# Naked bleeding man on your porch at midnight: Let him in? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 20, 2011, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naked-bleeding-man-on-your-porch-at-midnight-let-him-in/568319 "2011-01-20T14:33:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![geneb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a88e4f/32.png) [@geneb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/geneb)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2011, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naked-bleeding-man-on-your-porch-at-midnight-let-him-in/568319/41 "2011-01-20T17:41:46Z")
> [@](#): > > I’m curious, not to hijack the thread, but would opinions change if the person at the door was a female instead. If the person were female I’d likely let her in, yeah. Same as if the person was elderly or a child. (And before anyone blows the feminist whistle on me, I am not comparing women to children or the elderly. It’s a matter of my ability to overpower them if need be. If it was a strong looking elderly man or a woman who is bigger than me, I wouldn’t let them in but I would still stay outside with them.) ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2011, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naked-bleeding-man-on-your-porch-at-midnight-let-him-in/568319/42 "2011-01-20T17:44:41Z")
I know basic self-defense, but not knowing the entire situation\* I’d stay inside, throw out clothes and blankets, and call 911. \*Worst Case Scenerio: 12 guys with weapons could have beaten him, stripped him naked, and are waiting in the wings to rush into my house as soon as I let the poor guy in. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2011, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naked-bleeding-man-on-your-porch-at-midnight-let-him-in/568319/43 "2011-01-20T17:49:15Z")
I have plenty of _non_-latex gloves (allergy) which I use in kitchen and cleaning work. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2011, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naked-bleeding-man-on-your-porch-at-midnight-let-him-in/568319/44 "2011-01-20T17:59:09Z")
I would stay in the house and call 911, mrAru who is a trained EMT would go out with various supplies and work the guy until the EMS and cops arrived. ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2011, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naked-bleeding-man-on-your-porch-at-midnight-let-him-in/568319/45 "2011-01-20T18:05:45Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > \*Worst Case Scenerio: 12 guys with weapons could have beaten him, stripped him naked, and are waiting in the wings to rush into my house as soon as I let the poor guy in. And they’re riding on bears. There has been a disturbing number of home invasions in my area lately, granted they’re generally against the elderly and on the “other” side of the tracks but I’m not opening my door for anyone anymore unless they’re expected. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2011, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naked-bleeding-man-on-your-porch-at-midnight-let-him-in/568319/46 "2011-01-20T18:06:43Z")
Of course I’d let them in. Why should that even be a question? If he’s naked, he has no weapon, so isn’t a threat, and stripping naked and making oneself bleed would be a ptrert elaborate ruse just to get into someone’s house. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2011, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naked-bleeding-man-on-your-porch-at-midnight-let-him-in/568319/47 "2011-01-20T18:09:39Z")
If he’s naked, he isn’t armed (I am not worried about AIDS). It is forecast to get down to -16 Farenheit - if I don’t let him in, he is at risk of dying. I would assume he is nuts (the article says he was). Let him in, and call 911. Wrap him in a blanket while I get a sweat suit or something for him to wear. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2011, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naked-bleeding-man-on-your-porch-at-midnight-let-him-in/568319/48 "2011-01-20T18:10:00Z")
I picked “Stay inside and call 911 but throw blankets/other materials out to him” but it really depends on what sort of bleeding we’re talking about. Cuts and scrapes? My answer stands. A **serious** bleeding injury? I guess he’s coming inside and I’ll be trying to remember the highlights of the redcross first aid class I took ten year ago. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2011, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naked-bleeding-man-on-your-porch-at-midnight-let-him-in/568319/49 "2011-01-20T18:11:21Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > Of course I’d let them in. Why should that even be a question? If he’s naked, he has no weapon, so isn’t a threat, and stripping naked and making oneself bleed would be a ptrert elaborate ruse just to get into someone’s house. Dunno, maybe the guy is mentally ill and once inside will think that I am an incarnation of the Devil and start attacking me or something. Not terribly likely, I’ll grant you. If this hypothetical person seemed rational and was saying, “I need help, I’ve been beaten and robbed!” I probably would just let him in, yeah. If he seemed like he were seeing things or was not entirely rational, I’m not sure I would, although I sure as hell would not just let him stand naked outside in freezing weather without doing something to help keep him warm. As for blood-borne diseases, I don’t really care. I don’t know the odds of getting AIDS from someone getting someone’s blood on your skin, but I know that it’s low enough that I’m not going to let that stop me from rendering aid to a person in trouble. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2011, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naked-bleeding-man-on-your-porch-at-midnight-let-him-in/568319/50 "2011-01-20T18:12:25Z")
I’ve had a lot of sketchy people knocking on my door at night in my neighborhood - not so many since I got a big ugly dog, mind you. If I were home alone, no way would I open the door, sorry. If my boyfriend was here, I doubt we’d let him in the house but we’d confer on it. Probably we’d throw out a blanket or two, but we’d be armed. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2011, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naked-bleeding-man-on-your-porch-at-midnight-let-him-in/568319/51 "2011-01-20T18:12:50Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > Of course I’d let them in. Why should that even be a question? If he’s naked, he has no weapon, so isn’t a threat, and stripping naked and making oneself bleed would be a ptrert elaborate ruse just to get into someone’s house. Yeah, exactly. As I’ve scrolled down this thread my jaw has scrolled down with it. There’s a hell of a lot of paranoid selfish people on this board. ---
**Author:** ![Snickers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Snickers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snickers)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2011, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naked-bleeding-man-on-your-porch-at-midnight-let-him-in/568319/52 "2011-01-20T18:17:13Z")
I live in Minnesota. Tomorrow it’s supposed to be -20, _during the daytime_. Of course I let him in and give him whatever help I’m able to, in addition to calling authorities. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2011, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naked-bleeding-man-on-your-porch-at-midnight-let-him-in/568319/53 "2011-01-20T18:19:53Z")
> [@Colophon](#): > > Yeah, exactly. As I’ve scrolled down this thread my jaw has scrolled down with it. There’s a hell of a lot of paranoid selfish people on this board. I posed the same question on my parenting board, and the vast majority of responders there were in the “I wouldn’t even give him a blanket” category. The consensus seems to be that someone naked and bleeding is clearly going to try to harm you in some way and it would not be safe even to open a window to throw a blanket onto the porch for him. Too risky; won’t someone think of the children; not their problem; etc. They have now moved onto the self-congratulatory “Don’t feel bad; I wouldn’t open the door either and it doesn’t make you a bad person” part of the discussion. I am having a hard time ignoring the fact that many of these people have Scriptural quotations as part of their sig files. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2011, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naked-bleeding-man-on-your-porch-at-midnight-let-him-in/568319/54 "2011-01-20T18:20:18Z")
> [@Colophon](#): > > Yeah, exactly. As I’ve scrolled down this thread my jaw has scrolled down with it. There’s a hell of a lot of paranoid selfish people on this board. Worrying about blood borne diseases seems a little paranoid. But worrying about a mentally ill guy violently doing something to you doesn’t seem so selfish to me. I like to think I’d let the guy in, but I don’t know. ---
**Author:** ![Mrs.Cake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2acd7d/32.png) [@Mrs.Cake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mrs.Cake)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2011, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naked-bleeding-man-on-your-porch-at-midnight-let-him-in/568319/55 "2011-01-20T18:22:00Z")
Number one, no question. But then I’ve been known to pick up hitchhikers on lonely roads. I’m a pretty sturdy lass and know where the household weapons are - I doubt a naked bleeding man in Ohio in January is thinking of anything but getting warm. ---
**Author:** ![Yarster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/7c8e57/32.png) [@Yarster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yarster)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2011, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naked-bleeding-man-on-your-porch-at-midnight-let-him-in/568319/56 "2011-01-20T18:28:25Z")
I’d call 911 first, get them on the cordless phone, grab a blanket, and then let him/her in. While I live in a good neighborhood, I would not discount the idea someone was using this as a trick to get me to open the door and/or had others waiting out of sight to try and rush in. However, I am a big guy and have a dog, and the walkway up to our house does not have any areas where you could hide that I couldn’t spot from the peephole, so the naked guy would pretty much have to knock me over, overwhelm me, and the other bad guys would have to come out from hiding spots over 100 feet away, so I think I’m pretty safe. The fire station is less than a mile from me, and the police substation maybe three miles away, so I would think they would be there very fast in response to such a 911 call. So even if it really was a home invasion, they’d have some real problems from that perspective since the 911 dispatcher would hear all that on my call, and presumably get help help there faster. I’m not worried about the blood or potential disease and I would sacrifice the blanket if the guy/gal truly was a bloody mess. I have a lot of medical supplies and would do my best to treat any wounds until the ambulance or police arrived. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2011, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naked-bleeding-man-on-your-porch-at-midnight-let-him-in/568319/57 "2011-01-20T18:30:57Z")
> [@Freudian\_Slit](#): > > Worrying about blood borne diseases seems a little paranoid. But worrying about a mentally ill guy violently doing something to you doesn’t seem so selfish to me. I like to think I’d let the guy in, but I don’t know. I’ve got plenty of experience handling mentally ill people. Most of them aren’t violent, and if he wasn’t armed, there isn’t much he’d be able to do anyway. I could restrain him until the cops got there. I’d keep him in the little foyer of my house. There isn’t much he could damage down there, and I cpould herd him through the side door into my garage if I had to. I’d rather take a chance on having to scuffle with somebody off of his meds for a few minutes than leaving him outside to potentially die. That would be a tough thing to have to live with. I believing in doing unto others. ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2011, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naked-bleeding-man-on-your-porch-at-midnight-let-him-in/568319/58 "2011-01-20T18:39:59Z")
> [@Colophon](#): > > Yeah, exactly. As I’ve scrolled down this thread my jaw has scrolled down with it. There’s a hell of a lot of paranoid selfish people on this board. I’m not paranoid or selfish, at least I don’t consider myself that way. But I have a duty to my wife that comes before anyone else and that includes creating situations in which one of us might be injured or die. As for the blood thing, AIDS I’m not that worried bout. Hep C on the other hand… ---
**Author:** ![Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swallowed_My_Cellphone)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2011, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naked-bleeding-man-on-your-porch-at-midnight-let-him-in/568319/59 "2011-01-20T18:40:08Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > I’ve got plenty of experience handling mentally ill people. Most of them aren’t violent, and if he wasn’t armed, there isn’t much he’d be able to do anyway. I could restrain him until the cops got there. I’d keep him in the little foyer of my house. There isn’t much he could damage down there, and I cpould herd him through the side door into my garage if I had to. See, this is pretty much my answer too, but the poll didn’t have a “let him in to the foyer” section if the person is agitated and delusional. ETA: That would be for _everyone’s_ safety. Someone who is flipping out could hurt him/herself way worse in the main house and get bitten by a dog. ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2011, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naked-bleeding-man-on-your-porch-at-midnight-let-him-in/568319/60 "2011-01-20T18:53:49Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > \*Worst Case Scenerio: 12 guys with weapons could have beaten him, stripped him naked, and are waiting in the wings to rush into my house as soon as I let the poor guy in. No, this is not the worst case scenario. The worst case scenario is that this is a scam, that he is actually one of the twelve guys with weapons who are using the “naked, bleeding man needs help” ploy to get you to let him into your house, after which they will all join him in a robbery/rape/murder, etc. Of course it doesn’t have to be twelve guys, but it could definitely be a ruse to get into the house, after which he could be joined by an accomplice, etc. I chose the call 911 and provide emergency assistance from safety option, not because I am selfish and don’t want to help an injured person, but because I have no way of knowing if the person is really injured. It’s possible that I might assess the situation and decide that it was safe to let him in – I have let a woman in to use my bathroom before, after concluding that she wasn’t intending harm. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naked-bleeding-man-on-your-porch-at-midnight-let-him-in/568319.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naked-bleeding-man-on-your-porch-at-midnight-let-him-in/568319.md?page=4)