What you do when stranger comes to your door?

[eytonxav]

If you have fear of robbers coming to the door, you can deploy one of these:

[HFWR]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DFW_M5 If you have fear of robbers coming to the door, you can deploy one of these:

This is fairly obvious from comparing my little "shanty" to all the McMansions in Stepfordville...

I don't treat anyone rudely, but there is no rule that says I have to answer the door or the phone, particularly for an unsolicited visit/call from an unknown entity...

[ls99]

Years ago I explained to the the witnesses, that they need to keep a map with my address and a note; I do not wish to discuss the state of affairs of the world with them.

It worked.

One other solicitor was a guy in an overcoat, necktie, greasy spiked hair and huge grin. He rang the bell, I opened the door. He said with a big grin: I see you have the old style windows.

I promptly cut him off with saying: You are an idiot. They are two year old Marvin triple pane, low E. Goodby, and shut the door in his stunned face.

Otherwise we rarely get solicitors.

Edit add: Good to live in PA, with the castle doctrine.

We keep a modern version of blunderbuss in easy reach, just in case.

[Marita40]

It is rare that anyone I'm not expecting rings my doorbell. Usually they are the bleeding heart greenpeace types with clipboards asking you to sign on to a cause. If the bell rings after dark I won't respond. I do regret, however, the night my bell rang repeatedly after I was already in bed. I was half asleep and assumed it was just kids playing so didn't respond. A few minutes later I was awakened again by unfamiliar loud noises on the street and glanced out to see my car being towed away. Seems I was parked in front of a neighbor's driveway and the kindly cop tried to rouse me to move the car before the ticket/tow. Had I responded I would have saved several hundred dollars.

[mpeirce]

I can't recall any religious folks coming to our door.

Usually it's neighbor kids fundraising for their team/club/troop/etc. and I always buy something from them. Most of the time it's useless to me (coupon books...) but I like to help them out.

Sometimes there are kids who are dropped of in the neighborhood to sell stuff. Rarely will I buy from them, but it's happened.

[unclemick]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HighRoller When I lived in the city some years ago, I just didn't answer the door. Now that I'm in the country, no one ever knocks on the door. It could be because of the barbed wire fences and/or the no trespassing signs at the gate. Seems to work pretty well.

I'm retired - so I overwhelm them -giving them my religion involving BACON, animal sacrifice and dancing naked around the campfire - in winter.

heh heh heh - of course it never works - the hard core stay on message - but sometimes I get a chuckle.

As for the other stuff - last year was two PTA discount cards(eating out), two boxes of popcorn(Boy Scouts) and one box of Girl Scout cookies.

[Letj]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jollystomper We have a wireless security camera to see who is at the door. If it is someone we recognize but were not expecting we'll look out from the second floor window. If we don't recognize we don't answer. With our alarm system and the 2nd Amendment, we think we have everything covered.

Wow. Where do you live? Afghanistan?

[travelover]

It is funny that religious solicitors seem to cause the most concern.

I'll stop now.

[UserRequested]

Quote:

Originally Posted by travelover It is funny that religious solicitors seem to cause the most concern. I'll stop now.

Religious solicitors?
Are these Christian lawyers knocking door to door looking for business ?

[Sun456]

I have a sign that says "No Solicitors. The Dragon is Full." It can be seen at my front gate while my "Beware of Dog" sign is in the background. I had the sign custom made on the Internet for $12 including shipping. The No Solicitors wording is in a blood red typeface. The Dragon is Full wording is stylized after the Munsters or Adams Family. There is also an Asian Dragon picture and a couple of large dog paw prints. Ever since I put it up I've gotten exactly zero solicitor doorbell rings. We used to get them quite frequently.

[travelover]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jags Religious solicitors? Are these Christian lawyers knocking door to door looking for business ?

No, it's the darn Buddhists that drive me crazy.

[ls99]

Quote:

Originally Posted by travelover It is funny that religious solicitors seem to cause the most concern. I'll stop now.

They are not a concern, while polite, just a royal pain in the arse. Last I heard, only 99 are chosen. I know, hearsay is not evidence

[UserRequested]

Quote:

Originally Posted by travelover No, it's the darn Buddhists that drive me crazy.

Perhaps meditation might help. Is there a Hare Krishna ashram close by?

[veremchuka]

I live in a rural area on a dirt road, not too many people around here. In the 14 years I've been here I can count on 1 hand the number of time someone rang my doorbell. I just ignore them and if they think the house is empty and decide to break in they'll be discouraged when they hear me rack the slide on the 9 mm.

[Helen]

About a decade ago when we were living in a rural area, a really creepy guy came to the house. My partner was home alone. The guy wanted her to go down the road with him to help him get his car started. She offered to call a neighbor to help him but he wanted her to go. She then told him she was going to call the police if he didn't leave. Fortuantely, one of the great danes was in the front yard barking at him and the other was next to her and barking at him. She thinks he was going to push his way inside.

[UserRequested]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Helen About a decade ago when we were living in a rural area, a really creepy guy came to the house. My partner was home alone. The guy wanted her to go down the road with him to help him get his car started. She offered to call a neighbor to help him but he wanted her to go. She then told him she was going to call the police if he didn't leave. Fortuantely, one of the great danes was in the front yard barking at him and the other was next to her and barking at him. She thinks he was going to push his way inside.

Wow. That's was quite brazen. He must have been casing the joint to know she was home alone. Lucky you had the dogs

[devans0]

The last time for me, three small neighbor girls wanted to know if I would buy some lemonade. They started a lemonade stand, business was slow, so they took the direct approach. Of course DW and I had to buy some, (it was terrible). and took them home before they got in trouble. I told their mom and dad, who were embarrassed and shut down the business. Sometimes, opportunity knocks....

[jollystomper]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Letj Wow. Where do you live? Afghanistan?

Of course not. But when you grow up in a large city and have seen the ways answering the doors for strangers can end badly (and frankly had "friends" who revealed their "methods" of perpetrating these acts), you learn it is better to be prepared than to assume all is well in the world.

[timeasterday]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jollystomper We have a wireless security camera to see who is at the door. If it is someone we recognize but were not expecting we'll look out from the second floor window. If we don't recognize we don't answer. With our alarm system and the 2nd Amendment, we think we have everything covered.

Same here. Got one camera looking right at the front porch from the side so I can see if they have anything behind their back. Got another camera that looks over the driveway and surrounding areas. We spend most of our time in our finished basement so it's pretty convenient to look over at the monitor and see who's there.

[Redbugdave]

My place is gated/fenced with dogs. No soliciting at my place. There have been break ins nearby over the years, and I am sure that's why we have not been affected. My dogs have different kinds of barks and I can tell when somethings up outside and investigate.

Watching TV, I am amazed how news reporters sometimes stand on someone's porch with a camera...bang on someone's door and try for an interview, (on private property). Most of these people live in housing developments that are wide open. I don't think most people think much of security.