How do you deal with unwanted people knocking at your front door?

It seems like every other weekend and occasionally during the week someone will knock on my front door when I'm
not expecting anyone. Mostly I just turn off the TV or radio and pretend no one is home.
There have been some home invasions in nearby areas so I don't open the door for security reasons.

Sometimes they leave literature behind for a Baptist church, Scientology, Jehovahs Witness, etc.
At other times, it's some cable or home alarm company sending people door-to-door.

A few homes in my area sometimes have either small or large iron gates, or locked screen doors as
a barrier before the actual front door.

I think if a religion or a commercial product is really any good, then people will flock to it naturally of their own free will.
No door-to-door sales pressure should be necessary.

I'm not sure if this belongs here mate..

It doesn't, moving to a more appropriate section.

We sometimes have Jehova Witness' coming around in our neighborhood..When I see it's them, I usually throw my pocketbook over my shoulder, answer the door and tell them I was just leaving. I always accept the literature that they have to be polite. As far as utility people, they really only come if you make an appointment, or if you don't pay your bill..

Well, you could always do like my good friend Gonzo. He was polishing his chopper when the Jehova's Witnesses showed up and he listened to them while he was applying the chrome polish. When he finished he gave them each a rag and said: "would you polish this so I can think about what you just told me?

Sat in the shade with a cool drink and waited until all his chrome was sparkling. Then he got up and said: "You may be right...but I could not care less. Good day".

If I don't know the person. I don't answer the door. That's what my dad has told me. I rather not answer the door anyway. I just stay out of sight of the person.

If I don't know them and I'm not expecting a package, I don't answer it.

Have you tried a No Soliciting sign?

If not, try that... if you're not going to open the door at all, then you're doing all you can.

I personally do open the door and tell them thanks but not thanks. The only one I've ever had kick up a fuss was some whacked environmentalist. He stuck his foot in the door to prevent me from closing the door, I told him if he didn't remove his foot, I'm calling the cops.

That wouldn't have stopped me. Muahahaha.

Thats when you ask the environmentalist if he knows how deadly lead poisoning is and how illegal tresspassing is...

I live out in the middle of nowhere...my nearest neighbor is about a mile away in the woods, so I dont get a whole lot of door to door kind of stuff. When I do, I figure they are pretty dedicated and give them a minute or two and politely thank them and send them on their way if they are selling something, or if they are the religous type it just depends...if they are nice, I will be nice. I will listen and thank them, and send them on their way...If they are pompous, then I will play with their heads and screw with them until they leave on their own accord. I know enough history and bible passages to keep them on their toes and refute anything they want to throw at me...on a slow day it can be entertaining to watch them sweat.

I moved to the countryside. Only got one JW group in 3 years, and I was such a mean basta to them by releasing the dogs and they had to run back to their car, probably setting a world record for the 100m dash, I doubt they ever dare return Peace and quiet ever since. Of course, my "nice guy" reputation took a nosedive, living in a small 500 soul village, but sure as heck was worth it

Luckily I'm normally asleep for the peak hours that these people normally visit in and if I'm not I just tell them that I'm not interested, although I've never had any religious groups just salesmen.

In my town they put a ban on salesmen coming door to door...About 3 years ago, they had people selling some kind of reading material, from out of state (which we found out later), and unfortunately one elderly lady opened her door, and the guy pushed his way in, robbed and killed her...That was a first and a last, as they put the law into effect almost immediately...

^That's terrible! Poor thing.

Good story. I think I have to be sort of nice to these people, because they know where I live!

First off your main staple food must be burritos... burritos with extra beans... I really don't think I need to say more.

2nd try... find your local Herbalife salesman... tar and feather him, hang him from his ankles in the front yard tree... this will deter any other salesmen.

3rd... tatoo a schwastika into your forehead... this works for deterring pretty much anyone.

4th... Bibles with knives stuck into them placed in stategic locations in your drives will more than keep Jahova's Witness away.

5th... load up on more burritos.

Well, i hate that problem because now it's just too freaking dangerous to open the door to a stranger.. I may be paranoid, but I'm out in boonies and no one could hear me scream. I see a lot on my job, and it's a serious problem i have right to be paranoid.

So, I have five rotts outside, two in front three in back, then if someone gets thru them, I have my 40 cal. S&W.. In other words, if they have good intentions and see the rotts they'd leave immediately.. wouldn't take any chances, unless, they're on crack or just whacko---Then the dogs would have to do their businesses. & If they have bad intentions, same result.

Beautiful Rottie Shankpin

aaaaaaawwwwwww looks so cute

If that don't work CL...
I have a backup plan at the ready, my special costume for unwanted visitors guaranteed to work...

I used to invite christians and jehovah's witness, as well as mormons in for a chat, only to later pull
out the book Necronomicon written by H.P. Lovecraft, and start chanting gibberish for control of their
souls. Trust me it didn't take long before they made a direct line to the door.

I know it was evil. But, I just felt they deserved a taste of their on medicine.

I think I understand now. What I originally thought was an annoyance, has become an opportunity for creativity.

UM Members, you all are a flowing fountain of knowledge...

I don't open my door for anyone anymore when I'm home by myself which is all day. There has been a couple of rapes around here where people have forced themselves into the house after knocking and with 3 small kids as well, I'm not taking any chances.
JW's, I just tell them I'm atheist and if they get too pushy just curtly say sorry and close the door in their faces. Nothing worse than someone pushing their faith on you. We don't get too may pushy ones, a lot are quite nice and happy to leave a pamphlet and toddle off.

I refuse to hide in my own home from people at my front door. I will politely tell the knocker that I am not interested, if they persist I will not hesitate to make a call to the local sheriff while I reach for my .380 auto. If they are honest they will leave when I first display my disinterest in whatever it is they are peddling. If they persist after a polite request to leave then they are violating the law, it is just that simple. Telemarketers, and door to door sales people are not on my list of favorite people. I do not do this to others and request the same.

You could fill up a big pump-up water pistol with the stink water that collects in the bottom of your rubbish bin and shoot that through the letter box at them.

You're officially my new golden calf now.

For JW's I usually just flash my pentacle necklace and say "Sorry, I'm pagan and I'm not changing my beliefs. Please leave and have a nice day." I don't accept thier flyers either, even when I worked at a register in Sam's Club and they would try and give them to me after going through my line I'd just nicely warn/remind them that they can't bring those types of pamphlets in here and that soliciting in our store was illeagal. Or I'd throw them in the trash as soon as I got them. I say screw politeness when it comes to taking thier pamphlets, I'm sorry, I don't go around handing out brochures saying "Freyja loves you! Blessed Be! Repent before Ragnarok comes!!".

Of course sadly I've broken my pentacle's chain.....however, I do have a huge pentacle tattoo on my upper thigh. hehehehehe.

For others I have a dog that hate's strangers who is more then willing to bark her head off at those who knock.

Sage advice. Tis not hardly to simply look out the window and if they are strangers do not answer it and ignore them.



lol that is kinda nice ya know for a lady to be so vigilant.

As far as telemarketers Seinfeld once asked one if he could get their home phone number and call them at their home later, when they assumingly replied that they were at work and did not want to be bothered at home, he said oh well neither do I.

I remember one calling me and would not hang up, I was feeling feisty, so I tried recruiting him into the fictional Friends of the Elderly which goes around helping old people cut their grass, read books, pick up their mail, run errands, and all kinds of other fun things but he did not seem interested. Not to make fun of old people at all and it is noble when some do these things but I thought he deserved a taste of his own medicine. He was trying to make me subscribe to the Sunday paper when I kept telling him I already bought it three hours before they could deliver it and with my schedule then it was already read before they could deliver and it was no use.

You could always answer the door naked with a jar of grape jelly in one hand and picture of Elvis Presley in the other.




oh wait, that could backfire

You guys should go to youtube and search "door to door atheist!" Probably will be the best 5 minutes of your day to watch that video. An atheist goes on a revenge trip against the mormons for knocking on his door.

I do not tolerate anybody knocking on my door. Well cept the girl scouts when they have cookies... If you don't love cookies, you're a monster. So everybody else but the girl scouts are going to be greeted with a range of insults. I'm actually quite good because I can think quick on my feet for the insult of choice depending on the person, what they look like, their religion and other factors... I aim to please my annoyance.

Just remember, you don't have to be nice to these people that are robbing you of your valued time.

LOL!!!!!!!

My technique is to have my dogs with me when I answer (they will bark on command). If the person(s) at the door won't take a polite "no thank you" for an answer, I just give my dogs the hand signal for bark. Most people usually leave without issue at that point (closing the door on them is the final option).

i put all my goth clothes on all my chains and put blood capsuls in my mouth then smile and say hey

First, "shankpin" Your avi is one of my favorite Bugs bunny cartoons.

Second, I started out quoting my favorite comments but there were just to many of them. (this topic has me lmao, so many great and funny ideas) So below are 2 I really liked.

Three, If my boyfriend is home nobody ever knocks. (Proly cause his hearse, complete with 2 skulls and a small skeleton in the windows, is parked in the driveway.) If I'm alone I don't answer as someone tried to break past me one night after first trying to tell me he was a cop. I still get scared when I remember that. Thank God for the screen door.

So now I know who to tell my troop to bug when cookie time comes up again, lol.

I do the same as you do, MoonPrincess. I never answer the door and stay out of sight also.

actually I have a really funny story for that, when I was living with my other room mate we kept having Jehovah's witnesses coming to the door, almost every second day, and after telling them no numerous times we got lucky, that they came on Halloween, and that yea I dressed up...in Leather and a whip..., and when they came to the door, I awnsered it in my costume, then asked them if they were my 5:00 appt... lol the look on their faces...never came back again...amazing what a little whip can do.

Before they even start I quickly tell them one of my hobbies is to debate people like them on forums. Deranged I know!

I normally answer the door and use my old cure-all message for everything.

"I don't give a f*ck what you're selling, religion is all bullsh*t, and you're trespassing on my property, now f*ck off."

Works well.

I've literally done this more than once. After looking through the window and not recognizing who was knocking I went to the back storage room and grabbed a chainsaw I use to trim my trees before opening the door.

If they were someone I didn't care to talk to (like Jehovah's witnesses) I'd say something weird like "I like the way your skin clings to your body. It's not all saggy like on some other people who have visited me before. Would you like to come inside and see my collection?"

I LMAO at how quickly they left.

Once they came round' when my parents were'nt home and my sister was asleep so I got my old wiccan necklace (A/N I did'nt know it was the wiccan symbol when i brought it untill I saw it on the internet) I let my hair down,got my shawl our and my fake -slightly-pointed-to-scare-you-teeth. It was Halloween and (different time-zone people) 12 midnight when everyones doors are open and I answered and raised a brow saying


"Sorry,Im a Wiccan." then the clock struck 12 and I smiled to show my pointed 'teeth' and said


"Gotta gow now Its Witching Hour" before shutting the door on there shocked faces.


HA! They never came around again.

Well. I'm sorry. But I rather not to answer the door. I'll only answer the door if I know the person.

I'm only following what my dad told me. So nah.

#1 Big mean dog. #2 I'm Jewish #3 I stand at the door looking out the window saying "Hello is anybody there? " "Hello is anybody there?" about 6 times of just looking out and saying that as if they werent there they leave.

Turn the tables. Print out pamphlets of your religion and try to bother them. They would be out pretty quick. Just say your already their religion. They would pretty much walk away. There is so many different things. I feel so bad that no one comes to my door. I only get to mess with bill collectors/salesman on the phone. That is pretty fun.

I need one of those!!!

Back when I was 18, I was living with my boyfriend and a male room mate. We had a party the night before and my brother had stayed over. So it's about 11 am when there was a knock. I opened it to 2 Mormon missionaries. They started in with their spiel an I said I'm sorry but were all pretty busy at the moment. Just then I realized what I was wearing, my boyfriends t shirt and my panties and all 3 of the young men were standing behind me in nothing but jeans. Also there were beer cans everywhere. The Missionaries looked pale and one finally stutters "Oh um are, are these your brothers?" I smiled and said "wellll one of them is, I live with the other 2." They went even paler then mumbled something and left. Man we laughed our butts off.

Well. Last time i had the Mormons on bikes stop by. Well they said they wanted to talk to me about god. SO I said great. I wanted to talk to them about the church of Satan. They haven't been back.

I'm kind to people who come to my door, I always open it (unless it's my annoying back neighbor, he's mean, and the ONLY time he comes to my door is when he feels like complaining about something, or wants me to pay one of his kids to mow my lawn or something... send the damn kids over, daddy doesn't need to come ask me... I'd say yes if the kids came by!)

Mostly what I tell the Mormons (I live down the street from a temple) is thanks, I'm not interested, I offer 'em a bottle of water, and let them know to keep coming by. I tell 'em if they see my cars in the driveway, but I'm not coming to the door, please, peek in the windows and make sure I haven't fallen and can't get up! They always laugh at that. BUT, they do check up on my general well being fairly frequently, and they like the water. It's a nice neighborhood relationship. They never try to talk to me about religion anymore (not even the new ones), they just come by to be neighborly, and I like that.

You can swing things to the positive ya know.

I usually answer the door with a few of my kids hanging off my legs and arms......If they ask, "Do you have time......", I glare at them and reply, "Does it look like I have any time......"

That usually does the trick.....