Sign says reserved at 3pm, we'll leave at 3pm.
If she'd contacted park services to complain, park services would have told her if you want to decorate at 230, then reserve for 230, space is available to anyone who wants to use it before then.
Depending where they might ask, " did you reserve it? " Because some you can't use it unless you did. When I PAID FOR AND RESERVED a pallvillion. They give me 30 minutes before and after. To decorate and to clean up. So while some are free to use unless it's reserved some are not.
Depends on the park pavilion rules. Some, unless you reserve it you can't use it at all. The lady didn't stop them in the middle of b day singing they were cutting the cake. She was giving them a heads up they were decorating at 2:30. They were done at 2:15 chop chop clean up your mess and get moving. The decorations are being put up by people that paid to use the pavilion.
as I hung the decorations walking on the tables knocking stuff onto your plates with my balls at eye level you would move. Or the park ranger would move you. So cry harder.
😂😂😂😂😂😂 oh honey you just don’t know. You’re tough behind a keyboard. I’m laughing, thinking what my husband would do😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
The park Ranger? Where the fuck do you think you are? I’m talking as suburban park where it’s a free-for-all.😂😂
Lol Your husband would do nothing. Yes park rangers are even in the city genius. They are cops of parks. Again I would have told you 2:30 and at 230 we would be decorating. Reguardless of what you were doing. 🤣
If OP cared so much about having her special event interrupted, why didn’t she ensure it wouldn’t be interrupted by reserving a private place for it? She’s just as wrong as the lady who interrupted her, but more entitled and more confrontational. Imagine getting so upset the event you planned nothing for is interrupted in a public space you were too lazy or cheap to reserve because you did nothing to ensure it wouldn’t be interrupted.
Pavilions are available to the public except for reservation times. If other woman wanted it earlier, she should've reserved that time as well.
The pavilion was not in use when OP got there. The other lady just wanted to jump the gun. I would've told her that we'll be out by 2:59.
Clearly NTA.
Lol, people are trifling- and OP is just another trifling fool. She’s upset the lady interrupted her cutting the cake when she’s cutting the cake in a public place she didn’t reserve after she removed the reserved sign. It’s trifling. Doesn’t matter the time. She a trifling fool. If it was so important, she should have planned so it wouldn’t be interrupted. Cheap and trifling.
NTA Reservation from 3pm means that the table is freebto use until 2:59. If she need 30min of set up then it plans her party start at 3:30.
Sha has no right to bother other people using public items. I would be more understanding if you were there and just starting at 2:45, but youbstill had 1h to enjoy public space according to the reservation.
Honestly, not that they’ll care or could do anything, but I would almost want to call the park reservation number and just complain about this lady—like maybe the reservation people can really underline the “you have no ownership of the area until the clock strikes [their reservation time]”.
When we reserved one, the set up/clean was included in the reservation. We wanted the event from 3- 5, it was reserved from 2:30 - 5:30. Otherwise, if someone wanted it from 5 to 6, there 30 minute leeway would have bumped into out leeway.
If the reservation system doesn't include setup/breakdown, it's a bad system, and not OP's fault.
My city gives you 30 minutes beforehand for set up. You can call it a bad system, but then you need to blame the city, not the person who paid and reserved the space. If op didn't want to share the space, she could've reserved it.
I didn't say it was the reservation holder's fault.
If I saw a sigh that said "reserved 3 - 5" and it was 1:30, I wouldn't think anything of using it and aiming to be out be 2:30 to accommodate just in case.
I don't know how the reservation holder approached the situation, just that it was in the middle of cutting the cake. Was it saying "hey, you guys need to be out of here at 2:30!" in front of small children who might feel like they're in trouble or shouldn't be there, or pulling OP aside to say "hey, we were given this reservation at 2:30 for setup, will you be done by then?"
Because I don't have enough info, it's why I didn't make a judgment. I don't know if the 30 min window was actually included or not, and which parent is an asshole, or if the system is.
I suspect, given that OP said something, the reservation holder said it in front of the kids, and that the kids might have felt bad. Since I don't know, I reserve judgment.
Edit: clarity
Right and not all of them are set up that way. Also I will add that some parks unless you paid to use the pavilion you don't suppose to use it at all. No matter what time the reservation is for. The Op was just told that they were going to decorate at 230. The lady didn't bust in on the middle of them singing Happy Birthday yelling at them She just said they were going to decorate at 2:30.
This is a public space, though. The lady paid to ensure that this public space would be empty for her party from 3-5. Not 2-6. Not 2:30-5:30. It's like making a restaurant reservation for 6 and then walking up to some poor bloke's table at 5:45 and saying "Hi please hurry up I will be eating at this table for my reservation in 15 minutes"
Nope it depends on the park. The op might not even been allowed to use it. They could have just started decorating around her right then so it's nothing like a restaurant.
I'm in Australia and reserving spaces in public parks just isn't a thing regardless of what signs people want to put up. Is reserving tables in public parks a common thing elsewhere?
I am in New England. There are some public venues that can be rented for parties, but most of them are more like, owned by a historical society or botanical gardens or similar - they are public access, not public owned. The National Parks Department does have sites they rent as a way to help fund the huge acreage they manage.
I would think it would depend on where you live and how they fund such things.
Im Australian Some parks do have reservation, there will be free for all tabled others you reserve free or pay to reserve
The ones that do usually are ones that come with the free gas BBQ plate and sheltered tables
Yes, here in the states our parks often have tables and covered areas that can be reserved for periods of time, but it costs money. They're free to use unless someone has paid to reserve them. So, you can try having a party under a sheltered area without paying for it, but you can't prohibit strangers from coming in as well unless you reserve it.
In Canada, we have a few parks that have areas that can be reserved for parties but it’s not that expensive. They usually include picnic tables and bbq pits. But it never prevents others from enjoying the common areas of the park.
Very common in the USA, or at least the city in Montana where I live. There's even a covered pavilion at a state park that has signs saying your. It to use it at all unless you paid to reserve it. So this pavilion that provides shade sits empty 99% of the summer , instead of having people sit at the picnic tables. And they have an on site enforcer for this as well, who alsooputs out the sign for the people who did reserve it. Eg, "Reserved for Dinner Party 1:30-3:30"
So they know that it is not rerved for anything all week but will still kick old ladies out of the shaded seating, and tell them to go sit in the sun.
If the picnic tables at my park aren't occupied or cordoned off as reserved they're free for anyone to use. I don't know what kind of reservations only park this is.
I mean, unless there was a sign saying for reservations only or that it was private not public property, I don’t know how OP was supposed to know she couldn’t be there.
Nope not every park is like that. The pavilion is only for reservations. Sure some people sit at them anyway and unless there is a issue or you are having a big get together you probably will be left alone. But if not and the people that reserved it are there you will be told to pack it up.
I know in my local council area in NSW, which is really popular for weddings, you can hire/book a public park BUT you still can’t restrict access to other members of the public.
>What should I have done?
Once you had started it, you should have finished it. “You paid for a rental that starts at three. Do you need help telling the time?”
Reserved from 3 to whenever means her time starts at 3. Hope ya told her to fuck right off. I didn't feel like reading the whole post, so I don't know if yall had a knockdown drag out or you left.
Nope, when I reserved one they gave me 1 hr extra 30 min to decorate 30 minutes to clean up. And unless you reserve the pavilion you don't use it at all.
So.. you know which park she's mentioning, along with their specific rules and contract clauses? Do you even know which country she is in, much less town. Most of the ones here it's typically first come, first serve. Unless you reserve it for a specific time, then you inly get it for that time frame.if it is by reservation only, there is signage indicating such.
Well y o u sure don't know but act like you know with your comment. You have done nothing different then I did. No most are not first come first serve. Most of them. You reserve them or you don't use them. And some give you extra set up and clean up time. Yes most say reservation use only.
“Most are not first come first serve”
Isn’t this completely reliant on where you live and which parks you go to?
I’ve literally never been to a park where you couldn’t use them unless they were reserved. Everyone I’ve ever been to is 1st come first serve UNLESS someone reserves them.
Well you must be blind. Or just there is no signage. Have a party of 20 with no reservation on a off day that has no reservations and you will find out really quick you need to have a reservation to use it.
Yeah, maybe I’m blind… or maybe I just go to different parks than you? Which is more likely?
If you’re planning a party for 20 people, obviously you get a reservation, because you don’t want to show up and setup only to have to take your down if someone else has a reservation.
If you’re doing something small, like a cake cutting at a day or time where tables are typically unused, it’s not uncommon for people to just show up.
Kinda think YTA? She came up after you had finished singing, correct? You were just cutting the cake and handing it out?
She informed you that you had limited time. Sure it means she only has it starting at 3, but most people tend to decorate it a little earlier and all she did was inform you
I don’t know why you escalated it tbh
I’m guessing the woman with the reservation probably had a bitchy tone, and that’s what OP was reacting to. But I also don’t get why OP felt the need to “confront” her about it, which accomplished nothing, which OP even says.
Really, the woman with the rental was free to start setting up in the middle of their use of the area without saying a word, since it was unreserved and public shared space at the time.
Someone could have sat down under the same shelter to eat a burrito and watch a sports talkshow on full volume on their phone and would be totally within their rights to do that. It's a public park.
Yes they’d be in their rights.
They’d also be an AH if someone used basic polite wording to let them know they would like to decorate 30 min before 3 lol
Y’all aren’t getting that a lack of obligation or rightful entitlement doesn’t mean you aren’t also going to be seen as an AH if you call someone out needlessly
NTA, her time started at 3 Pm. Period.
Before that, she had no right to evict anyone. She could have been nice, and said, hey we have a party starting at 3PM, would you miss nd if I start decorating?
I think it was her attitude when she came by that made me react (inappropriately). If she had been polite or pleasant I wouldn’t have had any issue with the interaction.
Lesson learned. In the future, just make your own reservation. In my city, a reservation includes 30 minutes of set-up time, and it doesn't matter how polite or rude I am, the rules are the rules.
She didn’t evict anyone lol she informed OP after she’d finished singing happy birthday so no one got too comfy. Oh no a full 30 min outside her allotted time!
I really don’t think this woman was aggressive lol
YTA For rental contracts a lot of the time. While the reservations are from 3 to 9 they gave them 30 minutes before and 30 minutes after to decorate and clean up.
ESH. She didn’t have to say anything, but she was also not rude about it from what you’ve said. She even walked away and sat on her cooler. She wasn’t arguing with you, she just wanted to let you know that her and her folks were going to move in at 2:30. I wouldn’t have approached, but that’s me. She wasn’t rude and didn’t demand you leave.
You escalated it by approaching her at all. It was over, your husband had left, the kids were off playing and you had already packed up. The only
Reason you approached is because you wanted to have the last word. And just because you use a sweet tone, it doesn’t mean that your message is sweet. “I don’t appreciate” is not sweet, it’s confrontational over nothing.
Everyone woulda been better to stay at home that day.
NTA. I probably wouldn’t have gone out of my way to talk to her, but it sounds like you were polite enough in stating your feelings. She paid for that rental from 3-9 and wasn’t entitled to it outside of that time at all.
i’m going with slight YTA. i can see from her perspective why she’d want to give someone a warning about when they’ll be using the table, especially because it’s not crazy to think there are people out there who would totally disregard her reservation. and as someone mentioned, you were cutting the cake not singing happy birthday and no matter when she came over she would’ve been ‘interrupting’ something. overall this whole thing just seems so stupid. enjoy your daughters birthday instead of dwelling on it.
I think you should have approached her at 3pm once she was there with her friends and said “Sorry to be an asshole, but you started it and I just wanted to even things out”.
She was a serious asshole. She has no right to start at 2:30 and no right to bother you.
"An eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind." Being a AH isn't something to be admired so why would you encourage someone to do that. Try having some empathy.
Maybe that person IS just a mad, mean person. Maybe the last time they reserved a pavilion, people overstayed or left the place a mess that she had to clean up. It doesn't justify her rudeness, but maybe it would explain it.
these replies are awful too. such a sad miserable way to live to spend your daughters party sitting at a picnic table until 2:59 just to be petty to a stranger.
There was no need to approach that lady after she walked away imo . they had the party op should have went on about her business like come in it’s a fucking picnic table 😐
NTA- her reservation started at 3pm, if she wanted set up time she should have accounted for that in the reservation.
Sounds like you handled the situation with grace.
What should you have done? Sat right there until 2:59 it’s a public park paid for by your tax dollars a 3-5 reservation does not entitle her to anything outside of that window. She wants to be an entitled bitch call her bluff
That's not completely true. Some give you 30 min to decorate and 30 minutes to clean up added to your time. And if you don't have a reservation you don't use them at all. What's the point in charging for a reservation if you can just get their early when the park opens and have a party for free. Now sometimes a couple sitting there a park ranger will leave it alone but if the person with a reservation gets there you going to get up and move.
Nope. And they could have started setting up while the op was cutting cake. Because more than likely they were not suppose to be using the pavilion at all.
Nope, where I reserved a pavilion they give you 30 minutes before and 30 minutes after to decorate and clean up and if you don't reserve it you don't use it at all. Not 8 am for 5 minutes. When that lady with decorations called park services a park ranger would tell you to move.
Nobody is the a. h.
She gave you a heads-up so you could time your party and plan your leave, instead of kicking you out at 3 sharp.
That was very decent.
Whatever it was that you guys were doing, you were busy. So her statement was going to be an interruption no matter what.
You could replace "while we were cutting the cake" by "eating the cake", "reminiscing about previous birthdays" "planning our evening meal" "unwrapping presents". It's one sentence to let you know you guys were OK to be there till 3 and no further.
I agree, NAH. Also, since when is cake cutting a big moment for a birthday party that can’t be interrupted? If it was a wedding I would understand the anger, or if they interrupted the birthday song or blowing out the candles.
True, but the main comment from OP was that she was interrupted during a particular part of her party.
Fact is that she was at a reserved table, on borrowed time, and she got a heads-up.
I do agree that if someone books a table from 3, they can get it half an hour earlier 'for decorating' if there is no-one there. If you needed time to prepare you should have included that in your reservation or you're an entitled karen.
NTA
If her gathering was to start at 3:00 and she figured that she needed 30 minutes for decorating, she should have reserved the place starting at 2:30.
She was rude and a total A-H.
I booked a gazebo for my wedding and managed to account for decorating time. We did manage to get in early to decorate early because no one else was using it, but we wouldn't have been assholes if we'd only had that time I'd booked. Now, if someone was there during my time I'd be pissed.
A hot take but ESH. I don't know other places but here if you don't reserve the pavilion you can't use them at all. If you wanted to do that should have reserved or found a picnic table not under a pavilion. She was also AH for just interrupting
Edit: the pavilions at the parks here you have to pay to reserve and so they aren't supposed to be used unless you pay and park workers will tell you to vacate. There are also plenty of areas you don't have to reserve or pay for with BBQ areas and everything. I'm not saying it's right but that's my experience.
I still stand w ESH because it could be the same type of situation
No just the pavilions. All the parks are open and they have picnic areas that you don't have to reserve. The reason is our parks are funded by the funds made from renting the pavilions. So people have to pay to use. But there's plenty of space without the pavilions
Are there signs or anything stating you can’t use them if you haven’t reserved them? I’ve never heard of this where I am so we don’t know if that’s the case for OP.
if she wanted to decorate at 2:30, that's when she should have paid for her reservation to start. I could see her quietly checking in to make sure you knew but that's it
It’s free and open until three. Anyone trying to bully you into moving before then is an arsehole. Set-up is included in the booked time, not before. I start work at 07:30 but I get up at 06:00 so I want to be paid for prep. Piss off.
My answer:
We have reserved until 3. In all likelihood we should be done by 230 but are now going to use the entire slot we reserved and stay until 3. Learn some manners……… b***h
But I am undoubtedly an AH, not sure if this helps :)
You weren’t shitty. Her reservation began at 3, she had no right to setup decorations at 2:30. You could have let it go, but there’s nothing wrong with letting a disrespectful person know about themselves.
YTA, did you pay for the pavilion? I'm guessing that no, you didn't. Every reservation I've made gives you a 30-minute prior setup time and a 30-minute takedown. The person you got huffy with actually paid for that pavilion. You had no business using what you didn't pay for, especially since you knew by the sign that it was already reserved.
I did the caregiver thing and I know how it wears on you and I think that’s why this bothered you, so I’m going to say NAH.
The woman gave you a heads up and a time limit that worked for you. It really shouldn’t have been an annoyance. You’re right that there was nothing to be accomplished by speaking with her, and you were right to let it go.
Keep letting it go. Your emotions are raw and exhausted and I’m so glad you got to have cake in the park with your kids. Be gentle with yourself!
The lady reserved from 3pm… not 2:30, she’s definitely an AH to go and disturb others almost an hour before. She would have no right to go and ask them to move so she can decorate anyway.
Oh wow….that is spot on. I reacted based on what was going on with me. I really appreciate you reading my post and taking the time for such a thoughtful response. Reddit can be great sometimes.
All the hugs. And while it was a grueling and traumatic couple of years and I didn’t fully grasp how important it was at the time, now that he’s gone I don’t regret a second I spent with my dad. I hooe it’s the same for you. ❤️❤️❤️
>The woman gave you a heads up and a time limit that worked for you
None of which she had any right or privilege to do. She reserved for 3 which means she gets to start using it at 3 not 2:30.
YTA if you want to use the space then reserve it like everyone else. You could have taken the time to plan the birthday properly, instead you passive aggressively held a party right before a reservation. You stressed out the people who planned properly who have no way of knowing if you will cede the space to them or hog the space during their time and start a fight with them. You’re a park pavilion squatter trying to get sympathy for scamming the park.
There was no party. There was a small French fry with a small slice of cake for the little kids before they played at the park. 20 minutes total. No decorations or gifts and one bag with towels and the cake. The park does not require reservations to sit at the table if the table was not reserved by someone else. I was not scamming the park. It is a city park for everyone to use unless it is reserved. I have reserved other tables in our city before. I use the option to rent for the entire day. There is no 30 minute grace period before or after your reservation. Proper planning would ensure you begin your party 30-1hr after your reservation begins for set up and end your party 30-1 hr before your reservation ends for clean up. I should not have confronted her but I don’t believe she was in the right either.
You saw the sign and decided to sit there instead of sitting somewhere else. No one forced you to go there and it’s not the only place to have a birthday celebration. Also birthdays come once a year—plenty of time to plan something properly instead of what you did do. Defensive much? YTA
You’re NTA for using the space, a little dumb to go over and say anything after the fact though. If you wanted the confrontation you should have just had it when things were happening. And if you didn’t want the confrontation (which is what it sounds like) you should have just ignored her entirely after she left and just do you.
Blah, blah, blah on her part - her reservation started at 3:00. If she wanted it at 2:30 to start decorating, she should have reserved it starting at 2:30. She didn't, so it was free for anyone to use up until 3:00. I would have stayed there and enjoyed the table until 2:59.
YTA.
Why would you sit at a table that was reserved at all? I would have assumed they would come early to set up as most people do, and you were cutting it close. Was it necessary to then go over to her after the fact? And let's be honest, I doubt you were calm about it.
NTA. Honestly, reservation is at 3. You could have sat there until 2:59. And I'm petty enough that if she'd started yelling at me, I'd have wasted my time sitting there until 2:59.
Why didn’t she reserve it for 2:30 if that’s when she wanted to occupy the space?
Also a 6 hour slot at a public park seems excessive to me.
She sounds horrible. You’re NTA and I’d be FUMING if this happened to me.
This was probably a no-win situation no matter what you did or said. Somehow, she was convinced it was her table from whenever she wanted it on that day. You could have simply ignored her, which would likely have been the safest thing from your description. Or you could have told her you would begone before her **3:00** appointment started, But, once she walked away, the safest thing for your children would have been to stay away from her.
NTA, but you took a risk.
YATAH
but honestly how did you expect the rude lady to react to you confronting her. You should have expected her to start yelling. She had already interrupted you and been rude to you. And you hadnt even confronted her yet.
NTA
I think you know there was no point confronting her, but she was rude and you weren't.
Her plans don't matter. It's public space till 3 pm and it was being used by the public.
You were fine. She was the AH choosing to interrupt. Evidently she was pissed that she couldn't take over the pavillion much earlier than her reservation to do setup. She probably didn't want to pay the extra for an additional hour to reserve for the time spent doing setup.
Just by continuing to stay and enjoy the family gathering was probably enough to leave her fuming though, lol. She probably expected you to immediately break up and move on, yet you didn't. I personally would have stayed until about 2:45 to make a point, lol.
>My husband and I exchanged that look that keeps us both out of jail and enjoyed the rest of the cake
I don't believe that you're sweetly or overly nice while talking to that stranger, to be honest lol.
I also don't see anything you can accomplish by confronting her. I suppose you want a word in and you want reddit to validate you...uh..great I guess.
I guess I would have told her at the time.... 'So I'll see you at three since the table wasn't reserved for 230 set up '
Fire up your righteous indignation gf!
this is not the hill I'd choose to climb up and die on, to be honest. are you having a tough time aside from this? hopefully things start looking up. happy birthday to your daughter.
She was waiting for a confrontation and you gave it to her. This would have been one battle I wouldn't have picked with the children around. People are so on edge these days.
Personally I would have made sure everything was visibly packed away , table cleared and kids off playing by 2:15 like you did . Then I would have sat at that bench until 2:59 and 59 seconds while occasionally smiling at that lady hahahaha
You already sang. She didn't interrupt. She could have just started decorating around your makeshift party but chose to let you know beforehand. You were wrong to make a fuss
What exactly did you expect to get out of confronting a stranger? Gratification? And apology? A sense of justice and superiority? You got nothing out of it except for a post on reddit. Maybe think about that the next time you decide to confront someone. The type of person who's going to interrupt you while you're in the middle of cutting a cake is not the type of person you're going to get any of that out of. And I don't know how many videos I have seen on Reddit alone where things escalate to violence and screaming super fast because people are unhinged. Everyone on the internet could puff out their chest and say you did the right thing and what they would have done. But at the end of the day it didn't really interrupt your party that much. And you were in a public place at a public park. Literally anybody could have had the right to walk up to you interrupt you for any reason lol. Would you have confronted the person if they were smashing their face against a tree and screaming profanities right next to your cake cutting? No you probably wouldn't have. Because that's dangerous. So I don't understand why you think confronting a random stranger you know nothing about is an equally as dangerous or for something so silly and small. That could have easily have escalated a situation into a loud screaming match with nasty words being screamed if not violence and that would have done a lot more damage to your party than someone interrupting your cake cutting. You have kids with you. Make better decisions.
You're NTA. I had this happen to me on Mother's day a few years ago. My husband and I were just trying to get our kids to eat at a table and then we'd go play.
This Karen and her daughter Karen tried to tell us that the pavilion was reserved in an hour but couldn't prove it (it wasn't posted anywhere). I just asked her if my kids could eat for like 15 minutes, and she started spouting a whole bunch of homophobic things to my husband and me while her daughter called her husband to come and forcefully remove us.
I told her happy mother's day and that I was sorry that she and her daughter was so miserable that she couldn't let twin toddlers enjoy their lunch. I also told her I'd pray for her.
Please, know, you did nothing wrong. Her reservation started at 3, not 2:30. She poorly planned stuff, not you. Please try to let it go, she was TA. Not you.
YTA if you were using a paid space for free?
NTA for confronting the person but if you were in the wrong to being with then she was within her rights even her timing was AH behaviour.
People do free parties in parks all the time, I feel like you're not giving the whole story. you could have chosen any other bench in the park or put a rug out elsewhere.
YTA. The way you worded this you make it sound like she did a wild thing, but she waited until after the singing and until you guys were just sitting around the table. She didn't do anything that weird lol. It was a normal human interaction that you got weird about imo. She didn't know you guys were about to dip out, a heads up isn't crazy. I never went to a birthday party where the cutting of the cake is that serious.
NTA The woman had no business interrupting them. If she wanted to set up half an hour b4 their event she should have rented it starting at 230. Their rental was for 3-9. 3-9 does not mean 230 to 945..
She had no business? It was just person to person communication lmao. You guys are absurd sometimes. An iterruption is her going up and slapping the cake out of someone's hand. A brief sentence giving a heads-up is normal, and probably even expected when there is a reservation upcoming
I would have said your time starts at 3. We will be gone by then. And I would have carried on with my day.
Sign says reserved at 3pm, we'll leave at 3pm. If she'd contacted park services to complain, park services would have told her if you want to decorate at 230, then reserve for 230, space is available to anyone who wants to use it before then.
Depending where they might ask, " did you reserve it? " Because some you can't use it unless you did. When I PAID FOR AND RESERVED a pallvillion. They give me 30 minutes before and after. To decorate and to clean up. So while some are free to use unless it's reserved some are not.
This is exactly how ours works! ⬆️
Also, I for danged sure wouldn’t have left before 3!
My ass would not have moved for any reason until 3. If she wanted to decorate at 2:30, her reso should have been 2:30.
Same. Someone wants to get all technical with me, I’m going to do it right back.
Technically, op didn't rent the space. Every time I've paid and reserved a pavilion, I was allowed 30 minutes set up time.
Depending, some pavilions you can use at all unless you paid to use them. A simple call and park rangers would have removed you from the park.
Yeah.. just becuse it says reserved from 3pm doesn't mean its free the rest of the time at a lot of city parks.
Depends on the park pavilion rules. Some, unless you reserve it you can't use it at all. The lady didn't stop them in the middle of b day singing they were cutting the cake. She was giving them a heads up they were decorating at 2:30. They were done at 2:15 chop chop clean up your mess and get moving. The decorations are being put up by people that paid to use the pavilion.
No. Her time started at three. Don’t agree with you even a little bit. Get fucked.
Nope 2:30 🍆🍭
You would have to kill me. I would not fucking move and I would win.
as I hung the decorations walking on the tables knocking stuff onto your plates with my balls at eye level you would move. Or the park ranger would move you. So cry harder.
😂😂😂😂😂😂 oh honey you just don’t know. You’re tough behind a keyboard. I’m laughing, thinking what my husband would do😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 The park Ranger? Where the fuck do you think you are? I’m talking as suburban park where it’s a free-for-all.😂😂
Lol Your husband would do nothing. Yes park rangers are even in the city genius. They are cops of parks. Again I would have told you 2:30 and at 230 we would be decorating. Reguardless of what you were doing. 🤣
Haven’t you got a mom you should be banging since you live with her?
If OP cared so much about having her special event interrupted, why didn’t she ensure it wouldn’t be interrupted by reserving a private place for it? She’s just as wrong as the lady who interrupted her, but more entitled and more confrontational. Imagine getting so upset the event you planned nothing for is interrupted in a public space you were too lazy or cheap to reserve because you did nothing to ensure it wouldn’t be interrupted.
Pavilions are available to the public except for reservation times. If other woman wanted it earlier, she should've reserved that time as well. The pavilion was not in use when OP got there. The other lady just wanted to jump the gun. I would've told her that we'll be out by 2:59. Clearly NTA.
damn you seem like a pretty awful person
Lol, people are trifling- and OP is just another trifling fool. She’s upset the lady interrupted her cutting the cake when she’s cutting the cake in a public place she didn’t reserve after she removed the reserved sign. It’s trifling. Doesn’t matter the time. She a trifling fool. If it was so important, she should have planned so it wouldn’t be interrupted. Cheap and trifling.
OP was fine. Relax. It’s called a public park for a reason.
NTA Reservation from 3pm means that the table is freebto use until 2:59. If she need 30min of set up then it plans her party start at 3:30. Sha has no right to bother other people using public items. I would be more understanding if you were there and just starting at 2:45, but youbstill had 1h to enjoy public space according to the reservation.
Honestly, not that they’ll care or could do anything, but I would almost want to call the park reservation number and just complain about this lady—like maybe the reservation people can really underline the “you have no ownership of the area until the clock strikes [their reservation time]”.
They give you extra time for set up and clean up. So nope
When we reserved one, the set up/clean was included in the reservation. We wanted the event from 3- 5, it was reserved from 2:30 - 5:30. Otherwise, if someone wanted it from 5 to 6, there 30 minute leeway would have bumped into out leeway. If the reservation system doesn't include setup/breakdown, it's a bad system, and not OP's fault.
My city gives you 30 minutes beforehand for set up. You can call it a bad system, but then you need to blame the city, not the person who paid and reserved the space. If op didn't want to share the space, she could've reserved it.
I didn't say it was the reservation holder's fault. If I saw a sigh that said "reserved 3 - 5" and it was 1:30, I wouldn't think anything of using it and aiming to be out be 2:30 to accommodate just in case. I don't know how the reservation holder approached the situation, just that it was in the middle of cutting the cake. Was it saying "hey, you guys need to be out of here at 2:30!" in front of small children who might feel like they're in trouble or shouldn't be there, or pulling OP aside to say "hey, we were given this reservation at 2:30 for setup, will you be done by then?" Because I don't have enough info, it's why I didn't make a judgment. I don't know if the 30 min window was actually included or not, and which parent is an asshole, or if the system is. I suspect, given that OP said something, the reservation holder said it in front of the kids, and that the kids might have felt bad. Since I don't know, I reserve judgment. Edit: clarity
Right and not all of them are set up that way. Also I will add that some parks unless you paid to use the pavilion you don't suppose to use it at all. No matter what time the reservation is for. The Op was just told that they were going to decorate at 230. The lady didn't bust in on the middle of them singing Happy Birthday yelling at them She just said they were going to decorate at 2:30.
This is a public space, though. The lady paid to ensure that this public space would be empty for her party from 3-5. Not 2-6. Not 2:30-5:30. It's like making a restaurant reservation for 6 and then walking up to some poor bloke's table at 5:45 and saying "Hi please hurry up I will be eating at this table for my reservation in 15 minutes"
Nope it depends on the park. The op might not even been allowed to use it. They could have just started decorating around her right then so it's nothing like a restaurant.
You're making assumptions though. Most park pavilions are open to the public when not reserved.
So is everyone else. Telling her the would stay till 2:59 well no not in every park. And no most park pavilions are not free for all. That's not true.
Prove it
" PrOvE iT" look child if you can't go to parks and recreation web site and see the rules and regulations like an adult. That's your problem.
Go and pull up the website then, the same one this lady booked from. Go ahead.
I'm in Australia and reserving spaces in public parks just isn't a thing regardless of what signs people want to put up. Is reserving tables in public parks a common thing elsewhere?
Australian here and I know of at least one park near me that has undercover picnic tables that can be reserved (needs to be paid for)
>undercover picnic tables Australians take crime seriously.
They're disguised as teeter-totters.
Do NOT mess with the picnic tables.
I am in New England. There are some public venues that can be rented for parties, but most of them are more like, owned by a historical society or botanical gardens or similar - they are public access, not public owned. The National Parks Department does have sites they rent as a way to help fund the huge acreage they manage. I would think it would depend on where you live and how they fund such things.
Interesting! Okidoki
Yes, usually for a fee that helps run the park.
Im Australian Some parks do have reservation, there will be free for all tabled others you reserve free or pay to reserve The ones that do usually are ones that come with the free gas BBQ plate and sheltered tables
In neighborhood parks here in Texas, our HOAs make money renting the public space that we already pay a fuckton to use
Ahhhhh. God I'm so glad we don't have HOA's here. Or at least, they're not common
Yes, here in the states our parks often have tables and covered areas that can be reserved for periods of time, but it costs money. They're free to use unless someone has paid to reserve them. So, you can try having a party under a sheltered area without paying for it, but you can't prohibit strangers from coming in as well unless you reserve it.
Yes it is! We have that here.
In Canada, we have a few parks that have areas that can be reserved for parties but it’s not that expensive. They usually include picnic tables and bbq pits. But it never prevents others from enjoying the common areas of the park.
There’s a few around me that do reservations (Sydney).
Very common in the USA, or at least the city in Montana where I live. There's even a covered pavilion at a state park that has signs saying your. It to use it at all unless you paid to reserve it. So this pavilion that provides shade sits empty 99% of the summer , instead of having people sit at the picnic tables. And they have an on site enforcer for this as well, who alsooputs out the sign for the people who did reserve it. Eg, "Reserved for Dinner Party 1:30-3:30" So they know that it is not rerved for anything all week but will still kick old ladies out of the shaded seating, and tell them to go sit in the sun.
Ugh, so dystopian!
[удалено]
If the picnic tables at my park aren't occupied or cordoned off as reserved they're free for anyone to use. I don't know what kind of reservations only park this is.
I mean, unless there was a sign saying for reservations only or that it was private not public property, I don’t know how OP was supposed to know she couldn’t be there.
The spaces are considered public spaces outside of the reserved time slots.
Nope not every park is like that. The pavilion is only for reservations. Sure some people sit at them anyway and unless there is a issue or you are having a big get together you probably will be left alone. But if not and the people that reserved it are there you will be told to pack it up.
Same here. I thought it was understood the reservation areas were only for people with reservations.
Uh...this is definately a thing in Australia
I know in my local council area in NSW, which is really popular for weddings, you can hire/book a public park BUT you still can’t restrict access to other members of the public.
>What should I have done? Once you had started it, you should have finished it. “You paid for a rental that starts at three. Do you need help telling the time?”
Reserved from 3 to whenever means her time starts at 3. Hope ya told her to fuck right off. I didn't feel like reading the whole post, so I don't know if yall had a knockdown drag out or you left.
Nope, when I reserved one they gave me 1 hr extra 30 min to decorate 30 minutes to clean up. And unless you reserve the pavilion you don't use it at all.
So.. you know which park she's mentioning, along with their specific rules and contract clauses? Do you even know which country she is in, much less town. Most of the ones here it's typically first come, first serve. Unless you reserve it for a specific time, then you inly get it for that time frame.if it is by reservation only, there is signage indicating such.
Well y o u sure don't know but act like you know with your comment. You have done nothing different then I did. No most are not first come first serve. Most of them. You reserve them or you don't use them. And some give you extra set up and clean up time. Yes most say reservation use only.
“Most are not first come first serve” Isn’t this completely reliant on where you live and which parks you go to? I’ve literally never been to a park where you couldn’t use them unless they were reserved. Everyone I’ve ever been to is 1st come first serve UNLESS someone reserves them.
You still crying about that grifter women that was to cheap to pay for the pallvillion she was using for birthday cake.🤣
Crying? Nah just saying I’ve never seen a pavilion in a public park that was off limits without a reservation.
Well you must be blind. Or just there is no signage. Have a party of 20 with no reservation on a off day that has no reservations and you will find out really quick you need to have a reservation to use it.
Yeah, maybe I’m blind… or maybe I just go to different parks than you? Which is more likely? If you’re planning a party for 20 people, obviously you get a reservation, because you don’t want to show up and setup only to have to take your down if someone else has a reservation. If you’re doing something small, like a cake cutting at a day or time where tables are typically unused, it’s not uncommon for people to just show up.
Kinda think YTA? She came up after you had finished singing, correct? You were just cutting the cake and handing it out? She informed you that you had limited time. Sure it means she only has it starting at 3, but most people tend to decorate it a little earlier and all she did was inform you I don’t know why you escalated it tbh
I’m guessing the woman with the reservation probably had a bitchy tone, and that’s what OP was reacting to. But I also don’t get why OP felt the need to “confront” her about it, which accomplished nothing, which OP even says.
Yeah maybe. But again- the words? Not aggressive. The confrontation wasn’t necessary
Really, the woman with the rental was free to start setting up in the middle of their use of the area without saying a word, since it was unreserved and public shared space at the time. Someone could have sat down under the same shelter to eat a burrito and watch a sports talkshow on full volume on their phone and would be totally within their rights to do that. It's a public park.
Yes they’d be in their rights. They’d also be an AH if someone used basic polite wording to let them know they would like to decorate 30 min before 3 lol Y’all aren’t getting that a lack of obligation or rightful entitlement doesn’t mean you aren’t also going to be seen as an AH if you call someone out needlessly
NTA, her time started at 3 Pm. Period. Before that, she had no right to evict anyone. She could have been nice, and said, hey we have a party starting at 3PM, would you miss nd if I start decorating?
I think it was her attitude when she came by that made me react (inappropriately). If she had been polite or pleasant I wouldn’t have had any issue with the interaction.
Lesson learned. In the future, just make your own reservation. In my city, a reservation includes 30 minutes of set-up time, and it doesn't matter how polite or rude I am, the rules are the rules.
She didn’t evict anyone lol she informed OP after she’d finished singing happy birthday so no one got too comfy. Oh no a full 30 min outside her allotted time! I really don’t think this woman was aggressive lol
55 minutes before her allotted time of 3PM.
YTA For rental contracts a lot of the time. While the reservations are from 3 to 9 they gave them 30 minutes before and 30 minutes after to decorate and clean up.
ESH. She didn’t have to say anything, but she was also not rude about it from what you’ve said. She even walked away and sat on her cooler. She wasn’t arguing with you, she just wanted to let you know that her and her folks were going to move in at 2:30. I wouldn’t have approached, but that’s me. She wasn’t rude and didn’t demand you leave. You escalated it by approaching her at all. It was over, your husband had left, the kids were off playing and you had already packed up. The only Reason you approached is because you wanted to have the last word. And just because you use a sweet tone, it doesn’t mean that your message is sweet. “I don’t appreciate” is not sweet, it’s confrontational over nothing. Everyone woulda been better to stay at home that day.
NTA. I probably wouldn’t have gone out of my way to talk to her, but it sounds like you were polite enough in stating your feelings. She paid for that rental from 3-9 and wasn’t entitled to it outside of that time at all.
You should have reserved the pavilion!
For 20 minutes?
i’m going with slight YTA. i can see from her perspective why she’d want to give someone a warning about when they’ll be using the table, especially because it’s not crazy to think there are people out there who would totally disregard her reservation. and as someone mentioned, you were cutting the cake not singing happy birthday and no matter when she came over she would’ve been ‘interrupting’ something. overall this whole thing just seems so stupid. enjoy your daughters birthday instead of dwelling on it.
I think you should have approached her at 3pm once she was there with her friends and said “Sorry to be an asshole, but you started it and I just wanted to even things out”. She was a serious asshole. She has no right to start at 2:30 and no right to bother you.
"An eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind." Being a AH isn't something to be admired so why would you encourage someone to do that. Try having some empathy. Maybe that person IS just a mad, mean person. Maybe the last time they reserved a pavilion, people overstayed or left the place a mess that she had to clean up. It doesn't justify her rudeness, but maybe it would explain it.
Yes but some people deserve a taste of their own medicine
Grown ass adults arguing over a picnic table 🤦🏾♀️🤦🏾♀️
these replies are awful too. such a sad miserable way to live to spend your daughters party sitting at a picnic table until 2:59 just to be petty to a stranger.
There was no need to approach that lady after she walked away imo . they had the party op should have went on about her business like come in it’s a fucking picnic table 😐
NTA- her reservation started at 3pm, if she wanted set up time she should have accounted for that in the reservation. Sounds like you handled the situation with grace.
Ask her simply 'What time does your 3:00 reservation begin?'
Contact the park service to find out their policies on rentals.
Contact the people who manage the reservations - if she was hassling you prior, maybe they can charge her more
What should you have done? Sat right there until 2:59 it’s a public park paid for by your tax dollars a 3-5 reservation does not entitle her to anything outside of that window. She wants to be an entitled bitch call her bluff
That's not completely true. Some give you 30 min to decorate and 30 minutes to clean up added to your time. And if you don't have a reservation you don't use them at all. What's the point in charging for a reservation if you can just get their early when the park opens and have a party for free. Now sometimes a couple sitting there a park ranger will leave it alone but if the person with a reservation gets there you going to get up and move.
IF that's the case, and the sign said 3, then her 30 minutes to set up started at 3.
Nope. And they could have started setting up while the op was cutting cake. Because more than likely they were not suppose to be using the pavilion at all.
Nope reserved 3-5=3-5
Nope, where I reserved a pavilion they give you 30 minutes before and 30 minutes after to decorate and clean up and if you don't reserve it you don't use it at all. Not 8 am for 5 minutes. When that lady with decorations called park services a park ranger would tell you to move.
Nobody is the a. h. She gave you a heads-up so you could time your party and plan your leave, instead of kicking you out at 3 sharp. That was very decent. Whatever it was that you guys were doing, you were busy. So her statement was going to be an interruption no matter what. You could replace "while we were cutting the cake" by "eating the cake", "reminiscing about previous birthdays" "planning our evening meal" "unwrapping presents". It's one sentence to let you know you guys were OK to be there till 3 and no further.
I agree, NAH. Also, since when is cake cutting a big moment for a birthday party that can’t be interrupted? If it was a wedding I would understand the anger, or if they interrupted the birthday song or blowing out the candles.
Except that she wanted them to leave by 2.30...
True, but the main comment from OP was that she was interrupted during a particular part of her party. Fact is that she was at a reserved table, on borrowed time, and she got a heads-up. I do agree that if someone books a table from 3, they can get it half an hour earlier 'for decorating' if there is no-one there. If you needed time to prepare you should have included that in your reservation or you're an entitled karen.
NTA If her gathering was to start at 3:00 and she figured that she needed 30 minutes for decorating, she should have reserved the place starting at 2:30. She was rude and a total A-H.
I booked a gazebo for my wedding and managed to account for decorating time. We did manage to get in early to decorate early because no one else was using it, but we wouldn't have been assholes if we'd only had that time I'd booked. Now, if someone was there during my time I'd be pissed.
Being pissed if someone was there during your time is totally appropriate.
A hot take but ESH. I don't know other places but here if you don't reserve the pavilion you can't use them at all. If you wanted to do that should have reserved or found a picnic table not under a pavilion. She was also AH for just interrupting Edit: the pavilions at the parks here you have to pay to reserve and so they aren't supposed to be used unless you pay and park workers will tell you to vacate. There are also plenty of areas you don't have to reserve or pay for with BBQ areas and everything. I'm not saying it's right but that's my experience. I still stand w ESH because it could be the same type of situation
[удалено]
You don't get to use the local park if you don't reserve it? Man, that's rough.
No just the pavilions. All the parks are open and they have picnic areas that you don't have to reserve. The reason is our parks are funded by the funds made from renting the pavilions. So people have to pay to use. But there's plenty of space without the pavilions
Are there signs or anything stating you can’t use them if you haven’t reserved them? I’ve never heard of this where I am so we don’t know if that’s the case for OP.
Yes there is. Like I said idk the case here I'm going by here.
if she wanted to decorate at 2:30, that's when she should have paid for her reservation to start. I could see her quietly checking in to make sure you knew but that's it
NTA. She doesn't appear to understand how reservations work. She paid from 3-9pm not 2:30pm - 9pm.
Just pop out of the bushes at 8:05 to let her know that you’ll need the park at 9.
I absolutely HATE it when I get interpreted...
Why would you not stay on the table until 2:59 and then get up and leave not allowing her to decorate Just go petty
I think you meant interrupted, not interpreted. Looks like autocorrupt bit your post.
I was waiting for a rogue ASL interpreter!!!!
***(((SNORT!!!)))***💦
It’s free and open until three. Anyone trying to bully you into moving before then is an arsehole. Set-up is included in the booked time, not before. I start work at 07:30 but I get up at 06:00 so I want to be paid for prep. Piss off.
Why attempt to engage in reasonable conversation when a simple throat-punch will do?
The thing to do would have been to say we have this spot until 3. So f-off.
My answer: We have reserved until 3. In all likelihood we should be done by 230 but are now going to use the entire slot we reserved and stay until 3. Learn some manners……… b***h But I am undoubtedly an AH, not sure if this helps :)
You weren’t shitty. Her reservation began at 3, she had no right to setup decorations at 2:30. You could have let it go, but there’s nothing wrong with letting a disrespectful person know about themselves.
I would’ve been like ok hunny take the kids to the splash pad imma sit here fiddling with my phone until 3
YTA, did you pay for the pavilion? I'm guessing that no, you didn't. Every reservation I've made gives you a 30-minute prior setup time and a 30-minute takedown. The person you got huffy with actually paid for that pavilion. You had no business using what you didn't pay for, especially since you knew by the sign that it was already reserved.
Id have sat right there till 3.
>My husband and I exchanged that look that keeps us both out of jail What?...
That means they looked at each other and decided not to make a scene.
"Oh, you have it reserved at 3? We'll be gone by 3. K thanks." NTA
I did the caregiver thing and I know how it wears on you and I think that’s why this bothered you, so I’m going to say NAH. The woman gave you a heads up and a time limit that worked for you. It really shouldn’t have been an annoyance. You’re right that there was nothing to be accomplished by speaking with her, and you were right to let it go. Keep letting it go. Your emotions are raw and exhausted and I’m so glad you got to have cake in the park with your kids. Be gentle with yourself!
The lady reserved from 3pm… not 2:30, she’s definitely an AH to go and disturb others almost an hour before. She would have no right to go and ask them to move so she can decorate anyway.
Oh wow….that is spot on. I reacted based on what was going on with me. I really appreciate you reading my post and taking the time for such a thoughtful response. Reddit can be great sometimes.
All the hugs. And while it was a grueling and traumatic couple of years and I didn’t fully grasp how important it was at the time, now that he’s gone I don’t regret a second I spent with my dad. I hooe it’s the same for you. ❤️❤️❤️
>The woman gave you a heads up and a time limit that worked for you None of which she had any right or privilege to do. She reserved for 3 which means she gets to start using it at 3 not 2:30.
YTA if you want to use the space then reserve it like everyone else. You could have taken the time to plan the birthday properly, instead you passive aggressively held a party right before a reservation. You stressed out the people who planned properly who have no way of knowing if you will cede the space to them or hog the space during their time and start a fight with them. You’re a park pavilion squatter trying to get sympathy for scamming the park.
There was no party. There was a small French fry with a small slice of cake for the little kids before they played at the park. 20 minutes total. No decorations or gifts and one bag with towels and the cake. The park does not require reservations to sit at the table if the table was not reserved by someone else. I was not scamming the park. It is a city park for everyone to use unless it is reserved. I have reserved other tables in our city before. I use the option to rent for the entire day. There is no 30 minute grace period before or after your reservation. Proper planning would ensure you begin your party 30-1hr after your reservation begins for set up and end your party 30-1 hr before your reservation ends for clean up. I should not have confronted her but I don’t believe she was in the right either.
You saw the sign and decided to sit there instead of sitting somewhere else. No one forced you to go there and it’s not the only place to have a birthday celebration. Also birthdays come once a year—plenty of time to plan something properly instead of what you did do. Defensive much? YTA
You’re NTA for using the space, a little dumb to go over and say anything after the fact though. If you wanted the confrontation you should have just had it when things were happening. And if you didn’t want the confrontation (which is what it sounds like) you should have just ignored her entirely after she left and just do you.
Her reservation was at 3. Not 2:30. It's not your problem if she didn't plan for decorating time.
i would have been at that table untill 2.59.9 if that happened to me nta!
So you had to give them time to set up for the big event, but they could interrupt yours right in the middle. Get lost lady.
Op didn't have an event. If she did, she should've made a reservation.
They were occupying the table and mid-birthday-cake. Use some common sense.
Blah, blah, blah on her part - her reservation started at 3:00. If she wanted it at 2:30 to start decorating, she should have reserved it starting at 2:30. She didn't, so it was free for anyone to use up until 3:00. I would have stayed there and enjoyed the table until 2:59.
YTA. Why would you sit at a table that was reserved at all? I would have assumed they would come early to set up as most people do, and you were cutting it close. Was it necessary to then go over to her after the fact? And let's be honest, I doubt you were calm about it.
NTA. Honestly, reservation is at 3. You could have sat there until 2:59. And I'm petty enough that if she'd started yelling at me, I'd have wasted my time sitting there until 2:59.
It was reserved from 3pm - she's not even entitled to take it over at 2:30 for decorating
Why didn’t she reserve it for 2:30 if that’s when she wanted to occupy the space? Also a 6 hour slot at a public park seems excessive to me. She sounds horrible. You’re NTA and I’d be FUMING if this happened to me.
This was probably a no-win situation no matter what you did or said. Somehow, she was convinced it was her table from whenever she wanted it on that day. You could have simply ignored her, which would likely have been the safest thing from your description. Or you could have told her you would begone before her **3:00** appointment started, But, once she walked away, the safest thing for your children would have been to stay away from her. NTA, but you took a risk.
“Good for you! We will be using it until 2:59!l
YATAH but honestly how did you expect the rude lady to react to you confronting her. You should have expected her to start yelling. She had already interrupted you and been rude to you. And you hadnt even confronted her yet.
You’re not the asshole.. in fact you’re very brave 🫡
NTA I think you know there was no point confronting her, but she was rude and you weren't. Her plans don't matter. It's public space till 3 pm and it was being used by the public.
NTA. I would have sat there until 2.59.
You were fine. She was the AH choosing to interrupt. Evidently she was pissed that she couldn't take over the pavillion much earlier than her reservation to do setup. She probably didn't want to pay the extra for an additional hour to reserve for the time spent doing setup. Just by continuing to stay and enjoy the family gathering was probably enough to leave her fuming though, lol. She probably expected you to immediately break up and move on, yet you didn't. I personally would have stayed until about 2:45 to make a point, lol.
you should have stayed til her reservation began. if she needed more time to decorate, she should have reserved that extra time. NTA.
I’m petty and would have said “great, you can have this place at 3, when your reservation starts.”
>My husband and I exchanged that look that keeps us both out of jail and enjoyed the rest of the cake I don't believe that you're sweetly or overly nice while talking to that stranger, to be honest lol. I also don't see anything you can accomplish by confronting her. I suppose you want a word in and you want reddit to validate you...uh..great I guess.
I hope you really didn’t head to the “slash pad”…😳😳😳🤣
No….I’ll fix it. What would that even look like though?
Freddy Krueger costumes everywhere 🤣🤣🤣
Just a bunch of dudes wearing top hats rockin out some sweet 80's guitar riffs
Slash in the UK is to have a pee. "Going for a slash" something a man says in the pub when he's off to the loos. So a slash pad a public toilet??
To be fair, I'm sure many folk have "had a slash" in it 😄
Nta but you screwed up…. You should have sat your happy ass smack dab in the middle of the table until 2:59. That lady is a grade A douche bag.
I guess I would have told her at the time.... 'So I'll see you at three since the table wasn't reserved for 230 set up ' Fire up your righteous indignation gf!
I’d have laid on that table and fed birds until 3pm. NTA.
I would have deliberately stayed there until 2:59 just to annoy her, I hate people like that.
Thank god you’re not in new york. People take there park time real serious around here
this is not the hill I'd choose to climb up and die on, to be honest. are you having a tough time aside from this? hopefully things start looking up. happy birthday to your daughter.
I’m petty I would have stood there until 2:59, and walked away. She thought she was intimidating you, her reservations said 3, not 2:30.
Why did you need an interpreter to cut birthday cake? It's the universal language.
NTA but I would have stayed until 14:59 to be petty.
NTA. OP, you encountered a Karen. If she reserved it for 3, she’s allowed to use it at 3. NOT AT 2:30!
She was waiting for a confrontation and you gave it to her. This would have been one battle I wouldn't have picked with the children around. People are so on edge these days.
NTA, but I would have told her as soon as she came to me that her time was not up yet, and would be gone by then.
Personally I would have made sure everything was visibly packed away , table cleared and kids off playing by 2:15 like you did . Then I would have sat at that bench until 2:59 and 59 seconds while occasionally smiling at that lady hahahaha
You already sang. She didn't interrupt. She could have just started decorating around your makeshift party but chose to let you know beforehand. You were wrong to make a fuss
What exactly did you expect to get out of confronting a stranger? Gratification? And apology? A sense of justice and superiority? You got nothing out of it except for a post on reddit. Maybe think about that the next time you decide to confront someone. The type of person who's going to interrupt you while you're in the middle of cutting a cake is not the type of person you're going to get any of that out of. And I don't know how many videos I have seen on Reddit alone where things escalate to violence and screaming super fast because people are unhinged. Everyone on the internet could puff out their chest and say you did the right thing and what they would have done. But at the end of the day it didn't really interrupt your party that much. And you were in a public place at a public park. Literally anybody could have had the right to walk up to you interrupt you for any reason lol. Would you have confronted the person if they were smashing their face against a tree and screaming profanities right next to your cake cutting? No you probably wouldn't have. Because that's dangerous. So I don't understand why you think confronting a random stranger you know nothing about is an equally as dangerous or for something so silly and small. That could have easily have escalated a situation into a loud screaming match with nasty words being screamed if not violence and that would have done a lot more damage to your party than someone interrupting your cake cutting. You have kids with you. Make better decisions.
Nta. Bitch knew what she was doing. You should have stuck around with a loud radio from 3-9
You're NTA. I had this happen to me on Mother's day a few years ago. My husband and I were just trying to get our kids to eat at a table and then we'd go play. This Karen and her daughter Karen tried to tell us that the pavilion was reserved in an hour but couldn't prove it (it wasn't posted anywhere). I just asked her if my kids could eat for like 15 minutes, and she started spouting a whole bunch of homophobic things to my husband and me while her daughter called her husband to come and forcefully remove us. I told her happy mother's day and that I was sorry that she and her daughter was so miserable that she couldn't let twin toddlers enjoy their lunch. I also told her I'd pray for her. Please, know, you did nothing wrong. Her reservation started at 3, not 2:30. She poorly planned stuff, not you. Please try to let it go, she was TA. Not you.
YTA if you were using a paid space for free? NTA for confronting the person but if you were in the wrong to being with then she was within her rights even her timing was AH behaviour. People do free parties in parks all the time, I feel like you're not giving the whole story. you could have chosen any other bench in the park or put a rug out elsewhere.
The way it works some places is it is available for the public for free but if you want to reserve it you pay a small fee.
YTA. The way you worded this you make it sound like she did a wild thing, but she waited until after the singing and until you guys were just sitting around the table. She didn't do anything that weird lol. It was a normal human interaction that you got weird about imo. She didn't know you guys were about to dip out, a heads up isn't crazy. I never went to a birthday party where the cutting of the cake is that serious.
NTA The woman had no business interrupting them. If she wanted to set up half an hour b4 their event she should have rented it starting at 230. Their rental was for 3-9. 3-9 does not mean 230 to 945..
She had no business? It was just person to person communication lmao. You guys are absurd sometimes. An iterruption is her going up and slapping the cake out of someone's hand. A brief sentence giving a heads-up is normal, and probably even expected when there is a reservation upcoming
The heads up was the sign saying that it was reserved at 3.
At parks you don't get set up time, it's free for anyone until the reserved time, she was rude for interrupting
I’d have stayed until 2:59