I have heard people saying stuff like that happens. But my camera shows the entire walk up to my house. So no real way they could get to my front door without being seen.

Yeah weird situation, curious what the actual story is here.

Actually, all solved. I updated the original post. So basically, after I posted video of it on a neighborhood networking page, a friend of my gf’s reached out. She asked if she could post on her social media as well. And that worked. Because someone identified the girl, and contacted the girl.

Turns out, she was going home from a friends house, got turned around and a little lost since it was dark. Her phone died. My house had living room lights on and I also have a cute “Little Free Library” sharing library in my front yard, so she felt safe knocking and asking for directions.

When I didn’t answer she went back to the main street, figured out her where she was, and made it home fine.

I still feel bad that I missed her out there, but very relieved that all turned out well and ended up being not being a big deal. And happy it wasn’t a scam, like so many were saying. :)

I’m still convinced there is something pretty wrong in some law enforcement avenues

Oh no doubt. But from news media, I think non-US people get the impression that this is just a lawless wild-west scenario, and if you run into a police officer, you life is in danger!

Not like that at all. Also the news you see is mostly from crowded inner cities. Most of the US is quiet, peaceful rural towns or quiet suburbia. My neighborhood is near a park and schools. I can walk out and hear kids playing outside. Flying kites on a windy day. Kids walk down my street to the ice cream shop. People walking their dogs.

The vast vast majority of US is just people being nice and going on with their lives. And that’s not news. News is a shooting or trial etc.

And Lemmy especially is not a good indicator of the US at all. Most lemmy commenters are computer nerds in cities who rarely leave their houses and are anti-social, and make political strife and chaos a part of their identity.

Most of the US is boring. Which is a good thing. But boring isn’t news.

Thank you!

Yeah, the whole experience has taught me something. There def is a danger of people baiting. See someone in distress, answer door, then boom, two people off to the side rush in. Hasn’t happened in my area yet, but even on the Nextdoor app, people were weary of it.

So I’ll find a happy inbetween. I think from now on, as soon as I hear doorbell, I’ll check cam and just talk to person thru the cam and if it’s someone in distress, let them know that police will be here shortly.

Unless daytime. I’m out and about in my yard pretty often during the day, and I feel pretty secure. But I was pretty disheartened at how rough the Nextdoor crowd was–and the video was on there, so they saw the girl. Some were understanding, and like I mentioned, one happened to be a friend of my gf, and managed to track down the girl through her social contacts.

But I’d say vast majority were saying, “Scam! Good thing you didn’t open door!” lol

I thought I heard a sigh of relief so massive it circled the world twice.

That was just about how loud my sigh was. I had talked to neighbors, the police, the convience store down the street. Checking news. And it was all for nothing, she’s fine. I am so relieved. Nextdoor saved the day tho. I usually hate that app because it’s a bunch of Karen’s bitching about everything. But one took the vid I posted, showed her friends, and mystery solved. :)

Oh wow no fucking kidding you’re a goddamned boomer.

Actually early retirement. I’m not a boomer.

our post is EXPLICITLY TITLED so as to ask how to even further insulate yourself from the outside world

What?! What are you even talking about? It didn’t say anything about insulating myself from the world. I go out all the time. You seem ill.

And even if it is they can fucking wait! I’m the fucking center of the universe!

What are you going on about?! Dude, do you realize that Amazon doesn’t wait for us to answer the door? They leave packages and then leave. What makes you think I was intentionally making anyone wait?! lol

A woman was looking for help and in distress,

Again, you need to read the fucking post, guy. When I went to get my package, no one was there. Then I check the cam and saw her. I didn’t ignore her. I didn’t know she was there.

You are so in the mood to be mad about something, that you didn’t even read the post.

Also, i’ve already added an update. She was fine. My gf’s friend took the vid and identified her on the Nextdoor app and she reached out to say she was fine and her phone was dead.

You literally ranted on and on about nothing. What’s it like being so angry all the time? lmao

Girl was identified thru my Nextdoor posting of the vid. She was just lost, dead phone, but made it home fine.

Girl was identified thru my Nextdoor posting of the vid. She was just lost, dead phone, but made it home fine.

I posted it vid on my local Nextdoor. And today someone recognized her, and contacted her. So she did need help, but not lifethreating. Phone died, she needed directions because she was turned around. But she recognized the next street over and made it home fine! :)

Nextdoor citizen solved it. Police did not! lol

You’re fucking sick in the head. Stop being so fucking anti-social.

First, I’m not anti social. I was folding laundry. Decided I would just go out and grab the package after I was done. And for the record, in my area, amazon drops it off, rings doorbell and practically jogs/runs back to their truck, to make next delivery. I’ve never answered the door in time to talk to them, even when I answer right away.

I think you misunderstood the entire post.

Dude, I was in backroom of house, doing laundry. Doorbell rang, I figured it was delivery. So I finished laundry up, went to front porch. Saw no package, THEN I checked security cam and saw girl on camera. And immediately called police as I went into street looking for her.

This wasn’t a case of me avoiding the door or people. I talk to people out and about all day every day. I’m retired. Dude, step back.

EDIT: Girl was identified thru my Nextdoor posting of the vid. She was just lost, dead phone, but made it home fine.

Yeah, it’s weird. And yes, I am in the states. And actually police are pretty trustworthy here, it’s just the bad ones that make the news, and the bad news is what everyone reads.

But in this case, the police just seemed like it wasn’t worth the effort. And that may be true. I posted on a neighborhood site and the vast majority said it was probably just a scam or someone wanting to ask for money.

Now that I’ve had time to reflect, I’m not as upset by it. Because there were plenty of other places on my street and in this part of town that she could have gone if really in distress. Still wish I would have answered the door sooner, but I’ve followed the local news since, and it doesn’t seem like anything bad happened. So probably all worked out.

I have cam footage from both my driveway leading up to my porch and my porch. No one is with her as she comes up to porch or as she walks away from porch. She may still have been a scammer, but it wasn’t that scam.

Good point. On the other hand, if she’s missing maybe someone knows her or recognizes her.

Thanks for that!

Yeah, I have heard of that scam. And I think it’s a real thing, but not in this case–at least for that scam. Because my vid shows her walking up and walking away alone.

But I think I’ve finally relaxed and am not as worried for her as I was. Lots of houses here. Lots of stores down the street less than a block away. And she didn’t run to or from my door. So whatever it was, it def didn’t appear life threatening as in she was in immediate danger.

I have two cars in my driveway as well. Truck and a jeep. So I don’t think anyone was scouting my house thinking I’m little old lady. I’ve watched the video over and over. No torn clothes. Hair was up in a neat bun. Wasn’t crying.

But the out of breath part and the saying she needed help because something terrible happened is what sorta is sticking with me. Even tho, since I wrote the post and cleared my thoughts a bit, who actually says that outloud when talking to themselves?! And the lack of urgency in the walking to and from my door is strange. But also, I know that people under stress react differently, so…

What does disappoint me tho, is how little the police seemed to worry about it. They just didn’t see it as a big deal. I played the vid. They agreed it was strange. But no one asked for copy of my vid or screen shot the vid or anything. I checked missing persons site for my area. Checked police blotter. No missing people that match this. So I guess I’ll just have to accept I did what I did. And if something does happen, then I have a time stamp, so I’m saving the vid.

Nah, you admitted it. All good now.

I will vote, because as of yet I don’t live in a fascist dictatorship.

So you are refuting what you said earlier. Good job!

I’m sure you can vote next election, just like they do in russia and north Korea.

Again no proof. So are you just gonna refrain from voting next election then? Since you think it won’t count. First you said you wouldn’t be able. NOW you’re saying it just won’t count. So what are you gonna do about it?

Again, you have no proof that we won’t be able to vote next election. Because there is no proof that says that.

Show me the laws or the constitutional amendment.

There is no law or constitutional amendment that says we won’t be able to vote in next election. And you have no proof that we won’t be able to vote in next election.

I think we will be able to vote in the election just fine.

That’s not the discussion. You said we wouldn’t be able to vote in the next election. I asked for proof. You provided none, because there is no proof of that.