Are you compelled to answer your door every time someone rings the bell?

[TheWizardOfMudd]

I'm not. I look out the window. If I don't recognize the car outside, I don't go to the door. And especially, if there is no car outside, I don't go to the door. I'd probably go to the door if there was a cop car outside.

[Spider Jerusalem]

1. Not really.

Especially not if I look out the window and see Mormons or Jehovah's Witnesses on the steps.

[Meldread]

2. Hardly ever.

I dislike people who bother me. If they want to see me, make an appointment -- tell me in advance -- I hate it when people just show up. I normally look out the window, and if it's someone I don't mind speaking to I let them in otherwise I pretend I'm not there.

I also rarely ever answer the phone. I check to see who it is, and if I don't recognize the number then they can leave a message. If it's important I'll get back to them on my own damn time.

Yeah, I hate being bothered.

[testing123]

3. Do you hate people?

I don't like answering my door either because I am usually in the nude.

[juajen]

4. the door

OMG NO
I have a standing rule. Very simple. If you want to come over call first. If you don't i will not come to the door. this is my home and if you are on the door step and are not bleeding i will not let you in.

[Gore1FL]

5. If it is important they'd call first

I don;t answer the phone either, but if it imortant, they can leave a message.

[izzie]

7. I am the same. My home and I can do as I like.

I am a loner.

[Guaranteed]

6. Someone rang my doorbell at 2:30 in the morning last night.

I was up, but I didn't even bother looking. I'm not screwing with that stupid shit. Go away.

[soothsayer]

8. Nope. Learned this from mom, who has low sales resistance

Not sure that's my issue, but I just don't want to mess with the uninvited.

[Padraig18]

9. Nope, and I don't always answer the telephone when it rings, either.

As Walter Matthau said to Ellen Burstin in First Monday in October, "A telephone has no constitutional right to be answered." That sums up my feelings on the subject of doors and telephones both.

:evilgrin:

[RebelYell]

10. I have a sign hanging on the front door.......

"If you didn't call first, don't bother to knock. P.S. No soliciting. Get off my property or you will be prosecuted for trespassing."

Some people still knock. If it's Jehovah Witnesses, I don't answer. If it's salespeople, I open the door, point to the sign and tell them they could get a better job if they learned to read.

My one and only phone line is connected to my computer. So anyone that calls gets a busy signal. I gave my cell phone number to my family and friends, it has Caller ID. Even the cell phone gets shut off at night.

[Bridget Burke]

11. Miss Manners would say you are not.

I've been reading her stuff for years. As an etiquette columnist, one might consider her a bit old fashioned. During the mythic golden age of manners, one had servants. If one were not "in", the visitor left a card. "One" might truly be out, or upstairs indisposed, or just not in the mood to receive that particular visitor.

Therefore, Miss Manners supports modern conveniences such as voice mail. And does not insist that you must receive anybody who drops by.