Is it unreasonable to expect someone to turn up on time?

sillyvixen

i hate lateness and hate being late - sometimes it is unavoidable, in the last 12 months i have been late 3 times - once the bus broke down on the way to work and we had to pile on to the next one after a 30 min wait, once the road on the bus route was blocked by a double Decker getting stuck under a railway bridge (thankfully it was on its way to the first pick up for school children and was empty) and we had to wait for another bus to be rerouted to our stop, and the third time i was meeting mum in town and an old man collapsed on the bus and we had to pull over and wait for emergency services to stabilize him before taking him off in an ambulance before we could continue. i always ring and let someone know i am going to be late, on the 3rd occasion i rang my mum and left a message - but she left her phone at home. she was aware the bus was late having made her way to my bus stop and found people moaning the bus had not got there.

i do drive, but work in the town center, and parking charges are just too high - if i am driving i have a tendency to be early and parked round the corner reading a book until the time i am expected.

Ophelia-Jane

This is a personal bugbear of mine. I am never late, I always make an effort to be on time, as I see it as a mark of respect for the perosn I am meeting. However I do have a friend who is also always late, and it infuriates me! Especially if we agree a time and after he is already an hour past that time, I have to call HIM, and he has not even left yet! Why not phone to say you will be late instead of leaving the other person sitting there like an idiot waiting?? AAArgh it makes me angry!

in_my_bumble_opinion

What happened to being fashionably late?


My name is in my bumble opinion and I am a serial late-arriver.

GedlingRed

*max* wrote: »

Ok, it's a little annoying when someone is late picking you up.

But this guy is doing you a massive favour. If I was going out of my way to do someone a favour and I found out that person was complaining about it on a forum and questioning what I do in my personal life, I would tell them in no uncertain terms to jog on.
In fact, I hope he does!

It's dark and early for him too, you know.

You come across as incredibly ungrateful and entitled. If you're not happy about the arrangement that is in place for YOUR benefit, you can bleeding well WALK. :cool:

My thoughts exactly!

notanewuser

in_my_bumble_opinion wrote: »

What happened to being fashionably late?


My name is in my bumble opinion and I am a serial late-arriver.

Me too. :cool:

seven-day-weekend

To those who are always late, I am interested in knowing why? Do you think if someone says 8 o'clock they mean any time after 8? Or do you intend to get there for eight but never quite make it? If so, what stops you?

Might help for understanding!

(To me, if someone says 8 o'clock, then that's the time I should be there. If they'd wanted me there at twenty past, they'd have said twenty past).

missbiggles1

Georgiegirl256 wrote: »

We certainly are! I hate sitting around waiting for anything. So I'd hate to have to wait in a restaurant.

Out of interest, do you just sit there for a while before ordering? Just with you saying you wouldn't want your food put down in front of you within 20 minutes....because that's what usually happens.

I'd expect to get my aperitive and nibbles quite quickly after arriving and then be left in peace to look at the menu for a while.

If you don't wait in a restaurant it means the food isn't being freshly cooked and is being reheated in a microwave or similar. If you want fast food, go to McDonalds!

Errata

Might help for understanding!

Can't help you out with that, I'm always pathologically early!

missbiggles1

jaylee3 wrote: »

Am right with you Georgie, and Seven day weekend. I think it's a bit bizarre to go for a meal (whether out in a restaurant or at someone's house,) and not want to start it for 2-3 hours after arriving!

I would expect the food at a friends 'and' at a restaurant approx 30 minutes after arriving. I wouldn't want to be eating at 10pm.

I have also never known anyone have a meal and be annoyed that the first course is there within 20 minutes.

I guess we are all different, but that said, I don't know anyone who goes for a meal and wants to eat it 2-3 hours after arriving.

I don't think anybody's suggested waiting 2/3 hours for a meal to start- I certainly haven't. (Although I would except a decent meal to take this time from start to finish, if that's what you mean.)

seven-day-weekend

lemontart wrote: »

I am paranoid about being late to point I will always stop next to port or airport if traveling on the night before, have been reduced to tears if a bus is late making me late for work etc My mother is always late so have gotten into habit of telling her 30 mins to hr earlier to ensure I am not pulling my hair out. My o.h is a faffer so takes an hour to do what I take 5 mins to do when going out - again drives me bonkers - daughter is the same - now do it all myself as quicker but means I end up in agony due to physical health but not in tears of frustration.

And as for packing up tent after holiday 2 flipping hrs to do what should have taken 20 mins !

This could be me. I find it so stressful to be late. I would rather be an hour early and hang around than be five minutes late.

Luckily my husband is also a punctual person. Son less so, but his girlfriend bucks him up