AIBU to think open doors are no more risky nowadays than they were , say in the 1950s?

[ChinaKing]

AIBU to think there are no more "bad men" than there ever were?

For context I live in a terrace. Like most places it is hotter than the sun here so for most of the afternoon and the evening I've had the front and back doors open. - it has created a nice through draft. One of my neighbours has popped in to check I'm OK as he (he's been sent by his wife) thinks I am at enhanced risk of being attacked because I have my front door open. My feeling is that there are no more people with the mindset to do that than there ever were so IANBU for opening my front door for a few hours. It's how people used to live before the internet spread fear and mistrust so I'm happy enjoying the air flow no matter what the perceived risk.

Who's right?

I think it's unlikely to increase the chances of you being attacked.

It could increase the chances of something being stolen from your house.

But if you live in a nice area chances are it will be fine. We have doors open all day, some days but they're not visible from the street.

Haha - I have literally nothing worth stealing except my laptop which I am on now.

Not sure you are correct on the stats. Reported crime rose sharply from the 50s, peaked in the 90s and is apparently going down again but not to what it was. What has happened is people have stopped reporting a lot of stuff because the police seem to do fuck all so who knows what the actual situation is.

But at the end of the day, the risk is yours to take and if you are happy to take it, it's nobody else's business. Its you that would suffer not them.

My front door is currently propped open about 6inches and every door and window to try and get a breeze. Can't have it wide open otherwise neighbours dog will come in.

They'll be locked when we go to bed.

Not sure of the issue.

You're more likely to have something stolen or be attacked than if your door was closed, but the risk is still absolutely miniscule. You're probably at more risk of dying from heatstroke so keep the door open!

All the doors and windows have been left wide open today. We've been home all day. Ive just shut them and will also go round and check every cupboard and corner just incase there is a scary murdery rapey man hiding there.

I have slept with patio door wide open the last few nights. too hot to care to be fair. i have survived unscathed!

I’ve got my central air blasting so can’t open the doors or windows. On the plus side my house is sitting at a very comfortable 20 degrees celsius 🧊

@DeeLasVegas in the politest possible way, you're not welcome here. 😜

I think there is more opportunity for theft.

We have a lot more small portable items easily nickable. Phones, laptops, gaming devices, iPods etc.

When I think back to my childhood in the early 60s I don't think we had anything valuable that was small. The radiogram was the size of a sideboard. The TV screen was smaller but the actual unit was much bulkier. No way was anyone going to waltz off with that without giving themselves a hernia.

I read something the other day that said something like 75% of all the thefts in Oxford Street were carried out by the same small group of thieves.

So I don't think there is necessarily a higher proportion of the population that are likely to burgle you, but it's easier pickings for those few that do.

@loulouljh so brave. I'm not sure I can take it that far!

I wouldn't do it where I am as we're just off a high street and there are quite a lot of opportunist thieves around - sometimes the window cleaner has to leave the front door open and I make sure to move all purses and keys by the door to where I am because neighbours have had stuff nicked. I wouldn't worry about danger to my person, though

I can’t leave the front door open as the dog would go to say hi to everyone. But I never lock the front door when I am at home.

In the 1950S, people had valve radios with massive HT batteries and not much else. There wasn't anything that could easily be nicked.

We've left the patio door wide open all night, but DH has taken a spare mattress downstairs and is sleeping on the floor in front of it so I'm not worried about the security aspect. He doesn't like the heat or being woken up so woe betide anyone who dares break into the garden. 😆
Even better, DS decided to join him so I have the whole upstairs to myself. 😀

Risky or not, leaving exterior doors or windows open in an unoccupied room overnight will invalidate your insurance.

I think having your front door open during the day is one of those things that isn’t risky until it is.
The chance of an opportunistic murderer/rapist being in your street and deciding to come in to your house is incredibly rare but not unheard of . It’s up to you whether you’re ok with accepting that risk (I would be in my street during the daytime).
One thing I would never do is leave a downstairs window open overnight or leave the doors open overnight- perhaps I’ve watched too much true crime