Shopper refuses to respect a mom's 'Baby Loading Area' car sticker, 'I had no obligation.' AITA?

"AITA for not respecting someone's 'Baby Loading' sticker?"

I went to Target yesterday to pick up some groceries after work, and I parked next to a car that had a sticker on the side of it that said something like "Leave Room. Baby Loading Area."

I didn't notice it until after I had parked and gotten out of my car, and since it was a weekend, the only other spots were in very back of the lot. Honestly, I was just tired and didn't feel like moving my car and then walking from the back of the lot.

I was inside for probably like 15 minutes, and when I came out, I saw the owner of the car with the sticker standing there with her car door almost completely open, touching the side of my car. She was leaning into her car buckling some kids into their car seats. I didn't care about her door touching my car, so I didn't say anything to her and started loading groceries into my trunk.

Then the lady turns around, sees me, and starts going off on me for parking there. I don't remember exactly what she said but the gist of it was "you shouldn't have parked there because I have a sticker saying I need room to load my kids in" and then something about "I have a bad back and I need the extra space so I can pull the stroller up right next to my car."

I told her that her sticker meant nothing legally, and that she had plenty of room to load the kid. I was parked normally between the lines-- not unreasonably close to her car or anything. I told her that if she wanted to have no one next to her, she could have parked in the very back of the lot where no one goes.

Then of course she was all upset because "she has three kids and getting them to target from the back of the lot would be dangerous for them and be so much more a hassle than me just not parking next to her." I was just like "yeah okay not my problem," and waited for her to move so I could get in my driver's seat.

Like yes I could have parked in the back of the lot, but I had no obligation to. It's not like she was the only car there and I parked right next to her just to be an ahole. Plus I have never seen anyone with that sticker, so I imagine that all other parents have been figuring out how to load their kids into the car just fine when in a crowded parking lot. AITA for not parking elsewhere?

Here's what top commenters had to say about this one:

Novel-Demand-5244 said:

NTA. That’s a ridiculous sticker and overly entitled. If her back is such an issue she should seek a handicap plate.

DMmeNiceT$tties said:

NTA, she's not entitled to who parks next to her in a public parking lot.

reginaphalange935 said:

As a parent who has maneuvered buckling kids in around many tight parking lots, NTA. When people park recklessly in a terrible way? Sure, that’s frustrating. But I’m not entitled to people catering to my needs and giving me extra space just because I have small children. I typically seek out curb spots for this reason, even if we have to walk a few extra steps.

ButtonTemporary8623 said:

NTA at all but if you want a funny anecdote when I read the title my mind went to like somebody wearing a shirt that said baby loading with like a progress bar or some cringey s$%t like that. And I was immediately confused thinking how is OP not respecting the fact that somebody is pregnant?

Emergency-Twist7136 said:

NTA. I have some back issues myself and have had to squirm in with the baby from the other side. It's kinda annoying...but that's life. I honestly wouldn't consider that a sticker like that was anything but a joke.

ekco_cypher said:

NTA as long as you were inside the lines of your spot, and more or less centered. If she needed the room, she should have parked in the open areas at the back of the lot where it's less likely someone would park beside her.

freshrollsdaily said:

NTA. Parent of a toddler here. The world doesn’t revolve around people with children. It’s not that much of a hassle to park in another part of the lot. My other hot take on this is that I’m gonna do what I need to do to get my kid in and out. If someone decides to park super close to me, that’s not on me.

That’s on them. But the same principle applies even if I don’t have a kid in that scenario. Not gonna make myself invisible to others, and don’t expect the same from them. Live and let live.

PrincessStephie7 said:

NTA. If it was a full parking lot then even if you hadn't parked next her someone would have in the next 15 minutes. She was going to have this problem with someone that day and you were just the the unlucky one. I honestly would have thought the sticker was a joke because if you're actually having problems that bad get a handicap parking pass.

SnooWords4839 said:

NTA - not your fault she has 3 kids. She should order the items she needs and do a store pickup; you are right, her sticker doesn't mean anything.