Do you answer your door?

[platinumrock]

I have a sign on the door that says "No soliciting".

Unless I know you or I'm expecting you, I won't open the door. Not even for trick-or-treaters, unless I have candy.

They usually go away when they see the sign.

 

[VRBeauty]

No - totally for security reasons. I live in an apartment building so I'm not likely to get door-to-door salesmen at my door (pesky people passing flyers on the street however )

We've had too many strangers just appear in our building, I don't respond to the buzzer unless I'm expecting a delivery and I don't answer the door unless I hear a neighbor's voice on the other side.

Interesting perspective - I live in a detached house, in a mixed-use neighborhood (kitty-corner from a cafe with sidewalk seating), near a relatively busy street corner. I guess I figure all that visibility adds a bit of safety! Not total safety of course, but during about 18 hours of every day, anyone coming to my door has to be aware that there's probably a potential witness hanging around somewhere, or that one could pop by at any minute.

 

[HopeDream]

I do answer the door. This year we've had 2 kids selling stuff and 2 visits from polite religous folks who briefly handed me some literature and left. Any other time it was packages, delivery food or expected visitors. I live in a vibrant and friendly neighbourhood in a multi-family dwelling with vigilent neighbours. It's very clear we're not a wealthy household and I feel very safe.

 

[Amber St. Clare]

No. Especially NOT after my problem with the stalker/harasser last winter/spring. If I am in my kitchen I can see someone approaching the house, so if it's UPS or someone I actually want to talk to, I'll open the door. Last week I was in the kitchen, it was 100 degrees outside and someone was going door-to-door {Fios or Direct or something}. When he approached the house I handed him two really cold bottles of water. He looked like he was going to wilt.

 

[Autumnovember]

TooPatient, sounds pretty badass too me! Mr. & Mrs. Smith style!

 

[Ara Ann]

Geesh, where is Too Patient when I need her?

I just had a really uncomfortable door to door soliciting experience and needed to vent it here...

at 8:45 PM, a knock on the front door sends my dog into a barking frenzy and my 16 yr. old son heads for the door and stops when he sees a strange man on the porch (we have sidelight windows on each side of the door). I was upstairs in my bedroom getting ready for BED (DH is not home, so it's just the 2 of us and small barking poochie), my bedroom window is in the front of the house, so I called down to the guy and said "I'm not interested" and I also happen to see a couple other very 'non-official' type people walking door to door, so there was a group of them.

He then yelled up to me, "How do you know you aren't interested, you don't even know why I am here!" and I replied, "I don't answer to solicitors!" and left the window...but he KEPT YELLING To me, saying he isn't asking for money, etc., not sure what all, but went on and on, all irate because I basically told him to LEAVE!!!

Who does he think he is, to come to MY house, and expect me to open my door just because he knocked? With that attitude, I can't imagine he's making many friends on my block tonight. ARRGH.

The thing that REALLY made me mad, is that my dog was SO mad and upset about the guy on the porch, he went into the family room and peed on the leg of our couch! I couldn't let him out until the group had left our block, I didn't want a face to face with this guy...so in those couple of minutes, poochie couldn't hold it.

Not fun at all.

 

[Imdanny]

Yes, but if I lived in a city I would not. I'd have a deadbolt, people could call first, or piss off. Yes, it isn't the 1950's anymore. Exactly right.