AITA for how I handled an accusation of parking in customer parking as a non customer?

A woman recounts her frustrating encounter at a local framing store. After years of being a loyal customer, she parked in the store’s designated customer area, only to be accused of misusing the space by the shop owner’s husband.

The man’s approach left her feeling uncomfortable and defensive, prompting her to end the business relationship despite the shop owner’s pleas. Was she justified in standing her ground, or did things escalate unnecessarily? Read her story below and decide for yourself.

‘ AITA for how I handled an accusation of parking in customer parking as a non customer?’

Today I (31 year old woman) bought a piece of art in for framing to the local framers. I live in a smallish town. I have been a customer of them for years, doing much framing with them. I paint myself but I also enjoy art especially since the pandemic and like to get pieces framed. I have gotten many items framed with them.

I parked in customer parking. I spent quite a bit of money with them that day- around $100. The woman recognised me and gave me a regular customer discount. It was also not busy at all, with several car spaces open. Following paying I didn’t move my car straight away. I saw on my step counter I needed to get a few more steps in so I walked to the main section of town and grabbed some food before heading back to the car and leaving.

I was backing my car out and a man approached my car as I was backing out. I did not recognise him. He started saying I wasn’t allowed to park there. He was quite hostile. I told him I was a customer, and continued to back out in order to leave.

He started trying to get me to stop and try to stop me leaving. This made me uncomfortable. I told him to get away from me. He was staying “hold on, hold on”. I told him to “get the f away from me”. I exited the premises but could see him in my rear view mirror. I want to be clear there were several parking spaces open.

When I got home I called the Framer and told her a hostile man was bothering me outside her store. She said it was her husband. She said he misinterpreted the situation and thought I was a non customer parked in customer parking. She defended him saying that he wouldn’t have approached me rudely and I escalated the situation too quickly, insinuating her husband was targeted by me because he was a wh*te man.

I told her that her husband had not even asked me if I was a customer but immediately started throwing around accusations. I told her I had told him I was a customer but that still did not seem good enough for him and he was trying to stop me leaving before I swore at him.

I did think it was likely he had profiled me because my car is not very nice but I did not say this. I also said I wanted my money back and my art back. When I said this she seemed upset and wanted me to reconsider. I said I was feeling upset about what happened and would think on it.

I ran into my mum in the driveway and asked her to pick up my art and get my money back. She did this quickly and said the woman seemed flustered and a bit surprised and upset. I think she had thought I would go ahead with them but I was upset she had defended him.. AITA?

Here’s what Redditors had to say:

Katiew84 −  NTA. If it was a busy parking lot or it was full that day, that’s one thing. It sounds like you went for a short walk. Not a big deal. The second the man tried to prevent you from leaving is when the situation took a turn. You were justified in yelling and swearing. I would’ve done the same.

I also wouldn’t spend money at that business ever again. The wife should’ve apologized and left it at that. But she wanted to defend her husband instead of keeping a customer. She chose her husband, and in turn you chose not to do business with her anymore.. Actions have consequences.

Dangerous-ish −  NTA. Being an ass, only to discover it’s someone who gave you money for a service and try to walk it back, that’s the d**k move. True colors were shown.

Old-Smokey-42069 −  That shop owner should have been falling over herself apologizing when you called upset. While I can see from her perspective that maybe she would think her husband wasn’t really in the wrong and that OP over-escalated, she is a fool for trying to defend him to an angry customer who was nearly false-imprisoned in her parking lot. Especially a loyal repeat customer. The “white man” stuff just brings it even more over the top.

Clear NTA. That lady has dogshit customer service and it’s so funny that she was shocked that insulting and intimidation of a customer cost her loyal business.

Flarefall −  NTA. I’m sure she’s flustered and upset because her husband’s behavior (and her support of it) just cost her some business, and possibly one or two good customers. I’m not sure how much business a framing shop does, but I can imagine that losing even one job would probably hurt, let alone one or two steady customers

saintandvillian −  Why would him being a white man cause you to escalate the situation? Weird.

Winterwynd −  NTA. If they had a problem with you leaving your car parked there for 20 extra minutes, that’s fine. When the man got hostile, ignored your explanation, and most of all tried to block you in, he went way over the line. The wife doubling down made it worse. If he had politely approached you as he should have, that would be different.

If the wife had just apologized for her husband’s behavior, that’d be different too. Canceling your order was the correct option, especially given the shades of classism and racism that their words/behavior/actions displayed.

How hard would it have been for him to calmly say “We would appreciate it if people only park in our spaces while they’re inside our shop, to make sure there are enough spaces for all of our customers”? Or for her to say “I’m sorry my husband upset you. He didn’t realize that you are our customer. We’ve had problems with people filling up our parking spaces without being customers here.”? Easy.

DistrictThree −  Way I see it you spent $100 should be able to park there the whole day if you wanted to. F**k that guy.

riontach −  NTA. I wouldn’t continue going there either.

Mrfleas −  NTA. No one wants to engage with a hostile stranger. You don’t know why they are hostile and it is scary. What I don’t get is what the shopkeeper thought was the most likely outcome when she basically said it was your fault for escalating? How could she not see you were not going to do business with her because now you are uncomfortable? She will lose your business forever because you will be dreading going back.

thequiethunter −  NTA. Bad customer service should hurt the business. It is the only way to get reform.