In some cities it can be really hard to find a parking spot.

Imagine driving around for 20 minutes looking for a place to park when you finally see a spot opening up. As the driver pulls away, you start to pull into the spot, but then a couple pedestrians run into the spot and try to get you to leave so their family can park there.

Would you give up the spot, or would you stand your ground and insist that you have every right to park there?

The man in this story found himself in this situation, and he’s not sure if he made the right decision.

Let’s read the whole story to decide.

AITA for taking a parking spot that a group tried to “save” on foot—even after they called me a cry baby and said I disrespected a grandma?

This happened today at Balboa Park in San Diego.

I’d been circling for a parking spot for 20 minutes when I finally saw one open up.

I was coming from the opposite direction, turning left into it.

On the other side, another car had already passed the spot and had about 10 cars behind them, making it nearly impossible for them to reverse in without backing up into traffic.

He wasn’t the only one who wanted the spot.

As that car passed, a group of people—including a teenager and an elderly woman—got out and tried to claim the spot on foot.

They even walked up to the car that was leaving and asked if they could take it, which… doesn’t mean anything. Parking isn’t a game of calling dibs.

I was already turning in when this happened.

While I’m halfway in the spot, the teenager starts yelling at me, saying stuff like, “You’re a grown man acting like a cry baby.”

He got the spot, but it wasn’t over.

I calmly told him they were pedestrians, they were past the spot, and I had every right to take it.

Their driver eventually gave up, circled the lot, found another space, then walked over and knocked on my window to call me a “piece of garbage” for not giving it up.

Meanwhile, the group was recording me like I was the bad guy.

The elderly woman told me I was a bad person for making her walk farther to the building they were trying to reach.

Even his own family has turned against him.

I replied that it’s not my fault their driver didn’t drop her off at the door first—which would’ve been the logical thing to do.

Eventually they left (with more name-calling—“hope you’re happy, cry baby”), and I went on with my day.

Later, I told my family what happened, and to my surprise, they said I was in the wrong.

Their reasoning: because I’m in the military, I should’ve done “the honorable thing” and given up the spot to respect the grandma.

He’s not sure if his reasoning is correct or not.

I told them it’s not about disrespect, it’s about basic fairness. I was the only one actually in a car and ready to park. I waited 20 minutes and followed the rules.

Being elderly doesn’t give someone the right to send others to block spots illegally.

So now I’m wondering… AITA for standing my ground, or was I being selfish?

He had every right to that parking spot. Being old doesn’t entitle you to steal someone else’s parking spot just like being in the military doesn’t mean you have to give up a parking spot that’s rightfully yours.

Let’s see how Reddit reacted to this story.

He shouldn’t listen to his family.

Dropping grandma off would’ve been the right thing to do.

Pedestrians can’t hold parking spots.

The pedestrians were the cry babies.

Talk about an entitled family!

If you liked that story, check out this post about an oblivious CEO who tells a web developer to “act his wage”… and it results in 30% of the workforce being laid off.