She Said No When a Coworker Asked to Borrow Her Non-Transferable Parking Permit. He Called Her Rigid and Started Spreading Rumors
Pexels/Reddit
Everyone has a favorite excuse for bending a rule, and “nobody will notice” is usually at the top of the list.
A company’s parking permits were limited, assigned to individual employees, and strictly non-transferable.
One employee held a parking permit she’d waited a long time to get, and she worked from home three days a week.
A coworker still waiting on the list asked if he could use her spot on those days to save himself the daily parking fees.
She didn’t want to risk losing the permit, so she told him no and offered to pass along any news about the waitlist.
He took it personally, and soon began spreading rumors she was being spiteful.
Keep reading for the full story.
AITA for refusing to let my coworker borrow my parking permit while I work from home, even though it sits unused three days a week?
My company has a parking garage across the street from our office, and spots are limited.
Of course, securing one of these spots doesn’t come easily.
Permits are assigned per employee, and mine costs me about $90 a month, deducted from my paycheck.
I work from home Monday through Wednesday and go in Thursday and Friday.
A coworker named Brent joined a few months ago and is on the waitlist for a permit. He has been paying for daily parking at a lot nearby, which runs him about $25 a day.
So here’s where the drama comes in.
About a month ago, he asked if he could borrow my permit on the days I am home. I said I would think about it.
I looked into it, and the permit terms say it is non-transferable and that violations can result in the permit being revoked.
Eventually, the spot holder decides she isn’t up for it.
Given how long I waited for mine, I did not want to risk losing it.
I told Brent no and offered to let him know the moment I heard anything about the waitlist moving.
But Brent began to give her a hard time about it, and now their relationship is worse for wear.
He said it was only three days a week, nobody would ever notice, and that I was being rigid over a spot I was not even using.
I held my ground. He has barely spoken to me since, and a coworker mentioned that Brent has been telling people I am hoarding a spot out of spite.
I did not think I was being spiteful. I just did not want to put something I pay for at risk.
AITA?
Sounds like Brent was expecting a little too much of someone he didn’t actually know that well.
What did Reddit have to say?
Sign up to get our BEST stories of the week straight to your inbox.
A lot of people expect others to do things they wouldn’t do themselves.
There are a lot of complexities to this.
This user wonders what role the workplace plays in all of this.
If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about a lifeguard who saves a child only to be confronted by parents angry about the paperwork.
When in doubt, it’s usually best to just follow the rules.
This is a woman who waited her turn, paid her fee, and still got called selfish for holding onto what she earned.
Brent wanted a shortcut around a line she’d already stood in, and ultimately this wasn’t a line she was willing to cross.
It’s not spiteful to stand up for your best interest.
Enjoyed this story?
Sign up to get our BEST stories of the week straight to your inbox.
