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Post by longtimenopea on Jul 30, 2023 13:59:44 GMT
Do you hide so they can’t see you thru the windows? Or just continue in whatever you’d be doing if they were not on your porch? The few times I’ve not answered, I have felt compelled to hide. I feel ridiculous. No. I go about doing what I’m doing and if they can see me, that’s fine. I don’t answer the door most of the time - I figure I get to choose who I want to talk to on my own porch. I don’t do business with people who knock on the door. My not answering the door is my “no thanks” just like not answering the cold call on the phone is my “no thanks”.
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MaryMary
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Jun 25, 2014 21:56:13 GMT
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Post by MaryMary on Jul 30, 2023 14:28:54 GMT
Our front door is on the opposite side of the house from our living area, so they can’t see us. We finally got a ring doorbell so we can avoid the surprise visits from the Mormons.
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Post by myshelly on Jul 30, 2023 14:42:08 GMT
I was confused why someone would hide from someone on a legal mission and why were they coming to your houses for a moment. I do open my door to cold callers and politely tell them no thank you. As someone who has to visit people in their homes and frequently, and has been left on door steps by hiding people I don't get it. Just open the door and and say "no thanks" Do you feel the same way about spam calls? That you should have to pick up the phone and say “no thanks”? No one who comes to my home uninvited is there for a good reason. You’re either a sales person (in which case, F U it’s 2023 door to door salesperson isn’t a real job) or you’re a person with criminal intentions. Why would I give either category and of my time, energy, or effort?
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Post by worrywart on Jul 30, 2023 15:06:09 GMT
I don't answer unless I sneak around to a window and see that it is a legitimate reason - neighbor, delivery, etc. No thanks - don't feel like explaining repeatedly why I don't want to change my electrical service or internet.
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Post by scrapmaven on Jul 30, 2023 15:10:05 GMT
They can't see me, but it's not really hiding. I don't open the door, always say "we" and try to have a nice, but firm tone. I don't want to piss off the wrong people, but I don't stand there talking and I never open the door.
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Post by femalebusiness on Jul 30, 2023 15:26:09 GMT
We get a lot of solicitors for lawn service, house painting or tree trimming that knock on our door.
My kitchen window looks right out onto my front porch. If I am nearby I will look through the window and tell them that I am not interested and then I walk away from the window. Otherwise sales people will argue with me right through the window. They don't keep going if they can't see me and they get no response.
If I am not near the window and there a knock I just yell “Not Interested” and then go silent. I do want them to know that someone is home, not an empty house. I never, ever open my door for a stranger. I also do not want company, that I know, who do not call first. Anyone important to me does call or text first and let me know they are coming.
I would never, ever open my door to a stranger. That is just asking for trouble.
In public I am polite when approached by a solicitor as it is public. I am very territorial about my property/home. If anyone comes on my property or calls my phone I am under no obligation to acknowledge them.
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artbabe
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,051
Jun 26, 2014 1:59:10 GMT
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Post by artbabe on Jul 30, 2023 15:58:36 GMT
I don't open the door most of the time. Except that has bit me in the butt a few times. Like when the delivery people want me to sign for a package. Or when my neighbor needs something. A lot of the time I'm upstairs in my office which is in the front of the house. I can see the door area from when I'm up there. Everything is a judgment call now.
Downstairs I have a really large window right next to my door. So if I'm downstairs I tend to hide.
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Post by bossymom on Jul 30, 2023 16:59:33 GMT
I just ignore them. IDC if they can see me. They are uninvited, so they get no attention from me.
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Post by gar on Jul 30, 2023 19:02:23 GMT
What I don’t understand is the “they won’t take no for an answer” argument. This doesn’t need to be a problem. I don’t care if they’re talking non-stop or not, I just say no thanks Same here. Sometimes I open the door, sometimes I don't but I go to it, see who it is and speak through the glass and just firmly say "No thank you" to whatever they start saying then I go back inside and close the inner door and they can no longer see me. I don't really understand the fear of opening the door but that's probably just a difference in where we live. I don't have this strident "I didn't invite you so why should I give you my time" thought process - it's a moment out of my day and really not a big deal for me at least as I don't work from home.
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moodyblue
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,183
Location: Western Illinois
Member is Online
Site Supporter
Jun 26, 2014 21:07:23 GMT
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Post by moodyblue on Jul 30, 2023 19:19:30 GMT
I have ignored people at the door when I know why they are there - you can usually tell the Mormons and the Jehovah's Witnesses, and they are typically going from house to house. If I see a car park on the street and multiple older people in nice clothes get out, I’m usually correct to assume they are there to spread their message, and I might not answer the door just to avoid any interaction.
On the other hand, if I see it’s the neighbor kids or someone I know, I’ll certainly answer.
People coming to your door for the wrong reasons is a very real thing. There are lots of warnings about people who go around looking for unoccupied houses. It’s so easy to pretend you’re soliciting or need directions if someone does answer or talks from inside the house. But any time there is no answer, they are likely to think no one is home and your house is then a potential target. I know this happens just as often during the day as at night. I would like any thieves to think there is always likely to be someone home.
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Post by karenlou on Jul 30, 2023 19:33:06 GMT
If I am not expecting anyone I DO NOT open my door, if the from door is open the storm door is locked, the only thing that someone could see from the from is up the stairs. I don't hide, it is just my preference not to answer folks I don't know...especially if I am home alone.
AND THIS!!!! If I want to join a religion or buy something or donate to a charitable cause, I will do so on my own. I don't need somebody on my doorstep telling me about their god or selling new cable or home security services.
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Post by Gem Girl on Jul 30, 2023 19:38:45 GMT
I honestly don’t understand why people don’t answer the door , it’s strange to me and hiding in your own home , why … All the answers listed above, and anybody who knows me is considerate enough to call first. Anybody who isn't, isn't somebody I want to know.
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Post by Merge on Jul 30, 2023 21:28:50 GMT
I have to answer the door to get them to go away so my dogs will stop barking. Sometimes I'm not nice about it.
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gensmith
Full Member
Posts: 168
Jun 2, 2020 8:49:08 GMT
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Post by gensmith on Jul 30, 2023 21:41:00 GMT
Heck yeah! HIT THE DECK! Even the dog knows what it means. 😂
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Post by Gem Girl on Jul 30, 2023 21:46:10 GMT
Just coincidentally, DH put a bathroom scale out on the bench on our front porch to take to another property. I saw it when I went to retrieve a package. I told him that we should leave it there, and tell uninvited solicitors they have to weight themselves; if I can guess their weight, I have to buy something from them. Snicker.
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maryannscraps
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Aug 28, 2017 12:51:28 GMT
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Post by maryannscraps on Jul 30, 2023 22:13:07 GMT
Nobody comes to my front door unless they have to. I live at the top of a steep hill. It very much deters solicitors. My doorbell rings so infrequently that I always answer it. Anyone who knows me comes to the back door and knocks.
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Post by katiejane on Jul 30, 2023 23:00:53 GMT
I was confused why someone would hide from someone on a legal mission and why were they coming to your houses for a moment. I do open my door to cold callers and politely tell them no thank you. As someone who has to visit people in their homes and frequently, and has been left on door steps by hiding people I don't get it. Just open the door and and say "no thanks" But what legal mission (and when I say legal, I mean, legally obligated to knock on my door mission) should I have to answer my door for? If I want to join a religion or buy something or donate to a charitable cause, I will do so on my own. I don't need somebody on my doorstep telling me about their god or selling new cable or home security services. If you have to visit people in their homes - are they expecting you? If I have an appointment with somebody then for sure, I open the door. But if you're just knocking to sell me something? Move along please..... It is a language difference, the post was talking about solicitors. In my head that's the legal people who help with wills, defend/prosecute people in county court and buying houses. Hence, I was confused when I opened the post, about why they would be visiting homes and why people were hiding. And then realised everyone was talking about cold callers And yes, people are aware I am coming. I turn up for booked appointments, but sometimes people don't want to speak to me. I would rather they opened the door and said that than ignore me standing there. I may not want to talk to people who are trying to sell me atuff or convert me on the door step I just say I am not interested and they move on. Telephone calls I generally let go voicemail.
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Post by maryland on Jul 30, 2023 23:13:11 GMT
No, I don't hide. In nice weather we have our storm door so they can see inside and they know someone is home. In winter, our new door is 3/4 glass so solicitors would be able to see if I am in a certain part of the house. I just open the door and tell them we are on the do not knock list, and they are supposed to leave. We don't get many solicitors since our town started the do not knock list.
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Post by Spongemom Scrappants on Jul 30, 2023 23:37:24 GMT
I have to answer the door to get them to go away so my dogs will stop barking. Sometimes I'm not nice about it. Just the other day the doorbell rang unexpectedly in the middle of the day and my two German shepherds went nuts. I saw a guy with a clipboard and what looked like a package so I opened the door and squeezed out to talk to him. Turns out he was a damn propagandist for DeSantis. I blurted out, “This is political? Oh hell no. Go away and do not return. You’re not welcome.” I was angry in part because my grandson was napping so the doorbell and barking dogs wasn’t going to help. I posted on the HOA page as soon as I got back inside to alert neighbors as I’m at the entrance and I figured he was making his way around. One neighbor replied saying what a nice young man he was and how he mentioned some had been harsh. Ha! I thought I’d been restrained considering how angry I was. And on behalf of DeSantis? FFS. Like I’d ever vote for him.
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Post by KikiPea on Jul 30, 2023 23:49:12 GMT
I never answer the door, and I do hide out where I can see so I can see their reaction when they think my dogs are going to eat them…which they would if I opened the door!
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Post by workingclassdog on Jul 31, 2023 14:04:57 GMT
I have no windows in that area so yeah I can walk by naked if I wanted to.. haha.
Now if my door was open (I have a glass screen door).. I am pretty much visible and it would be weird if I acted like they weren't there. haha..
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Post by workingclassdog on Jul 31, 2023 14:26:27 GMT
This post reminded me of something at happened last week.
I was sitting in my chair which faces the TV to the right and the door is in front of me. It was open. I have a huge St. Bernard that likes to look out the door when it is opened. I do have to put a baby gate in front of it because the asshole part of my dog that we haven't been able to train charges at anything that goes by. He's very scared of the baby gate.. which is weird.
Anyways, a sales guy came up.. I walk over to the door and try to talk to him through the screen part.. Moussey is going ape sh*t behind me and I can't even hear him. I finally yelled at him (the sales guy) that I can't hear him and I am not interested at all. He CONTINUES to carry on. I look at him like he is Stupid and I just slammed the door in his face. I should have moved the baby gate and let Moussey get to him (all he would have done is slobbered all over him and licked him)
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SweetieBsMom
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,618
Jun 25, 2014 19:55:12 GMT
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Post by SweetieBsMom on Jul 31, 2023 15:03:12 GMT
So I won't answer the door as I had 2 'bad' experiences. One was when DS was a baby, he was napping, someone knocked, I answered the door and he was selling something. I honestly don't remember what it was. I, politely, said "no thanks, not interested" and the guy blocked me from closing the door THEN stepped into my house. I told him to get out or I was calling the police but my neighbor (who worked as a correctional officer) saw what was happening, came over and towered over this guy saying "do we have a problem here?". The guy left and my neighbor called the cops (he was friends with most of them) to have them come down and talk to this guy. He said he didn't like how threatening he was and he didn't want this guy doing this to someone else in the neighborhood.
So, no I don't open my door. I will go to the window that looks over the front door and say "Hi, can I help you?" Again, if it's not something I'm interested I will say "No thank you, I'm not interested, have a nice day" and I close the window and walk away. I don't 'hide' in my house but 99.9% of the time if the doorbell rings I'm not somewhere you could 'see' me anyway.
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Post by miominmio on Jul 31, 2023 15:41:01 GMT
I always open the door (which makes my pug happy, all strangers are friends he hasn’t met yet). Unless it is the yearly charitable event (it is organised by the NRK, which is much like the BBC in the UK) I can be terribly rude if whoever it is does not accept no for an answer. Unless the fallers are kids selling cookies, I’m eagerly awaiting them (and it’s almost cookie season again). We get a few Jehovas witnesses here every now and again, and if I’m in an argumentative mood, I will happily spend a few minutes dissecting whatever arguments they try. Come to think of it, they haven’t paid me a visit in a long time….
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Post by gar on Jul 31, 2023 16:03:26 GMT
and if I’m in an argumentative mood, I will happily spend a few minutes dissecting whatever arguments they try. Come to think of it, they haven’t paid me a visit in a long time…. Interesting! I might have to try that
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frankiegirl
Full Member
Posts: 170
Dec 22, 2020 12:42:01 GMT
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Post by frankiegirl on Jul 31, 2023 17:10:00 GMT
We live on a corner lot so the ones who go up and down our street can see us on our deck. They will stand on the street and yell at us about what they are selling. We just keep drinking our wine and stare at them. A couple actually tried to come on our deck. But our dog said not on my watch and they scurried off. We were cleaning our garage a couple weeks ago. Some woman actually came up our driveway and into our garage to sell us pest control. We were hot, sweaty, crabby and tired. My husband told her to leave, that the garage had nails are over it and it was dangerous for her to be there. She just kept talking and pushing her sales pitch. My husband who is never mean told her again to leave as he was moving a pile of lumbar around. Apparently she thought he was threatening her and told him she was calling 911. Really? He told her to go ahead. She left.
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Post by Jamie on Jul 31, 2023 17:12:04 GMT
If my front door is open they can see right in the all glass screen door. If it isn't someone I would open the door for I will ask them what I can do for them from the front window. If the door is closed and I feel like it I will do the same, but if I don't I just don't bother. Our front window is tinted and very hard to see in from the outside unless you have your face right up to it.
Too many crazies around here now to answer the door for anyone. Add in the fact that when I'm home, the bra is off and usually in some type of PJ pants.
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Post by jackietex on Jul 31, 2023 17:12:44 GMT
I don't hide, but I don't walk in front of the door and wave.
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Post by melanell on Jul 31, 2023 19:04:34 GMT
I honestly don’t understand why people don’t answer the door , it’s strange to me and hiding in your own home , why … Because sometimes I'm home, I might be sick---or I'm just lazy---and it's 11am & I'm still in pjs with no bra on and bed head, and I'm not answering the door like that! Now, these days, our porch has a wooden gate across the front to contain a dog the previous owners had, so if we close that gate, then absolutely no one comes to the door. Even if it's not locked---they don't even come up the steps to check it. So if you want to keep people from ringing your door---have a gate made for your porch! (Also, this year we've been battling poison ivy near the sidewalk in front of the house, & we put out 2 warning signs to encourage people to walk carefully through the area. And those signs have most people opting to just skip walking on our side of the street at all, LOL. So if you don't want a gate, try poison ivy signs, LOL! )
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