slo’s WEDNESDAY 8/6 poll - Knocking Before Entering

[slo]

Knocking before entering someone’s house, seems normal right? Not always. Some people like it when their house is open to those they are close with, and encourage those people to walk into the house without knocking. In fact, they may even have hurt feelings if someone knocks first. Then others do not want people freely walking into their house, and may find it rude if people did. So today, we’re going to discuss if you have an open home, which is one that allows people to freely walking in, or a closed home, which requires people to knock and stay outside. We are also going to discuss if you freely walk into people’s home. So let’s knock knock knock and open the door to your answers today…….


Do you have an open home or a closed home?
Do you freely walk into someone’s home?
If yes…..who?
(multiple choice)



For Me……We have a closed home for a few reasons. First, we don’t keep our doors unlocked for people to freely walk in. If we have the front door open to get some fresh air in, I lock the storm door. We don’t live somewhere that you can comfortably leave doors unlocked. Sadly, our town neighbors towns and city’s where there’s high crime rates and sometimes that crime trickles into our town. In regards to me walking into other people’s homes, I do not, because their doors are locked too.

 

[WDWEPCOT]

Doors Always locked even after you come in I lock the door behind you even if people are going to be in and out of my house like repair people the doors are locked they are never left unlocked if I’m working outside the doors are locked because you know you could be in the backyard and someone could be entering your house through the front door if the door was unlocked and you would never know it so no my doors are locked
I would never in 1 million years into somebody’s house without knocking even if they told me too you never know what they’re up to or what’s going on and it’s not my house that to me and this is my personal opinion it’s just the way I operate but that to me seems rude ymmv

 

[PollyannaMom]

Most people knock and wait for an answer at our house, but I voted open because a few friends & family members know our code and can just walk in, and we walk in at my in-laws house. (But we sort of knock too, just as an announcement.)

 

[kanerf]

In the 1950's maybe, but not today.

 

[Kitty 34]

Most people knock and wait for an answer at our house, but I voted open because a few friends & family members know our code and can just walk in, and we walk in at my in-laws house. (But we sort of knock too, just as an announcement.)

This.

 

[amcnj]

I guess mostly a “locked home”. But there are some close relatives or friends who can walk in, or maybe give a light knock and walk in. And I do the same.

I should add that the walk-in arrivals now are mostly known, pre-planned visits. Years ago a next door neighbor would give a rap and come in though.

 

[lovesmurfs]

Other. We'd have an open home for family, if we had any family within 1,000 miles of our house.

 

[BrianL]

I generally like the quick knock and entry method for freinds. My door is usually locked, so I have to go answer the door, but when I go to a friends house, when expected of course, I will give it a quick knock to announce my presence then enter. At my parents I can just walk in, but that's a little different.

 

[Meriweather]

Our door is always locked BUT if I know one of the kids are coming over for something, I will unlock it when I expect them to arrive. So it is unlocked for 3 people I am expecting DS DIL and DD.

I walk into DS's house IF they are expecting me.....and if they unlocked the door for me (but I do have a key)

 

[NannyBeBe]

The rest of my family lives across the street from me. Both houses use the same keys. We go freely between each other's homes but use our keys. I would not feel safe leaving my doors unlocked. I have a chime on my doors that lets me know when someone has opened a door.

 

[bluezy]

I voted "other". We keep the doors locked most of the time. If I'm working in the kitchen I might have the back door open just to let more sunshine or a breeze come in to the house. Our kids all have keys to the house and know the garage door code. I've told them all they need to make some noise when they come in the house because I don't always hear them come in the door if I'm upstairs or in the basement when they make an unannounced visit.

I never walk in to someone's house without knocking even if the door is open. If someone knows I'm stopping by and says to just come in when I get there, I'll still do a quick knock and say, "It's just me" as I open the door to walk in. My DH always just walked in to his parents house (their doors were usually unlocked during the day). If I was there without him, I still did my knock and announce routine before walking in.

 

[leebee]

Very few people I know up here lock their doors. I mean, maybe at night or when they are away, but not many bother to lock up during the day. Small town America, I guess. Anyhow... we knock and wait for the door to be opened. The only time this varies is when we go visit one couple. We knock and wait for the door to be opened, but they have 3 "excitable" golden retrievers. We can usually tell from the level of cacophony that ensues upon knocking whether we should wait for our friends to disentangle themselves from the chaos or just walk in!

We also expect people will knock on our door and wait for it to be opened, unless we are yelling "C'mon in!" at the top of our lungs! DD/SIL still just walk in, but they lived with us for 3+ years and have only been "moved out" since May, but I'd expect them to walk in anyhow. Other than that, everyone knocks, I think.

 

[jimmymc]

I always keep my door locked. I wouldn't mind friends and family walking in without knocking, but I also prefer to keep things locked all the time instead of having to check everything before leaving the house.

 

[tennisfan]

Walk in to my parents, as they have the door open during the day as the dogs sits in the porch occasionally. Mine is locked, purely due to the type of door, it can't be opened from the outside without a key.

I knock at anyone else's house

 

[ronandannette]

Very few people I know up here lock their doors. I mean, maybe at night or when they are away, but not many bother to lock up during the day. Small town America, I guess. Anyhow... we knock and wait for the door to be opened. The only time this varies is when we go visit one couple. We knock and wait for the door to be opened, but they have 3 "excitable" golden retrievers. We can usually tell from the level of cacophony that ensues upon knocking whether we should wait for our friends to disentangle themselves from the chaos or just walk in!

We also expect people will knock on our door and wait for it to be opened, unless we are yelling "C'mon in!" at the top of our lungs! DD/SIL still just walk in, but they lived with us for 3+ years and have only been "moved out" since May, but I'd expect them to walk in anyhow. Other than that, everyone knocks, I think.

Where I grew up, not everybody’s house even had a lock on the door, ours included. Yet one still wouldn’t dream of just barging in - you might startle someone or walk in on something awkward. I still don’t lock mine (apartment condo in a big city) but I do expect all visitors to knock. The only home I’ve ever walked into is my parent’s and even then I’d knock as I was entering, if they weren’t expecting me. I think it’s just weird that you wouldn’t want to announce your presence in some way.

 

[Moliphino]

I'll walk in to my parents' house whenever. Other close family I'll walk in IF I'm expected (for a party or gathering). If dropping by unexpectedly I would knock.
My parents can walk into my house pretty much anytime, which is fine. 99% of the time I know they're coming ahead of time.

 

[CAPSLOCK]

I didn't see the option for "no one visits."

I just walk in on my parents, to be fair it's with an invite so not unexpected.

 

[easyas123]

Another in the minority, but our doors are unlocked a majority of the time.

Our home is open to immediate family to come and go as they'd like, same with my parents home. I ALWAYS call ahead of time and knock on my kids doors because I want to respect what my daughter in laws are comfortable with, and I am loath to become that MIL. But I consider our home a family home, and my daughter in laws as much family as my sons so I want them to feel like they can come and go freely since it's their home too.

 

[sarahann77]

It depends. Are they expecting me and vice versa? If we're expecting someone/vice versa and it's become our standard visit we're just walking in. If it's a random visit then knocking is expected.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Our doors are always locked. Garage door is always down unless we're outside.

If we're visiting Vince, it's always not a drop in. They know we're coming, almost an hour drive. They almost always have their garage door open but I'll always call when we're 5 minutes or so away and text when in the driveway. Either of them will just say come on in. They do have a push button lock on their inside door. If they don't open it for us, we have the combination.