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AIBU?

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Original poster

To speak to the cafe owner about this.

78 replies

Heathcote294 · 08/02/2023 10:51

I walk my dog about twice a week in the countryside, on my own.

I park in a narrow lay-by, walk around the lake and then return to the car. If I follow the road (single track) in the direction I came in on it will take me around 3 miles to be able to turn onto a main road and then return home.

There's a cafe next to the lake that I frequently go to after my walk when it's open. It's currently out of season but the gates/carpark remain open as they have some holiday let's on the site. Instead of doing the extra 3 miles along the single track lane I turn around at the cafe. I dont drive fully into the carpark, I just put my front half of the car onto the drive and the reverse back so that I'm facing in the right direction for home.

The road is too narrow to do a 3 point turn and the narrow lay by I park in is sloped and muddy.
The only other turning spot is a busy working farm which I'd never use.

I know the owners to say hello to and I know they employ a man to do maintenance on the property let's. On 3 occasions now this man has been stood by the cafe as I turn the car around. He has stared absolute daggers at me and shook his head as I've done the manoover. He is it again yesterday.

You have to walk past the front of the cafe to get around the lake. I find this man really intimidating.

Am I in the wrong for doing this manoover in my car? I'm thinking of letting the cafe owners know that this man is putting me off using their cafe in the future and actually making me nervous of doing this lake walk altogether.

However, if I'm in the wrong then I obviously won't and I'll stop turning there. I just don't see what harm I'm doing when it's a business, not a private residence, the carpark is open and I'm not even driving up to the cafe.

To speak to the cafe owner about this.
OP posts:
Original poster
Heathcote294 · 08/02/2023 20:16

Thatboymum · 08/02/2023 19:40

that’s literally emotional blackmail “oh hi cafe owner the man you have employed to take care of the place while closed keeps eyeballing me when I use your private property as a turning ground because I’m too lazy to drive rite round home and it’s making me not want to give you my custom again” like what do you want to achieve from that that’s pathetic

It's nothing of the sort. It's an accurate account of what's happened. They can clarify the situation any which way they want. I cant imagine they'd be the slightest bit bothered if they lose out on a few cup's of tea through the year, the place is always jam packed when open.

OP posts:
Stopthebusplease · 08/02/2023 20:42

Personally OP, I think I would just pull up the next time he gives you a dirty look, wind down the window and ask him if you're doing something wrong. He may look at you and say 'no, not at all', in which case you can say, 'oh, only you seem to give me a dirty look every time I turn around here, so I thought perhaps I was doing something wrong'. On the other hand, he just might tell you what his problem is, but I certainly wouldn't let him intimidate me.

NotAHouse · 08/02/2023 20:57

Stopthebusplease · 08/02/2023 20:42

Personally OP, I think I would just pull up the next time he gives you a dirty look, wind down the window and ask him if you're doing something wrong. He may look at you and say 'no, not at all', in which case you can say, 'oh, only you seem to give me a dirty look every time I turn around here, so I thought perhaps I was doing something wrong'. On the other hand, he just might tell you what his problem is, but I certainly wouldn't let him intimidate me.

Exactly this.

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