was this sarcasm or am I just paranoid?

[SenseFromThoughtDivide]

So this morning I (an old guy) had to drive into the town centre. The car park was busy but I parked in the left side of two empty slots. As I got out of the car, another car stopped to back into the slot next to me. It was never anywhere near me, nor did it seem to slow or stop its manoeuvre at all. I got a ticket, and when I returned to the car a middle aged lady was getting something out of the passenger side of the car that had backed into the next slot

The lady saw me, and said she was sorry if She had held me up, and did I have to wait to get out

Me (puzzled) , no that’s fine”

And I’m thinking she was being sarcastic because I’d not waited for her, but then she continued “I’ve made sure not to park too close” (I was pretty centred in my slot thanks to my cars birds eyes cameras)

“No that’s fine” I said, not even having looked at the gap between us

“Oh I didn’t want to get in your way”

“No, it’s all ok” (just for a change from ‘that’s fine’j

And then she starts talking about the weather, how busy the car Park was etc etc as I left

So was the most polite driver ever? Or Was this advanced level sarcasm?

I have no idea why you have posted this story?

I’m not sure which way round the AIBU is, but I can’t imagine why you think this was sarcasm. She sounds like someone who is very concerned about inconveniencing someone else.

No sarcasm - there are some nice people who like to chat - not everyone is horrible.

What a peculiar post. If you thought that was sarcasm, there's really something wrong with the way you think. The woman was being polite and friendly, and you were ridiculously paranoid, it seems.

She sounds a but anxious but it’s not something I would think about after it had happened, let alone still now.

She is probably over-compensating for a past experience. The spaces at my local shopping centre are very narrow and I’ve been shouted at in the past because someone didn’t feel I’d left enough space for them, even though I had parked centrally in my space. It makes me self-conscious about it and I might well mention it to another driver if I felt the gap was narrow.

Don't take the replies personally OP. The defautlt on AIBU is to be slightly nasty to the OP. I don't think this lady was being sarcastic, she sounds like she's a bit anxious about getting in people's way. I'm a bit like you though and always feel a bit uncertain and like I may have annoyed people so while yes you're being a bit paranoid I can empathise!

She was chatting you up.

You, "an old guy", came to mumsnet to tell this non-story. Why?

I think you should see a professional about your paranoia. She was just making polite convo

Hi OP, please ignore some unkind previous posters!

No I don't think she was being sarcastic, I think she was being polite and was worried.

I'm autistic and find sarcasm tricky so may have been worried too. There is nothing wrong with you!

I have no idea why you have posted this story?

Because I have trouble with subtle nuances In speech, and it would be far from the first time that’s I’ve completely misread a conversation (my best ever was when I had what seemed to be a perfectly normal conversation, and later someone had to explain to me that he had been trying to intimate/threaten me.)

Considering sarcasm is defined by tone no one will be able to answer

Fair enough