Strangers at the door

[countrygirl12]

We have talked on here about how no one answers their phone if they do not know the person calling.  I don't recognize the phone number I don't answer it.

What if someone comes to your door.  Someone you do not know.  Would you even acknowledge they are out there? Would you go to the door and ask thru the door who they are or talk to them? Or ignore them?

A fast talking sales person just came to my door. I did not even go in there and answer it.  A neighbor called and told me they were on their way to my house.  They are trying to get people to take their internet.  It is a really awesome deal but you have to take it RIGHT NOW!  RIGHT NOW! 

Personally, I do not like high pressure sales.  Send me something in the mail and if I can think about it and I am interested I will call you.

[vickysue]

I might open the door, but the  screen door is locked and  a can of  wasp spray right by the  door.  Yep it works.  Never open the door to a stranger I say.

[Nancy5]

I would open the door, but screen door is always locked and my dogs are standing next to me.  Also next to door is my alarm system, I just have to hit one button for police.

[tnshpalmer85]

I don't usually open the door if I don't know who it is. I don't really like direct sales myself because I need time to think before I purchase anything. I am always on a budget.

[Tresbn00]

I am among the many that will not answer the phone if I do not recognize the number. If it is important the person will leave a message. If they do not I block the phone number from calling my phone number again. In the same vein if someone comes to my door, without calling first or having an appointment I will not go to the door. A large percentage of the time I am working and interruptions cost me money. I live in a fairly nice neighborhood with strict home owner's association rules barring uninvited/unscheduled visitors to my door including sales people, charities and/or people preaching. My neighborhood would be a prime target for people trying to determine when I am not home so that they can rob my place.  I also have a placard by my door bell reinforcing the lack of welcome  afforded intruders. If I wanted anything I would go online to buy it donate or go to church. If the person at my door is persistent I will go to the door and inform them of the Homeowner's association rules. If they still pursue an audience with me I call the police. The citation generally costs the intruder twenty five dollars.

[bremer51]

I live in a small town so I normally open the main door, but leave the screen door locked,  until I know what's what.  Usually its someone from a local fundraising group.

[clickers]

if I'm not expecting anyone. I don't answer.

[JediJohnnie]

We have talked on here about how no one answers their phone if they do not know the person calling.  I don't recognize the phone number I don't answer it.

What if someone comes to your door.  Someone you do not know.  Would you even acknowledge they are out there? Would you go to the door and ask thru the door who they are or talk to them? Or ignore them?

A fast talking sales person just came to my door. I did not even go in there and answer it.  A neighbor called and told me they were on their way to my house.  They are trying to get people to take their internet.  It is a really awesome deal but you have to take it RIGHT NOW!  RIGHT NOW! 

Personally, I do not like high pressure sales.  Send me something in the mail and if I can think about it and I am interested I will call you.

I'm pretty much the same. If they go too hard on the sales pitch, I just tell them "Give me some of your literature and I'll read it over and get back to you if I'm interested.

[sdenimandlace1]

We usually hear them come in the drive way. I ignore them.

[MichelleHW101]

I have a video Ring doorbell so I can answer it from my phone.  I always answer it and if I don't like what their selling I just tell them to go away. 

[countrygirl12]

I might open the door, but the  screen door is locked and  a can of  wasp spray right by the  door.  Yep it works.  Never open the door to a stranger I say.

A can of wasp spray by the door?  Are you seriously that scared of life?  I would not open the door if I had to think I was going to have to potentially blind anyone who comes to the door.

There could be a legit reason some one you do not know could knock on your door.  Ignoring them altogether would be better than opening the door and getting scared and blinding them or causing serious medical problems for life.

That reminds me of the young girl who had wrecked her car in the middle of the night, and NO she did not have a cell phone, and she went to a near by house and knocked on the door trying to get help.  The idiot MAN did not even open the door he just SHOT thru the door killing her standing on his front porch.  Because she did not have any right to be on his porch or knock on his door. smh

[countrygirl12]

I don't usually open the door if I don't know who it is. I don't really like direct sales myself because I need time to think before I purchase anything. I am always on a budget.

This was not really a "salesman".   We have a new company offering internet in our area.  The cable company use to be the dominate seller.  When the new internet came thru the cable company lost a lot of customers.  It is contractors working for the cable company trying to get customers to come back to them.  It is not the same as the vacuum cleaner salesmen that use to go door to door.

The problem is the decision had to be made right then.  And it was all verbal.  Nothing to read until I guess you signed for them to come hook it up. I do agree, I want to be able to think about it before I do it.

[countrygirl12]

I am among the many that will not answer the phone if I do not recognize the number. If it is important the person will leave a message. If they do not I block the phone number from calling my phone number again. In the same vein if someone comes to my door, without calling first or having an appointment I will not go to the door. A large percentage of the time I am working and interruptions cost me money. I live in a fairly nice neighborhood with strict home owner's association rules barring uninvited/unscheduled visitors to my door including sales people, charities and/or people preaching. My neighborhood would be a prime target for people trying to determine when I am not home so that they can rob my place.  I also have a placard by my door bell reinforcing the lack of welcome  afforded intruders. If I wanted anything I would go online to buy it donate or go to church. If the person at my door is persistent I will go to the door and inform them of the Homeowner's association rules. If they still pursue an audience with me I call the police. The citation generally costs the intruder twenty five dollars.

There could be a legit reason someone needs to get in to contact with you and they may not leave a message.  My distant cousin had a voice mail that rambled on with Bible verses and other stupid stuff for almost 3 minutes. NO ONE left her a message.  Including me.  I would just hang up.  Not answering is your choice.  I totally get that.  I do not get people's insane thinking of if any number calls my phone I do not know they are out to harm me and I have to block the number and report it and this person is obviously trying to steal money from me or kill me.  smh.

I have called numbers at least 2 times when I did not know the person I was calling but was calling for a family member of theirs and THEY NEEDED to TAKE the CALL!  The one the person refused to answer and I knew they had the phone in their hand. I did leave a message and I called 3-4 times in a row.  Should have told her something was wrong.  She finally texted me and rudely said "what do you want" so I politely texted back and said "so and so is DEAD!"  Yeah she called me right back.

Yes, it is your phone and no you do not have to answer and most times I do not either but I don't block every number that calls me and does not leave a message.

I am curious when you say a large percentage of the time you are working and answering the door cost you money.  I wonder if by working you mean taking surveys.  I swear anytime someone says they work online that is the first thing I think of any more.

I also wonder why if you live in such a nice neighborhood that you think your neighborhood would be a prime target for thieves.  There has only been one home break in IN my neighborhood in 40 years that was not an inside job.  Or why having a home owners association bars visitors that do not have "appointments'.  I have a friend that lives in a neighborhood with a HOA but they do not own the roads and anyone can drive on them.  I don't recon there have ever been any laws against going up and knocking on someone's door.  I don't think I would want to live with that much fear or hate in my life.  Or with the mentality that I did not wish for any other living human being to speak to me until I tell them they can.  That just seems like a sad way to live life.

[countrygirl12]

We have talked on here about how no one answers their phone if they do not know the person calling.  I don't recognize the phone number I don't answer it.

What if someone comes to your door.  Someone you do not know.  Would you even acknowledge they are out there? Would you go to the door and ask thru the door who they are or talk to them? Or ignore them?

A fast talking sales person just came to my door. I did not even go in there and answer it.  A neighbor called and told me they were on their way to my house.  They are trying to get people to take their internet.  It is a really awesome deal but you have to take it RIGHT NOW!  RIGHT NOW! 

Personally, I do not like high pressure sales.  Send me something in the mail and if I can think about it and I am interested I will call you.

I'm pretty much the same. If they go too hard on the sales pitch, I just tell them "Give me some of your literature and I'll read it over and get back to you if I'm interested.

This wasn't really a "sales pitch".  Not like the usual door to door sales people.  We have not had anyone around like that in years.  I remember 2 in my life time.  One was encyclopedias when I was a kid and the other was vacuums and it was about 3 years ago or so and I was not at home.  If I had been I would have went to the door and ask who is there.

The only time I have got really upset was right after I purchased this house and somebody from a local pay day cash check cashing place came here looking for the previous owner's daughter.  The house had set empty for a couple of years.  They were opening my mailbox and putting stuff in it (not mailing it) coming when I was home and banging on the door and screaming they knew I was in here.  I told them I was not who they were looking for.  In the same situation today I would call the police.  You cannot even harass people who actually do owe you money like that.

I did not have a problem with them stopping by.  Didn't ruin my day or anything.  No, I did not go to the door because I did not want to talk to them and did not want to take their product. 

The only people that make me mad when they come to my door is the JW because they are pushy and incorrect in what they spout.  I had 2 come to my previous residence and the woman jerked on my screen door and tried to come in to MY home without me even opening the door.  When I went to the door to see who she was and tried to open the screen door to step outside she "tried" to push her way on in to my home.  I shoved her butt back out of my door and told her I would call the law if she did not vacate my property.  (by this time she had finally told me who she was) I went back in the house and closed the main door and locked it and she was still standing in the yard talking.  smh

So I can see it both ways.  I can totally understand people not going to the door.  That is fine.  But I do not see taking weapons to the door or calling 911 all excited before you know what is going on just because someone knocks on your door.  Just too easy for innocent people to get hurt.

[lhz123]

Especially if am alone in the house and hubby at work, just ignore them. Don't open if I don't know them, safety is always my priority.