How do you answer the door?
- Thread starter scorpion_tyr
- Start date
grymster2007
New member
I'm not advocating moving as a means of reducing the risks from people coming to the door, but living in a nice neighborhood helps. I decided a long time ago that I wanted to live in a nice house in a nice neighborhood, much more than I wanted an SUV, a quad-cab-extra-bed-V10-dually-4X4-pickup-truck, a Porsche and a sparkly bass boat in the driveway. Piece of mind and quiet solitude mean much more to me.
Funny thing is, now that I can afford all those things as well as the nice house, I find I don't want or need them. It's the simple things.... really!
Funny thing is, now that I can afford all those things as well as the nice house, I find I don't want or need them. It's the simple things.... really!
Coyote Hitman
Moderator
I was always under the impression that as long as I wore a tinfoil hat, I had nothing to fear.
Stevie-Ray
New member
I'll answer the door in the daytime with my CW on my hip as usual. At night though, it gets a little stickier. If the entry door is closed, I have a wide-angle peep, but even better, the living room and kitchen windows offer a view of the front porch. If I just can't see who it is, but strongly suspect it is somebody I know, I'll open with the CW in my right hand behind me. If I'm absolutely expecting NOBODY, and can't see to identify, I won't answer until they start to leave and I get a clear view. If I still don't know them, oh well.
luvsasmith
New member
Late at night....
Handgun in shooting hand behind leg.
Handgun in shooting hand behind leg.
ElectricHellfire
New member
If I am not expecting anyone, at night, then I don't answer. But I would keep things "ready". Daytime, if I don't know you I'd yell through the door. Handgun is ever present.
David Armstrong
Moderator
I thought it was pretty clear what I was saying. Here, lets look at it again: You said, "...there are no places where evil people do not exist." I reply, "Not sure what that has to do with thinking you need to answer the door with a gun at hand. There are probably evil people who approach you at work, and walk by you on the street, or sit close to you in the cafe." NOTHING that I mentioned has anything to do with the carrying of firearms in general. I specifically was discussing opening a door with a gun in your hand. I'm still not sure what "there are no places where evil people do not exist" has anything to do with that. Unless you are implying that you should always have a gun in your hand when you are around people just because some of them might be evil?? (see how this "implications" stuff leads to totally irrelevant isssues?)
Moving may not eliminate the worry. I said "I'd suggest that if I lived in someplace where this was a worry for me, I'd move." You might be able to reduce the worry, you might be able to change the situation so your perception of the problem changes, etc. I don't know that you have to eliminate a worry to justify reducing a worry or changing your circumstances so your protection is better. Grymster and heyduke I believe both addressed that concept.
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I will admit that I hadn't realized that you were drawing a line between "the carrying of firearms in general" and having "a gun in your hand".
Just to be clear, are you saying that if a person were to carry a gun in a holster as a matter of course at home (including when answering the door) that you would consider that different from a person opening the door with a gun in their hand?
If a move reduces (but does not eliminate) a worry then obviously a worry still exists. If the worry still exists then your statement ("...if I lived in someplace where this was a worry for me, I'd move.") clearly asserts that you would move again (and again until there was no worry). It's pretty clear that this explanation doesn't make logical sense in the context of your original statement, particularly since you stated very clearly that my statement: "You're saying that by moving you could eliminate the worry..." was incorrect.
Ok, this explanation is more consistent with the context of your original statement, although it doesn't make much logical sense. The concept that it is a good idea to alter your own perception so that you feel safer although you really aren't defies logic.
There is nothing wrong answering the door with gun in hand (say behind your back or on the actual gun itself while in a holster, Pointed at the person might be a crime of some sort. Assault?)
There are some neighorhoods where people live that are indeed dangerous such as Detroit or Newark. There is sometimes not an option to move due to the economy or other factors. You also have very rural areas where the police are very far away. Try answering the door at night in a rural area where there is no one for over 100 miles. A little scary huh?
However, there is one alternative option that is not discussed here. They do make very thick, metal screen doors with deadbolts and a reinforced steel frame. Sometimes these doors are stronger then the actual house-door. You can open the house door and see/talk to the person through the reinforced screen door without letting your guard down. This is a good alternative option for when you answer the door.
I dont see a problem with someone answering the door with their hand on a gun (that is holstered or behind their back). Imagine being a 70 year old unemployed autoworker and not being able to move from your neighborhood because of the economy in Detroit. We dont all have the option of simply picking up and leaving.
There are some neighorhoods where people live that are indeed dangerous such as Detroit or Newark. There is sometimes not an option to move due to the economy or other factors. You also have very rural areas where the police are very far away. Try answering the door at night in a rural area where there is no one for over 100 miles. A little scary huh?
However, there is one alternative option that is not discussed here. They do make very thick, metal screen doors with deadbolts and a reinforced steel frame. Sometimes these doors are stronger then the actual house-door. You can open the house door and see/talk to the person through the reinforced screen door without letting your guard down. This is a good alternative option for when you answer the door.
I dont see a problem with someone answering the door with their hand on a gun (that is holstered or behind their back). Imagine being a 70 year old unemployed autoworker and not being able to move from your neighborhood because of the economy in Detroit. We dont all have the option of simply picking up and leaving.
David Armstrong
Moderator
Yes. I think there is a huge difference between "I always have my gun on me, and I'm going to answer the door now" and "I'm going to answer the door, I better get a gun."
You are claiming an assertion I do not make. I might move until the worry was reduced to such a level I no longer felt it important to have a gun in hand when answering the door. I think you are confusing "worry" with "any remote possibility." Just because there is a remote possibility doesn't mean one should worry about it. We lock the door at night because there is a possibility of someone coming in without us knowing about it. We don't sit there with a gun pointed at the door waiting for that to happen.We haven't eliminated the worry, but we don't worry about it happening enough to do much. I think we may be interchanging the noun and the verb form of worry and that is creating some confusion.
LOL!! As opposed to the good idea of feeling in greater danger than you really are is logical???
It's real simple to me. If you live where you think you need to answer the door with a gun in your hand in order to feel safe, you need to move (or change your lifestyle). If it truly is that dangerous, having the gun in hand won't help you reduce the danger or the threat.
David Armstrong
Moderator
Don't know about 100 miles, but we have lived about 5 miles from anybody and thought nothing about answering the door at night. Just didn't have a worry about it.
I think we do all have that option, with the possible exception of certain handicapped people. Often we don't take it because it we think it will be more trouble than it is worth, which might really indicate how much of a worry the problem actually is.
So you're not speaking against HAVING a gun at the door nor against the attitude that causes a person to arm himself at all times but rather against the attitude that causes a person to arm himself before answering the door.
Frankly I find that a very interesting position. I wish you had fleshed it out more in your original post as it helps to clarify some of your other statements.
This one, for example. I view a firearm as I view a fire extinguisher, a pocket knife or a spare tire. I don't carry one because I feel the danger is great (or because I need it to feel safe) but rather because it could come in handy someday. Obviously the listed items come in handy at very different frequencies but the point remains.
David Armstrong
Moderator
I'm speaking exactly what I said. Why you seem to feel a need to change what I have said all the time seems rather strange to me
I'm not aware of anyone who gets the fire extinguisher out every time they cook, though, or carries one with them as they move from room to room in the house. Spare tire similarly. Lots of difference (to me) between keeping that spare in your trunk as opposed to getting it out (along with your tire tools), and putting it in the passenger seat with you.
I crack the door open just enough to toss a flashbang onto the porch. Once it detonates and their stunned and dazed I rush out and rifle through their pockets for an ID. Then if their background check clears, the only hospitable thing to do is invite them in, offer a beverage and treat any injuries.
I really didn't think I was changing what you said, I was trying to further clarify. If my rephrase/summary is incorrect, please correct it.
If I could easily carry a spare tire & a fire extinguisher in my pocket I probably would.
I carry a good deal of gadgetry on me and a good deal more in my vehicle, some of which I've never used, some of which I have.
David Armstrong
Moderator
When the actual wording is available, I fail to see why there is a need to rephrase it or summarize it to then claim "this is what you mean." You seem to be the only one having trouble understanding what was said. JohnH seems to have it down, grymster has it figured out, heyduke has it, peetzakilla got it, and so on. So i'm not sure if you really are having trouble understanding what most folks seem to find fairly clear, or if you are just looking for an argument. Given past interactions I have a suspicion I know which it is. So you will excuse me if I choose to avoid it and just say my statements stands as written.
