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struggle4progress

(126,422 posts)

149. In my years of doing this, I've only heard people mention guns two or three times -- and always

Fri Oct 18, 2013, 10:09 PM

Oct 2013

it's because the person is a single-issue second-amendment voter, who wants to know my candidate's stand on right-to-bear-arms

People are sometimes shot by householders when going door-to-door but it's pretty rare: it looks to me like it happens about once a year, usually to a sales-person who meets a crazy

The number of full-time door-to-door sales-folk is over a million; and with part-timers, the figure is around 16 million. So it's really less than a one-in-a-million for the person doing doo-to-door sales, whereas the overall US death rate is around 800 per 100K per year

I guess somebody could shoot for knocking their door. But since I only do this a few hours a day during campaign season, I'm at least a hundred thousand times more likely to die of something else

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How do you react when I knock your door after dark with election materials in hand? [View all] struggle4progress Oct 2013 OP

Related article below Tx4obama Oct 2013 #1

Yeah. Nobody's ever pulled a gun on me. Yet. Now and then, I'll knock a door struggle4progress Oct 2013 #5

I do not like it when anyone I don't know knocks on my door after dark. CaliforniaPeggy Oct 2013 #2

I usually only knock doors after dark in bad neighborhoods. In the better neighborhoods, struggle4progress Oct 2013 #9

I agree, with one exception, Halloween. Jenoch Oct 2013 #106

Oh, of course! CaliforniaPeggy Oct 2013 #107

It would be awfully hard to knock on my door... yuiyoshida Oct 2013 #3

I haven't learned how to break into garages yet. So you're safe for now struggle4progress Oct 2013 #14

000000h yuiyoshida Oct 2013 #18

I will give you a cookie after telling you what a good job you are doing. we can do it Oct 2013 #4

om! nom! nom! nom! struggle4progress Oct 2013 #13

I won't answer any knock on my door after dark. Sheldon Cooper Oct 2013 #6

Even if it's Penny? nt Wwagsthedog Oct 2013 #20

Even if it's Dave and he's got the stuff. n/t winter is coming Oct 2013 #40

"Dave's not here!" struggle4progress Oct 2013 #43

^^ this ^^ Myrina Oct 2013 #29

That is actually closer to my answer. Jamastiene Oct 2013 #91

Depends on how far after dark Warpy Oct 2013 #7

A few weeks back, I was staying out until 7:30 or 7:45 but now I knock off around 7:00 struggle4progress Oct 2013 #11

After dark? Raleigh has had some wacky... WorseBeforeBetter Oct 2013 #8

It sounds like you live near our Governor's Mansion struggle4progress Oct 2013 #23

Can't it just be during the day? NuclearDem Oct 2013 #10

Lots of folk aren't home until after 5:30, and sunset was around 6:30 today struggle4progress Oct 2013 #15

I will attempt (probably unsuccessfully) to hide my petronius Oct 2013 #12

I guess I could deliver a free pizza to every door I knock, but I can't afford it right now: struggle4progress Oct 2013 #19

I always hide the stash. What? You could be the Mormons from down the street. DevonRex Oct 2013 #16

A lot of folk, who are obviously home, don't answer their doors even in broad daylight struggle4progress Oct 2013 #33

I stopped after an uncomfortable encounter. DevonRex Oct 2013 #74

I wish some of the people I've known were that cautious struggle4progress Oct 2013 #85

I'm probably the only one that picked that I'd give you a beer and sandwhich kydo Oct 2013 #17

If anybody ever offers me food, I'll remember that : "Wait! This could be kydo the serial killer!" struggle4progress Oct 2013 #22

or kydo the cool person with beer food and football kydo Oct 2013 #26

Soliciting after dark? enlightenment Oct 2013 #21

I'M NOT SOLICITING! struggle4progress Oct 2013 #24

But I don't know that, do I? enlightenment Oct 2013 #25

I certainly shouldn't give you grief for being careful about opening your door to strangers struggle4progress Oct 2013 #30

It's just my opinion. enlightenment Oct 2013 #34

I generally knock in the dusk, before the afterglow has entirely faded struggle4progress Oct 2013 #36

Sounds like the best method. enlightenment Oct 2013 #50

Do you look like a process server through the peekhole? antiquie Oct 2013 #101

No. But every now and then, somebody leaves by the back door anyway struggle4progress Oct 2013 #103

I feel the same way about it. Jamastiene Oct 2013 #92

if you are coming to ask for my vote ProdigalJunkMail Oct 2013 #98

You can use the word however you like, I suppose, but its legal sense here, as I understand it, struggle4progress Oct 2013 #104

If you're knocking on my door and i don't know you Warren DeMontague Oct 2013 #139

You can use the word however you like, I suppose, but its legal sense here, as I understand it, struggle4progress Oct 2013 #141

In North Tampa it seriously would depend on the time Johnny Ready Oct 2013 #27

Even in the summertime, with long days, I've never knocked a door after 9:00 PM: a number of folk struggle4progress Oct 2013 #32

I don't talk Niceguy1 Oct 2013 #28

My average contact might be about sixty seconds. I figure folk didn't invite me, struggle4progress Oct 2013 #41

No offense but I'd tell you to take a hike regardless of who you're canvassing for. last1standing Oct 2013 #31

Maybe about one in a hundred of the people, who actually answer the door, tell me to get lost: struggle4progress Oct 2013 #35

That is a bit strange. lol. last1standing Oct 2013 #38

No. You're not alone. Plenty of folk, who are obviously at home, just don't answer the door struggle4progress Oct 2013 #46

I walk the streets of Detroit at night quite often and have never had a problem. last1standing Oct 2013 #48

I would be somewhat upset. oneshooter Oct 2013 #37

I encountered a house with a locked gate yesterday here in the city struggle4progress Oct 2013 #42

There is a telephone at the gate, and a video camera in a tree. oneshooter Oct 2013 #100

That's pretty much the way it would go at my house also ..... oldhippie Oct 2013 #44

Activate the trap door pintobean Oct 2013 #39

Other - I don't open the door but your free to leave the materials in the mailbox. TeamPooka Oct 2013 #45

I'm won't leave materials in your mailbox: I prefer under your mat or rolled into the door handle struggle4progress Oct 2013 #47

thats fine too. I actually have a box on the porch for stuff like this & flyers to new sushi places. TeamPooka Oct 2013 #49

If Honey BooBoo's not on, no problem. rug Oct 2013 #51

Writing note to self: don't interrupt rug's Honey BooBoo time struggle4progress Oct 2013 #62

Thank you. rug Oct 2013 #63

As long as your not selling Religion or magazines, you've got my attention for a while. Agnosticsherbet Oct 2013 #52

I'd be a shizzy door-to-door salesman, and I really can't imagine doing that Mormon/Watchtower thing struggle4progress Oct 2013 #57

Oh hi, always happy to meet another animal lover! Fumesucker Oct 2013 #53

Nice goggie! struggle4progress Oct 2013 #65

If I'm not alone and you identify as supporting a Democrat, Welcome! REP Oct 2013 #54

This is a "non-partisan" municipal election, and the top two vote-getters in each primary slot struggle4progress Oct 2013 #60

I have two attack kittehs. Brigid Oct 2013 #55

I don't have pets, but I meet them regularly doing this, and they're almost always quite friendly struggle4progress Oct 2013 #59

I make sure to vote for the other candidate (nt) Nye Bevan Oct 2013 #56

It's rare, but people do tell me that sometimes struggle4progress Oct 2013 #58

That didn't look like "election materials" to me jberryhill Oct 2013 #61

You just haven't kept up with the latest in modern electioneering struggle4progress Oct 2013 #64

My background in electoral engineering is out of date jberryhill Oct 2013 #66

I don't care what time of day it is--my reaction is the same mnhtnbb Oct 2013 #67

If you say you don't want us knocking your door, I'll make every effort to get your name off my list struggle4progress Oct 2013 #69

After dark here in the winter is about 3:30 p.m. Blue_In_AK Oct 2013 #68

"It can't really be 11:00 PM! Look! The sun's still up!" struggle4progress Oct 2013 #125

Yes, that's the way it is. Blue_In_AK Oct 2013 #135

With shock LWolf Oct 2013 #70

If your place is that hard to find, you're not on my walklist: I have a limit to how much time struggle4progress Oct 2013 #73

It is that hard. LWolf Oct 2013 #96

I tell you to get the hell off my property, Skip Intro Oct 2013 #71

If I'm going thru a walklist, I'm going to try to break at a natural spot: I'd rather finish a page, struggle4progress Oct 2013 #72

It doesn't revolve around what you want Skip Intro Oct 2013 #75

"Sunset was about half an hour ago, and I really should quit. I won't finish these doors tonight." struggle4progress Oct 2013 #124

I don't want to argue the point with you. However, Skip Intro Oct 2013 #138

What a sad thread. Ron Green Oct 2013 #76

I might be able to count on one hand the number of times I've been told in years of door-knocking struggle4progress Oct 2013 #79

especially those bragging about needing to answer the door armed... dionysus Oct 2013 #133

In my years of doing this, I've only heard people mention guns two or three times -- and always struggle4progress Oct 2013 #149

Then I wonder what explains so many DU members being hostile in this way? Ron Green Oct 2013 #153

It's an internet message board. All manner of persons post here with all manner of motives struggle4progress Oct 2013 #155

"No thanks. Goodnight." *slowly close door* nt Deep13 Oct 2013 #77

That you're not working in an official capacity for a campaign frazzled Oct 2013 #78

I'm an unpaid volunteer. But I've done this for years for some well-organized campaigns. struggle4progress Oct 2013 #80

Election day is Nov. 5 and it gets dark early in November. ucrdem Oct 2013 #145

Too many people think these local elections don't matter struggle4progress Oct 2013 #160

If you are a Democrat, which you are bound to be in my neighborhood, I thank you for JDPriestly Oct 2013 #81

I'm pushing Progressive Dems struggle4progress Oct 2013 #84

I live rural, so if someone I don't know ohheckyeah Oct 2013 #82

Your neighborhood is probably too sparse for me. I want to be able to park on the road, struggle4progress Oct 2013 #83

I'm sure you are correct. ohheckyeah Oct 2013 #87

What do you get when you cross a Jehovah's Witness with a Hell's Angel? Douglas Carpenter Oct 2013 #86

What a great idea! I drive onto the lawn on my chopper, bang the door, and tell them struggle4progress Oct 2013 #113

I really have to commend you for what you're doing steve2470 Oct 2013 #88

For many of my efforts, I'll get better responses by "dressing down" struggle4progress Oct 2013 #114

I don't answer the door for strangers after dark. LeftyMom Oct 2013 #89

I do what I can to be considerate. Different people are different. I don't know them all, struggle4progress Oct 2013 #110

I tell political and religious people "thanks but I'm fine" LittleBlue Oct 2013 #90

I've heard "I'm fine" from time to time struggle4progress Oct 2013 #111

Unless you like to be barked and growled at and surrounded by super protective dogs Jamastiene Oct 2013 #93

Tell them it's too early for Trick or Treaters! B Calm Oct 2013 #94

I doubt I'll be door knocking on the 31st struggle4progress Oct 2013 #115

After determining that you are not selling something (easy what with the campaign lit & buttons)... Hekate Oct 2013 #95

I encounter somebody unpleasant now and then. It's rare, and it's impossible to decide struggle4progress Oct 2013 #108

I will look on your treasures Gypsy datasuspect Oct 2013 #97

Might could be yer disappointed, according to what yer hopin t'find struggle4progress Oct 2013 #118

Your question is why I do all my canvassing on weekends, MineralMan Oct 2013 #99

Every door I knock during the week lets somebody else knock another door on the weekend struggle4progress Oct 2013 #120

That raises a question PATRICK Oct 2013 #102

I find most people are polite struggle4progress Oct 2013 #121

I don't open my door after dark shanti Oct 2013 #105

Some states or municipalities might have solicitation laws or ordinances that apply struggle4progress Oct 2013 #122

I don't answer knocks on my door when it gets dark outside. mulsh Oct 2013 #109

I suspect lots of us do that sometimes struggle4progress Oct 2013 #123

My dog is nearly 100 lbs - good luck. TBF Oct 2013 #112

My usual concern about dogs is that I don't let them out struggle4progress Oct 2013 #119

We only have fenced back yards here - TBF Oct 2013 #132

one of these guys knocked on my door so hard that I had palpitations librechik Oct 2013 #116

I don't like when they come to my door or call me. bigwillq Oct 2013 #117

Real politics involves actual contact with people struggle4progress Oct 2013 #126

Chris Christie is coming to your door tonight bigwillq Oct 2013 #127

Just tell me what time: I'll make sure some folk are here who want to talk with him struggle4progress Oct 2013 #128

Do not knock on a door with election materials in hand SheilaT Oct 2013 #129

I agree that daytime knocking can sometimes give good contact rates struggle4progress Oct 2013 #143

If they're GOP or Tea Party materials, I'll chase you off with the water hose, LOL Erose999 Oct 2013 #130

my dog would give you my answer. madrchsod Oct 2013 #131

After dark's currently around 6:30pm here and getting progressively earlier, so meh. (nt) Posteritatis Oct 2013 #134

Yeah, by the end of the month, sunset here will be 6:15 PM, and when Daylight Savings Time ends struggle4progress Oct 2013 #142

I do not answer the door to unexpected unknown visitors. MadrasT Oct 2013 #136

I think it's incredibly rude to intrude in people's lives noamnety Oct 2013 #137

Folk who don't want their doors knocked can always put a Keep Out sign at the lot edge, or struggle4progress Oct 2013 #140

I view the ESP this way: noamnety Oct 2013 #148

Or -- since a number of people I spoke with this week were glad to see me, asked questions struggle4progress Oct 2013 #154

I'm not debating free speech rights noamnety Oct 2013 #156

I'm pretty sure almost everybody recovers quickly from whatever trauma I inflict struggle4progress Oct 2013 #159

I understand your view is that it's a one minute interruption. noamnety Oct 2013 #161

the fundamental roots of grassroots democracy is going door to door - that is the historic method of Douglas Carpenter Oct 2013 #144

Yes, it's a decline of ancient tradition and family values noamnety Oct 2013 #147

I work nights too- quite frequently - if one must not be disturbed - I have at times used a "do not Douglas Carpenter Oct 2013 #150

that whole thing is probably perceived differently by men. noamnety Oct 2013 #151

oh - I get that Douglas Carpenter Oct 2013 #152

Results also vary according to walklist quality struggle4progress Oct 2013 #157

I'd wanna know how the hell you got past the gate Rstrstx Oct 2013 #146

After dark, I would not answer the door. I'd be very alarmed. Ino Oct 2013 #158