Doorbells and Random Visitors

[pcooley]

I don't expect this thread to go very far, and it's not really a family matter, but I wondered if other introverts go through this...

Do you answer the doorbell if you are not expecting a visitor?

I usually don't. I don't like to deal with people selling everything from chocolate to Jesus.

But some people ring the doorbell repeatedly. Someone just now, rang the doorbell twice, and then knocked on the window. At that point, I think, hey, maybe it is someone I know. Maybe the dogs got out. Maybe ...

But it's annoying. If I don't respond to the doorbell the first time, I'm not going to respond to it a second time - then I just look like I'm ignoring the doorbell, which I am. I figure if it's important, they will call. It's my house, why should I come running if the doorbell rings?

Is there some unwritten expectation that people will come to their doors if they are at home? It drives me crazy.

[RosieTR]

If it's clearly someone selling than yes, we will often flat-out ignore it. We have a storm door that has all glass so it's often open even in winter on a sunny day, and we have been known to still not open up even though we are clearly there and the dogs are going nuts, if it's clearly a religion peddler. If it's an unknown that could be a neighbor we usually answer: could be a mail mix-up, lost pet, new to the neighborhood, whatever. In Phx we only answered if it was obviously cops or a neighbor we knew.

[sweetana3]

I deplore solicitors of any age and religion. In my urban neighborhood it could be someone checking to see if anyone is home to prepare to rob the residence. Our police when called on the nonemergency number will check them out.

I have also lectured teenagers going door to door on why it is dangerous to go door to door for those on both sides. I find it irritating for someone to get me to the door from usually upstairs for something I am not interested in.

[iris lilies]

Just this week someone rapped on our front door, and when I got there to see who it was, looking through the peephole, that person was gone. So no I didn't open the door and go out to see what was happening. First of all, I had to run around to find my eyeglasses. Then I saw a man in what looked like construction clothing walking along the sidewalk. Since we've got houses going up across the street from us, I figured they wanted me to move my car which I am always happy to do.

So when I opened the door I saw him standing by his official truck, he was from the electric company. He had sped off after hearing our big dog bark. Big Dog has a very deep voice. So long story short he wanted to come into our yard without being eaten by a dog and look at our electric meter. It has stopped working.

We have a tall iron gate that keeps the casual visitors out, yet there are plenty of spring days when the Witnesses come by to witness. Our gate doesn't keep Bobby, the neighborhood panhandler of 20 years, out. Bobby is peculiarly focused on our house and will open the gate and come in, regardless of dog noises.

[Rosemary]

You're not alone.
I don't feel obligated to answer the phone, either.

[ctg492]

I have been alone a good part of my adult life, husband traveled or worked living apart. I have never answered the door for unannounced visitors.Today all friends text if they are dropping by.

[lmerullo]

Unfortunately, my front door is situated next to a window into our living room. This gives any bell ringer a full view in so I almost always answer by jamming myself in the small gap with a foot behind the door. (In case they are a bad guy I can try to slam the door. )

Nowadays I don't think it is rude to ignore a door - too many wackos and creeps.

Once I was recovering from surgery and could not get up easily, nor could I yell to visitors. That week everybody and their brother stopped by and I would just lie there. Some may have worried I was a corpse! Good friends knew to go to the back k door as it was unlocked.

[bae]

I don't have a door bell. (Well, I do, it's a big brass bell in the harden with a huge mallet to hit it with, but hardly anyone figures it out.)

If someone manages to find my place, and come up to the door through the closed gates, and knock on the door, I usually exit from one of the many other doors and flank them while I see what's up, then come up on them unawares...

My friends don't knock, they generally just open the door, announce themselves, and come in, since the obvious "front door" is some distance from where in the house people generally are.

So the front door is sort of a trap for the unaware and unwanted.

[Simplemind]

Anybody who knows me knows I hate "the drop by". I don't care if you are family or the pope. That said, I love company when I do the inviting...... I had to have a stern talk with my dad who then started letting himself in if I didn't answer the door. Told him that was a great way to get shot. Then he started pulling up in my driveway and calling to ask if I was home. I can't win.
That said, one day I didn't answer the door and within 5 minutes two guys had jumped my fence and were suddenly in my backyard going towards the shed. I let the dog out and called 911. So be warned that although you don't answer the door that is a ploy often used by thieves to make sure nobody is home before they break in.

[Alan]

Our big dog, who never makes a sound, howls when the doorbell rings. She has a very deep, menacing howl and she follows through by seemingly attacking the sidelight, all the while wagging her tail frantically to show how happy she is to see whoever's there.

While this is going on and the visitor is busy trying to determine if Moose may actually come through the sidelight, I exit through the garage and come up from the visitors rear, usually scaring them further.

We don't have many repeat visitors.