Anonymous wrote:I have a note on the door that says that babies are sleeping and please do not knock between 12 and 5. At the time, I had a newborn and a 19 month old and our naps were all over the place an they were interrupted too many times.

It also cuts back on the solicitors a ton.

Anonymous wrote:I don't answer the door unless I know before the doorbell rings who will be standing on the other side. Several people have mentioned that maybe the "solicitor" is going to try to break in b/c they think no one is home. The far more likely scenario is that you become the victim of a home invasion after you open the door.

Anonymous wrote:One time, someone rang my doorbell incessantly, because I guess she knew that someone was home. Later, I found a note on the front door basically telling me off - that I was a worthless human being for not answering the door. And she was a solicitor for a non-profit organization that I have supported in the past. I was super annoyed because I had been busy trying to put my toddler down for a nap - which the ringing doorbell wasn't helping. Next time the organization called my house for a donation, I told them to never call me again.

I'm not sure what the answer is. I like to be able to answer my door, when someone calls. But, I feel like I should also be able to not answer it, if I'm unable to.

Anonymous wrote:I do not open my door for anyone I do not know no matter what the circumstances-if the police knock on my door or firefighters that I can see through my peephole, then of course I open the door. All else, no entry. They can shout all they want(which would probably make me call 911) or say that they're just doing something nice, doesn't matter. If I don't know why you're here, I don't open the door and I don't reply and I don't give a good goddamn if my sprinklers are on, my TV is blaring and they can hear me talking on the phone. In this day and age, even door-to-door sales people should think twice about taking a job requiring them to knock upon the doors of strangers who read the paper everyday.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One time, someone rang my doorbell incessantly, because I guess she knew that someone was home. Later, I found a note on the front door basically telling me off - that I was a worthless human being for not answering the door. And she was a solicitor for a non-profit organization that I have supported in the past. I was super annoyed because I had been busy trying to put my toddler down for a nap - which the ringing doorbell wasn't helping. Next time the organization called my house for a donation, I told them to never call me again.

I'm not sure what the answer is. I like to be able to answer my door, when someone calls. But, I feel like I should also be able to not answer it, if I'm unable to.

If it'd happened recently, I would have suggested calling the organization and telling them about this. They would be horrified to learn that one of their - interns or volunteers, likely - did something like this, and would want to know so they could let that person go, re-train, etc.

Anonymous wrote:Do not open the door for a stranger. Period. My grandmother did this and was attacked by a man who, ironically, it turned out she had helped when he was a little boy. She was beaten severely, confined in her basement and had to be hospitalized for weeks. I am a big advocate of being courteousness to people, but I will never forget the photographs I saw of what happened to my grandmother. In this day and age, I do not consider refusing to open my door to a stranger rude, particular if I am alone with my child. It is just plain silly and naive to think it is safe to open your door to anyone you don't know, including a purported solicitor.

Anonymous wrote:I do not open my door for anyone I do not know no matter what the circumstances-if the police knock on my door or firefighters that I can see through my peephole, then of course I open the door. All else, no entry. They can shout all they want(which would probably make me call 911) or say that they're just doing something nice, doesn't matter. If I don't know why you're here, I don't open the door and I don't reply and I don't give a good goddamn if my sprinklers are on, my TV is blaring and they can hear me talking on the phone. In this day and age, even door-to-door sales people should think twice about taking a job requiring them to knock upon the doors of strangers who read the paper everyday.