Law enforcement recently responded to a parking lot dispute at Colorado’s Arapahoe Basin and the incident touches on a hot topic of debate – one that honestly doesn’t warrant any debate, at all.

According to a report on the matter, a woman said she was being harassed in the A-Basin lot while she was attempting to hold a parking space for her husband, presumably by using her body to block the space from others. As might be expected, a driver who wasn’t her husband pulled up and wanted the spot. The woman told the driver that the space was saved for her husband, who she claimed would be arriving shortly, and she wouldn’t give it up. According to the woman, the driver refused to leave and allegedly started yelling at the woman, telling her to move.

Summit County Sheriff’s Office deputies were called following the incident and determined that no threats were made and that the woman wasn’t struck by the vehicle, thus it was merely a verbal disagreement and no criminal charges applied. It wasn’t mentioned who ended up with the spot, though bodycam audio appears to make it sound like another spot was found nearby – it wasn’t clear who kept the original spot and who took the other one.

While this seems to be a run-of-the-mill encounter that was escalated when law enforcement got involved, it begs an important question: Is it acceptable to save a parking space for someone in a crowded resort parking lot?

Anyone who has visited Colorado’s ski areas more than a few times has likely seen someone standing in an empty spot with friends still on the way, but is that acceptable? This writer would say no, especially on a crowded day. Many ski area lots operate on a first come, first served basis when it comes to where vehicles end up – if you want to park with someone you know, arrive at the same time or park in a less crowded area where open spaces may stick around longer.

As everyone knows, “my friend is pulling up soon” doesn’t mean much from a stranger – that could mean the friend is a minute or an hour away or that someone just wants more space for themself. Instead of calling law enforcement to help settle a parking lot dispute of this nature, people should simply treat fellow ski resort guests with the common courtesy of respecting first come, first served policies and give that spot away. You snooze, you lose.

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