Drop-by, no-call visits: Yay or Nay?

[merithyn]

A discussion at work had me thinking. I grew up in a house that was always open. It wasn't unusual for us to come home from the store to find a friend or two sitting on the back patio, having a beer, chatting and waiting for my parents to come home to visit. I'm pretty much unfazed when someone drops by unannounced, and if I've actually invited folks over, no one bothers to knock.

Two of my co-workers, on the other hand, intensely dislike "drop-bys". If they're going to have visitors, plans must be made, period.

Where do you guys fall on this?

[garbon]

Yuck. I'd pretend to not be home if someone dropped by randomly.

[Ideologue]

Get off my apartment complex's lawn.

[Sheilbh]

Yes. But only if I end up older and living in the countryside.

When I was growing up we had one or two other families and we'd regularly drop by, or they would to us. On more than one occasion my dad (or their mum) would drop by in the afternoon and then end up having to wait until the evening so the more sober, working member of the household could drive us home

It was great for me and the other kids though.

[Grey Fox]

I'm ok with my dad or my girlfriend's parents/siblings dropping by. Anybody else would annoy me.

[derspiess]

When I was a kid I guess we had people coming over semi-randomly.  But in my own house, no I do not like it.  Would like at least a half-hour notice so I can clean up whatever mess the kids made.

[The Larch]

Only if it's somebody I know and I have the slightest bit of advance warning.

Unexpected visits are the norm in the countryside AFAIK, at least that's the case of my parents when they're back in the country, and the same for my grandma.

[The Brain]

I don't answer the door unless I'm expecting someone. So sure, they can knock themselves out.

[Razgovory]

Absolutely not!  But then, I don't really have a lot of friends so it doesn't come up much.

[Zanza]

Isn't that what ubiquitous mobile phones are for? Just give the person a call and ask if it is okay to come by in 20 minutes or whatever.

[Syt]

I don't answer the door unless I'm expecting someone. So sure, they can knock themselves out.

Same here.

[Jacob]

It completely depends on the relationship you have with the people involved, and on the current situation and personality of the visited. There are some people I love have dropping by, and whom I'm happy to drop by on; and many others where I wouldn't possibly dream of doing so.

[Iormlund]

I don't answer the door unless I'm expecting someone. So sure, they can knock themselves out.

Ditto.

[celedhring]

Only if there's a slight word in advance. Something like "Hey, I'm in the neighborhood, it's ok to drop by?" is fine and it's something I do often with friends.

[Monoriu]

First of all, it is impossible for someone to come to my place without my express permission.  The security guards will simply not let them in. 

Having said that, if I find someone waiting for me at the gates unannounced, I will be very pissed.  I'll probably tell them they should come at another time.