s/o from wknd randoms - do you open the door?

[lavenderblue]

If someone knocks on your door and you aren't expecting anyone, do you open it? Does it make a difference if you know the person at the door or if they are a stranger?

I pretty much never answer my door if I don't know the person. If I'm sitting on the couch, you can see me from the front porch, but I still won't get up. I have 3 dogs and they go crazy when anyone comes to the house, and I'm not going to wrangle them for someone who is probably trying to sell me driveway paving. I will answer the door for someone I know though, most of the time. 

[Susie]

Our front door is 3/4 glass so it's almost impossible to just pretend we aren't there.  

[macmars45]

Yes I do open the door. My front door is 95% glass and my blinds and always open during the day so I can't pretend I'm not home.

Every spring/summer I've lived here 2-3 solar panel salespeople have rung my doorbell and not noticed my roof covered with solar panels until I point it out to them. It's just funny at this point. That last saleswoman was really embarrassed so I told her she was in good company. 

[heygrey]

Sept 30, 2024 8:22:18 GMT -5 macmars45 said:

Yes I do open the door. My front door is 95% glass and my blinds and always open during the day so I can't pretend I'm not home.

Every spring/summer I've lived here 2-3 solar panel salespeople have rung my doorbell and not noticed my roof covered with solar panels until I point it out to them. It's just funny at this point. That last people saleswoman was really embarrassed so I told her she was in good company. 

We get the same with our security system. My dude, you are standing next to the exact doorbell you are trying to sell me.

[jinkies]

I do open the door, but I recently put up a no soliciting sign because I can't deal with the salespeople anymore.

[expectantsteelerfan]

We have a ring camera on the front door (and the driveway/garage), so I would check that to see who it is while my dogs go crazy barking at the door.

If it's a neighbor kid, we don't open the front door. We yell to our kids (who then either come and speak to them through the door and if going out, go out the back so they don't have to deal with the dogs, or tell them no), and if the kids aren't home we just say 'they aren't home' through the door so we don't have to deal with the dogs.

If it's a sales person, I yell 'we're not interested' through the door so I don't have to deal with the dogs. They always go away easily because THEY don't want me to let my dogs out with them barking and going crazy at the door anyway.

And if I can't tell who it is/what they want, I go to the door, hold up a finger to show I'll be back in a minute, grab treats and throw them outside, then shut the dog door so the dogs can't get back in, then go back to the door and open it. I get annoyed if I go through all that to find out it is a sales person, but if I can't clearly tell, I'd be too curious to not open the door.
I wouldn't get annoyed if it was a neighbor just wanting to tell me something.

If we are expecting someone, we pay attention to the driveway camera and when we see them pull in, we put the dogs outside preemptively so we can easily open the front door (with a few exceptions of people we know that like our dogs and don't mind being covered in puppy kisses the second they get in the door).

[rachers]

Not usually. I WFH and can see through the ring camera or check out my office window. Our dog goes nuts and he tries to escape each time.

If it’s someone I know I will answer though.

[circa1978]

Our front door is glass and I still don't answer it, but they get to see our dogs barking at them. I screen everyone on our Ring and ignore random solicitors. For a little kid selling something or a surveyor or whatever, I talk to them through the Ring. DH will open the door and talk to anyone. 🤷🏼‍♀️ DS13 has never answered the door in his life, and barely notices it exists. Maybe for his grandma?

ETA: I am very much of the opinion that it doesn't matter if people can see I'm home. Did you make an appointment to speak to me? Did I ask you to come? No? I owe you nothing and most of the time I'm working anyway.

[candreco]

I don't answer if it's not someone I know. I don't care if they know I'm home or not, I might be in the middle of making dinner, a workout, a meeting. Exceptions for kids, I'll at least answer the door even if I'm not buying whatever their selling.

My dog also barks her head off when someone comes to the door, and while she really just wants to meet the new person, she sounds very intimidating, so that helps move people along.

[cjcouple]

No. My condo is set up so my living room and kitchen is on the second floor so I look out the LR window and if I don't know the car, I open the window and talk through the screen on 2nd floor. Honestly the only people who show up are jehovah witnesses or politicians.

Being in a condo keeps solicitors away.

[tacokick]

We have an enclosed porch with a screen door so I just go and see who it is and yell at scammers to go away.

Normally it’s the mailman wanting a signature or some delivery person.

[fernweh]

I do not. H always does though. We don’t usually get many random knockers but this time of year there are quite a few political canvassers. It’s like sir/ madam please leave you pamphlets on the door and walk away.

[pixy0stix]

How this thread is going to go - majority of people will say no. A few, like myself, will say yes, every time and then relate a story where they needed help and no one would open their fucking door because of made up reasons. People will get defensive and dig in. Lather, rinse, repeat.

[flygirl]

I need to stop answering even if they can see me. We have a no soliciting sign on our door. It’s at the same level the door bell is at…literally an inch away and large enough you see it when you come up my steps and the amount of sales people who still ring my doorbell is MADDENING.

I recently had a dude who came and when I opened the door he quoted something…no idea what and then I asked what he was selling. He said “I’m not here selling anything, I’m here to tell you about an opportunity for you to put solar on your house…” I said I wasn’t interested and he said just give me 20 min and I’ll…” I asked him if he knew what no soliciting meant and he apparently took the hint and turned to leave but not before telling me I didn’t have to be so rude. So I informed him that he was the rude one for ringing my doorbell in the first place since he was soliciting and I had already told him not to. I understand they just have a job to do, and a crappy one at that but just don’t stop at my house. I will never buy anything, other than from kids.

[dexteroni]

I check the camera and go from there. If it’s clearly a salesperson, I’m unlikely to answer it. Even if I did, I would just be shouting “no thanks!” over my dogs’ barking so what’s the point of that. Just take the non-answer as a no and go on your way.

One time it was someone we didn’t know and they had a dog with them. We answered the door and it was a neighbor we hadn’t met yet who had found a dog that they thought might be our Sadie (it wasn’t). That was nice of them and now we know that neighbor.

If it’s a political candidate or canvasser, it depends if I know who they are and what side they’re on. I’ll open the door to show support to a preferred candidate or party, but not an opponent. And if I don’t know, then I’m likely not opening.

My DH is from a small town and used to open the door for everyone and was terrible at cutting off sales people. It’s a skill he had to learn, although he still tends to open the door more than I would, and still lets them go on longer than I would. 🤷🏻‍♀️

I do agree with the “I don’t care if they can see me, I’m not answering” sentiment. I didn’t ask you to show up on my door step. Just because you can see that I’m home doesn’t mean I have to stop what I’m doing and entertain you.

[maudefindlay]

I'm with you circa1978. Our front door is glass and I do not answer if I'm not expecting anyone. I don't show up unannounced to your house, don't do it to me. We all have cellphones, there is no reason for it unless an emergency and the person is screaming bloody murder and then if I know them they come in if not I'll call 911 and assess the situation whether I can help further.

[beerlover]

If I can tell on the Blink doorbell camera that it's a solicitor, I won't. I don't care if it looks like if I'm home or not, though I'm usually working upstairs so you wouldn't see me through the door. We've been getting all kinds of people lately; mostly salespeople saying they are doing window or roof inspections. In the summer we often get people selling books from some scam educational company. It's so annoying.

Last time I did answer the door, I flat out just asked the dude "so, is it the books or the windows?" and he was like "neither! it's roof inspections" lol.

If it's a neighbor or child, I will answer it.

[chickadee77]

If I'm expecting something/someone or if it's a kid, yeah.

Random adult selling something? Nope. I also don't answer my phone if I don't recognize the number, and to me, they equate.

If I didn't live in a neighborhood, I might answer - depends. Most folks have cell phones so it's rare you need a stranger's help, but growing up rurally we always answered the door and possibly saved a few lives of people that had hit deer/gotten in wrecks and had no way to get help or shelter without a lonnng walk in shitty weather.

[TR]

I check the doorbell camera first. I can usually tell when it’s a sales person, but I open for anyone else once I wrangle the dogs either out back to into a room.

[midwestmama]

Our front door is 1/2 glass, but it's patterned leaded glass, so not completely see-through, but you could tell if someone was standing in a certain spot in the kitchen or sitting in a certain part of the living room. Personally, I don't open the door unless I know the person. If it's stranger, I would likely talk with them through the doorbell camera. I also have a German Shepherd, so he goes crazy when someone rings the doorbell. I don't necessarily want to chance it that he will react to a stranger he thinks is a threat.

[livinitup]

Yes. Strangers rarely ring our doorbell to sell us stuff. Maybe twice?

My husband met the judge running for election. Really nice guy! He won and still campaigns door-to-door when his seat is up.

[jinkies]

Sept 30, 2024 8:47:35 GMT -5 pixy0stix said:

How this thread is going to go - majority of people will say no. A few, like myself, will say yes, every time and then relate a story where they needed help and no one would open their fucking door because of made up reasons. People will get defensive and dig in. Lather, rinse, repeat.

I'm honestly surprised at how many people don't. I am too nosy not to. We do get a lot of soliciting but also have gotten random other people for various reasons (lost pet, complimenting our flowers, confirming that something we put at the curb is free, etc) and I can't imagine looking at them through my glass door and not answering.

I have no qualms with saying "no thank you" and closing the door in a salesperson's face though.

[wanderingback]

We live in an apartment now with a door person so no one comes up that we don’t know and so far we haven’t had any random knocks. I would look through the peep hole and answer as I’d assume it was a neighbor. I once knocked on the door of someone on the floor below because we got their package and I accidentally opened it and It was easier to just take it to them instead of taking it back downstairs. I was glad they answered.

When we lived in an apartment with a buzzer that anyone could ring I would talk to people through the microphone. We’d get homeless people, I have sympathy, but no you can’t come in.

In our row house yes I open the door.

[cville]

Yes. And I'm a sucker so it's how I've ended up with recurring donations to the humane society, public radio, the state democrats' organization, and doctors without borders.

My husband would like me to stop answering the door to save us all money. Can't stop, won't stop.

[heygrey]

Sept 30, 2024 9:32:47 GMT -5 jinkies said:

I'm honestly surprised at how many people don't. I am too nosy not to. We do get a lot of soliciting but also have gotten random other people for various reasons (lost pet, complimenting our flowers, confirming that something we put at the curb is free, etc) and I can't imagine looking at them through my glass door and not answering.

I have no qualms with saying "no thank you" and closing the door in a salesperson's face though.

This is me. It's rare that I'm doing something that can't be interrupted and I have no problem saying no to solicitors.

Sometimes I take great joy in telling them all the ways they are lying. My roof does not have visible damage that you can see from the road because 1) my husband regularly inspects it, and 2) it is less than 3 years old. You have not aerated my lawn, front and back, for the last 5 years because 1) I've owned this house for 4 and have never hired an aerator, and 2) there isn't a single bit of lawn in my backyard. The aerator guy actually made me really mad because he kept insisting, then said that my husband hired him so I wouldn't know. That guy can fuck all the way off.

[heygrey]

Sept 30, 2024 9:37:10 GMT -5 cville said:

Yes. And I'm a sucker so it's how I've ended up with recurring donations to the humane society, public radio, the state democrats' organization, and doctors without borders.

My husband would like me to stop answering the door to save us all money. Can't stop, won't stop.

H and I always say that we do not do donations at the door, but that they can leave us information about their cause and we would be happy to research further and consider donating. We're not against supporting good causes, but never will I do it under pressure or a split second decision. There are a lot of factors that go into choosing which organizations I want to support. Most of them can't produce a pamphlet or even give me a website so that's a huge red flag. 

[waverly]

I don't open the door to solicitors, but I do open it to neighbors.

[circa1978]

If I saw through my camera that someone was in distress or they answered they were when I answered on Ring, I would answer the door or help them get help, of course. That is a pretty unlikely situation on my random suburban street far from any street with passthrough traffic (I know my neighbors and would answer the door to them) and has never happened, so I didn't take it into account, but either way, I personally still think it's OK to look at the Ring and see who it is. I don't really see the difference between that and opening your main door to talk through a screen door, but 🤷‍♀️.

[meowmaps]

I have a nest cam and we’ve had the doorbell muted for years due to napping kids. If I open the door it’s because I’m expecting someone. My parents and in-laws have keys to the house and they often let themselves in when we’re expecting them.

[rachers]

Omg the people stopping by about our roof drive me insane. Last week we seriously had 4 different people stop by. (Which..we do need actually need a new roof but my DH is researching his own people)

I will say I've become known as the lost dog whisperer. I don't know why but any loose dogs gravitate to our house so I've gotten to know several of our neighbors that way! Which is nice because yea, I'll open the door for a neighbor. Random salesperson, nah. I reach my word count each day on my own without turning down a random sales call. And I'm in sales so I get it!