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Can you claim a parking spot by standing in it? Some people seem to think they can, but other people would argue that you can only save a parking spot with an actual car.

In this story, a couple is going to a festival, and the parking lot is so crowded that you basically have to wait for someone to leave in order to find a parking spot. After driving around for awhile, they notice a parking spot that’s empty, but a young woman is standing in the parking spot.

Should they keep looking for another parking spot or take the one the woman is standing in?

Keep reading to see how the story plays out.

AITA for “taking” someone’s parking spot

I got tickets for my husband and I for a local festival. It was last minute and we signed up for the evening slot.

We live downtown so we’re used to traffic/taking a bit to find parking.

We show up and it’s also the local college’s commencement. So super packed.

We drive around and it’s been 20 minutes going between the two parking lots.

They eventually saw a parking spot.

I start to get frustrated driving around because we just barely keep missing parking spots.

It’s so extremely busy and everyone is struggling to get spots.

We finally see one but a girl is standing in it. Other people also drive up and seem to be contemplating getting it.

It’s been 25 minutes at that point and we’re late to get in to the event.

She decided to claim the spot.

I decide to go for it (first mistake).

I slowly pull in, I never touch her with the car because I’m not trying to get insurance scammed.

I tell her she can’t save spots, that’s not fair, I got here first with my car, it’s my spot.

My husband is very upset and I try to calm him down.

Another man got involved.

An older man walks up and starts yelling at us saying that she’s right, he does this all the time, etc etc.

She’s pulled out her phone, recording, and now we’re all yelling at each other.

Obviously I shouldn’t have even tried to get the spot and I definitely shouldn’t have let it get to me so much. But am I a jerk for wanting that parking spot and thinking she was in the wrong for trying to save it?

The girl standing in the spot shouldn’t have been standing in the spot. I hope OP kept pulling into the spot and didn’t back down. That older man needed to mind his own business.

Let’s see if Reddit agrees.

I completely agree with this comment.

Exactly!

This person calls out every instance where people shouldn’t hold spots.

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about a homeowner who doesn’t think their painters should use their water spigot on the job.

Nobody thinks you can save a spot by standing in it.

I really hope OP didn’t back down and leave that parking spot. I hope she kept driving into it and ignored the lady standing in it and the older man who refused to mind his own business.

You can’t save parking spots by standing in them. Parking spots are for cars not people.