Hey folks,
As the title suggests, I use street parking to save money instead of paying for a university parking pass in Ontario, Canada. I wake up at 4 am most days to hit the gym by 5 am and am parked in front of the house by 730 am. Street parking is free, and to clarify, this refers to public street parking, as I have verified with the city’s bylaws and regulations. So I parked in front of these houses while I went to class, and then walked over to work. When done for the day, I drive home. This specific zone has a 48-hour parking rule. Meaning the vehicle cannot stay on a public road in one spot for over 48 hours. I drive to and from this street, so no problem there. It is neither a gated community nor a condo group of townhomes with private roads. I pulled city records and work at a law firm with access to government databases.
The neighbourhood, a two-minute walk from my university and the law firm’s office, is predominantly populated by middle-aged seniors. Kareen (the main female antagonist, not her real name) likes to think she is the secret parking police. She approached me one morning, asking me not to park on the street because she had to cut her lawn, and I parked too close to the curb. I moved to the next house in front of me, where there was a legal space to park, and she ran up behind my car and told me she meant to leave the area, as it was private parking. In this conversation, I explained that there was no posted signage limiting parking, no driving lane was blocked, no fire hydrant was impeded, and there were no other traffic laws prohibiting parking. She kept trying to tell me that parking in front of someone else’s house is “rude.” I asked for a specific explanation of why the behaviour was rude. When she could not generate a single objective reason, I walked away and went about my day, ignoring her protests.
This is where I may be the AH. I printed out the city map, the bylaws on street parking, and highlighted it, keeping it with me in the car. I also had Google Maps directions to the nearest school for adults to learn how to read and write. On Friday at 7:40 am, I park along the street, and as I am leaving my car, Kareen comes out again, telling me to have some decency. I say I am not interested in this conversation and to please leave me alone. I started taking pictures of my car each time I park, now for time stamps, and got a 360 dash cam when parked. I caught a tow truck driver on camera explaining how he won’t tow my car without a bylaw officer ordering it. Next Monday, the same thing happened when I was ambushed by my car. This time, as Kareen comes to my car, I hand her the city map and street parking bylaws with the sections highlighted. She refuses to read to it and keeps telling me I am “rude,” so I hand her the directions to the school and say, “Sounds like you need the services of this location, but you need to see if you qualify as they have literacy standards.” AITAH for how I handled this situation?
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Hey folks,
As the title suggests, I use street parking to save money instead of paying for a university parking pass in Ontario, Canada. I wake up at 4 am most days to hit the gym by 5 am and am parked in front of the house by 730 am. Street parking is free, and to clarify, this refers to public street parking, as I have verified with the city’s bylaws and regulations. So I parked in front of these houses while I went to class, and then walked over to work. When done for the day, I drive home. This specific zone has a 48-hour parking rule. Meaning the vehicle cannot stay on a public road in one spot for over 48 hours. I drive to and from this street, so no problem there. It is neither a gated community nor a condo group of townhomes with private roads. I pulled city records and work at a law firm with access to government databases.
The neighbourhood, a two-minute walk from my university and the law firm’s office, is predominantly populated by middle-aged seniors. Kareen (the main female antagonist, not her real name) likes to think she is the secret parking police. She approached me one morning, asking me not to park on the street because she had to cut her lawn, and I parked too close to the curb. I moved to the next house in front of me, where there was a legal space to park, and she ran up behind my car and told me she meant to leave the area, as it was private parking. In this conversation, I explained that there was no posted signage limiting parking, no driving lane was blocked, no fire hydrant was impeded, and there were no other traffic laws prohibiting parking. She kept trying to tell me that parking in front of someone else’s house is “rude.” I asked for a specific explanation of why the behaviour was rude. When she could generate a single objective reason, I walked away and went about my day, ignoring her protests.
This is where I may be the AH. I printed out the city map, the bylaws on street parking, and highlighted it, keeping it with me in the car. I also had Google Maps directions to the nearest school for adults to learn how to read and write. On Friday at 7:40 am, I park along the street, and as I am leaving my car, Kareen comes out again, telling me to have some decency. I say I am not interested in this conversation and to please leave me alone. I started taking pictures of my car each time I park, now for time stamps, and got a 360 dash cam when parked. I caught a tow truck driver on camera explaining how he won’t tow my car without a bylaw officer ordering it. Next Monday, the same thing happened when I was ambushed by my car. This time, as Kareen comes to my car, I hand her the city map and street parking bylaws with the sections highlighted. She refuses to read to it and keeps telling me I am “rude,” so I hand her the directions to the school and say, “Sounds like you need the services of this location, but you need to see if you qualify as they have literacy standards.” AITAH for how I handled this situation?
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OP has offered the following explanation for why they think they might be the asshole:
> AITHA for handing a busybody street parking regulations and directions to the nearest literacy school for pestering me about street parking in front of houses.
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Contest mode is 1.5 hours long on this post.
NTA. She was being downright harassing by this point. What you did was fine.
I live in the city. People park in front of my house and it sucks when there is no room for me. Especially when I have groceries or a load to carry but that is city life. It is their right to park there as I don’t own the street and it is not zoned. I have a nosy neighbor who is exactly like Kareen. She even puts traffic cones on “her spot” to deter people which I am not even sure is legal. What are you gonna do? Kareens gonna Kareen.
It’s a public street with public parking. NTA
You handled it like a complete champ. I don’t even know why you’re asking. Cool story to share though. I maybe Ms Ks age too but, at the end of the day, it’s not private property so park wherever you want along the street and I think you done well to have as much patience as you did
Mate – I would have pretended not to speak English to this dumb arse of a human. NTA.
NTA – maybe you could have handled it better (doubtful), but the question you have to ask is, do you think she’s asking if she was an asshole? I’d guess not. You’re fine.
NTA and respect. You handled her beautifully!
Ha Ha, NTA, I love it. She sounds like a biyatch!!
What’s funny is the people that call others rude, are often unaware of how rude they’re being
NTA. That’s her.
I reckon you have acted fine. You comply with the by-laws, you’ve told her nicely, and you’ve tried to educate her. NTA
NTA
NTA.
You sir, are a gentleman and a scholar.
NTA as it’s a public street however it’s asshole-ish behavior and you know because you took the time to look it up. I own my home and pay property taxes your little student parking in front of my house because you’re cheap. You know it’s an ahole thing but you feel justified because is a public street sure but again as the home owner you are just being a nuisance. And what’s worse is you know it oh and you’re cheap.
NTA
Quite well played!
Only the AH if you are blocking the carriage walk that delivery people use.
NTA. Park there for the rest of your life (for less than 48 hours at a time) just to spite her now.