'It's obviously the spot that everyone wants': Worker with injured knee questions if they're wrong for taking the parking spot their pregnant coworker keeps requesting

Author image for Remy Millisky
Remy Millisky • Writer and Editor
Oct 23, 2023 3:00 PM EDT

This person is not going to be making many friends at their office place. 

Every now and again, there's a post made to r/AmItheA******, and none of the commenters can agree on who's wrong in the scenario. This is one of those tales. U/NeopolitanGuy1 sparked the debate with their story about a parking space. Every workplace has at least one "good spot," which is usually close to the entrance. It'll be hard to get that spot, though, because it'll be taken by whichever early bird gets to the office first. 

The OP writes that they try to get a good spot at their workplace, but a few are reserved for management. So whoever gets their first gets to claim the spot---and the OP tries to be that person as much as possible. They write that they have an old knee injury that causes them pain, so they try to snag the best parking spot. Now, their pregnant coworker is requesting that space, and the OP really doesn't want to give it up. 

Interestingly, although commenters were split, the verdict was that the OP was not wrong. But in the comments, the OP went back and forth with Redditors who questioned why they didn't get a disability tag. Seems like even if the OP is NTA online, they're going to isolate the people at their workplace with this incident. Hopefully both the OP and the coworker can get disability tags, or work out a solution so that neither person needs to be in pain while walking to work. 

Next up, this person shared a story from the time they were working at a one-hour-photo store, and a customer completely misunderstood how to get her pictures. 

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  • 01
    Car - T T
    via Raban Haaijk on Unsplash
  • 02
    Font - AITA for taking the closest parking space even though a pregnant co worker asked for it?
    via u/NeopolitanGuy1
  • 03
    Font - We have a parking lot at my workplace and there are a few prime spots close to the door. Most of them are reserved for managers etc but one is unreserved and works on a first come first serve type situation. Most of the time I park there because I have an old knee injury so the closer the better and more
    via u/NeopolitanGuy1
  • 04
    Font - convenient. Its obviously the spot everyone wants so I always make sure to try get in a bit earlier so I could grab it. One of my co workers is pregnant. Don't have the slightest clue how far but she's showing and has complained about how packed the parking lot gets which forces her to park a
    via u/NeopolitanGuy1
  • 05
    Font - distance from the door. Basically she's been going around asking people if they could leave that space open for her. She's never asked me directly but left a note on my desk a couple days ago asking the same. The next day I parked in
    via u/NeopolitanGuy1
  • 06
    Font - the spot like always and she came by my office to ask if I saw her note. I told her I did but unfortunately if the spot is open, I'm going to take it. Like I get it and I wasn't going to fight over the spot but if she wants it she should just wake up early. She tried arguing a bit but eventually left.
    via u/NeopolitanGuy1
  • 07
    Font - She lodged an unofficial complaint to the boss who told me about it but doesn't want to get involved. I've been catching glares and some obvious gossiping murmurs from a couple co workers about it. AITA?
    via u/NeopolitanGuy1
  • 08
    Font - v2den NTA. It is an open spot. FIRST COME FIRST SERVE. She wants it? Then come early enough to get it. Her bump doesn't give her priority.
    via u/v2den
  • 09
    Font - ElisWish This comment section is a mess, wow. ESH, but especially your boss for not arranging something with your pregnant coworker. You don't owe anyone an explanation of your disability, but it would most likely smooth things over if your coworker knew you weren't being malicious; there's just competing access needs at play.
    via u/ElisWish
  • 10
    Font - Now, the actual solution here is for you or her or both of you to apply for a disability placard or tag (they're available for short term use by pregnant women in many places). If you're in the US then disability parking spots in parking lots are mandated by law so idk why you haven't tried to get a tag before now when it's an accommodation that obviously makes your life easier. You're both turning this into a competition when it doesn't have to be.
    via u/ElisWish
  • 11
    Font - [deleted] YTA. When I was pregnant, I chose to park far because exercise is good for me. Another woman at the office had legs so swollen she had to wear flip flops. I would think that she's asking for the spot because she is struggling with something: exhaustion, sickness, fatigue, soreness, etc. She doesn't have to explain her condition to you, by the same token you don't have to leave the spot open, but would it kill you to consider someone else's needs ahead of your own for a few month
    via u/[deleted]
  • 12
    Font - Smudgikins NTA there's a good chance that if you left it open a third person would get to before her. Then she'd have to look that person up, After that a fourth person would take it, etc. If she's unwilling to get there earlier, she's got nothing to gripe about.
    via u/Smudgikins
  • 13
    Font - ieya404 Can't believe it took so long to find this - the acknowledgement that if OP hadn't parked there, it's still entirely likely someone else would've. The answer to her wanting a more convenient space isn't to beg everyone's good graces not to park in a handy spot, it's to get the company to make a temporary accommodation for her.
    via u/ieya404
  • 14
    Font - Brilliant_Victory_77. NAH - every pregnancy is different so I'm not going to pretend to know exactly how your co-worker is feeling, but pregnancy can be rough, hormones are all over the place wreaking physical and mental havok, and later on ligaments start to stretch quite painfully (this is why the PrEgnAnCy iSnT A DISABILITy line just makes people sound ignorant, pregnancy takes a huge toll on the body) It makes sense that she'd ask people to leave her the spot.
    via u/Brilliant_Victory_77
  • 15
    Font - That being said, you're not taking the spot out of malice. You prefer it for the same reason she does, to make your life easier. If you're feeling generous maybe leave the spot open on good/better knee days.
    via u/Brilliant_Victory_77
  • 16
    Font - kysnow14 YTA because of your attitude. Pretty sure you haven't the slightest clue how hard it is to be pregnant otherwise you wouldn't tell her to just get up earlier. If you do know how hard it is and still respond this way, then you're an even bigger AH. She asked for a favor, which you absolutely don't have to grant. But you don't have to be awful about it in the process. That's why YTA.
    via u/kysnow14
  • 17
    Font - [deleted] You don't have to explain your medical history, but have you considered saying to the lady, "I see where you're coming from, but I have a wonky knee and it hurts to walk." That might make this situation go away with fewer hard feelings. 307 Share NeopolitanGuy1 OP. I did mention my knee when she came by my office
    via u/deleted
  • 18
    Font - 2 PogueForLife8 Honestly shocked by so many nta. The first YTA is the employer anyhow, they should have a reserved parking space for pregnant women, isn't this usual in US? Where I live we often have "pink parking" which is in fact dedicated to pregnant women. I live in Italy 238 Share DaleCoopersWife yeah i agree, it's weird that the higher- ups are aware of the conflict but aren't bothering to do anything about it
    via u/PogueForLife8
  • 19
    Font - plastertoes You don't have to take it because of your knee. You want to take it because of your knee. If your knee is really that bad, why don't you apply for a disability permit? What do you do on days when you don't get the spot first? I'm guessing you walk without too much of a fuss.
    via u/plastertoes
  • 20
    Font - You're not in wrong for taking the spot, but if everyone but you is willing to help out your coworker then it does make you look like an for refusing to a do so. If I were you I would consider how uncomfortable your pregnant coworker must be to talk to everyone in the office about using that spot, and consider doing her a favor.
    via u/plastertoes
  • 21
    Font - ETA - YTA Edit again - Whoa whoa whoa so from OPs comment below, he DOES qualify for a disability tag and knows how to obtain one, but simply hasn't applied for one out of laziness. So instead of parking in a disabled spot, he's taken up the closest parking spot that his pregnant coworker (who can't qualify for disability) could use and who everyone else has agreed to save for her. OP just get the disability tag so you leave this spot open for this woman! Easy solution my dude.
    via u/plastertoes
  • 22
    Font - NeopolitanGuy1 OP. I don't think those are sincere questions and pretty sure you've made up your mind but in case you actually are asking.
    via u/NeopolitanGuy1
  • 23
    Font - I can't describe the level of pain I can experience from walking because it's simply something you just need to experience yourself to understand. It's bearable when I'm off my feet or walking short distance (thus the parking) but when things get longer and my knee has to carry my body for greater periods it isn't lovely. I haven't gotten a disability permit because it's something I've always told myself I'd do on my weekend and day offs but frankly I'm too tired when those days
    via u/NeopolitanGuy1
  • 24

    The OP got downvoted for their justification

    Font - come and luckily for me, I've been mostly lucky in finding close parking to the places I want to go to. If I don't, I suffer through because I can't necessarily fly. -85 Share
    via u/NeopolitanGuy1
  • 25

    The OP replied to a now-deleted comment calling them "lazy"

    Font - NeopolitanGuy1 OP Please, say whatever you want and give any verdict you wish but don't ignorantly call me lazy. I am a hard working person who works overtime and dedicated any time I have to take care of my immediate family as well my nieces and nephews So that presumptuous characterisation of yours is quite insulting.
    via u/NeopolitanGuy1

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aita workplace-stories jobs parking space job parking lot car work coworkers cars driving driver workplace coworker parking
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