Not answering calls from private numbers

seamus

robinph wrote:

And I don't answer the door unless I'm expecting someone, like the pizza guy. But that is not due to being scared of who might be on the other side of the door, it's just because I cannot be bothered as I know they have nothing interesting to say to me. They will just want to ask me to vote for them or they are trying to sell me something, so why bother getting up to then just shut the door in their faces.

Amen brother!

Sometimes I'll even look through the glass to make sure I don't know them

Seriously, I don't even want to tell Jehovah's Witnesses to **** off, so I don't bothering answering the door to them.

Personally I dont answer private numbers, when was the last time someone rang you from private number to give you good news eh?

Yesterday. I was offered my new job.

There's no reason whatsoever not to answer a private number. I've never once recieved a telesales call on my mobile... I'm not in the habit of handing it out to companies. If I get a prank call, which is very very rare, I have a bit of craic with them. If I get an abusive call, which really is very very rare, I simply hang up. Hardly a life threatening ordeal. If it's a wrong number, which is just as likely to happen with a non-private number, I say you must have the wrong number. Not a problem. Maybe I'm just a well rounded, sociable, non-judgemental, paranoid free chappie.

To the people who don't answer private numbers, you must think very highly of yourselves to think that people would be bothered to call you for reasons beneath your attention.

markk06

Deleted User wrote:

Yesterday. I was offered my new job.

There's no reason whatsoever not to answer a private number. I've never once recieved a telesales call on my mobile... I'm not in the habit of handing it out to companies. If I get a prank call, which is very very rare, I have a bit of craic with them. If I get an abusive call, which really is very very rare, I simply hang up. Hardly a life threatening ordeal. If it's a wrong number, which is just as likely to happen with a non-private number, I say you must have the wrong number. Not a problem. Maybe I'm just a well rounded, sociable, non-judgemental, paranoid free chappie.

To the people who don't answer private numbers, you must think very highly of yourselves to think that people would be bothered to call you for reasons beneath your attention.

You my friend hit the nail on the head!

InFront

robinph wrote:

And I don't answer the door unless I'm expecting someone, like the pizza guy. But that is not due to being scared of who might be on the other side of the door, it's just because I cannot be bothered as I know they have nothing interesting to say to me. They will just want to ask me to vote for them or they are trying to sell me something.

Friends? Family? Neighbours?

If the private number isn't somone you want to talk to there is a magical red button on your phone that makes them go away

Random

People agree with me finally! I'm not alone in my far fetched ideas!

robinph

InFront wrote:

Friends? Family? Neighbours?

Freinds would have called me before coming round, family would need to call me for directions before calling round and the neigbours have always managed to catch me as I am entering or leaving the house to hand me the wrongly delivered post.

It's not actually that I never answer unknown numbers or callers to the door, it all depends on my mood at the time, but that I am perfectly happy with ignoring phone calls or knocks on the door when I'm doing something more interesting and don't wish to be disturbed. Just because someone else decides that they might have reason to call me at some particular time does not mean that I have to drop everything to accomodate them and I don't feel the slightest bit guilty about ignoring them as some of you seem to think that I should.

5starpool

robinph wrote:

And I don't answer the door unless I'm expecting someone, like the pizza guy. But that is not due to being scared of who might be on the other side of the door, it's just because I cannot be bothered as I know they have nothing interesting to say to me. They will just want to ask me to vote for them or they are trying to sell me something, so why bother getting up to then just shut the door in their faces.

Thats the spirit that makes a community!!!!

User45701

i answer my phone from every number that rings. It could be important

The Bollox

User45701 wrote:

i answer my phone from every number that rings. It could be important

or it could be someone you REALLY don't want to talk to like an ex, or boss / colleague looking for you to work today

galah

well, I never answer private numbers on my mobile, but I was stalked before so I have a good excuse.

If it's important, people can alway text and ask to ring them back, or call the landline (at home or at work...)

Will always answer private number on the landline, though (but then again, only really important people have my landline number..;-)

ruprect

InFront wrote:

Originally Posted by ruprect
If I look out the door and do not recognise the person I won't bother to answer either. If they really wanted to contact you they would leave a note in the door, or a message on the phone.

Why not? It's such an unnecessarily drawn out way of contacting someone. I can't believe someone just wouldn't bother answering the door like that. They could be telling you that your garden is on fire or want to offer you a million dollars or anything. I find the suspense terrific, a bit like a private number.

As I had said, a salesperson canvasser etc is not going to bang hard on my door, like my mate would. If the garden was on fire I expect they would bang a bit harder or call 999 like it is recommended most people do in a real emergency, just like if they rang the doorbell and got no answer. I know plenty of people who have a family and friends "ring", 3 short bursts or similar. I always knew when a traveller was at the door of my old house, for some reason 99% of them hold onto the bell for about 4-5seconds.
As for the million dollars I get enough post in my letterbox telling me I have won a million pounds so it wouldnt bother me if I missed out

A better analogy would be not answering your door because you don't know who is on the other side.

A better analogy would be going up to your door which has no peephole and asking "who is it", then the person with the phone set to private is the same as the person at the door saying "I am not telling you, now open your door"

what do you do if someone calls the house and you dont have caller ID?

As I had said before you simply take the chance. Why do you use a spam filter you could be missing out on great deals on viagra.

95%+ of the calls I get on my mobile are displayed people I know. Of the private numbers I have gotten on my phone answered first time 95%+ of them I did not want to answer. So now I wait and see if they ring 3 times, in which case if they do it is about 90% a mate ringing

If the private number isn't somone you want to talk to there is a magical red button on your phone that makes them go away

Many said it was their boss that might ring who will not appreciate you hanging up.

Sir Oxman

Deleted User wrote:

Yesterday. I was offered my new job.

There's no reason whatsoever not to answer a private number. I've never once recieved a telesales call on my mobile... I'm not in the habit of handing it out to companies. If I get a prank call, which is very very rare, I have a bit of craic with them. If I get an abusive call, which really is very very rare, I simply hang up. Hardly a life threatening ordeal. If it's a wrong number, which is just as likely to happen with a non-private number, I say you must have the wrong number. Not a problem. Maybe I'm just a well rounded, sociable, non-judgemental, paranoid free chappie.

To the people who don't answer private numbers, you must think very highly of yourselves to think that people would be bothered to call you for reasons beneath your attention.

A. There are many reasons not to bother with private numbers as posted in many replies here.

B. You are judgmental (see third highlighted bit)

Tell you what, I'll answer a private number if, and only if I have applied for a new job/am expecting a business-realted call or somesuch. Is that okay?

PS I'm not overly paranoid either. Or judgemental (much)

copacetic

ruprect wrote:

A better analogy would be going up to your door which has no peephole and asking "who is it", then the person with the phone set to private is the same as the person at the door saying "I am not telling you, now open your door"

Mr. Presentable

I usually answer Private Number calls, but never Number Withheld ones

aidan24326

I will answer a private number in the following circumstances only.

1. I'm expecting a business type call (re: a job or some such) in the daytime, business numbers may come up as private.

2. I'm expecting a call from someone who's out of the country or in a place where their call might show up as a private number.

Other than that I generally don't answer private numbers. If it's something important or anything (or anyone) that I might be vaguely interested in they can leave a voicemail and I'll call back (maybe).

Is that okay?

I couldn't give a sh!te what calls you answer!

Random

nipplenuts wrote:

I usually answer Private Number calls, but never Number Withheld ones

What?

Sam Vimes

nipplenuts wrote:

I usually answer Private Number calls, but never Number Withheld ones

i don't think you quite understand the concept there. some phones say "private number", some say "number withheld". its the same thing

WindSock

I will answer a private number sometimes, if I am expecting a call. If I answer it and it is from a person I know I will challenge them as to why they have their number withheld.

bolliwoodi

irishpartyboy wrote:

We didn't always have called ID on the mobile network, think it only introduced in 98. We always answered calls before then..

yes because back then every teenager didnt have a mobile phone to prank people with:D

i never answer them- and im glad i dont- being pranked just annoys me and after months of it i just didnt bother answering them

Tar.Aldarion

nipplenuts wrote:

I usually answer Private Number calls, but never Number Withheld ones

I see. I don't answer my phone, apart from when I answer it.

MrMufti

Deleted User wrote:

I answer private numbers because people who are close to me have their numbers blocked for unknown reasons, and my family number is ex-directory.

It's everyones right to block their number; and everyones right not to answer blocked numbers.

Like boneyarsebogman our family number (for historical reasons) is blocked and unless calls come at certain times I reject all unlisted calls; a message can be left and I pick up the tab - which is generous of me if it's home.

You'll never get agreement on this one, all. It's a new toy on a new toy and we're still working out the etiquette!

Good luck to all but please don't hit each other too hard!

MrMufti

event wrote:

so, all the people who dont answer to hidden numbers, what do you do if someone calls the house and you dont have caller ID?

What's a 'house' phone?

Miguel_Sanchez

While I understand why some people don't like answering calls from private numbers I don't really think that the analogy of someone being at the door demanding that you open it works.

When you open your door to someone you are affording them the opportunity to enter your home. When you answer the phone you aren't, you can just hang up whenever you want. They can't stick a foot in the phone and stop you, like they can do with your door if you try to close it on them.

Anyways, it's great to see how such an uncontentious issue like answering the phone has been turned into a raging debate! I wonder how long before we see canvassing politicians being harrassed by boards members for their views on private number calls!

Sir Oxman

Deleted User wrote:

I couldn't give a sh!te what calls you answer!

That was :rolleyes:

Ya care enough to label me paranoid, socially insecure and high and mighty!!

Good Luck!

x Purple Pawprints x

I never answer calls from private numbers. I've been pranked a lot so I don't answer them.

marco_polo

I am more likely to not answer the phone if I can see who it is. Probably because I one or two "friends" who are best administered in small doses, preferably while drunk .

ruprect

Jeff_Lebowski wrote:

While I understand why some people don't like answering calls from private numbers I don't really think that the analogy of someone being at the door demanding that you open it works.

I was only saying it was a better analogy than people simply refusing to answer the door to anybody you don't know/regonize. It was not about people demanding you open the door, and the potential for attack.

It is people refusing to let you know who they are in cases where they are able to (i.e. people ringing from mobiles they specifically blocked rather than people calling from some phone that they have no control over.)

The analogy is people in both cases are keeping their identity secret when they have every capability to let you know who they are. Therefore many people presume they have something to hide or they wouldnt be hiding.

Mr. Presentable

Commander Vimes wrote:

i don't think you quite understand the concept there. some phones say "private number", some say "number withheld". its the same thing

Is it the same? There's also Number Unavailable. Is that the same too? I thought, wrongly it seems, that Private Number was unlisted and Number Withheld was selectively withheld by a setting on the phone. Now I'm confused.