To be annoyed with a work colleague?

[Bananamam4]

I started my new job around six months ago. I have realised that there is a lot of pettiness amongst work colleagues and a lot of bitching, awful atmospheres etc. I have tried to keep away from the gossiping and moaning and just got on with the work. I try to get along with most of them.
To cut a long story short, I rotated on to nights last week. I sensed a bit of a clique to be honest, despite trying to make conversation and generally help others out. Anyway, a work colleague asked me if I could drop her off at the bus stop at the end of her shift, and I willingly agreed. For the last four months or so, I have been parking over the road in a car park which has plenty of spaces and has no barrier. I will admit that I shouldn't really be parking there, as it is for employees with a different coloured car sticker. She asked me if I was allowed to park there and I said I don't think so but have been doing so for over four months and nobody has noticed. She just said "Oh." and then I dropped her off. I then got the feeling that I shouldn't have said anything. Five days later I got into my car and noticed a parking ticket with a fine. Have I been grassed up or am I being paranoid? Too much of a coincidence if you ask me, and dirty behaviour from her...

[PegsPigs]

Grassed up. But you've got away with it for 4 months so hopefully you're not out of pocket and have learned to park in the correct spot to avoid petty colleagues.

[Bananamam4]

Well luckily it was only a ten pound fine. Just annoyed that I gave her a lift and in return decides to grass me up!!

[TomTomKitten]

Grassed up probably but you knew you shouldn't have been parking there so it was only a matter of time.

Don't park there and don't give her a lift in future.

[AnchorDownDeepBreath]

She might not have grassed you up, it could have been a coincidence. Or she could have felt obligated to tell someone, or she could have been asked if she knew whose car that is...

In the end, you were chancing your arm parking somewhere you knew you shouldn't and got away with it four months. You must have known you'd get caught eventually. Chalk it up and move on, and don't offer her any more lifts!

[Bananamam4]

Other car park nearly ten mins away

[GloGirl]

Coincidence I think. That'd be awful of her!

[Penfold007]

Next time she asks for a lift simply tell her your a ten minute walk away as some one grassed on you. Seriously I doubt she grassed on you - she wanted a lift.

[shazzarooney99]

I feel your pain I really do, i once worked in a place where you couldnt have an innocent conversation without it being taken to the headteacher and twisted, then you would get halled in the office and a ticking off for nothing, it was awful, just like being in the playground as a child, the sad thing is these were bits of kids telling lies, getting people in trouble to try and climb theyre way up the ladder, pathetic really, needless to say I left. I reckon she probably grassed you up, if i were you I would do your job, I would do the chit chat thing, but not share anything with anyone, and if she asks for a lift again, tell her you cant because you have to rush off somewhere.

[chillycurtains]

She could have suspected it of course and asked for a lift deliberately to see where you parked your car....

[littleleftie]

I would start parking somewhere in the opposite direction to the car park as a reason not to drop her off any more.

However, I would be surprised if it was her as won't it be further for her to walk to car with you now? Would be cutting off her nose to spite her face?

[HanYOLO]

Surely no-one to whom you have given a favour would be so mean?

It's bound to be a coincidence.

Though it says something about your workplace that you think she must have dobbed you in.

[Auburn2000]

No don't give her any more lifts. There are probably all sorts of agendas playing out among your colleagues. I agree that it's best to just chit chat with everyone, and trust your instincts from now on.
Sympathies, it's not fun working in that kind of atmosphere with no allies, but at least you realised early on what it was like and are keeping away from the pettiness.

[KitKat1985]

Well she could have grassed you up or it could just be a coincidence. To be fair if you're not supposed to be parking there and yet you've been doing it for four months, you have been taking the mickey, and it was probably only a matter of time before you got a fine. Unless you actually ask said work colleague if she grassed you in / she admits it I think you are just going to have to give her the benefit of the doubt.

[lavenderhoney]

Co incidence imo but seeming as you say everyone is backstabbing and petty, why park when you're not supposed to? Anyone could have have dobbed you in. You're setting yourself up for unnecessary hassle. It doesn't have to be her.

Just park where you're supposed to. And in that environment, sure give her a lift- why not? She might tell you stuff and if you get on, you can be each other's reference.

[lordStrange]

At least it was just a tenner.

I think you are doing well to keep out of all the institutionalised gossipy bollocks, though that on its own can isolate you. Who knows if the colleague was petty enough to report you probably ? Sigh.

[MidniteScribbler]

One 10 pound fine in four months because you are too lazy to walk ten minutes. I think you've done pretty well actually.

[Bananamam4]

MidniteScribbler- Was it you who grassed?!!!

[SohowdoIdothis]

Assumption is the mother of all fuck ups.

[NickiFury]

She probably did. I've known people who would do that, quite a few actually. I sometimes think MNetters are very sheltered. Some people get something out of being In The Know and making problems for others and it's worth it to them even if they end up being inconvenienced. No more lifts for the Tell Tale obviously and so what if you parked in the wrong, almost empty, car park I would have too.

[SohowdoIdothis]

Ask her.

[Trills]

It's not as if anyone has made false accusations about you.

You knowingly parked somewhere you shouldn't.

You've had a VERY small fine.

What exactly are you complaining about?

< shrug >

[Bananamam4]

Complaining about somebody grassing when I was doing her a favour.

[NickiFury]

I always like contributing to these kinds of threads and marking my place so I can giggle at the unbelievably only on MN sanctimony that ensues.

[lookingforafriend]

Stop giving her a life if and when she asks....tell her what you are thinking and what has happened....stand up to these people......not nice working in such an atmosphere..good luck