Doorbell rings at 2:45 AM...what do you do? - Page 3

shade · October 18, 2006, 08:06 PM

Samurai, might want to be carefull with the katana over the headboard. I used to keep one there too, until my apartment building was hit by a drunk driver. After going outside to see what happened, and going back to bed, I noticed it had almost fallen off the headboard (on me). Moved quite a bit. Yeah it was sheathed, but not a risk I want to take. Stays on the dresser now.

On topic though, I've had to go for a gun a lot of times in my old neighborhood. Most ironic time though was one morning when I came home from working 3rd shift. Was in the living room on the PC looking for apartments. The place had been hit by a drunk driver, and the front door had been kicked in a week prior. Figured it was time to get out. While apartment browsing, I hear a thud sound in the hallway. Open my door, look out, and the recently fixed door was busted in AGAIN. Darted back into the apartment, got my pistol, and took another look. Heard the guy hiding on the stairs. Went back inside, locked & chained the door, and continued apartment shopping with pistol right next to the mouse.

Never did bother to call the cops, the apt they kept trying to rob had a lot of shady stuff going on. And everybody else in the building was gone. In retrospect though, I really should have called the cops.

mutski · October 20, 2006, 12:48 AM

We've been blessed for most of our lives to live in small towns where everybody knows everyone and nobody locks their doors. The America we ought to live in - wish it was more pervasive. Sad to hear of the paranoia elsewhere.

We did have one relevant experience, though. Shortly after we were married we were asleep, heard someone trying the doorknob. I took a 12-gauge shotgun and opened the door... found our kitten hanging from the doorknob.

Oh my goodness! Always look before you shoot.

tanksoldier · October 20, 2006, 03:25 AM

I had a Sergeant Major who used to say that. During holiday safety briefings he would say that if you were out on the town and you hadn't hooked up by midnight, or otherwise found what you were looking for/ had your fun, go home and go to bed because anything after midnight was probably trouble.

So, at one battalion formation he says "Somebody called me at 0200 from a pay phone to say "Hey Sergeant Major, something good happened after midnight! I got laid! To that person, I hope you got AIDS."

Quote:

Like many have said...Nothing good ever happens after midnight...lucky for me, I am a night owl and stay up until 3 am every morning

Jayb · October 20, 2006, 12:05 PM

If the door bell rings at 0230, my 70 pound chow will have alerted us at 0229, which will find me at the door armed, and wife with 911 on the phone.

If the dog doesn't alert us, he's been had, and then it's 911, and defend our room.

Doggieman · October 20, 2006, 12:29 PM

yeah, a properly trained dog is probably the best home defense, after a properly locked door.

Glenn Bartley · October 27, 2006, 01:02 PM

If my door bell rings at 0200, I would probably only wake up if the dogs started barking. The three of them barking together, I wouold guess, sounds pretty scary to any potential bad guy.

If someone was still tyrying to get in after they started barking, well then I would think it pretty important, but I would not open the door for a stranger; I would do my talking from the window while discretely armed.

If need be I would not hesitate to call the police if the person was unknown to me and kept insisting on coming inside. Of course I would also call the police for other reasons, such as said person claimed they were just in an accident. Unless I saw mangled or badly bleeding body parts, I maybe would wait for the ambulance or police to show up before venturing outside.

Doggieman · October 27, 2006, 08:59 PM

there's actually a story around my area where a woman was coming to doors at night with fake blood on her and saying she was in an accident and then robbing (I guess with accomplices) the folks who opened the doors. Best idea is to always call the cops -- let's face it you're not an EMT and probably can't do much anyway.

BIGR · October 27, 2006, 09:16 PM

First of all I don't have a doorbell. They will have to knock. I live a good ways off of the main road, and a creek is between the house and the road. I would probably hear my sisters dogs next door barking first. My brother in is well armed too and hopefully would be checking things out to see what was bothering the dogs. Someone comes knocking that time of the morning its probably trouble. I would have to go towards the door well armed.

Blackwater OPS · October 27, 2006, 09:53 PM

Quote:

If the door bell rings at 0230, my 70 pound chow will have alerted us at 0229, which will find me at the door armed, and wife with 911 on the phone.

You are calling 911 for the doorbell ringing?!?..." What is the nature of your emergency? My doorbell...IT RINGS!!!!"

FS2K · October 27, 2006, 11:40 PM

Better safe than sorry. Right?

Freetacos · October 27, 2006, 11:44 PM

get a doorbell than makes the sound of a shotgun being racked

shooter71 · November 1, 2006, 09:20 PM

roll out of bed, splash some water on my face to wake up more, grab gun maybe a light..run to the bedroom that faces the driveway , peek out window to see if i spot a car, or person standing at the door, if its a car i know id go to the door, still carrying my gun of course turn on all outside lights..if its a car i dont know or no car at all..id wait a few mins to see if they kept ringing the doorbell..since it could be a neighbor in trble..i could go on but u get the idea

PROCEED WITH CAUTION is the main thing to this story no matter what the senario is

The Canuck · November 1, 2006, 10:53 PM

02:45hrs...

Jeebus.

I'd push a primed CS cannister out the mail slot and go back to bed.

I don't care who you are at 02:45hrs.

Clanky · November 2, 2006, 11:09 PM

One of the best things to have is a porch light that comes on when it gets dark.

It's simple and it reduces the bad guys advantage by lighting the potential scene of the crime. Just like mushrooms and newlyweds, they love to do their thing in the dark.

October 20, 2006, 12:48 AM	#52
mutski Senior Member Join Date: October 14, 2006 Location: fairbanks, alaska Posts: 127	Kitten We've been blessed for most of our lives to live in small towns where everybody knows everyone and nobody locks their doors. The America we ought to live in - wish it was more pervasive. Sad to hear of the paranoia elsewhere. We did have one relevant experience, though. Shortly after we were married we were asleep, heard someone trying the doorknob. I took a 12-gauge shotgun and opened the door... found our kitten hanging from the doorknob. Oh my goodness! Always look before you shoot.

October 20, 2006, 12:05 PM	#54
Jayb Senior Member Join Date: December 11, 2002 Location: Indiana Posts: 103	If the door bell rings at 0230, my 70 pound chow will have alerted us at 0229, which will find me at the door armed, and wife with 911 on the phone. If the dog doesn't alert us, he's been had, and then it's 911, and defend our room. __________________ Freedom has a flavor the protected can never taste... USMC 8652, 2531, RVN Jun '66, - May 68 Some of my rifles

October 27, 2006, 01:02 PM	#56
Glenn Bartley Senior Member Join Date: October 18, 2006 Posts: 283	If my door bell rings at 0200, I would probably only wake up if the dogs started barking. The three of them barking together, I wouold guess, sounds pretty scary to any potential bad guy. If someone was still tyrying to get in after they started barking, well then I would think it pretty important, but I would not open the door for a stranger; I would do my talking from the window while discretely armed. If need be I would not hesitate to call the police if the person was unknown to me and kept insisting on coming inside. Of course I would also call the police for other reasons, such as said person claimed they were just in an accident. Unless I saw mangled or badly bleeding body parts, I maybe would wait for the ambulance or police to show up before venturing outside. __________________ When I look in the mirror, I am happy to see, some of that nine year old boy, who used to be me. http://ballseyesboomers.blogspot.com/

October 27, 2006, 11:40 PM	#60
FS2K Senior Member Join Date: September 9, 2006 Posts: 1,853	I think you done real good Baldy! Better safe than sorry. Right? __________________ Just a big fan of guns.

November 1, 2006, 10:53 PM	#63
The Canuck Senior Member Join Date: August 13, 2006 Location: Calgary Alberta, Canada Posts: 307	02:45hrs... Jeebus. I'd push a primed CS cannister out the mail slot and go back to bed. I don't care who you are at 02:45hrs. __________________ "If you put one in the snot locker, it doesn't matter what calibre it is".

October 18, 2006, 08:06 PM	#51
shade Junior Member Join Date: October 18, 2006 Posts: 2	Samurai, might want to be carefull with the katana over the headboard. I used to keep one there too, until my apartment building was hit by a drunk driver. After going outside to see what happened, and going back to bed, I noticed it had almost fallen off the headboard (on me). Moved quite a bit. Yeah it was sheathed, but not a risk I want to take. Stays on the dresser now. On topic though, I've had to go for a gun a lot of times in my old neighborhood. Most ironic time though was one morning when I came home from working 3rd shift. Was in the living room on the PC looking for apartments. The place had been hit by a drunk driver, and the front door had been kicked in a week prior. Figured it was time to get out. While apartment browsing, I hear a thud sound in the hallway. Open my door, look out, and the recently fixed door was busted in AGAIN. Darted back into the apartment, got my pistol, and took another look. Heard the guy hiding on the stairs. Went back inside, locked & chained the door, and continued apartment shopping with pistol right next to the mouse. Never did bother to call the cops, the apt they kept trying to rob had a lot of shady stuff going on. And everybody else in the building was gone. In retrospect though, I really should have called the cops.

October 20, 2006, 12:29 PM	#55
Doggieman Senior Member Join Date: April 19, 2006 Location: San Diego, Calif. Posts: 717	yeah, a properly trained dog is probably the best home defense, after a properly locked door.

October 27, 2006, 08:59 PM	#57
Doggieman Senior Member Join Date: April 19, 2006 Location: San Diego, Calif. Posts: 717	there's actually a story around my area where a woman was coming to doors at night with fake blood on her and saying she was in an accident and then robbing (I guess with accomplices) the folks who opened the doors. Best idea is to always call the cops -- let's face it you're not an EMT and probably can't do much anyway.

October 27, 2006, 09:16 PM	#58
BIGR Senior Member Join Date: June 13, 2000 Location: Mountains Posts: 1,385	First of all I don't have a doorbell. They will have to knock. I live a good ways off of the main road, and a creek is between the house and the road. I would probably hear my sisters dogs next door barking first. My brother in is well armed too and hopefully would be checking things out to see what was bothering the dogs. Someone comes knocking that time of the morning its probably trouble. I would have to go towards the door well armed.

October 27, 2006, 11:44 PM	#61
Freetacos Senior Member Join Date: September 20, 2006 Location: California Posts: 441	get a doorbell than makes the sound of a shotgun being racked

November 1, 2006, 09:20 PM	#62
shooter71 Senior Member Join Date: October 13, 2006 Location: USA Posts: 129	roll out of bed, splash some water on my face to wake up more, grab gun maybe a light..run to the bedroom that faces the driveway , peek out window to see if i spot a car, or person standing at the door, if its a car i know id go to the door, still carrying my gun of course turn on all outside lights..if its a car i dont know or no car at all..id wait a few mins to see if they kept ringing the doorbell..since it could be a neighbor in trble..i could go on but u get the idea PROCEED WITH CAUTION is the main thing to this story no matter what the senario is

November 2, 2006, 11:09 PM	#64
Clanky Member Join Date: January 7, 2005 Posts: 66	One of the best things to have is a porch light that comes on when it gets dark. It's simple and it reduces the bad guys advantage by lighting the potential scene of the crime. Just like mushrooms and newlyweds, they love to do their thing in the dark.