Dad wonders if he was wrong to park in a disabled parking space to save a fish.
When this father feels guilty about his behavior, he asks Reddit:
'AITA for parking in a disabled parking space to save a fish?'
My son is 10 and on his birthday a few months ago he wanted to set up a tropical aquarium.
Since then he has been super devoted to looking after the fish, cleaning the tank and honestly I've loved seeing how responsible he has been. As a reward for his hard work I decided to get him a new fish.
The fish store is in a small mall with limited parking. When I first arrived I parked normally, went inside and purchased the fish.
I got back in my car and started driving home when I noticed that the bag the fish was in had sprung a leak somehow.
It wasn't a huge hole but it was leaking significantly enough that I didn't think it would last the 30 minute drive home so I decided to turn back towards the mall.
When I got back to the mall parking I drove around a couple of times and could not find a spot anywhere.
By now the bag had lost quite a bit of water and I saw that there were an empty disabled space at the front by the entrance. I made the decision to park quickly there, run inside, get a new bag and run back out.
All in all I was parked for about 5 minutes but when I came back a woman who was there came up to me very accusatory saying 'you don't look very disabled, you can't park there!'. All I could say was 'no, but my fish was' and left. She gave me a scowl and I drove away.
Ever since then I have felt pretty guilty about the whole thing.
I spoke to a friend that said they would never park in that spot since it is 'only a fish' but I really felt at the time that the fish would've died if I didn't park soon and in my mind even though it is 'just a fish' it is still a living creature that matters.
I'd like to hear some other opinions as whether it was justified or if I am actually the asshole.
Let's find out.
tosser9212 writes:
As someone who's the need, and the sticker for his windshield, you just made me walk further from the entrance I needed, and I detest your behaviour. I detested your behaviour before I ever had the need or the sticker.
It's not about whether you got away with it this time but about the need for others to be able to do their daily with as little discomfort or pain as possible.
Those spaces are supposed to be left for the designated purpose. You've no idea when that stall will actually be needed: you're not omniscient. YTA.
outlandish789 writes:
YTA. Sorry, but as someone with a permit and serious mobility issues, you compromised the safety and well-being of someone because you couldn’t pinch a bag shut.
People don’t realise that for us, parking further away puts us at increased risk of being hit by cars because they can’t see us in a wheelchair (have had this happen to me because the driver didn’t look at all) or having falls because we can’t cover the distance or terrain safely with a cane/crutches/walker etc.
To the woman who questioned you, good on her, you had no permit and she was holding you accountable.
If you actually had the permit and she had a go at you, then she would be a busybody and an AH (because actually f*** those ableist people with the power of 1000 burning suns.)
I get that you were in a panic and at least you have the decency to feel bad about it. But generally, it was an AH choice, regardless of your intentions.