being late

SwannySez

Not having a uterus I do not worry over such things.

mznisaelaine

Hate is such a strong word.....But I do prefer to always be on time for everything.

PlanetVelma

I am chronically early. I have been late to work maybe 3 times in the last year. I am not psychic and cannot predict when traffic is going to pile up, but I do leave early enough and I also know alternate routes (in case of accidents, etc..).

It's all about the pre-planning.

PeaceCorpsKat

I am still on Peace Corps time... There is a saying in the Caribbean "Soon Come" or in Suriname "Darlek" - it means "soon" but what is REALLY means is "it will happen when it happens."

I think I am spoiled for life after conforming to this for 3 years.

mrmanmeat

I don't even understand being late because of traffic unless it's something unforeseen, like getting stuck behind a wreck. You should be familiar enough with the traffic patterns in your area to know how early to leave for a date/meeting/appointment.

I'm always 10 to 15 minutes early for everything, except in cases where it would be rude, like a party at someone's home. If I'm ever late to meet you, you should call my mom because I'm probably dead.

hahahaha, this is the dumbest post I've ever seen.
Traffic can happen at random times, places and for no reason other than "oh well, let's all bottleneck"

I'm not a late person, but if I am late, it's usually with good reasons.

jenj1313

I do patient care and am on a tight schedule at work, so I HATE being on a schedule during my free time.

So, I have a sliding scale... If it's a casual group activity where start time doesn't matter, I'll probably be late.

If it's something that depends on me to get started at a certain time, I'm on time.

I don't want anyone waiting on me, but I also don't want to bust my rear when it doesn't really matter.

SmartAlec03211988

I am NEVER late. I'd rather be 30 minutes early than 10 minutes late.

clydethecat

there was a time i was always late. it was because my time meant more to me than your time. it was disrespectful. its not hard to track your time backwards and know how much time you have to do everything and be on time.

it drives me crazy when i want to get somewhere on time and the person with me is taking their own sweet time. have some urgency. realize that your time is not more important than anyone else. and its rude to be late.

in the last 5 years i've become better at arriving on time or early. there have been a few unforeseen issues, like accidents and the such. but i do my best to arrive early.

its unfortunate that i cant get out from under the label of "flaky" with my friends and family. just gotta keep doing the right thing...

usmcmp

In the Marine Corps we were always told, "If you are early you are on time and if you are on time you are late." I've always been early even before the military, but I agree it is disrespectful. It's a good idea to leave extra time in case of traffic or other things beyone our control. I won't go on a second date if a guy is late without a legit reason.

Flippiefloppies

I am pretty good at being early for something unless I am actually trying to be early. That is when something usually happens and I either end up being late or barely making it on time. Locking myself out of house when I let the dog out too pee, need to stop and get gas, spill coffee all over myself, muffler falls off, ya know.

Maybe those people who are always on time, annoy the people that are always late. Who gives a *kitten*.

k8blujay2

Meh... I am usually good about not being late... but it is what it is... if I don't have any other committments and neither does the person I'm meeting, whatever... It usually has little to do with being selfish and everything to do with not being efficient in timing things properly... and I think we are all guilty of this to some capacity.

gafrausto

I prefer to show up early and irks me when others are late, but communication goes a long way if someone knows they're going to be late.

hbrittingham

Being chronically late is a passive aggressive tendency. I was married to a man who would not be on time for his own funeral. It caused quite a bit of angst for my son after we got divorced because sometimes he would show up an hour or two late to pick him up for visitation.

I have consideration for other people and their time. My time is not more important than anyone else's.

RikanSoulja

I disagree. As somebody who is late ALL THE FREAKING TIME, it has nothing to do with me thinking my time is more valuable, and honestly, I feel REALLY bad when I'm late to things. I agonize over it and stress over it and call/text like a million times. Now, I'm not like a 30 minutes late kinda person, usually like 10 minutes or so, but it seems as though being on time is just one of those things I can almost never do.

Or, here is what happens with me. I know I'm late all the time for something, so I say "ok self, you're leaving way early this time so you can't be late!" So then I get to whatever it is like half an hour early or something. So the next time I say "ok self, you don't need to leave quite as early, but definitely earlier than usual" and somehow, I'm still 10 minutes late. It's usually not so bad if I don't have anybody else to worry about, but if I'm getting myself ready, my 5 year old ready and dropped off somewhere, or something like that...I almost can never get it together and be on time. The only exception where I am NEVER late is when it's something like a doctor's appointment or these 6am meetings we have at my work. But I'm not on time--I'm almost always about 30 minutes early because the paranoia of being late sets in.

Think what you want, but I'm not a selfish person, nor is it any kind of disrespect. It's actually become endearing to my friends and family, because they expect it now. Timing has never been my thing Plus, where I live, traffic is like shooting craps. Ask anybody from Austin and they'll know what I'm talking about. A trip around the corner can take 5 minutes or 30. It's always a gamble!

^This is so me. I hate arriving to early to anything I think it is in my blood. My whole family is like this though. If we have a party and the start time is 2 expect everyone to start arriving at 3 maybe later. I don't know maybe it is a Hispanic thing who knows.

neverstray

I think its funny for people to put expectations on others. When I am late, it really has nothing to do with you, nor is it about or even involve you. I am late. That's all. If there is a dependency, you need to make that clear, like, boat leaves the dock at 12:00 noon Sharp. Otherwise, there's no point to being on time if there is no dependency on it. A have a friend that gets mad when his party starts at 3, and you show up at 4. Who gives a sh@t? It's a party. It doesn't matter.

Ugh. You people are UPTIGHT!

Nastasha915

So glad you posted this. I can't stand to be late nor can I stand other late people. I'm always early.

Roadie2000

My ex was consistently about 45 minutes late for everything, and it never had anything to do with things out of her control. She was just always trying to squeeze things in to her schedule. Drove me up the wall because I am always on time, but I was usually cool about it.

But the one time I was late because of traffic she freaked out on me, I think that was the last straw between us.

BAMFMeredith

I don't even understand being late because of traffic unless it's something unforeseen, like getting stuck behind a wreck. You should be familiar enough with the traffic patterns in your area to know how early to leave for a date/meeting/appointment.

I'm always 10 to 15 minutes early for everything, except in cases where it would be rude, like a party at someone's home. If I'm ever late to meet you, you should call my mom because I'm probably dead.

Really? You're psychic and predict traffic accidents? I wish I had that power.

did you read the post? It reads something unforeseen...like a wreck! Unforeseen means not predicted!

EXACTLY. UNFORESEEN. So saying you should be familiar enough with traffic patterns to not be late because of an UNFORESEEN wreck makes no sense whatsoever.

ElizabethRoad

I think its funny for people to put expectations on others. When I am late, it really has nothing to do with you, nor is it about or even involve you. I am late. That's all. If there is a dependency, you need to make that clear, like, boat leaves the dock at 12:00 noon Sharp. Otherwise, there's no point to being on time if there is no dependency on it. A have a friend that gets mad when his party starts at 3, and you show up at 4. Who gives a sh@t? It's a party. It doesn't matter.

Ugh. You people are UPTIGHT!

A party is one thing, but if people are waiting for you and you're late, you're a jerk.

BAMFMeredith

I disagree. As somebody who is late ALL THE FREAKING TIME, it has nothing to do with me thinking my time is more valuable, and honestly, I feel REALLY bad when I'm late to things. I agonize over it and stress over it and call/text like a million times. Now, I'm not like a 30 minutes late kinda person, usually like 10 minutes or so, but it seems as though being on time is just one of those things I can almost never do.

Or, here is what happens with me. I know I'm late all the time for something, so I say "ok self, you're leaving way early this time so you can't be late!" So then I get to whatever it is like half an hour early or something. So the next time I say "ok self, you don't need to leave quite as early, but definitely earlier than usual" and somehow, I'm still 10 minutes late. It's usually not so bad if I don't have anybody else to worry about, but if I'm getting myself ready, my 5 year old ready and dropped off somewhere, or something like that...I almost can never get it together and be on time. The only exception where I am NEVER late is when it's something like a doctor's appointment or these 6am meetings we have at my work. But I'm not on time--I'm almost always about 30 minutes early because the paranoia of being late sets in.

Think what you want, but I'm not a selfish person, nor is it any kind of disrespect. It's actually become endearing to my friends and family, because they expect it now. Timing has never been my thing Plus, where I live, traffic is like shooting craps. Ask anybody from Austin and they'll know what I'm talking about. A trip around the corner can take 5 minutes or 30. It's always a gamble!

^This is so me. I hate arriving to early to anything I think it is in my blood. My whole family is like this though. If we have a party and the start time is 2 expect everyone to start arriving at 3 maybe later. I don't know maybe it is a Hispanic thing who knows.

Haha I'm not Hispanic, but my boyfriend is and his whole family is that way. He's usually the one making me late for something!