Lateness - to care or not to care?
Lateness - to care or not to care?
Author
Discussion

silversun

Original Poster:

4,373 posts

255 months

Friday 12th August 2005
quotequote all
This is something that annoys me. More and more people seem to see being late as totally acceptable and seem surprised when I comment on it.

Surely I can't be the only one that thinks being late is rude?

DocJock

8,722 posts

269 months

Friday 12th August 2005
quotequote all
You are not alone Silversun.

IMO it shows a lack of respect (as well as manners) for the person you keep waiting.

Rude-boy

22,227 posts

262 months

Friday 12th August 2005
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It is rude, but sometimes unavoidable.

depending on circumstances and reason, being up to 15 mins late is acceptable. Any more is totally inexcusable without very good reason and an apologetic warning call.

Almost worse though is being more than 10 minutes early for an appointment and not expecting to be waiting until the allotted time.



sparkythecat

8,097 posts

284 months

Friday 12th August 2005
quotequote all
silversun said:
This is something that annoys me. More and more people seem to see being late as totally acceptable and seem surprised when I comment on it.

Surely I can't be the only one that thinks being late is rude?


It's downright rude. Why do the latecomers think that their time is more important than yours.

Selfish, selfish arrogant s

Lois

14,706 posts

281 months

Friday 12th August 2005
quotequote all
Definately care.
I hate wasting my time waiting around for people. If I say I'm going to be somewhere, I've usually early.

If someone's late because of traffic etc and they cant help it, I still think its courtious to let someone know.

minimax

11,985 posts

285 months

Friday 12th August 2005
quotequote all
depends who it is...

always arrive exactly on time to meet a lady...

frequently a few minutes late to work because it doesn't really matter and i'm the boss anyway...

get there when I can to meet my friends unless i'm trying to pull one of their mates/flatmates/GF's mates in which case revert to rule number one

always arrive with 15 minutes to spare after i've taken a dump/parked the car/put the roof up/sifted my papers when attending a business meeting.

an eagle eyed poster will notice that I pay attention to girls and making money... which is pretty accurate

silversun

Original Poster:

4,373 posts

255 months

Friday 12th August 2005
quotequote all
Sure, it's unavoidable sometimes but a phone call is a courtesy people should make if they know they're going to be late.

Glad it's not just me being old fashioned about this!

r988

7,495 posts

258 months

Friday 12th August 2005
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minimax said:


an eagle eyed poster will notice that I pay attention to girls and making money... which is pretty accurate



A blind person would probably notice...

badredwedge

3,450 posts

257 months

Friday 12th August 2005
quotequote all
Being late IS rude, people just dont care anymore. when you fix a time at say 3.0pm does that mean 3 or 3.30. If people arrive at my office late I tell them to go away and make a new appointment, then when they come back I keep them waiting. That way it is their time they waste and not just yours. Respect the whole world lacks respect. Like the guy who turns up at check in late and expects the whole plane to wait for him and then flips when told he has missed the plane.

Frik

13,681 posts

272 months

Friday 12th August 2005
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I have a chronic fear of being early. Sitting around with nothing to do when I could have spent the time better.

I could never understand why people would turn up to exams ridiculously early either. You just sit around getting more and more nervous. Best just to turn up, walk in and do it.

I don't think being a little late is that bad, but I would always let the person know as soon as I know I am going to be, not after I am.

Tank Slapper

7,949 posts

312 months

Friday 12th August 2005
quotequote all
It is irritating, though I find it depends on the situation.

If it's someone I'm meeting down the pub, then I'm not usually too bothered. I'll just sit and admire the eye candy whilst drinking my pint.

If it's something more important, then I do get a bit wound up. I think that the attitude of the latecomer plays a part as well. Everyone gets held up now and again, but no one has a good reason to do it all the time.

PetrolTed

34,468 posts

332 months

Friday 12th August 2005
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More annoying is turning up for a meeting at the agreed time to be kept waiting. Particularly if they're just over the other side of the office doing something 'more important'. Narks me that. Smells of self-importance.

PinkPanther

1,010 posts

293 months

Friday 12th August 2005
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silversun said:
Surely I can't be the only one that thinks being late is rude?


Nope, Me too. If it's one thing I pride myself on is that I'm always there on time - if I look as if I'm going to be late at all (very, very rarely), first thing I'll do is let them know.

Also agree that turning up too early is perhaps worst, but at least you can kill that time before seeing someone.

PP

PinkPanther

1,010 posts

293 months

Friday 12th August 2005
quotequote all
PetrolTed said:
More annoying is turning up for a meeting at the agreed time to be kept waiting. Particularly if they're just over the other side of the office doing something 'more important'. Narks me that. Smells of self-importance.


silversun

Original Poster:

4,373 posts

255 months

Friday 12th August 2005
quotequote all
Even worse, when you've got an interview and the interviewer is late.

Shows what they really think of you!

vixpy1

42,699 posts

293 months

Friday 12th August 2005
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Drives me absolutely nuts.

minimax

11,985 posts

285 months

Friday 12th August 2005
quotequote all
badredwedge said:
If people arrive at my office late I tell them to go away and make a new appointment, then when they come back I keep them waiting. That way it is their time they waste and not just yours


you don't work in the public sector by any chance do you? there's no way I could afford to p1ss people off like that in my job, they'd go somewhere else in a self-righteous storm

I agree with the general lack of respect among people in business though.

On the whole, if it's important, i'll turn up on time. if it's not then I will make an effort to but it's all about priorities and one must prioritise.

__Lee__

7,520 posts

272 months

Friday 12th August 2005
quotequote all
If they have a reasonable excuse then I forgive but the people who turn up late constantly just get told to go away.

If I am waiting for someone and they turn up late several times in a row, the next time I give them 10 minutes and then simply get in my car and go.

a2z

1,080 posts

255 months

Friday 12th August 2005
quotequote all
It all depends on the situation. My dad is ex-british rail and drummed punctuality into me (I know, probaly the only person of the railway to do so!) I hate being late to the extent that I am usually frustratingly early for meetings. End up getting wound up waiting for the person only to realise that they have turned up on time.

On the other hand, there is the lateness of trying to get the missus out of the house. Also, when meeting some of my more unreliable mates in the pub I have to make myself late in order to prevent being billy no mates in the pub! Something that you just have to live with sometimes.

silverback mike

11,293 posts

282 months

Friday 12th August 2005
quotequote all
I hate being late for anything. Nothing ruder in my view. Unless a good excuse is forthcoming then it is a definate in my book.

god, that sounds a bit holier than thou