SEAT BELT SIGN REMAINS ON AFTER GATE ARR AND FLT ATTENDANT IS CAUGHT OFF GUARD WHEN AGENT OPENS DOOR.

Narrative

WE LANDED IN IAD WITHOUT INCIDENT AND WAS TAXIING TO THE JETBRIDGE. WE STOPPED (THE CREW AND MYSELF; THOUGHT THAT WE HAD STOPPED BTWN RWYS; AS THE STOP APPEARED TO BE SHORTLY AFTER LNDG; AS IN THE TXWY BTWN RWYS). THE SEAT BELT SIGN WAS ON AND THE CREW REMAINED SEATED. THE WINDOWS WERE FOGGED FROM CONDENSATION. SITTING ON THE JUMPSEAT AT DOOR 1L; I DO NOT HAVE A GOOD VIEW OF THE WINDOW. I WOULD HAVE TO LEAVE MY JUMPSEAT AND; AS I THOUGHT WE WERE STILL ON THE RWY (ABRUPT STOP AND SEAT BELT SIGN ON) I STAYED SEATED. ALL OF A SUDDEN THE DOOR AT 1L OPENED. IT SCARED ME TO THE POINT OF JUMPING ACROSS THE GALLEY. IT WAS THE AGENT OPENING THE DOOR. THE DOOR FAIL-SAFE KICKED IN; AS THE DOOR WAS STILL ARMED. ONCE AGAIN; WE HAD NO INDICATION THAT WE WERE AT THE GATE AND THE SEAT BELT SIGN WAS STILL ON. THE AGENT DID NOT 'KNOCK' ON THE DOOR AND I WAS NOT AWARE THAT SHE WAS THERE. I THOUGHT THAT THE DOOR WAS OPENING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE RWY; BY ITSELF. THIS IS AN ALL-NIGHT FLT LEAVING ON AUG/WED/06 AND LNDG ON AUG/THU/06. I WAS VERY ANGRY AT THE AGENT; WHO SCARED ME TO DEATH AND ALL SHE SAID WAS 'I WONDERED WHY THE DOOR WAS SO HARD TO OPEN.' APPARENTLY; THERE WAS ALSO A LIGHT ON SHOWING HER THAT THE DOOR WAS ARMED(??). I DO NOT KNOW WHAT INDICATION THEY HAVE FROM THE OUTSIDE THAT THE DOOR IS STILL ARMED. THIS IS JUST WHAT SHE TOLD ME WHEN SHE OPENED THE DOOR. WE ARRIVED AT THE GATE WITHOUT INCIDENT; BUT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN NICE TO HAVE SOME SORT OF INDICATION THAT WE WERE AT THE GATE...EITHER FROM THE COCKPIT OR THE GATE...PREFERABLY BOTH. THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME FORM OF COM BTWN THE AGENT AND THE CREW THAT TELLS THAT CREW THAT THE AGENT IS THERE AND WANTS TO OPEN THE DOOR...AND THAT IT IS OK TO DO SO.