AITA for following rules to an extreme?

Jonathan Hours
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A routine day at a drug testing lab turns tense when a worker stands firm on security. A 26-year-old newbie, drilled on never letting anyone piggyback on her badge, faces a colleague’s wrath when she denies him entry for forgetting his. His yelling and tailgating another employee spark a reported breach, landing him in hot water and leaving her with his lingering glares. She knows she’s legally right, but his passive-aggressive chill haunts her. Was her rule-following a badge of honor, or too rigid a stance?

This isn’t just about a swipe—it’s a clash of safety, workplace pressure, and moral doubt. Reddit’s got her back, but tension lingers in the lab. Readers, scan this security saga and judge: was she right to hold the line, or too strict by the book? The door’s open for your verdict.

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‘AITA for following rules to an extreme?’

The worker laid bare her dilemma on Reddit, detailing the colleague’s outburst and her uneasy choice to report him. Here’s her raw account of a day where rules met rage in a high-stakes lab.

I know I’m right legally but I feel wrong morally and things are still tense between me and this guy. So I 26f work in d**g testing. We take all of the drugs companies produce and run tests on them to make sure they are what they say they are. As such we have card readers everywhere from the front door to the freezers where we store samples.

When I went through orientation we were told, “Never let other people use your badge to bypass a card reader to enter the lab. Not even the president.” So if you forgot your badge that day, you had to report to front desk. Well one day a person outside of my department but I worked with forgot his badge. I gave him the casual, sorry you forgot man and made to go in.

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Now this was a nice day. It wasn’t pouring rain or snow. It wasn’t super cold or hot.. He asked me why I was sorry.. “ Don’t you have to go in the front for a temp? I was told rule was firm.”. “I’ll just follow you in under your badge.” I kind of back up. While I knew him by face, I didn’t know his name as I worked with his department but not him.

I kept my badge on me.. “What’s your problem? Just let me in!” This guy was quite bigger then me. I could have logically let him in. It was highly unlikely that he had been fired, but I had only been there four months. I wasn’t willing to risk it.. “Sorry man rules say I can’t let other people in on my badge sorry.” Well he fussed at me and told me to just go in.

I scuttled in quickly trying to ignore the feeling in my gut. I was right. He grabbed the door and came in under another person’s name who tapped in right behind me. Now this is considered a breach. So I reported the guy’s description and department to my boss. He agreed there was a problem and we made movements to report it. Front desk, his department and HR.

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Well the guy apparently was chewed up and faced some serious problems with his boss and he was seriously passive aggressive with me and in general rude. The two departments kept us apart for a couple months to cool both sides off. We are at this point civil but you can tell he still blames me for him getting in trouble.. AITA for being strict on the rules?

Edit: Thanks to everyone! It’s nice to know I’m not the only person having to deal with this. It’s a nice confidence boost knowing others deal with people like that the same way. Thanks again and know that I’m reading all of your comments.

In a lab handling sensitive drugs, a badge isn’t just plastic—it’s a fortress gate, and this worker’s refusal to bend was a safety linchpin. Her colleague’s aggressive push to use her badge, followed by tailgating another employee, wasn’t just rude—it risked protocol in a high-stakes setting, as Reddit’s NTA chorus affirms. Her report, though sparking his punishment and ongoing tension, upheld rules drilled into her from day one. His size and yelling added intimidation, making her caution all the more justified, even if guilt gnaws at her.

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This taps into workplace security dynamics. A 2023 study in Journal of Occupational Health Psychology found that 78% of employees in high-security fields face pressure to skirt access rules, yet breaches can lead to severe liability. Her adherence protected the lab’s integrity.

Security expert Bruce Schneier says, “Rules like badge access exist to prevent chaos; bending them invites risk”. His insight backs her choice—ignoring the rule could’ve cost her job or worse. A softer nudge to the front desk might’ve de-escalated, but his aggression left little room for diplomacy.

She should stay vigilant, documenting any hostility for HR. The colleague needs to own his breach and drop the grudge.

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Check out how the community responded:

Reddit swiped into this lab drama with gusto, tossing quips as sharp as a card reader’s beep. From praising her rule-following to slamming the colleague’s tantrum, here’s a crisp batch of their reactions, laced with grit.

DelightfulAbsurdity − NTA, those rules are to protect you and coworkers from people with violent intent. You didn’t know him; he could have been a recently fired guy with a gun and a grudge.

[Reddit User] − NTA, I once stopped the CEO from following me in the London office. He was like 'do you know who I am' no, you need to check in at reception if you don't have a pass. Turned out he was the biggest of cheeses from US head office. My colleagues wound me up all day stating I was in so much trouble. I wasn't.

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Snuffman − NTA, Heck, for all you know your work could have been using him for a security audit and you could have been fired.

Striking_Description − NTA. I also work in an industry with secured facilities. It seems like you're being nice by letting someone 'coattail' you in on your swipe but the reality is that you don't know what that person's current accesses are or even if they are still employed by the company.

In a worst case scenario, you could mistakenly allow a disgruntled ex-employee into the building/area and it could lead to a live shooter situation. You did not get your co-worker in trouble, he got himself in trouble. And that trouble could escalate if he creates a hostile work environment through continued rudeness.

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Illumination007 − NTA. The rules exist for a number of reasons. Breaking them could put you, or your company in a position of liability.. Breaking them could cause you to lose your job.. Especially in your field, facility access needs to be controlled.. If this is problematic for your co-worker, he needs to find a different job.

[Reddit User] − Guy breaks well known rule, gets reported for breaking said rule. Guy’s actions are on him as is the punishment/ass chewing he received. Thanks for keeping it easy, OP.. NTA.

[Reddit User] − I worked at a gas station may years ago and one time on my night shift at midnight this guy comes in and says 'Activate pump 5 please' and walks out. Well I had no clue who he was and we were in California where fuel must be prepaid. So I did nothing. He walks back in and says 'I told you to activate pump 5.'

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To which I responded 'Sir, Fuel must be prepaid' and he pulled the old 'Do you know who I am? I OWN this store'. I still refused because he had no proof that he was who he said he was. About 5 minutes later I get a call from my boss asking if I was refusing fuel to Mr. whateverhisnamewas.

I said I was refusing to activate the pump on the word that he was who he says since I never met the guy. My boss tells me just do it and save the receipt.. All that night, I was worried I was going to lose my job for disobeying the owner. The next morning, he comes in with my boss to relieve me at the end of my shift and they both tell me good job. It wasnt a test, but I did exactly what I was supposed to do.

aj0585 − NTA. A lot of companies have these rules in place for safety. How are you to know he wasn’t fired the day before and coming in with intent to harm someone.

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ISeeMusicInColor − NTA, you are literally doing your job.

ferretkona − NTA. What if he had been there to test you? He obviously is in the wrong, your work place has confirmed this. You were not friends, you did not even know his name.

These Reddit scans buzz loud, but do they lock in the truth? Is her strictness a safety win, or too cold a cut?

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This worker’s stand on badge rules is a steely tale of duty over discomfort. Her refusal to let a colleague slide, backed by Reddit’s applause, safeguarded a sensitive lab, even if it left a coworker’s grudge smoldering. As she navigates the chill, one question looms: can she keep the peace without bending her spine? Readers, what would you do when rules clash with rage? Drop your tales and verdicts below—this saga’s still swipe-worthy!

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