How would you handle this encounter?

[youngunz4life]

I was wondering how you all would handle this scenario below? Would it depend on your mood? Would it vary on different occaisons, or would you respond the same way every time? Hopefully this is in the right forum, and I had just been thinking about this with regards to other threads/scenarios. I have also thought about it when the exact scenario has happened to me on a couple of occasions and while similar scenarios have happened on multiple occaisons as well.

You're sitting at the computer on your day off reading TFL threads, and you hear a bangi and/or doorbell. You peek out the window and see a little of a fedex truck. Do you go to the door before he leaves, do you go in the next room or another part of that room and grab your CCW before going to the door, do you hold the weapon without anyone else's knowledge when you open the door as I have heard other's say in different threads, and/or how would you go about handling this situation? This thread is meant for tactics+training purposes and also for discussion purposes + other's knowledge/opinions on the subject.

 

[Dr. Strangelove]

I'm in my late 30's, and share a house with two other single male house-mates due to the economy.

We get, on average, one UPS or FedEx delivery per week. If I hear a knock at the door, I just go answer the door.

It's just not that big a deal.

 

[kozak6]

Really?

Although criminals disguised as Fedex workers aren't entirely unknown, I'd probably go answer the door without a weapon.

 

[youngunz4life]

Really?

yes kojak, really. Please don't assume you know what I do based upon my thread's original post, as that would be an assumption. You forced me to respond because you have a confused icon in your post and the thread might not survive long. The thread is only to start up discussions on whether some people answer the door a certain way no matter what the circumstances, or if they just do what you do and it is based from a tactical standpoint. It is sort of like how some people carry in their home 24/7 and some don't. I had been involved in a recent thread that made me think of some's thought processes, and this is why I started this one. I answer the door regular myself, but I have read on TFL on multiple occaisons about others taking precautions.

To add more, I have sometimes wondered about how safe it is to leave the home @ odd hours for work especially since people fall into routines. Of course I haven't done anything about it even though I could leave from the garage. It can be more of an issue depending on the area in which people reside as well as for some being in the boonies though.

Lastly, the fedex was just an example that happened this week. How about the guy beeping his horn from the driveway trying to sell his construction skills or other 'drive-bys' from the guy who rings the doorbell saying he has extra asphalt to do a cheap driveway job? Do you act the same no matter who rings your doorbell? I know sometimes I haven't answered the door, and my wife and I put up no trespassing signs to stop some garbage. They actually work. To those that are tactically ready, better prepared than sorry is a good motto here.

all the best

 

[Sparks1957]

I answer the door like a normal person when I see the FedEx guy... with my carry weapon in my waistband like normal.

Chances are he/she has a case of ammo for me.

 

[bigkrackers]

I have a three security cameras pointed at my front door to get multiple angles. I also use state of the art facial recognition and facial/voice emotional detection software. The concrete slab that makes up my front porch is electrified and has a 4x4x7 foot security cage that can be deployed from the roof overhanging my doorway. This is all just the first layer of my home defense. I have 12 additional layers.

Seriously though, I try not to be too paranoid in my own house. It all depends on the situation (day, night, early, late) and who is at the door. I have a clear view of my front door from a window. I'm not important enough and don't live in a rich neighborhood to warrant any elaborate UPS or FedEx getups. So I take it one at a time.

I will say that I always am armed if a girl scout is at my door. They will rob you blind and before you know it you're left explaining to the wife why you have a dozen boxes of cookies stuffed in the cupboard.

 

[TheNocturnus]

Well seeing as I have my guns on me 99% of the time, I answer the door armed. Right now I just got out of bed, I have been having trouble sleeping lately, and am not armed. If fedex were to show up right now, I'd go and grab a gun just in case. I don't take any chances anymore.

 

[Skadoosh]

Since I will be able to see the fedex guy standing at my door ....and the fedex truck out in the street, I wont be cracking open the door and peeking out with a gun hidden from view behind my back.

 

[Ditto_95]

I know my Fedex woman and UPS guy so it wouldn't be a surprise to see them at my door.
Well it would be for the UPS guy since he won't get out if the truck because he is afraid of my Doberman.

Unknown knockers get the hidden gun treatment.

 

[Brian Pfleuger]

I answer the door when someone knocks. Yes, I look out the door window first. If I happen to be carrying, I'm armed at the door. If not, I don't go get it.
The possibility that someone knocking on my door at "normal" hours might be a criminal does not so much as enter my mind.
I have never heard of a forceful home invasion anywhere even remotely close to this area. Robberies are nonexistent. A burglary is the talk of the town for weeks, and I can't even remember the last true "BREAK-in". The burglaries are unlocked cars and homes and even then extremely rare.
Most people around here do not lock their homes and only their cars if they happen to leave something valuable inside, although the car locking is more prevalent now with remotes.
The "trouble" in this area is bored teenagers on their bicycles. They are unarmed, mean no real harm and run away if you yell at them.
Someone did vandalize the playground across the road last year... by scratching their FIRST and LAST name into the plastic! Is that violent crime? Or just stupid?

 

[C0untZer0]

1) I swore to myself I wasn't going to get drawn into these scenario threads...

2) I thank God I didn't end up working for FedEx or UPS as a delivery driver.

 

[dyl]

I've only approached the door with gun in hand on 1 occasion and I was pretty spooked at night. I spoke through the door and had no intention of opening up. That might be a story for another time though I don't remember if I already told that story on the forum or not.

Usually not gun in waistband for me - my M&P40c has no safety if I'm wearing jeans, and my sweatpants would give a great view of the moon during the day under the weight. A j-frame in the pocket can usually stay in the pocket all day long.

Even in great threads there are times when folks misunderstand the question asked or the answer is just so simple for them they don't see a need for discussion - don't worry about them. I guess for me to generalize - if I'm carrying concealed already I usually don't disarm unless it is SO uncomfortable that I need a break (usually doesn't happen..except maybe the belly band). I usually don't do gun in hand because I might have to sign something. I usually don't carry IWB without a holster for the reasons mentioned previously.

If i know I'm going to spend a long time in one place in the house I usually do move my CCW there if I'm not wearing it.

Before I started learning about all this awareness and self defense culture I really did have an attitude of opening the door right away for anyone - and other issues like that. Wouldn't have wanted to be impolite.

 

[sigcurious]

In my previous place, I'd be really confused as to why the delivery guy was at my door and hadn't left the packages with the front desk. Having been an apartment dweller for so long, I hadn't really thought about it. But even when living in buildings without a front desk, there's always been at least one other locked door that someone would have to get through. So knocking directly on my door has always aroused suspicion, but mostly of the "dangit someone let a solicitor into the building" type. Now that I live in a house again, I would just answer the door if I were expecting a package.

 

[JerryM]

I just go to the door. I can't imagine that I would ever be afraid to answer when I saw a FedX truck.
Jerry

 

[MLeake]

I carry at home, so there's no CCW to go and retrieve.

My dogs bark their heads off when a FedEx, UPS, USPS etc truck arrives, so there are no surprises.

The drivers keep a healthy distance from the door, due to the barking of the dogs.

Dogs and holsters... too bad all scenarios aren't so easy.

 

[orionengnr]

Same here. My CCW is on my hip unless I'm in bed or in the shower, so when I go to the door I am armed.
My dogs are also pretty enthusiastic about informing me that someone is near/at the door.

 

[TX_QtPi]

funny, I just had the J-witness come to the door, I have 4 pit-bulls that are cross trained for obedience and protection, so no worries getting the door with out my pistol in hand (though if it's after dark and there is an unexpected knock at the door I do keep it drawn when I answer).
But this J-witness guy had a can of pepper spray in his hand when I answered, so as he starts his speech and putting the pepper spray away to hand me his pamphlet I interrupted and asked him what he intended to do with that (pepper spray)
he LAUGHED it off and said since he heard the dogs he got it out as a precaution. I told him, "I'm sorry but if I wanted my dogs to take you down they would have already."
My dogs are my kids and they are trained to protect me, and I'm thinking what nerve of this guy to think he would pepper spray a dog to hand out his pamphlets!
dood, you're uninvited, you're not making your living this way, and you're not delivering something I ordered so if ya hear the dogs, back away...cause either you'll find the wrong end of a hand gun in your face or you'll be dog chow... same goes for the would be criminals, disguised or not.

 

[Sparks1957]

Wow, that's pretty ballsy of him, and just might get him hurt someday. I can see someone who has to go to your door as part of their job carrying pepper spray (postal and delivery workers, utility workers, etc.), but a freaking J's witness proselytizing???

Yikes

 

[Pezo]

In regards to the j witness with mace. yeah bad call on his part. Some one at some point hopefully can enlightened him in a nice way that acting like that either in a non chalant way is not a good idea. When you approach someone else's property and you dont feel right about it do to whatever reason best coarse of action is to return to where you were. In regards to fed ex question, during normal hours and I live in a generally good area I would not make it a pointe to have a firearm on me if it wasnt on me to begin with. However, I would not purposely dis arm for any trivial reason.

 

[BlackFeather]

Well, due to the way my apartment in Oregon is set up, if I had to use any gun I'd likely end up shooting my neighbor. I keep a large wooden club(Bokken), next to the door. If it's not there, I have about... 7 other weapons on the walls for decor. Here in California, I have a knife, and NO ONE uses the front door. If I saw the FedEx guy, I'd likely get someone else to answer as it's not for me. Though I have a habit of being the "puppy" that follows them to meet with who ever knocked. I have been in a situation where I was cleaning a throwing knife and the mail carrier knocked. For some reason it startled me because I wasn't expecting it. So, I answered the door with a knife behind my back. Anyway, most of the time I see no reason to have a weapon on you for answering the door, but there have been times where I have just because it felt better to do so.