Safety is a life skill that has been passed on through generations and it is something many have adapted to, through time. However, at what point does safety become excessive, such that one could land in a pool of criticism due to their penchant for precautions? A netizen found herself in a fix after sticking to her safety rules and refusing to respond to her neighbor who came knocking.
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A Woman Shares Her Dilemma With The Neighbors
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The social media user, who described herself as a mom-of-one, took to Mumsnet, an internet forum where parents share their stories, to reveal a recent issue she had with her neighbors. She started off by explaining that she had lived in her home for six years, and she got along with her neighbors.
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Someone Came Knocking Without Prior Notice
The Mumsnet mom got right into her story as she explained that someone came knocking at her door, and was persistent for a while, but she ignored it. She made it known that she refused to acknowledge the knocking because the people she would usually expect, or was familiar with, often used the side door. Therefore, for this woman, the knocks made her feel like the person at the door was a stranger.
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She Was Quite Cautious Of Who She Opened Her Door To
Unsplash | Nazrin Babashova
She explained that she and her spouse would usually get a "lot of cold callers and religious people" coming up to their front porch and knocking. So this prompted them to be cautious about answering the door.
She Saw Her Neighbor The Following Day
The netizen explained that a day after the door incident, she saw her neighbor and his son. She also noticed that the boy had a bandage on, and this caused her to show concern. The neighbor explained that his son had an accident the previous day in the street and his wife went up to her door for help.
It Was An Emergency
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The man explained to the Mumsnet user that his son had been in a dire situation and his wife went to her porch to ask her to help them call an ambulance. This was because the neighbor's wife panicked and left her phone at the house. At this point, the netizen understood why she heard the frantic knock on her door as she admitted to her neighbor that she heard the knocks. She added that she refused to acknowledge it because she did not know who it was.
Her Neighbor Was Pissed
The man was quite surprised as he proceeded to ask her why she would ignore the knocking. The media user then explained that she did not know it was an emergency. At this point, her neighbor could not hold in his anger, and called her selfish. He also angrily slammed her door and left.
The Neighbor's Wife Was Also Displeased
The social media user shared that while she was getting her groceries out of her bag, her neighbor's wife walked up to her asking if she indeed ignored her. She reiterated stating that she did not answer the door because she wasn't aware of the emergency. The woman explained that the neighbor's wife also got angry while ranting about how horribly she behaved.
The Mumsnet user wrote that she understood the couple's anger because they were "still shook up" from their son's accident.
She Stated That Their Kid Seemed Fine
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The original poster explained that the couple's son seemed fine as it looked like the injury was minor. She added that they were only riled up because she ignored them. The mom penned, "I feel awful it happened but I didn't ignore them on purpose knowing they were needing an ambulance so I think they've been a bit over the top."
Other Mumsnet Users Share Their Mixed Feelings
The woman received several reactions, many of which were mixed as users were torn between her need for safety and the effect on her neighbors' situation. One user addressed the OP (original poster), telling her she went over the top. They noted that if it was just a knock, it could be excused as a cold caller, but the repeated rapid knocks should not have been ignored.
It Was Considered Weird
A second user let the OP know that refusing to answer her door was "a bit weird." Someone relayed that they could not comprehend the "no answering" rule.
Someone Made Suggestions
Another netizen addressed the user by suggesting that she could provide better safety without ignoring the knocks on her door. The user stated that she could get a peephole or a chain because people "have a legitimate reason to knock."
It Was Considered Odd
More comments and opinions poured in as one person thought it was "odd" not to respond to door knocks in the daytime. They also felt she could have looked through the window to see who it was.
She Received Some Support
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There were other users who felt the OP could do whatever she wanted with her door. Someone thought her neighbor was rude for reacting the way he did.
Op Is Said Not To Be At Fault
A user supported the OP, letting her know she was not at fault. They thought the woman's neighbor took things out of proportion over a minor accident.
