What would you do if someone was knocking on your door late at night...

I'd say you did the right thing. There's no telling who could be behind the door and what could have happened if you have immediately opened it, unless of course if you saw or know who it was, like a friend with an emergency who needs help badly. I have experienced this kind of situation. In the middle of the night, someone knocked on my apartment door, and I was really afraid. It isn't normal to have people knocking on our doors in the middle of the night.

Whew that sure is bothersome and terrible. If that happened to me, I'd do the same thing. I think calling the police or anyone who could respond to the situation immediately would be the best thing to do. I believe you didnt over react - it's normal for you to act that way because your life is at a potential danger. What I think you should do now is to make super sure of the locks in your doors - I understand that you cannot sleep this time but I think staying awake wouldnt do all the work. Good locks would give you more time to report any alarm.

You did it right by calling the police. I would have done the same. Knocking at that hour is puzzling.

I hear some words like this,do not talk with strangers.so if someone knocks my door even in daytime,I will not open the door for him.I will ask who is he and what is the matter.anyhow,keep ourself safe is important.

It sounds like you did the right thing. Do you have a neighbor you can call in an emergency like that? I agree, I'm not sure I'd be sleeping after that either.

Hmm...I don't think I would have called the police, as I lived in a flat, and at a corner lot so I would call my neighbour to see who was at my door. Well, no one knocked my door at 1.30a.m before, but I had to wake up quite a few times at 5.30a.m to open the door and let my neighbour in for shelter. She works the night shift in a 24-hour cafe, so she comes home late and sometimes she forgets her keys. She always wake me up to let her stay at my flat instead of knocking the door like a sane person and get her husband to open the door. Instead she waits for him to wake up at about 9a.m. Call me disensitivised, but the first time I panicked on why someone would ring the doorbell. Luckily I opened the door first instead of calling the local law enforcer. I feel for you. However, I think you overreact a bit, but safety comes first. After all, you didn't mention what type of house you stay in and the location. If it is the quiet remote kind of area and your nearest neighbour is a 5 minute or 10 minute walk away, you better install a CCTV that can monitor the front door.

Where I live, I could look out the window and see who it is. Actually had the police come by over a non existent barking dog at that time, once. That was a set up by someone, and it backfired. There was a dog, it was not barking until the police got here. Our next door neighbor said so. Neighbor in fact says he likes the dog barking, as then he can go out and catch whoever is taking things at his house. That does not relate to your question, I know. Long time ago, I saw what I thought was suspicious behavior at a neighboring business, called the cops. I guess I have great confidence in our police, here, as they told me to call immediately if I ever have any suspicions. They would rather be called, and not needed, than not called, and needed. I would say that calling the cops was the right thing for you to have done.

We have windows near the door so I would've looked out the window. But if you couldn't see anyone and they kept doing it then I would probably call the police. That would worry me because I wouldn't want people sneaking around on my property and I sure wouldn't want someone breaking in.

You did the right thing in the moment. What you shuld do now is to insure that front door is secure. Do you have a good deadbolt? If not have one installed ASAP. Also make sure you have a peephole installed so you can see who is there. If they would not respond to you asking who they were they clearly were up to no good. At best it was a prank. At worst it was someone who hoped you would answer and who knows where it would go from there. Make sure all outside doors are secured and locked every night. Never answer a door when you are not expecting someone. This is true of early evening also. Had they had a ligitimate reason to be thier they would have answered you back.

I have a peep hole in my door so I would have looked, if not being able to see I would have asked like you did. If I still didn't recieve an answer I would send my husband through the back door with a bat or other weapon to see who was at the front door. I don't take lightly to that kind of behavior, but its kind of scary as well. I'd mostly likely call the cops before sending my husband around too, or at least tell my neighboors or something.

AS such there is alot of peace in my place where I reside if this could be the incident with me i would have first ask the person to tell about is identity who he is without opening the door and if I am suspicious about the person i may do what you had done . to call th epolice to look into the matter.

It's good that you never opened your door. It's good to be extra careful these days. If it was an urgent matter, that someone may have immediately identified himself when you asked who it was. You better double lock your doors and get ready to call the police if the worst comes. If it were daytime, it could have been different, but at 1:30 A.M.? That's more reason for you to suspect that your "visitor" could be up to something bad.

Of course all people's priority is one's safety.for me i would do the same,because having a visitor in the wee hour of the morning,will of course scare you,especially with a strong and constant knocking.,and when you try to see whos outside no one is there, its really scary and dangerous especailly now adays that a lot of dangerous mind outside,and you can never expect what will happened so it is much better to be safe and alert,or as much as possible call the authority for help.Because as for me i will never answer a knock nor open the door not unless whos behind the door.especially when im home alone.

If I were in the same situation,I think I wouldn't call the police.I think I would see who it is clearly first,and then decide to do what.If I couldn't see it,I would hold some arms or anything to protect myself or I wouldn't answer the door and go on sleep.My friends may think I am crazy or make fool of them if I phone to them to ask help.Don't know my answer is right or not.HEHE

I have my door locked with my standard lock, and I have another inner lock that can not be accessed from the outside, Even if the person has a key, they can not get in if I have the inner lock locked. I would just ignore the knock, or call the police if I thought something was wrong.

I would ask who it was, repeated. Then if I was out bed; I'd back my huge powerchair (weighing 500 pounds) against the door. If in bed, and sacred I'd call they police because I can't get out bed myself.

I can't remember if I've answered this discussion before, but if not here I go.. I wouldn't have called anybody, 'cause I have no one to call. I wouldn't necessarily have called the police were I you, I woulda called someone I knew that lived nearby. Me..I would've grabbed my loverly hunting knife, tucked it into my sleep pants, obscuring it with the shirt and answered the door. I wouldn't have asked who's there either, I figure..if it's an enemy, I'd do better with the element of surprise..I wouldn't turn on any lights either, since I'm originally from the country and I've known darker nights than we ever get here in the city and see just fine in the dark. I'd peak out the window, since they probably can't see me inside here..AND then answer. I'm a small girl but usually I can take care of myself. I mean, I've gotten myself out of stickier situations than some jerk knocking on my door in the middle of the night who's possible a robber. And I figure if I can't deal with a small time crook I deserve to die anyway *laughs* If it was a crook and I managed to deal with him, I'd THEN call the cops and tell him to either pick him up, or if he escaped what he looked like. If I'm hurt I'd then ask for an ambulance lol.

Hello,filmbuff,when someone was knocking the door late at night,i would not open the door in the first place, i would ask them who they are first,if i did not know the person,i might not open the door,and it also depends on what they were asking. I would not open the door if i though they were bad people. In your country,I think it is better not to open the door anytime,i have heard that some robbers tried to put a crying baby at the front door of a household and lure the people inside to open the door,then the robbers intrude into the house and loot the houseowners.

Well, normally I'd ask who it was and if they identified themselves, whether I know the name or not, I'd open the door and see what they want (you never know, there could be some kind of emergency and they need help or something), but not saying anything is a bit odd. I'd turn on any porch/outside lights and then get a look at 'em through a window if possible, then if they didn't seem threatening open the door. If they did look a little shady, well, it all depends. I guess if I had some way to arm myself, I might, and then open the door. I don't know if I'd call the police right away, but it would probably cross my mind.

I would ask him what he want and if it's a good girl I would let her enter :).