Assholes and secure buildings

[christopher575]

Why don't people understand how to act at the door of a secure building? If a resident or manager doesn't buzz you in or escort you in, you simply have no business being there, period. This is true even if you're there to do work.

Yesterday some guy who looked shockingly like this post's icon was at my front door as I walked up and I said, "Excuse me" as I went past him to go in. He walked up behind me and grabbed the door, so I turned around and said, "I can't let you in." He wouldn't let go of the door so I said, "Please let go of the door."

He had his cell phone up to his ear, presumably calling the person upstairs he was there to see, and just ignored me, holding steadily onto the door. "Let go of the door!" I repeated. Finally he whined back "Noooooo." I said, "I'm not going to let you in," and he bitchily answered, "Then just stand here a minute!" 

Nope, there's no genuine reason for me to, especially if you don't say who you are or what your business is. Nobody has any business trying to piggyback into a secure building. I stood there for a moment and he finally released his doughy hand, at which point I pulled the door all the way closed behind me and went down to get the mail.

As I came back up, he'd been buzzed in and was on his way. So basically I guess his plan was to follow me in and knock on their door? No, don't do that. People who live in secure buildings want you to be buzzed in. They aren't expecting you to show up at the door unannounced.

That's one thing I don't miss about my last building. It was a lot bigger so there were people out front at the door all the time trying to follow me in. If the person doesn't buzz you in, what are you planning on doing, waiting at their door in the hallway? Fuck off!

EDIT:
I should add a positive example. A few weeks ago there was a real estate agent at the front door who was there to meet a prospective buyer for another unit. I walked up just as she was coming out and she asked if I lived there. I said I did, and she said, "You know, I'm going to go ahead and have you use your key since I don't know who you are." And I thanked her! I don't want her letting some jewel thief in.

I guess if the guy would have replied to me at all instead of standing in silence, we could have come to some sort of understanding, but he just ignored me while listening on his phone.

EDIT 2:
I should also add that my arms were full of groceries, making it extra douchey of him to expect me to stand around like that. And be, you know, the perfect target for a "follow you in" scam.

Comments

[frogger414.livejournal.com]

a-friggen-man but didn't you get the memo on people and their entitlement issues? UGH!!! You did the right thing (you knew that already).

[christopher575.livejournal.com]

Seriously the last thing anyone wants if they're naked is to hear a knock on the door instead of the intercom buzzing.

[scearley.livejournal.com]

I have to go through this crap all the time at work. 8th floor: heavy secure. We deal with foreign government's documentation. 9th floor: company training rooms. People from ANYWHERE popping in and doing whatever. Some come down looking for "hotel space" to work and...oof.

It got really weird, though, when Sun was bought and not everyone who worked on my floor got the right access passes.

[dergerm.livejournal.com]

Uuuuuugh, seriously though, I hate people like that. In my complex it happens a lot, because I live next to a university so a lot of people go in and out. And sometimes people just leave/enter at the same time as you, so it's no big to just let someone in the door or get let in. but the way the man acted with you was just childish and ridiculous.

One example of a bad let-in time though was when my older sister was leaving the complex and let two guys in (I was there when she did, just walking her to the door). Turns out these guys were some of those door-to-door magazine subscription selling types, and they harassed the shit out of people. Fucking dude stood in my doorway so I couldn't close it when he was there (yes, I stupidly opened the door). Fucking people.

[badrobot68.livejournal.com]

Yeah, there are people waiting outside of my door EVERY SINGLE DAY just waiting to walk in behind someone. Sometimes I use the back door just to avoid all of them. I don't get it. If the person isn't answering their buzzer, you don't get to come in!

[christopher575.livejournal.com]

Seriously, there's not a visitor's lounge for you to make yourself a snack or anything. GO AWAY.

[badrobot68.livejournal.com]

Almost every day I have to use the line "I can't let you in." I'm sick of it. One guy even started yelling "I live here but they never gave me a key!" yeah, right. You don't have a key to your own building? Go die.

[christopher575.livejournal.com]

Just say, "I can call the resident manager or the police. Which would you prefer?"

At my last building I went to the back whenever possible.

[badrobot68.livejournal.com]

When AJ comes over, I always meet him at the back door. (That sounded dirty.)

[christopher575.livejournal.com]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8IFCcsjSOzU

[monsterbrain.livejournal.com]

"I live here but they never gave me a key!"

That's like trying to use a slimjim on a car and when approached by a cop say "I bought this car, but they never gave me a key!"

[badrobot68.livejournal.com]

Exactly! I was like "How did you move in?" Idiot.

[entropic-system.livejournal.com]

I'm good at piggybacking into places. I guess I just look like I belong. Thankfully, I don't have any nefarious intentions, but it does make me a little aware, especially when I work in a really secure building that animal rights activists would LOVE to blow up.

[nicolemarieh.livejournal.com]

i have piggybacked on my neighbors a few times when i forgot my gate key ^_^ one time a woman didnt want to let me in but i begged and named my landlord + the building manager and said what unit i lived in, and then she relented because i had all that info. thankfully!

at my building people are pretty good about standing off to the side to wait for their person to let them in. if someone does want to come in behind me i ask who they are here for / what unit they are going to. if they know that then i figure its probably okay and they arent some annoying salesperson, but if they dont know then i dont let them in.

[christopher575.livejournal.com]

Do you keep your gate key separate from your door key or do you leave without your keys?

[nicolemarieh.livejournal.com]

leave without my keys, when i'm just taking tanner out. its been a long time since i locked myself out because im in the habit of grabbing them now, but when i first moved in i did it a few times a week -_-

[gonzo-md.livejournal.com]

Same shit happens right at my building, not too far away from you. The HOA has been throwing a fucking fit about security issues, and rightfully so. People are sometimes just too goddamned nice and let people piggyback in.

And then they wonder why their cars in the underground lot get broken into...

[christopher575.livejournal.com]

Oh actually I moved and we aren't neighbors any more! But yeah, down there it suuuucked.

You guys have a security camera, you could totally use it to tell who let who in. :)

[gonzo-md.livejournal.com]

Where do you live now mothafucka?

[christopher575.livejournal.com]

Close to the Safeway that's at 15th and John.

[gonzo-md.livejournal.com]

ah, good lookout point

[muriel-puce.livejournal.com]

Good for you for sticking to your guns.

I hate that awkward moment when I'm approaching the building and a visitor has called someone on the intercom. Will they pick up and buzz this person in? Will they try to piggy-back? And if so, will I have to be a hard-ass and bar the door for 5 seconds until they get buzzed in?

Oh the perils of city living.

[christopher575.livejournal.com]

At least your back door is pretty close. You should go there!

I actually usually enter through the back gate just in case

[gordreece.livejournal.com]

Self entitlement.

The managers of our buildings have threatened to evict anyone they catch letting strangers into the building. The threat is rife with issues, but, I think everyone appreciated the sentiment. I've refused people only to have them buzzed in right away. But, tough shit.

Stood nose to nose with a Nazi skinhead in the 90s who was part of a group of squatters. It was 4am and I had just finished cleaning a bar. I think the look on my face was "don't even fucking try" and he relented after I stood there for a minute at least glaring at him. He was at least a foot taller than me. Don't know what the fuck I was thinking.

[crushdmb.livejournal.com]

Ugh. My ex used to piggyback in, usually at the parking lot gate, and then come knocking at my door, and wonder why I'd get pissed. Once I wasn't even expecting him. I was like, really? REALLY? NO. CREEPY. ANNOYING. GO AWAY. And he wonders why he's my ex...