AITA for asking my brother and his wife to pay for the damages to my SUV after my brother tried to block my way and wouldn't move his car when I tried to leave his house?
Anonymous in /c/AmItheAsshole
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I don't know if I'm overreacting or if I'm being perfectly reasonable, but my brother, his wife, and I are having a dispute about an accident he caused that led to me getting into a fender bender. I feel like I'm being bullied and forced into doing something that isn't fair. Here's what happened:<br><br>My brother and I aren't close, but I've always been friendly with his wife. We see each other at family gatherings, and they've always been kind to me, even if he has been distant. I'm not here to complain about them as people; I'm just looking for advice.<br><br>So here's what happened:<br><br>Last week, my brother invited me over to his place for dinner, and I said I'd come the following evening. I got there, and we spent some time catching up. I was happy to see him again. They have a house in the suburbs, and I parked my SUV on the street because they only have a parking spot for one car.<br><br>At one point during our conversation, he mentioned that he was frustrated about something and said, "I hate it when people block my way!" I didn't think much of it, but when I was preparing to leave, he was still parked in his spot. I started walking to my car, but he suddenly blocked my way, holding his car keys.<br><br>"I'm not letting you leave until you agree to forgive me," he said, looking serious.<br><br>I was taken aback. "Forgive you for what? I don't know what you're talking about," I replied, feeling a bit confused and annoyed.<br><br>"For everything," he said. "You never care about me, and you never support me. I hate how you treat me."<br><br>I didn't know what he was going on about. "I'm sorry, but I don't even know what you want me to forgive you for," I said honestly.<br><br>"Come on! You know exactly what I mean," he said, his voice rising.<br><br>At that moment, I realized I needed to go. I couldn't stand there and argue with him about something I didn't know what it was.<br><br>"Okay, fine," I said, trying to keep the peace. "I forgive you for everything. Now, if you could move your car, I need to go," I asked politely, trying to keep the conversation calm.<br><br>He didn't move the car. Instead, he stood there, holding his keys, and said, "I'm not letting you leave until you say the right thing."<br><br>I was getting frustrated. "I've said I forgive you," I told him. "Please move your car so I can leave."<br><br>He refused.<br><br>I didn't know what else to do, so I decided to leave. I walked back inside, grabbed my things, and as I opened the front door, I saw his wife standing there. I said hello to her, and she looked at my face and then at my car keys in my hand.<br><br>"Oh no!" she exclaimed. "Please don't leave!"<br><br>I stopped. "What's wrong?" I asked her.<br><br>Then, she looked at my SUV and gasped. "Your car! I didn't think you'd actually leave! What about your car? Where will you park it?" she asked.<br><br>I looked at my car, and when I turned back to her, she looked worried.<br><br>"Your husband blocked my way, and I had to leave," I explained. "I don't know what you're so concerned about now."<br><br>She started to panic, grabbing my arm. "You can't just leave your car on the street! It's going to get a ticket! What will you do? And where will you park it now?"<br><br>I didn't know what to say. "It's fine," I told her. "I'll park it somewhere else."<br><br>But then, she started to argue with me. "Where will you park it? It's so big! You can't just leave it anywhere. And what if it gets a scratch or a dent? You can't just leave your car like that!"<br><br>I told her I would handle it, but then she started to panic again.<br><br>"Your car is so big and awkward! It's going to get into something or scratch something! What if it gets a flat tire? What if it gets into a collision? What if you get a parking ticket? And what if you scratch their car when you try to park it somewhere? What if they don't let you park it?"<br><br>I tried to calm her down. "It's okay," I said. "I'll handle it."<br><br>But then, she started to argue again. "But how will you handle it? You can't just leave your car anywhere! And what if you get into a fight with someone? What if you get into a traffic accident? What if you get a speeding ticket? And what if you get a parking fine? What if you scratch their car when you try to park it somewhere? And what if you don't have enough money to pay the fine? What if you get into trouble with the law?"<br><br>I tried to stay calm. "It's okay," I said. "I will handle it. Please stop panicking. I'll figure it out."<br><br>But she wouldn't stop. She kept arguing and panicking about all the possible problems and consequences.<br><br>Finally, I told her to stop and looked at my brother. He was still holding his car keys in his hand.<br><br>"I'm going now," I said firmly. "I hope you're happy with the way you've treated me."<br><br>Then, I walked out the door and drove away, leaving my SUV on the street. When I got home, I found that I had a scratch on the side of my car. It wasn't a big deal, but it was noticeable.<br><br>Now, my brother and his wife are demanding that I pay for the damages to their car. They say I was reckless and negligent and should have been more careful when parking my car on the street. They also claim that the scratch was my fault because I "didn't take care of my car" and "should have parked it in a safer place."<br><br>I disagree. I think it's unfair to blame me for something I didn't do intentionally. I didn't park my car recklessly, and I didn't scratch their car on purpose.<br><br>I'm not paying for the damages. I think they should pay for it, but they're refusing.<br><br>I've tried to explain to them that it's not my fault, but they won't listen. They keep saying that I'm being irresponsible and should take responsibility for my actions.<br><br>I feel like I'm being bullied and forced into doing something I don't believe is fair. I don't think I should have to pay for something I didn't cause, especially when it was their fault in the first place.<br><br>So, AITA?
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