every random is fine if you've got fuck-all to do. Some of us have busy lives, and things to do, and some of us work from home! Randoms knocking the door can fuck off.

.

If it was an emergency they'd keep knocking, shout out or call through the letter box.
If it was a family member or friend unexpectedly coming round if you didn't answer they'd probably ring you (or shout through the letter box).
So unless you are expecting a parcel then I agree - there's no reason to answer the door if you don't want to.

Generally people who knock on my door unexpectedly are people I don't want to answer to (usually charities pressuring me into giving them money, or religious people wanting to preach to me) so I'm with you on this one!
Deliveries are generally expected or they don't bother knocking and just leave on doorstep.
Family and friends usually message before popping by, and if they don't then it's generally an inconvenience as I can guarantee we're always in the middle of kids bedtime or having tea if this ever happens!
Get a sign that says no cold callers and I imagine that will stop most unexpected visitors, but a ring doorbell is an obvious way to see who it is so you don't need to answer it, or you can ask them what they want and tell them to bugger off.

We don't have one so if i don't want to answer the door and suspect it's a random selling stuff, I'll just hide 😂

💯 this . It’s not that I’m scared / it’s that I don’t want to engage. My home is my sanctuary - sod off trying to sell me something 😂😂 im often busy and don’t want to get up to deal with some chat where they want my money and then I feel ‘bad ‘ with the negative vibes when I have to say no , in my personal space. No thank you 😅

I’m exactly the same. I’m too nice to jehovas witnesses and they end up coming back and the million people trying to get you to change your supplier I can’t be arsed with. Yes I could be polite and tell them to go away but they waste my time in the first place which I don’t get a lot of! Also lots of internet provider people, I can’t be arsed to tell them how much I’m paying or explain for the 100th time that I’m in a contract still

Exactly this! If it’s not someone I’m expecting or a parcel why would I want to answer? I’m under no obligation to interact with random strangers in my own home. If it was something important someone would call or put something through the door. I wouldn’t trust someone ‘needing help’ these days either unfortunately so not interested.

I don't answer the door if I don't know who's knocking. If it's important enough they will write.

Never answer the door if I am not expecting a parcel or a person. I find it irritating and intrusive and never important. My first thoughts are 'why the fuck are you knocking on my door when you don't have me knocking at yours' In short I can't be arsed and I intend to carry on.

Ha! You, a person to anxious to answer your own front door, are telling me to chill?

is this a joke thread / reverse / in joke I don’t get?!

I don't answer the door at all anymore. I have complex PTSD which means o live in constant fear, but I'm also autistic and can't really manage unplanned interactions. I have been caught out in the past with people at the door and I don't know what to say to them. I'm vulnerable in that I cannot say no, so avoidance is the better option for me.

Ring doorbell perhaps?

Yanbu
Your life, your safety.
RING doorbell cameras are very good.

The only people at my door in the last few years who are unexpected have been JW, Labour councillor, and neighbours asking if I've seen Fluffy the cat..Where do you guys live that have hoards of sales/ conman and attackers banging on the door?

Get a Ring doorbell, then you can vet your callers.

Am the same. Never go on the bus or train either as they full of people I don't know. Shops are a nightmare, am expected to hand money over to strangers there.

I don't think it's "normal" but I'm the same.

I get an overwhelming rush of anxiety whenever the door knocks. Im flapping about telling all the kids to "shshshshshhhs!!!!!" so no one knows we're in.
I run upstairs and try and peak out the blinds who it is but half the time they're gone by then, after getting the kids to sit quietly and getting to the front bedroom.

I will only answer if I'm expecting someone or have a parcel coming, which is easy now as dpd/ evri/ Royal Mail etc always message between such& such a time.

I was told NEVER to answer the door as a child as my mum owed money to debt collectors, plus I had an abusive father who she kicked out, he would sometimes randomly appear and knock the door / threaten her, so I assume it stems from childhood, or maybe not and I just have anxiety around answering the door 😁

Loving your satire.