A post about an “entitled” note left on a legally parked motorcycle has received a storm of backlash on social media.
The Reddit post shared by u/SinnexCryllic, titled “If we’re sharing entitled neighbor notes,” shows an image of a handwritten message left on a student’s motorcycle in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The post has garnered over 3,400 upvotes and hundreds of comments since it was first shared in late September.
“Please don’t take up so much space with your bike,” the note reads. “We really need space for cars—which could have otherwise fit here—and you can squeeze your motorcycle in a better spot.”
The caption of the post says: “Got this on my legally street-parked bike a few weeks back. And no, the street parking permit isn’t cheaper for a motorcycle than a car.”
The student, who did not share their name or age, told Newsweek that parking in their neighborhood operates on a simple, first-come-first-served system. “I pay $30 a year for a permit for the whole area, which is the same rate as any other car pays, and it’s increasing this upcoming year to $40 a year. No assigned parking, it’s first come first serve,” they said.
The incident reflects a broader trend of neighborhood tension and disputes unfolding in different ways.
A recent Talker Research survey conducted on behalf of Newsweek found that parking conflicts, noise complaints, and property boundary issues remain among the most-common sources of friction between U.S. neighbors. The survey of 1,000 adults found that even minor disagreements can escalate when not handled constructively.
Gregg Ward, executive director at The Center for Respectful Leadership, told Newsweek that such disputes can quickly spiral if handled poorly. “If your neighbor doesn’t behave in ways you want them to, the last thing you should do is get into a tit-for-tat battle with them,” Ward said. “This happens all too often, and it never ends well. In short, don’t respond to disrespect with more disrespect—it will just make everything worse.”
The area, according to the poster, is dominated by student housing and constant turnover. “It’s largely student housing around here, so it’s a constant rotation of neighbors, and I barely know most of them,” the Reddit user told Newsweek.
“The rotation of students and high population density also means that a lot of people bring their cars from home. This area is known to be notoriously difficult to find street parking for a car, which is partially why I prefer motorcycles or bikes.”
The Reddit user said this was the first note they had ever received in more than a year of parking in the area. They have “no clue” who might have left the note,” the poster said, adding: “But I’ve changed my parking habits for fear of anonymous retaliation.”
No other notes have appeared since, the poster said.
‘Entitled’
Fellow Reddit users were quick to take the motorcyclist’s side, calling the note “entitled” and defending the rider’s right to park like any other vehicle.
U/Valuable_Recording85 wrote: “People b***** about goddamn bicycles. The average person whose only conveyance is by car is just dumb and entitled.”
Another commenter, u/anotherstepfwd, reminded readers that “they forget motorcycles have the same rights as a car.”
U/Soggy_Doggy_ added: “They don’t see motorcyclists as people and they don’t see bikes as transportation …”
U/docbongrips commented: “Everyone wants us to follow the same rules of the road as cars until it’s inconvenient for em lol [laugh out loud].”
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