I'm curious, what would you have done?

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

One glimpse of Sue's belly would send anyone running!! 

[Grant Lamontagne]

peep hole in the door or a camera/viewing system if you can afford it, a good outside light to switch on
and attract attention and "light-up" the intruder (something high or securely mounted).

maybe a good chain on the door or slide-bar to open it without opening it so you can ask what they
want but still not open your door completely. your blades/bat/spray/whatever at the ready. your wife with the phone
in safer place.

with that I would ask "Who is it?" and go from there. you don't let in strangers for any reason but you tell them you
will or have called the police to come and help or take care of it.

the problem now is your worrying if they will be back and who was it and why? you didn't do wrong Ben but
knowing what it was all about would make you and your family feel better.

now you know what you have to do for any future "knocks" you need visibility and a little more security.

I'm not worried at all about the person coming back.

I find it interesting that many people here have said I did the right thing when I haven't exactly said what I did. 

You are alive and not in jail, so obviously whatever you did was the right thing.  After all, no jury would convict a pregnant woman while her knife collecting husband was cowering in the closet! 

Def

[ducktapehero]

I'm glad that nothing has came out of it. Hopefully it was just a drunk confused guy. You might just be aware for the next few days.

As for me, I would have armed myself with the appropriate weapon, my dog and asked through the door if I can help them. From my bedroom window I can see the street so if the car they were in was broke down I could see it. If that's the case I might open the door, all the while being prepared to blast them. After that I would do whatever the situation dictates all the while keeping myself at a tactical advantage.

Either that or just open up the door long enough to pop a pepper spray grenade out there and scream "RUN LIKE HELL YOU SUMBITCHES!!!!" 

[NutSAK]

 

Cool!  Where do you get your grenades? 

[Mr. Whippy]

Geeze, I don't know Ben,

Maybe it was the stork knocking...

Coulda saved an induction...

[Benner]

I wasn't cowering in the closet actually 


...I was under the bed. 

[AHB]

I wasn't cowering in the closet actually 
...I was under the bed. 

I knew it... 
What did I win...??   

[GraysonK]

Well since you brought it up, Ben, what did you do the other night? 

[ducktapehero]

Cool!  Where do you get your grenades? 

I haven't bought any yet but when finances allow I'll be getting a few. You know, just to have around. 

http://www.redhotpepperspray.com/fox-labs-6-oz-oc-lock-on-grenade.html

http://www.redhotpepperspray.com/fox-labs-2-oz-oc-lock-on-grenade.html

[Benner]

Well since you brought it up, Ben, what did you do the other night? 

Well I knew it wouldn't be anyone I knew or wanted to see (I am a Billy no mates) so I spied out the window hoping to see what muppet it was.  I didn't open my window or call out as I 1, didn't want to wake the kids and 2, didn't want them to hear the window and then leg it before I got a good look.  When the knocking stopped, which seemed to go on for ages BTW, I then quickly opened the window and stuck my head out only to see they had gone, and gone either across my front garden and then out of sight, or into my back garden.  My concern then was that they could break in, so I pocketed my Ti-Lite (one of my "scary" looking knives), grabbed my Elektrolumens Blaster and stuck my kukri on the side.  I then went downstairs with this big old club of a torch (Terry would be so proud  ) and then started to have a good look around the house to make sure all was clear.  No one was to be seen so I was happy we were all safe.

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

At least by grabbing my former knives they were at least sharp

[Mr. Whippy]

Somehow, I was hoping for random shotgun blasts, with banshee like shrieking...


Seems it was effective, just a little disappointing.







 

[Benner]

I could add in a tussle with a zombie if that would make you happy? 

[Mr. Whippy]

Yes! Please do. 

Zombies are best at night, with dodgey flashlights...(just go with weak batteries, that'll be sufficient)

 

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

I could add in a tussle with a zombie if that would make you happy? 

No, just stick to the truth mate, your combat prowess speaks for itself

[Benner]

Like I said in the beginning, it was amazing how many people claimed they would have done something different.  That's why I was interested.  I think the main consensus was that I wasn't "manly" enough.  Not that I give a toss. 

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

Like I said in the beginning, it was amazing how many people claimed they would have done something different.  That's why I was interested.  I think the main consensus was that I wasn't "manly" enough.  Not that I give a toss. 

Your's was the more sensible approach, I just get insanely angry and want answers in that situation

[Grant Lamontagne]

Good thing it wasn't a polar bear at the door, else you would have given him what for!

Def

[AHB]

Good thing it wasn't a polar bear at the door, else you would have given him what for!

Def

I bet it was a "Ninja Polar Bear"... 

 

[DaveK]

Like I said in the beginning, it was amazing how many people claimed they would have done something different.  That's why I was interested.  I think the main consensus was that I wasn't "manly" enough.  Not that I give a toss. 

To be fair - in post #5 you said that you didn't see them and that they had obviously walked off. That's where I got the impression you hadn't jumped out of the window brandishing a Kukri, inviting those mofos to bring it on

[Benner]

But that was before the zombies came...

[Spork, Lord of Lime Jello!]

Did you find Mike in your yard the next morning...naked and smeared with marmite?

...a Vodka bottle and empty Red Bull cans scattered everywhere

[Benner]

I wish!! 

[Spork, Lord of Lime Jello!]

I wish!! 

Eew!

[665ae]

For late night visitors, I have two things that are fun to do.  I always grab a gun "just in case" but most of the time it's just kids having fun.

My front porch is actually part of the basement.  The cement cap on the porch sits over a little cut out in the wall of the basement.  When someone won't get off the porch, I like to go down there and bang on the bottom of the cap.  People normally freak out when the concrete floor starts banging.

My other approach is to slip out the back door and sneak around to the front.  If it's just kids I'll take a running start from the side yard and rush them

[Mr. Whippy]

But that was before the zombies came...

Yea! 

[ringzero]

Cool!  Where do you get your grenades? 

I haven't bought any yet but when finances allow I'll be getting a few. You know, just to have around. 

http://www.redhotpepperspray.com/fox-labs-6-oz-oc-lock-on-grenade.html

http://www.redhotpepperspray.com/fox-labs-2-oz-oc-lock-on-grenade.html

Love this blurb describing those grenades:
"Great for moving someone out of a vehicle or motel room."

Really?  Who would ever have guessed that?  ;>

.

[ducktapehero]

I think the main consensus was that I wasn't "manly" enough.  Not that I give a toss.

It wasn't "manly" enough? You did what you thought the situation dictated. Nothing happened and your family is safe. If someone thinks that you're not "manly" because of how you handled the situation they need to quit masturbating to Steven Seagall movies and get a real life.

[max6166]

When I was a teenager, that situation used to happen to us all the time.

We lived on a somewhat sparsely populated country road with a low but steady amount of traffic. People would knock on our doors at all hours of the night - anywhere between 11pm - 5am.

Usually the people were either lost or wanted to use our phone for some reason. Sometimes they wanted to borrow gas or their car had broken down. Often they were also drunk and/or extremely obnoxious.

We would usually just talk to them through the unopened door and tell the people to get lost or give them directions to the nearest gas station. Many would argue, some would get angry, almost all were rude, etc. It was incredibly disruptive and frequent.

Eventually, we just gave up talking to them at all, and just started to ignore them after a certain hour. We just made sure that they left our property and were not rummaging through our garage (which many did).

We didn't take any specific safety precautions, though we couldn't see who they were. We did have 3 German Shepherds though (we used to breed them), and their bark was pretty intimidating.  

Our neighbours never had the same problem. People would pick our house because we were fairly close to the road, while every one else had longer driveways.

I just saw this thread and honestly, none of us ever even thought of any threat or danger during those occurrences. I definitely would now though. Strange how things change...

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

Did you find Mike in your yard the next morning...naked and smeared with marmite?

...a Vodka bottle and empty Red Bull cans scattered everywhere

That was the weekend before last