To say no to sharing table at coffee shop

[OrangeChips1]

I bought a coffee and cookie and sat down with by book to eat it at a table outside.

A few minutes later a couple came in, bought their drinks, stared at me as if I'd done something wrong and then asked if they could sit at my table with me (as it was the only one in the sun).
I was confused ....all the other tables were empty.

AIBU to say no? I didn't want to awkwardly sit there reading by book but pretending not to be able to hear their conversation. I could have moved one of the ones in the shade into the sun, but I was confused about why they didn't just do that themselves since I was already sat down and settled in.

But this is a completely different scenario - in which I totally wouldn't have minded! Not least because their voices would have merged into the general hubbub.

If they want to sit at a particular table they either reserve it in advance or sit elsewhere til you leave.

But why should I move tables? Am puzzled by that

the difference is that in the OP's scenario there WERE free tables. They wanted her table because it was in the sun, but did actually manage, when pushed, to work out that they could move another table into the sun. They just didn't bother putting in that thinking at first because they assumed someone on their own wouldn't mind sharing.

Bunch of twats. I'd have told the gym. Staring with the intent to intimidate can be considered a crime.

It's because it's important for YOU to be nice and roll over at entitled people's whims; but other people don't have to be nice at all, and can expect to be given whatever they want, at the expense of all the nice-being people.

I think you may find that a lot if couples and families think thet have the divine right to lord it over single people and especially women in cafes.

They rule the world and you are only here on sufferance.In fact you barely. exist in their world

Hotels in places like Spain are even worse, especially if you are single, elderly disabled and a women. The Spanish men really seem to hate single women and go Ape.Shit if you take up a table for two if you need space for your crutches.

And keep their snidey animosity towatds you for the whole holiday

Carry on sitting where you want when you want as a single female customer

Hurrah Honey !!!!

👌👸💗

X

If they asked if they could sit down, they didn't assume anything. Assuming would be sitting down without bothering to ask. I admit their asking is odd given the reasonable alternative of moving amother table into the sun, but I don't think it warrants the backlash on here. Having just travelled home from NW England and dealt with the usual stupid twattery on the roads, this doesn't even register on the spectum.

Saying no as you did was better.

Well done - you were polite and reasonable.
They were also polite, but more than a little unreasonable.

Why should she have to chat to total strangers? Or "be nice"? She didn't want to talk to them and wanted to read her book on her own. What on earth is "over priveleged" about that?! Their wants don't override those of the person already sitting at the table.

I get this a lot OP. If you're a single woman on her own in a public space, couples or groups just seem to target you for some reason, or act like you're invisible. Several times I've had groups (both men and women) or couples invade my space despite there being ample amount of empty tables/spaces. They often don't even ask, just plonk their arses down! I'm convinced it's deliberate sometimes for some strange reason, but that may just be me and it may just be mere ignorance.

Are you in NE England (mainly Tees Valley area) by any chance OP? A lot of people here seem to like targeting lone women in empty places.

Urgh I had this on a rare date night with my DH, we went to a pub and only table was a 4 person one in a quiet corner of the pub-lots of standing room at bar, I went to get us drinks and when I returned another couple (who we didn’t know) where sat with my DH on our table and preceded to chat to us for the next hour and half (I was trying to just give closed answers to get rid of them)….f**k off!!

They assumed she was going to just say yes, so they didn't need to bother rearranging the tables.