You see your neighbor coming up the driveway to ask you a question. It's noon, and you are still in your pj's, and the house is a mess. But you're not worried - you can sit still and drink your coffee undisturbed knowing your door answering butler will take a message.

The doorbell rings, and you hear the outgoing message begin to play in your own voice, "Sorry I can't come to the door right now, but we'd love to call you back at our earliest convenience, so please leave a message at the sound of the doorbell. Have a good day!" Ding Dong.

The neighbor leaves a message at the door, and you take another sip of your coffee. Not a drop is spilled on your paper, and you smile because this was an idea whose time had come to be baked.
-- cdcm, Aug 23 2003

Door-ACTIVATED answering machine http://www.halfbake...Answering_20Machine
useful. Somewhat similar. [Eugene, Oct 17 2004]

Same idea. http://www.ichizen....oat/goat_buzzer.htm
Yup, already baked and better thought out. Longer, anyway. [Eugene, Oct 17 2004, last modified Oct 21 2004]

cannot find the original hb door answer machine - it may have gone away. "Front Door Message Machine"
-- po, Aug 23 2003


It was mine, and I removed it because it's baked.
-- waugsqueke, Aug 23 2003


Very good. On behalf of lazy people everywhere this gets my vote
-- Turkish, Aug 23 2003


<door anwsering machine voice> Hello, I'm not home right now, please help your self to my valuable items inside my house </damv>
-- dickity, Aug 23 2003


That same issue came up when I posted the idea. The point was made that the message taking machine activation is not a clear indication that the user is not at home. It may be that the user is screening visitors. "We're not able to come to the door right now..." was how my message went.
-- waugsqueke, Aug 23 2003


Surey if someone knocks on your door and doesn't get an answer they know that you're not in anyway?
-- lostdog, Aug 25 2003


You could be having a crap.
-- waugsqueke, Aug 25 2003


"We can't come to the door right now. Only Slasher is at home at the moment but he can't operate the doorhandle or take a note as he's a rotweiler"
-- squeak, Aug 25 2003


And even if you did, you DEFINATELY wouldn't answer the door to anyone while you did.
-- lostdog, Aug 25 2003


Let's just say you could be otherwise engaged but still at home.
-- waugsqueke, Aug 25 2003


Say no more, say no more! Know what I mean? *wink wink* *nudge nudge*
-- k_sra, Aug 25 2003


What if I'm getting engaged next month, can I still answer the door?
-- Cedar Park, Aug 26 2003


Shouldn't there be a waiting period before the message?

...

...

...

...

"Hello!" [person jumps] "Please leave a message becouse I cannot come to the door at the moment. I am ether still asleep, taking a crap, naked, or just don't want to awnser the door at the moment because I'm in a bad mood. please leave a message...now" <beeep> [person shakes out of stare and leaves message]
-- tustin, Sep 15 2003



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