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

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can I answer? I work at home....

I do not answer the door because we have the most annoying solicitors that come to the door and those super sketchy people "selling magazines" like they are on some sort of work release program.

I have a hand made laminated sign on my door that reads:

PLEASE READ BEFORE YOU KNOCK OR RING the BELL

NO SOLICOTORS,CARPET BAGGERS, or PEDDLERS this includes pest control, lawn care, magazines, driveway repair, vaccuum sales, political groups, alarm companies (we are happy with ours and our vicious killer attack dog), Jehovah Witness, and anyone raising money for any such cause or selling any product or service.

Those excempt and welcome include Boy and Girl Scouts of America, Mormons (we like you, but just a warning we are happily Methodist and not looking to change), and anoyone from the local schools/sports teams looking to raise money.

If they still ring, I peek through the side window and point towards the sign and mouth "Did you read this first?"

i hope this is real.

[Anonymous]

OP, there is no reason in this day and age to open your door unless you know/are expecting the person. Most of the time, they are casing to see who lives there. I can not stress this enough. Our neighborhood gets hit a lot (including people with alarms who did not activate them - what a waste!), and I swear this is why. The "solicitors" know who is where when because of the naive people who actually open their doors. Seriously.

What I used to tell my sitter (the worst offender) is YOU ARE *NOT* IN KANSAS ANYMORE!!!!

Be smart. Don't open. That way, if you never open, they won't keep coming back. Also, they won't know whether you are really home or not (i.e. if you have a garage and use it)!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

OP, there is no reason in this day and age to open your door unless you know/are expecting the person. Most of the time, they are casing to see who lives there. I can not stress this enough. Our neighborhood gets hit a lot (including people with alarms who did not activate them - what a waste!), and I swear this is why. The "solicitors" know who is where when because of the naive people who actually open their doors. Seriously.

What I used to tell my sitter (the worst offender) is YOU ARE *NOT* IN KANSAS ANYMORE!!!!

Be smart. Don't open. That way, if you never open, they won't keep coming back. Also, they won't know whether you are really home or not (i.e. if you have a garage and use it)!

It is intersting how people have such a false sense of security. As someone who is not even originally from the US, I feel like the crime here is really, compared to what I'm used to and peoplel really feel so safe. Considering the huge economic divide and the prevalance of guns, it appears to me that the burbs and the nice areas are perfect hunting grounds for break-ins.

Anyone remember that strory a few years back about that older couple who was attacked on their early morning walk in a nice a quite community in Leesburg? The man was murdered and the wife raped and left for dead.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

OP, there is no reason in this day and age to open your door unless you know/are expecting the person. Most of the time, they are casing to see who lives there. I can not stress this enough. Our neighborhood gets hit a lot (including people with alarms who did not activate them - what a waste!), and I swear this is why. The "solicitors" know who is where when because of the naive people who actually open their doors. Seriously.

What I used to tell my sitter (the worst offender) is YOU ARE *NOT* IN KANSAS ANYMORE!!!!

Be smart. Don't open. That way, if you never open, they won't keep coming back. Also, they won't know whether you are really home or not (i.e. if you have a garage and use it)!

It is intersting how people have such a false sense of security. As someone who is not even originally from the US, I feel like the crime here is really, compared to what I'm used to and peoplel really feel so safe. Considering the huge economic divide and the prevalance of guns, it appears to me that the burbs and the nice areas are perfect hunting grounds for break-ins.

Anyone remember that strory a few years back about that older couple who was attacked on their early morning walk in a nice a quite community in Leesburg? The man was murdered and the wife raped and left for dead.

Yes, I definitely remember that situation. That was horrible. That was in River Creek, in Loudoun, if I remember correctly?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is intersting how people have such a false sense of security. As someone who is not even originally from the US, I feel like the crime here is really, compared to what I'm used to and peoplel really feel so safe. Considering the huge economic divide and the prevalance of guns, it appears to me that the burbs and the nice areas are perfect hunting grounds for break-ins.

Anyone remember that strory a few years back about that older couple who was attacked on their early morning walk in a nice a quite community in Leesburg? The man was murdered and the wife raped and left for dead.

Do you have, like, the slightest scintilla of proof for your assertion that breakins are more common in the suburbs than in the city?

[Anonymous]

So what do you all do when someone comes and knocks on your door? Run and hide behind the couch? Tell the kids to get in the closet?

[Anonymous]

I remember that! It was random and horrible. Some people are desperate for what they think is easy money. You may think you have nothing to steal, but the criminals are not sure of that until they case the neighborhood and find out for themselves. Especially in these times. We live in a "close in supposedly desirable area" and it gets hit ALL the time, cars and houses. Just be aware, ladies. Don't be careless.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So what do you all do when someone comes and knocks on your door? Run and hide behind the couch? Tell the kids to get in the closet?

PP already said she runs and hides. Keep up, please.

[Anonymous]

Honestly, I don't care if they think I am home or not. I just ignore until they go away. Easy. Why is this so hard for some people?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Honestly, I don't care if they think I am home or not. I just ignore until they go away. Easy. Why is this so hard for some people?

Because it's normal to answer the door. And because women are socialized to be friendly and agreeable.

[Anonymous]

I used to then I almost got had by these "Capitol Meats" "salesmen" turns out they will lie their way into you home to sell sub-par meat. Disgusting practices. Not going to do that again.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So what do you all do when someone comes and knocks on your door? Run and hide behind the couch? Tell the kids to get in the closet?

I look and see if it is someone I know or one of the kids friends and if it is not, then I walk away and go back to what I was doing. I'm the one with the big obnoxious sign, so I point to it. the ONLY people I don't know who knock on by door is some sort of solicitor or something annoying. If a solicitor is so bold as to ignore my sign, then they are really ballsy and extra pushy. NO THANKS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So weird. I am home and always answer the door. Sometimes I look to see who it is first but I answer it. Never taught the "rule" to not answer. I feel safe.

Same here. I was beginning to think I was alone.

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

Same. here also. Besides, a lot of kids ring our door bell to play. So I don't want my kids to miss out on them.

[Anonymous]

No, I don't. I've probably seen to many episodes of Criminal Minds but I don't want to take any chances. It's not worth it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So what do you all do when someone comes and knocks on your door? Run and hide behind the couch? Tell the kids to get in the closet?

PP already said she runs and hides. Keep up, please.

LOL!

We just stay in whatever room we are in (kitchen, family room, whatever) and keep doing whatever we were doing. Usually people will try ringing the doorbell 2x, and then that's it. We only have 1 child, so it's not like we're particularly noisy, but, growing up, I was one of 6, so if we were being loud, we might just try to shush ourselves/quiet down for a minute or two until the person left.