We can all agree that finding a parking spot, let alone possibly paying for it and reminding which side of the lot it’s on, can be totally annoying.
But no matter how frustrating the process may be, that does not entitle us to a parking spot, agreed the “Am I the A**hole?” (AITA) subReddit.
But Redditor Sofia_193 didn’t think so as she selected a particular parking spot she wanted that wasn’t taken by a car.
But when the guy she confronted about the parking spot questioned her, the Original Poster (OP) wondered if she had taken it too far.
She asked the sub:
“AITA for honking at a man sitting in an empty parking space?”
The OP found a parking spot that she wanted.
“I [29 Female] was in a parking lot yesterday and entered the parking aisle I wanted to park in.”
“This aisle had probably 20 or so spaces, all of which were empty, with just one exception: the very first space in the aisle, the one closest to me, had a man (without a car) crouching in the center of it.”
“He had a backpack open in front of him and it looked like he was searching for something in it. He didn’t appear to see me or hear me since his head was down, and I was driving slowly.”
“I gave a medium-sized honk, and the man jumped up, super startled, and got out of my way.”
The man questioned the OP’s actions.
“Once he was out of the way, I parked in the space.”
“When I got out of my car, the man approached me. ‘Was that really necessary?’ he asked.”
“He gestured to all the other open spaces in that aisle. ‘You couldn’t have pulled your car like 5 feet further into the next space? You really had to scare the s**t out of me like that, and interrupt me while I was searching?'”
“I responded to him that since he’s not a vehicle, he has no right to be occupying that space and that I was legally entitled to it if I wanted it.”
The OP was indignant.
“He questioned me again why I didn’t just pull further, and I responded, ‘Why should I have to?'”
“He finished by warning me that if I do that to the wrong person, I could get a fight or road rage incident started, and he huffed off.”
“Was I in the wrong, should I have just pulled my car further, or was I within my rights to honk?”
“AITA?”
Fellow Redditors weighed in:
- NTA: Not the A**hole
- YTA: You’re the A**hole
- ESH: Everybody Sucks Here
- NAH: No A**holes Here
Some couldn’t believe how entitled the OP had acted.
“YTA. What an entitled a**hole you are, 20 empty parking spaces, and you needed to honk at a pedestrian and take the spot they were standing in.”
“Not only are you completely insufferable but you are wrong, too. There is no law stating pedestrians can’t be walking or stopping in parking lots, and pedestrians have the right of way in parking lots.”
“If he didn’t do what you asked, were you gonna run him over or ask to speak to his manager?” – FraiserLazer
“I hate when drivers get all arrogant in parking lots and expect pedestrians to stay out of their way, when if they hit someone they would be the one in the wrong.”
“If I were the guy in the parking space, I would not have moved. I’ve been hit by a speeding car before, getting hit by one in a parking lot would hurt a lot less, I’d imagine.” – UnluckyDreamer1
“This actually happened to me and my partner. He was looking for something on the passenger side so had the door open. This lady got extremely angry and started beeping, and he moved.”
“Afterward, she was still angry, and he said there are loads of empty spaces you could have gone to any. She said the exact same ‘I’m entitled to park wherever I want.’ YTA, OP.” – lisadelrey
“I was smoking a cigarette, waiting for my ride after work in an almost empty parking lot.”
“A lady pulled in and went to pull into the spot I was standing in, nowhere near the door to the restaurant.”
“I just moved, but it was so weird and uncalled for. I had walked far enough where I wasn’t within earshot, but I totally felt like she was muttering under her breath.”
“It’s totally possible that OP is just an a**hole.” – Quiet_Ad5539
“As someone who has PTSD, this would be especially triggering for literally no f**king reason. What an AH you are, OP.” – Storm_Upstairs
“YTA.”
“He’s right, completely unnecessary rudeness to a person minding their own business trying to find something causing nobody any inconvenience because there were myriad free car spaces.”
“I’m honestly baffled by what goes on in your head that you needed to do this in the first place, let alone get on here and try to solicit support for it.” – HermioneStranger79
“I mean…. how dare that guy be walking in a parking space. Doesn’t he know they’re made for cars only?”
“(ends sarcastic comment) I’m still baffled by OP’s behavior. That was such a petty little power play, bordering on harassment.”
“Hey OP: Let people live! Even though they’re pedestrians and your religion worships cars.” – Academic_Snow_7680
“I have actually honked at a pedestrian once and it was the funniest thing ever, but that’s cause he was walking through the middle of an aisle in a parking lot with his friend.”
“His friend saw me and moved to the side so I could pass, but he looked at me, laughed, and stayed right in the center of the lane.”
“So I crept up close behind him and honked. He jumped out of his skin and his friend started cracking up. I feel extra justified since his friend also found it super funny.”
“OP is an AH, though, and I cannot imagine being that entitled.” – NancyNuggets
“I almost never honk. I think I can probably count on one hand the number of times I have honked my horn in my 20 years of driving. It has only ever been if someone was about to hit me by pulling into my lane without shoulder checking.”
“Also, there were other spots open!!!! And if there weren’t, a quick roll down of the window to say, ‘Excuse me, do you mind moving so that I can park?’ I would never honk at someone not in a car.”
“This baffles me. YTA.” – potatoes4chipies
Others used the opportunity to mock the OP’s behavior.
“Guys! The crouching person was preventing OP from getting the first space! You don’t just pass up the first space like it’s nothing! If it doesn’t have a car in it, you’re entitled! Entitled!!! Legally!”
“Please read in your best Larry David voice.” – 91901bbaa13d40128f7d
“I’m imagining a scenario where the backpack guy moves to a different spot to continue searching in their bag so OP gets back into their car to move it to the new spot they’re ‘legally entitled’ to. What a d**n joke. YTA, OP.” – Mathlete86
“I saw a comedy skit once, where there was only one car parked in an enormous empty car park and the driver had the blinker on; the two guys in a new car were honking and calling out: ‘Are you leaving?’ and he was saying yes, he just needed a minute, and they waited, getting more and more impatient, as if there weren’t hundreds of other options.”
“I thought it was hilarious, because I will drive past empty spots hoping to get one that I feel more comfortable pulling into, but I’ve never considered myself legally entitled to a spot.”
“What about Christmas when the car parks are overloaded? Is there somewhere we can complain because our legally required spot is not available?” – DrunkOnRedCordial
“Didn’t anyone read the post? OP was legally entitled to THAT parking space?”
“(ends sarcastic comment) What the f**k does that even mean?” – compound515
“Imagine the store announcement: ‘Can the owner of the red Toyota please move their car, OP is legally entitled to that space if they want it.'” – MouseProud2040
“YTA. ‘Legally entitled?’ You’re not legally entitled to s**t. You have an entitled personality, not a legal entitlement.” – Temporary_Badger
“Prediction: OP gets mad at everyone calling her the AH and not just supporting her through this immensely challenging situation.”
“I mean, someone asked her if what she did was necessary, how rude was that??? Do you know what that’s like??”
“In fact, being called the AH by Redditers, she’s the true victim.” – SuperM94
Not only was the subReddit confused and thrown off by the OP’s behavior with the man crouching in the parking lot, but they were also appalled by the entitled behavior.
Honking at the man was hardly necessary and incredibly rude, but since there were many other parking spots available, that only hardens the case against the OP’s behavior.
Between having this uncomfortable conversation and parking one more parking spot out, walking a little farther surely would have made for a better day for everyone involved.