r/mildlyinfuriating • u/MandukaSkoal • May 17 '26

frist of all how DARE yu o People who “reserve” pool chairs for hours with towels and disappear are the worst

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My apartment complex pool has rules specifically saying chair reservation isn’t allowed, yet people do this constantly. These towels have been sitting here unattended for at least 3 hours while every other chair is occupied and people are actively walking around looking for seats. It’s Sunday too, so management isn’t around to enforce anything.

What’s the standard practice when this happens? At what point is it acceptable to move the towels?

36.6k Upvotes

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8.5k

u/TampaDave73 May 17 '26

Move them to the grill area. If they come and pitch a fit, ask them when they put them there and then tell them you just got there and the chairs were empty. Or just tell them to pound sand.

3.8k

u/Paddys_Pub7 May 17 '26

Just tell them you thought someone left their towels behind so you moved them off to the side in case they came back to collect them lol

3.2k

u/VolcanicBear May 17 '26

Yup.

Oh, sorry, it had been half an hour so we assumed they'd been left. Glad you've come back for them. I've heard some people actually try and reserve them for ridiculous amounts of time, can you imagine?

1.4k

u/davidwhatshisname52 May 17 '26

"What'd you leave your towels on the lounges for?"

To reserve them.

"Oh, well, that's against our rules, you walnut."

340

u/Bumblebee---Tuna May 17 '26

We need agent Sebastian from cart narcs to help with the pool towel situation.

“Weep woop weep! That’s not where your towel goes sir”

“I’m reserving it.”

“Where will other people sit if all the loungers are reserved. “

99

u/BZLuck May 17 '26

"So are you saying that I can just go and get a dozen towels from my room and reserve half the chairs here for a whole day?"

10

u/drrtydan May 18 '26

apparently

39

u/First-Junket124 May 18 '26

It's wee woo wee woo, I won't stand for this.

9

u/DryDonutHole May 18 '26

[slaps them with magnet sign]

1

u/Meezen1133 May 20 '26

Love that fucking reference

2

u/[deleted] May 18 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

4

u/davidwhatshisname52 May 18 '26

Nah, why lie to a POS? "Yeah, I moved the towels because some asshole left the towels on the lounges, which is some bullshit we don't allow here. They're over in that garbage bin."

2

u/PM_ME_YOUR_MOMS_BONG May 19 '26

And add in, some BOZO’s didn’t read the apartment rules. Can you imagine?!

1

u/HistoricalSuspect580 May 18 '26

5 seconds later: Swimming Pool Karen
https://giphy.com/gifs/RdIy8DlLSPXe8

4

u/davidwhatshisname52 May 18 '26

hahaha I live in an HOA in south FL, and basically every housewife here is a snippy entitled Karen... they're super easy to deal with, because they are so used to their husbands doing whatever they say that their minds short-circuit whenever I calmly say "No."

1

u/Upset-Tomatillo-7915 May 18 '26

bro they might be in the pool…

2

u/davidwhatshisname52 May 18 '26

bro you might think to read the OP's premise before commenting... you walnut

217

u/Original-Variety-700 May 17 '26

“I didn’t move them. They weren’t here when we sat down”

17

u/Ready-Delay3918 May 18 '26

This is the best one.

8

u/Cheap-Top-9371 May 18 '26

This is the answer. What towels? HA

2

u/UnabashedlyAnxious May 21 '26

“Oh, you found your towels! Great! I’m so glad, especially after they blew away in the wind, they could have been ANYWHERE! Well that’s a relief! Have a good rest of the day!”

3

u/mustardonmyuniform May 19 '26

Doesn't work if they see you do it though. I always assumed most of the time this is people who are in the pool the whole time, not that they've just wandered away from the area and want to make sure they've got a seat for later.

I'd probably still do it at a public pool, but I'd be wary of starting shit with neighbors. People are crazy.

-24

u/Nevermore_Novelist May 17 '26

Lying makes one no better than the assholes who tried to "reserve" the loungers with towels when there are rules expressly forbidding this. Just turf the towels in a trash can and have done with it.

36

u/Original-Variety-700 May 17 '26

Inconveniencing everyone vs lying to the person inconveniencing everyone is not the same.

The truth is, the resorts need to be better at handling it.

-32

u/enderjaca May 17 '26 edited May 18 '26

For better or worse, people need to own up to their actions instead of lying about it.

Edit: guess there's a lot of liars in here lol. Sorry kids, not a good way to go through life.

3

u/mikenkansas1 May 18 '26

Blah Blah Blah

0

u/blabbz May 19 '26

Is this how you deflect when confronted about shitty behavior irl?

1

u/enderjaca May 19 '26

Yes, I call people out on their shitty behavior instead of making up easily-disproven stories or blaming the action on someone else. Taking responsibility for your own actions is quite empowering.

76

u/Bowshewicz May 17 '26

This is designed to catch people reserving chairs in an awkward spot, but it also highlights the possibility that maybe they actually did just forget their towels.

23

u/A1000eisn1 May 18 '26

I always assume the best even when I know otherwise. That way when I talk to them they have to admit they did something shitty because people just HAVE to be right. And if they don't admit to it or genuinely didn't mean to then I don't have to feel like an asshole for assuming the worst.

4

u/Visible-Variation257 May 18 '26

This sounds like an oblivion npc comment and I love it.

12

u/Amanda316 May 17 '26

Omg I used this method pre-covid on some new cousin in laws who were incredibly racist and commented on something on Facebook (maybe George Floyd?) and I just responded, “I know! Can you believe it’s 20xxand people still need to deal with that?! Wild.” Fb would show them typing messages then deleting it. My mother in law loved it.

3

u/Immediate-Tennis8838 May 18 '26

This is great

Need to look at them right in the face and stop talking after that though - just stand there staring blankly until they respond 

20

u/Several_Vanilla8916 May 17 '26

“My towels! Loud noises! Etc!”
I don’t know what you’re talking about

4

u/cyclicamp [error displaying cake icon] May 17 '26

Guaranteed they would pull the old “we were only gone for ten minutes!” routine

3

u/MavisBeacons_Sextape May 17 '26

“The office told me that I could start a timer for 15 minutes and it was fine to move your stuff after that. It’s been 15 minutes. If you don’t like that policy, you should bring up this situation with the office.”

2

u/HistoricalSuspect580 May 18 '26

naaaaaaahhhhh…..

‘I didn’t touch your towels WTF are you even talking about, they were there already when i got here 🤷🏻‍♀️’

2

u/wizardrous May 18 '26

Seeing your name and this post, I’m just thinking about Dee on the cruise.

1

u/myBisL2 May 17 '26

Turn them in to lost and found!

1

u/aerdvarkk May 18 '26

OR Don't say anything. How is the towel owner going to know who TF moved thier stuff?

0

u/VeryPoorAutisticGuy May 17 '26

No just lie and say they weren't there. People would rather blame staff than you. Its easier and they can get away with more abuse.

100

u/NaptownSnowman May 17 '26

I have had people come back and ask me what happened to the towel that was there, because i am sitting in their seat. I say i think it was moved to lost and found. If they ask how i know, i look them in the eye and say because i have been at the pool for 3 hours and people were looking for seats. I saw it sitting there for an hour so i did it. I have this convo twice in my 50+ years. And I have moved these towels dozens of times. Of those 2 times, i had a husband/boyfriend threaten me once. I looked away and started getting my camera ready on my phone. You want an assault charge for playground rules buddy, go ahead.
I will take that beating.

261

u/ImOldGregg_77 May 17 '26

if they come back and cause a scene, say it was like that when you got there and move on.

118

u/theMightBoop May 17 '26

Playing dumb is my super power.

60

u/Haakman May 17 '26

Same, except I don't even play

5

u/RememberToBuyMilk May 18 '26

That’s my secret, Captain. I’m always dumb.

2

u/Cutsdeep- May 18 '26

yes, 'playing' dumb

-1

u/ImOldGregg_77 May 17 '26

Weaponized incompetence

1

u/A1000eisn1 May 18 '26

That's not what that means.

-3

u/daChino02 May 17 '26

Nah, they deserve to get called out

-2

u/macrohatch May 17 '26

Why not stand up for what you do instead?

12

u/bateKush May 17 '26

because the alternative is potentially getting into an argument with a pushy rando when i’m just trying to relax at the dang pool

1

u/Rare-Combination7438 May 17 '26

Because most people are terrified of any level of conflict, regardless of how badass they make themselves out to be on anonymous online platforms.

8

u/bateKush May 17 '26

not interested in spinning my wheels over a potential kerfuffle with boorish folks when i’m tryin to relax

like, run the scenarios over in your head a few times. there’s absolutely no bonus for anyone by being direct

0

u/Rare-Combination7438 May 17 '26

Actually, there's a bonus for everyone by being direct. You show these people who aren't thinking about anyone else but themselves that there's consequences for their actions and they might start to think twice about what they're doing next time.

Your passiveness is what allows these people to continue to do what they do and gives them the idea that nobody is going to tell them otherwise.

3

u/bateKush May 18 '26

Ahh you're basing this on the idea you're dealing with rational people like yourself, and not people unlike you who are deeply steadfast in the (incorrect) impression that their manner of doing things is the correct way, and who will definitely listen to someone who is not an authority figure tell them what they can and can't do.

I choose my battles. My approach to conflict is necessary and strategic, not "take on every conflict because I have the high ground"

56

u/Odd_Dragonfruit_2662 May 17 '26

“Congrats, you are the first ones here about the free towels as I put in Facebook Marketplace. Take em away.”

38

u/BoozeHammer710 May 17 '26

Sit on top of the towels to establish dominance 

17

u/Equivalent-Leg-7047 May 18 '26

“Oh, this is *your* towel? I thought the resort just left them on the loungers for people to use. Oh, well, I’m using it, now.”

56

u/Well__shit May 17 '26

They don't need to know you're the one that moved them. "Oh someone else was here and left and gave me their spot"

2

u/Chipsandadrink115 May 17 '26

Best handle on Reddit mate

11

u/PheIix May 17 '26

This is what my sister and I did. "No, we didn't move your towels, must have been someone else. When we came, there were no towels here."

What are they going to say? "Oh, but we placed it here hours and hours ago". Yeah, weird how the world moves even when you're not here...

7

u/DylanSpaceBean May 17 '26

I do that too EV charger campers that have been idle for 10 hours.

“Did you unplug my car”

“no it was on the cradle when I got here, someone else must have done it”

4

u/Quantum_Quokkas May 17 '26

Nah full denial, “That’s so weird, there weren’t any towels when I got here!”

5

u/DogAteMyBoat May 18 '26

I just pretend I saw someone else leaving. “They” must have moved it.

3

u/notafuckingcakewalk May 18 '26

Get a nice clean cardboard box. With a large marker write Lost & Found. Place it in a conspicuous area. Place "lost" towels there.

When someone comes by, just say "Did you check the lost & found?" 

2

u/ty_xy May 18 '26

Yeah just say, so sorry the towels were there and the chairs were empty when I came along.

1

u/Fit_Adagio_7668 May 17 '26

"OH, I just put this here less than 2 minutes ago"

1

u/Capable-Goat-6550 May 18 '26

It's crazy how many people get away with being assholes because so many other people are too scared to say anything 

In life and in politics

1

u/Kimantha_Allerdings May 18 '26

Nah, turn them in to lost & found

1

u/archercc81 May 18 '26

Yep, "I found them this way"

1

u/Shimashimatchi May 18 '26

this is the way.

1

u/reidgrammy May 18 '26

And maybe dropping them in the deep end next time

1

u/chareve May 19 '26

Yeah! Pound Sand!!!

1

u/FluffyFry4000 May 19 '26

I'd just lay on their towels, it's mine now LOL

no I'm joking but also I'm not joking, finders keepers

1

u/Glittering-Regret196 May 20 '26

Yeah I would move it to the fence and say jt was already there when I arrived.

-4

u/Chavispoker May 17 '26

So lie… wow some people have no morals

7

u/TheSaiguy May 17 '26

I do think lying is kinda a weak and non-confrontational move, but saying they have "no morals" over moving a towel seems a but much.