SAHMs, do you answer when someone knocks on your door?

[Anonymous]

i live in tenleytown and there are always people knocking on our doors, either selling magazines or asking for donations to some environmental group of another. my husband answers the door because he thinks it's rude not to. but, when i am at home alone, i look out the peephole and only answer it if I know or recognize the person. i have huge picture windows in the front and usually park either in the driveway or right in front of my house, so they know I'm home. i usually feel badly about it, but i just don't have confidence that I could handle a situation if the guy or gal at the door was aggressive.

[Anonymous]

Had someone try to sell us meat door-to-door. Capital Meat or something. No joke. They've come by more than once, usually at end of day with "extra" that are offering at a discount. Gross.

[Anonymous]

Hell no. I look out the spyhole and see who it is. If I don't know them I don't answer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hell no. I look out the spyhole and see who it is. If I don't know them I don't answer.

like

[Anonymous]

I look out the windowpane in the door and smile politely and say, "yes?" If they're a salesman or evangelist or similar, I say, "Sorry, not interested!" And walk away.

[Anonymous]

I always keep the glass door locked so that I can open the big door yet have a locked glass door between me and whoever. But we also have a peephole and I sometimes just don't answer - but it makes sense as someone else pointed out to let them know you're home and just not answering. When baby is sleeping I put a sign on the door that says "please do not knock or ring bell."

[Anonymous]

Is everyone here a hermit or what!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We moved to a new neighborhood recently that I'm not feeling entirely safe in yet. We don't have a peephole in the door, so if someone knocks I have to look out the window... but then they can obviously see that I'm home. Our large dog and 3 year old also go crazy when someone knocks. I feel rude not answering when someone knows that we're home, but I'm also worried about keeping my very pregnant self and 3 year old safe. This didn't seem to be an issue in my old neighborhood, but between yesterday and today 3 different men have come and knocked on the door. During a recent thunderstorm in the evening while DH was home, someone knocked on the door - the dog went nuts - and when he answered it, there was no one there which was also strange. So, SAHMs, do you answer the door if you don't know who it is? If it matters, it's a townhouse community in Herndon.

if you're not expecting company/ups/fedex then don't open the door! this is a really elementary question, by the way.

[Anonymous]

If you don't look to see who's knocking, how do you know if it's a neighbor, friend, or nice man with his own tools who wants to mow your lawn for $15? (That last is my personal favorite. I mow my own lawn about twice a year, and the rest of the time these guys do it for me.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is everyone here a hermit or what!!!

Our neighbors don't come knocking very often. But yes, we recognize them.

But why in the hell would I open the door for some salesperson?

Are you THAT desperate for some human interaction?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Where are you people at with all of these people coming by? What areas is this in?

AU Park in DC gets swamped with solicitors.

[Anonymous]

Yes, I always answer my door. Probably about 50% of the time it is a neighbor, friend, family member, kids' friends dropping by unannounced. Seems someone is always picking something up, dropping something off, stopping by to chat, etc..

The rest of the time it is solicitors, kids fundraising, companies going door to door trying to drum up business, organizations/politics/religious groups. I always open the door, say hello and tell them I am not interested. I never invite anyone into my house and will step out onto the porch if I want to talk further.

The only people I avoid are the 4 yr old boy from down the street and I don't open the door if alone and it is dark. Then I talk through the window.

[Anonymous]

I ask who it is from inside the house. If they act odd or mumble, I tell them to go away and usually call the non emergency police number. I M not a hermit, but gtf off my property unless you are invited.