The Lake Lodge Laundromat and Laundromat Etiquette

The Lake Lodge has a self-service laundromat for its lodge and cabin guests.  I needed to do one load of laundry before returning home, and since we had an early day today, my traveling companion suggested I do the laundry after we returned to the cabin, in the late afternoon or very early evening. So, about 5 PM we went to the Lodge: my traveling companion drove me, which was very gracious but unnecessary. She shopped, and read in the lobby while I did laundry.  My traveling companion was surprised that I would sit with my laundry. 

When I arrived, I was the only person using the facility.  A few minutes later, a gentleman came in, with a load of laundry, followed by a young man with more, and they did their laundry together.  Mom (I presume) showed up with dryer sheets later on. The loaded their clothes in the washing machine, noted the time it would take to finish the load, and left.  About 5:45 many people showed up at the laundry, including a few who decided to turn away, presumably to come back later.  So, all of the machines were full, one was out of service, and my clothes were in the dryer.  One patron approached me to learn if I belonged to the newly stopped machine of the gentleman-young man group.  I said no, so she proceeded to take the clothes out of the washing machine, put it in a laundry cart, and load her clothes.  I watched her to be sure that was all she did.  The two men returned not one or two minutes later, to learn their clothes had been moved into a laundry cart.  There was a brief tension, but all turned out okay.  This sort of scenario is one of many why I do not like to leave my clothing at a laundromat. If tempers had risen, I would have been glad to step up and say “I watched, and all she did was unload.” 

So, who, if anyone is at fault here:  Does the patron have an obligation to return in a timely way, so the clothing can be moved and the machine available for the next patron?  What is timely?  The machine was still finishing its cycle when the woman came into the laundry.  So, she knew it was not long since it was done.  Does she have an obligation to wait for the owner of the wet clothing?  How long?  She did not wait even 5 minutes. 

I do not want anyone messing with my clothing in a laundromat.  So, I will just stay.  As I told my traveling companion, it would not even cross my mind to leave my clothing unattended in a laundromat.

Oh, and by the way, another piece of etiquette.  I emptied the filter screen when I loaded my clothing, into the dryer, and it was obvious the previous user did not.  I forgot to empty it when I was done.  My bad. But in the process of cleaning the filter, I discovered 3 pennies in the screen.  I opened the door to the dryer above the one I was using and found a dime and a penny.  I did not feel obliged to report this to lost and found.