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Knocking on your door

Posted: Jun 8, 2013

There's a discussion on the Faith Board about religious solicitations at one's house and how they feel about it.

I thought I'd take a non-relgious discussion here to see how you all feel about lawn people selling their product, or people otherwise selling a product or service without calling first. I find it quite scary, actually. I don't know who these people are.

How do you feel?

;

I Get Freaked Out - Who are you?

[ In Reply To ..]
I live in FL, and we get A LOT of these. It's scary to me because (frankly) there are a lot of scary people down here.

The thing in our favor here is that we are allowed to shoot if we're scared, but I quite frankly don't want to be put into that position.

I NEVER open my door to anyone I don't know - unless they've called ahead and

[ In Reply To ..]
I'm expecting them. If I don't know them and I'm not expecting anyone, I yell through the door and ask who it is or I just don't answer it at all. They usually have the wrong house anyway.

I do not answer the door. - Agree that it is scary

[ In Reply To ..]
I think door-to-door solicitation should be a thing of the past. It is simply too dangerous.

I simply will not answer the door. No reason to answer it and lots of reasons not to.

Here in Florida, there is a huge problem with door-to-door ripoff artists. They prey on the elderly. Still more descend upon us every winter to go after everyone else. I assume that anyone inappropriate enough to knock on doors is up to no good.

I live in a condo which is posted as no solicitation, covered in surveillance cameras, and patrolled by security guards and maintenance crews, and we STILL get the occasional jerk knocking on doors. Life insurance, health insurance, monitors for the elderly, emergency aid buttons that hang around your neck, long term care insurance, cremation societies, and burial plots. Hearing testing and hearing aids. Air conditioner "inspections" and sales, water testing and purifiers, duct cleaning, remodeling, various kinds of kitchen ceilings, magazine subscriptions, flooring, and replacement windows. The minute the first tropical weather appears, the hurricane shutter men arrive.

And don't think I am spared lawn services, roofing, exterior painting, driveway resealing, pool testing and repairs, flood and liability insurance, seawalls, docks, and boat davits, decks, hot tubs and spas, and septic tank work.. That's how you know they are ripoff artists ... they think you don't know that an 11 floor building does not have a septic tank.

I am waiting for someone to show up offering shark prevention because of my water view.

I am in FL, too - They just do not stop

[ In Reply To ..]
It gets extremely annoying. I think a lot of people don't even know what "no solicitation" means. I think they think it means no prostitution. I'm going to put up a sign that says, "go away."

The view from the - other side of the door.

[ In Reply To ..]
I sell life and health insurance to supplement (and hopefully eventually escape MT altogether) and believe it or not, "door knocking" as we call it, is still one of the major ways we meet people to set appointments...not sell mind you, but come back later to make a presentation if there is interest. That's just the way this business is conducted, especially now with the do not call list.

It was scary for me as well when I first started, and I am still very careful about areas where I'll pursue this, usually a neighborhood where I have a prospect or client already. I also won't try this in a subdivision or home with a no soliciting sign. Not the greatest way to do business, but it can be fun and useful, especially on days when people are out in their yards. People who are receptive are usually very nice, and it can be a great way to meet potential clients.

I live in a pretty big city, but I don't really get a stream of sales or religious people coming to my door, so maybe I'm lucky, but I'm always polite to them even if it's something I don't need. I was the same with telemarketers (although I almost never have that any more with a cell phone).

It's kind of a shame really... we complain about things like sending resumes to faceless entities who knows where, going to big box stores where you can't get any kind of personal service, calling businesses and only getting recordings and phone mazes, then someone puts themselves out there to generate business and now we act paranoid, suspicious and annoyed. I know there are some scammers, but most are just people trying to make a living by bringing a service or product to a potential customer in a very personal way.

To I do not answer the door--- then how in the - Mae

[ In Reply To ..]
world do you know all the things they are trying to sell you? Your list goes on and on. I could never think up that many things to post, seems like you are answering your door, otherwise how do you know them all???

Maybe There is - A history to extract from

[ In Reply To ..]
Probably the poster used to answer her door and got tired of it--and so she knows it's someone trying to sell something.

I think it's a pretty good bet that if a friend didn't call to say they are coming over, it's someone trying to sell a product or a belief. Every now and then, our mail person has to deliver to the door for us to sign a Return Receipt deal, but even then, we know that might be the case. Ditto for FedEx or UPS. We know if we ordered something, so we're expecting the delivery and will happily open the door.

Otherwise, don't come to my door, please. There are states where if you feel the least bit threatened when someone is on your property, you are allowed to shoot to kill.

Some people wanting to sell a product call our local police station to let them know they will be going door-to-door. Okay, that's nice. However, a crook can call the local police dept and give the same line.

I appreciate that there are hard-working people trying to sell a product, but knocking on peoples' doors these days can get you a punch in the nose, or worse. If you are knocking on their door, chances are you have already sent them a mailer of some sort. We got the mailer. We do read our "junk mail." If we want the product, we will call you.

How I know - Me again

[ In Reply To ..]
I know what they are selling because . . . I used to open the door. Now that I don't do that anymore, I run into them in the hallway, the lobby, or the elevator. Believe me, they are masters of the elevator pitch. My neighbors tell me about them. We sometimes have warning notices posted about them. And, if you don't answer your door, they leave flyers in the doorknob, taped to the door, crammed under the door gasket, or even stuffed under a window screen.

They are always sure to leave some extras in the elevator lobby. Just a couple, so they can claim some resident must have picked them up somewhere and been so impressed they wanted to share.

Oh, my gosh! I completely forgot about Avon and similar stuff.

Pizza and Chinese deliveries often come with some extra door-knocking, but you can tell what that is by the yummy smells. And they leave good coupons.

We don't allow short-term rentals, so we aren't on the mobile hooker route. They seem to function more in the parking lot and lobby, or in the elevators, or around the pool than by knocking on doors, but I have had a few of them in recent years. And not since we got the cameras.

I live in an HOA and we have signs around - telling no solicitation and if they do

[ In Reply To ..]
show up at your home we are told to call the police and I did one time. We had hail damage in our neighborhood about 3 months ago and here they came. First of all, I have shutters on my work room window, can see exactly when someone is approaching my front door and am there before they are. I keep my doors locked at all times, always. This time husband was home and I could see 2 guys outside with 1 standing further up my drive. They started talking about roofing and I told them they were not supposed to come to my door. One guy had the nerve to say "lady, we were just trying to do you a favor." That really ticked me off, especially since he wasn't doing me a favor and I told him "you are trying to make money, not trying to help me out." I already had people coming to fix my roof and certainly would not get a fly by night crew I knew nothing about in the first place. I called the police and they came to inform the guys they were not to be here. Thank goodness, that is probably the biggest reward I have for living here. People seldom come into the neighborhood where I live and it is nice and quiet, just like I love it.

No Offense, But... - see msg

[ In Reply To ..]
That is almost like road rage, deary. You were looking for a serious fight. They may have been perfectly legitimate.

However, I am with you. They all should just stay away!

Nope, yolu are wrong because the first thing - I ask is do you have

[ In Reply To ..]
a license and that usually is met with a dumb look on their face, license- what license? I was looking for a fight? I am in my home minding my own business and some jerk comes to my door when we have signs at both entrances saying "no solicitation." I took the advice of the homeowner's president when she told me to call the police and that is what I did. Normally if husband is here and if I should talk through my glass front door I let the people know the president of the HOA lives in the neighborhood and she will DEFINITELY call the police on them. Me, myself, I usually give just the warning.

My opinion - JC

[ In Reply To ..]
I understand, but your approach is a wee tad confrontational. Almost like you are looking for a fight.

I do answer the door and politely say "no thanks." I'm afraid to NOT answer the door, because burglars often ring doorbells to see if people are home or not.

If I'm here by myself, I yell loud, "I have the door, honey!" to make it look like hubby is with me.

This is my home, my property and if you want - to not read the big signs posted

[ In Reply To ..]
at the entrance and come to my home uninvited, then whatever I say is my right. I do not have to walk on egg shells to make sure I am not confrontational, as you say. This is against the law to sell things without a license in the town and my homeowner's association protects us even further by telling us to CALL THE POLICE when someone shows up. If I want to buy something I go to you, call you or buy on line. Do not come to my door and you will not be "confronted." Me looking for a fight? I did not show up where they live, vice versa so have no idea where you are coming from on that statement.

I am just saying - see msg

[ In Reply To ..]
...that it is a tad dangerous to come out with your dukes up, unless you have a gun in your pocket. I am not judging your thought process or rights.

No guns here but then my husband was - and he has a

[ In Reply To ..]
black belt in karate. No worries with him as backup.

LOL. That works! - nm

[ In Reply To ..]
xxxx

No guns here either, but - Old Pro

[ In Reply To ..]
nobody seems too anxious to engage with a growling Rottie or Doberman. (They have never bitten anybody, but will bark and growl if strangers try to open the gate.)

Good for you! Same thing with my HOA - sereneone

[ In Reply To ..]
We have no solication signs too, even ones with pictures on them with circles with lines drawn thru them and still they come in the community. There's a reason they were put up. Majority of residents were complaining about solicitation because they didn't want to be bothered.

I do not open the storm door - I keep it locked all the time

[ In Reply To ..]
More often than not, unless I'm expecting a package, I don't even answer the door. There was one night when I had a knock on the door and they could see through the gap in the curtain that I was there, so I answered the door just by opening the heavy door, but leaving the storm door locked. This creep who was selling magazines actually tried the handle like he was going to open the door. I don't think so, mister.

I've lived alone for too many years. I never open the door to strangers. I especially get annoyed when they are trying to sell me something, whether it be a product or a belief. My attitude is if I were interested in your product or your belief, I'd come to you. Until then, don't bug me and get off my front porch.

There is no law that you must answer your door - L&L

[ In Reply To ..]
or your phone. And.I.Don't.Ever.

I know, but... - OP

[ In Reply To ..]
The point has been brought up that burglars DO ring doorbells to see if someone is home. If nobody answers, they go in.

That is why, before I open the door, I say very loudly "I have the door, honey" or something to that effect. That way, they think my hubby is home.

I'm in a 2nd floor condo. My door is always locked and - L&L

[ In Reply To ..]
bolted when I'm home. I usually have a bag of cat poop outside my front door to take to the dumpster when I go out. My next-door neighbor is a semiprofessional boxer and is about 10 feet away. I'm only worried about process servers.

What's Scary About It? - Just Don't Answer

[ In Reply To ..]
x

You did not read all the posts - Burglars...

[ In Reply To ..]
Some burglars use the tactic of ringing doorbells to determine if people are home. If nobody answers, they feel it's safe to enter and rob.

Best thing in that situation is to yell loudly (to a non-existant person) "I'll get the door" so they think someone else is in the house. I myself make believe I'm saying it to hubby, whether he's home or not. I say "I have it, honey" real loud. Then I open the door.

I actually do this even when I'm expecting a shipment from FedEx or UPS. In case there's a weirdo behind the wheel. They have to eat too, you know.

Yes I did - SM

[ In Reply To ..]
If I choose not to answer the door & a bad guy thinks it's okay to to come in, he'll quickly find out different.

My husband and I - Let the other know...

[ In Reply To ..]
I always tell my hubby, and he tells me, when one or the other is expecting a UPS, FedEx, or otherwise on a particular day. I have no trepidation opening the door when he tells me FedEx is coming Thursday and the door bell rings.

Like we said, the FedEx guy might be twisted, but that's stretching the paranoia if we are expecting them.

Times sure have changed... - I remember the

[ In Reply To ..]
Fuller Brush Man and my mom loved to see his monthly offerings. We bought our first set of encyclopedias from a door to door person and even the family Bible. One of my first "jobs" as a kid was selling seeds D-T-D and of course fund raising for school trips with candy bars and magazines.

Now any stranger who comes to the door is a creep, weirdo, potential burgler or home invading serial killer who needs to be punched in the face, karate chopped or even shot. Wow. Maybe it's for the best that it won't be too much longer before I'm outta here!

Well - see msg

[ In Reply To ..]
Not everyone who comes to the door is a creep, weirdo, burglar or home invading serial killer, but we just don't know. Better safe than sorry.

I receive calls from the State Police,....... - Mom22dogs

[ In Reply To ..]
......for fund raisers, and every time I tell them that I make it a practice not to donate anything over the phone. Most probably they are legitimate, but the way things are today, I cannot take a chance. I think the police should know better and should look for another way to raise funds.

I always - see msg

[ In Reply To ..]
I always tell those calling on the phone that I prefer to donate privately. That way, if it really IS them, I've been quite polite.

I don't think those calls are legit, though.

I always - Old Pro

[ In Reply To ..]
say to phone solicitors "I do not donate to anyone who solicits me by telephone. Have a nice day."

Caller ID - worth every penny

[ In Reply To ..]
My cordless phones also let me block the numbers of repeat offenders.

That element of technology has improved the quality of my life.

I don't answer the door, either, if I am not expecting anyone, but I live at the end of a very long driveway, and most people are too lazy to make the trip.

We just get the holy rollers here for the most part - sm - XXX

[ In Reply To ..]
very rural area. Have a full length glass outer door that is always locked, and plenty of windows I can peep out of too. But I am not scared by it. Do tell my girls not to open the door to any one but 2 of our neighbors. We get the occassional guy that sells to restaurants (supposedly excess frozen food) and have bought meat/seafood that way a few times usually say no, but that is it in generally, the rare landscaper looking to drum up some buiness (once every 5 years), and if we have a hurricane and have someone cutting trees at a neighbors they hit up us on on the street then but no problem with that.

Sometimes I answer, others not, depends on what I am doing.

I'm soooo tempted - to answer

[ In Reply To ..]
the door when the religious proselytizers come around, hoping that they will ask if I've found Jesus so I can say, "Yeah, he's hiding behind the couch. He doesn't want to talk to you, either."

I have no animosity towards the religious people - but...

[ In Reply To ..]
Please don't feel animosity towards the religious people. They somehow feel they need to proselytize or they/us will go to hell or something. Kinda crazy thinking, if you ask me, but they mean no harm.

They do need to stop coming to my door, though! Send me something in the mail if you must, please!

I have no animosity - towards them

[ In Reply To ..]
but if they insist on inserting themselves uninvited into my life, then they are going to have to be content with experiencing my sense of humor. They could use a little lightening up, but they're probably too far gone in their crazy obsession to appreciate a little gentle ribbing. Not my problem. If they don't want to interact with me on my terms, then they can stay off my property and out of my life.

here's an idea I'd like to do - for the religious salespeople

[ In Reply To ..]
Buy a huge garbage can and put next to front door. On my door put a sign saying All religious people please don't ring my doorbell or knock. Kindly leave your literature in the can provided and I will dispose of it properly. :-)

Religious people - Nick

[ In Reply To ..]
Okay, here's my naughtiness. (And I mean no offense to religious people at all.) I was on the subway, trying to juggle a book and study as we careened along and this woman came up to me and said "Have you found Jesus?" I said, "I didn't know he was lost." (The Jesus I believe in has a sense of humor and might have smiled.)

Well, I think along those lines, too. - Not looking

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My response is always that you can't find something that you haven't lost.

I do have animosity toward the jesus freaks - and I let them know it

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The less timid ones will tell me they will pray for my soul ... but no one ever comes back a second time.

A friend of a friend got tired of answering the - sereneone

[ In Reply To ..]
door to holy rollers since they were coming about once a week. He was having a football get-together with his buds 1 day and they all had been drinking beer while watching the game and talking about how much they'd like to "do" the cheerleaders. When the doorbell rang and he saw it was the holy rollers, adult man and 2 women, thru the peephole, he stripped down real quick, started to get himself hard and answered the door with himself in his "busy hand" asking them if he could help them with something. The guys were all rolling on the floor. It had been months with no holy roller knocking at his door when our mutual friend told us about what he did.

to sereneone..that is disgusting. sm - yuck

[ In Reply To ..]
sorry I opened your thread. yewww

"friend of a friend" sounds like a Neanderthal, or perhaps homo erectus. TIC

sereneone - AM

[ In Reply To ..]
That is not only disgusting, but obscene as well and does not belong on this board.

Real classy. What a catch! - Not. nm.

[ In Reply To ..]
.

Don't like it - Afraid for him

[ In Reply To ..]
A few blocks from my stepfather's home some months ago, two young men went to a home pretending to be selling something. They ended up pushing their way into the man's home, beating and robbing him. My stepfather gets lots of people coming to the door selling things. I tell him not to open the door unless he knows them, but most of the time he speaks with whoever is there.

These Days - see msg

[ In Reply To ..]
It really is dangerous for a person to just go knocking on someone's door. It's dangerous for the person doing it! Just because you look neat and clean, doesn't mean I don't feel threatened. In some states (I live in FL) we are allowed to shoot to kill if you are on our property and we feel threatened.

Remember that, all of you who go door-to-door, whether it's to sell insurance, the Lord, a lawn service, whatever.

I live in a state - Where we are allowed...

[ In Reply To ..]
I'm in one of those states where you're allowed to defend yourself without fear of criminal prosecution. I like that.

I just had this conversation with a police officer in a bar - the other night - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
and he told me ALWAYS let the knocker know you're home. He said that they are looking for the person who isn't home and once they know no one is there, they'll come around the back to burg the house. You don't have to open the door, just say who is it and not interested. Also, keep the front door locked day/night. I thought it was better to stay quiet to avoid a home invasion, but he says the likelihood of that is rare and if the criminal knows you're home, they go to the next house. I've had two instances where the people at my door were definitely casing my house - both times I answered and then promptly slammed the door in their face mid sentence, and called Metro. The peep hole can't always tell you if there is more than one thug out there waiting either. Be vigilant :)

Thanks for confirming - OP

[ In Reply To ..]
Yep, I've always known it was not smart to just make believe you're not home. We have a screened vestibule/small porch, where I keep the screen door locked, and then French doors coming directly into the house. I usually open the French doors, because I can't see them otherwise (have the shades down), but I never open the screen unless I'm sure of who it is. I don't care if they have a Bible in their hand, burglars use all sorts of tactics to gain entry.

There's also a new tactic (or not so new)--the burglar has a recording of a crying baby. Now, what woman wouldn't jump and open her door to a crying baby.

Hard to know what the heck to do sometimes.

To answer your - question

[ In Reply To ..]
This woman wouldn't answer the door with a crying baby on the other side. No one I know would be so rude as to inflict a squalling child on a friend, and I'm certainly not interested in entertaining some stranger's noisy brat. So, a criminal counting on that particular female stereotyping would be SOL at my house.

Personally - I would

[ In Reply To ..]
I would be drawn to a crying baby or anything that sounded like a baby or child in distress. Sorry, that's the maternal instinct in me, and it's not stereotyping, or didn't used to be. It's something inbred in women so they protect their children. However, I see less and less of that these days--women don't seem as inclined to protect their kids anymore.

Anyway, I hate to say it, but I would open a door if I heard a child in distress. It would be a knee-jerk reaction for me.

Well isn't that nice. - Here's

[ In Reply To ..]
your medal. You're a saint.

Not Bragging - Stating a fact

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Why are you so bitter? Geez. You sound like a real gem and I'm sure your family adores you for it.

Why yes, - they do

[ In Reply To ..]
My family is quite fond of me; if the aren't they're much better actors than one would expect from ordinary mortals.

You know nothing about me, yet you feel qualified to condemn me as worthless even to my family. And you call me bitter?

Yeah, you're a real saint.

Nothing Except - Someone Else

[ In Reply To ..]
For the fact you jumped into a conversation with a nasty comment. You are the one who exposed yourself as someone no one would like; not us.

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