Lateness height of rudeness

Thank you mumofmadboys - yes, I do enjoy the happy memories of DH, and we shall think of him at Christmas as we always do.
This thread has been a bit contentious, so can I say that I feel people should TRY to be punctual, and those waiting for them should TRY to be tolerant. After all, there's not much else to be done! (Pollyanna, eat yer heart out!).

well said Nannanoo, life after all is a two way street. Off to play the Glad Game.

I live abroad so when I visit England I try to fit in meeting as many friends as possible as well as my family.
I have one particular friend who is never punctual. I had arranged to meet her in her town for coffee at 10.30am knowing how she loves to chat and chat. I had arranged to meet a friend (who was travelling 60 miles to be there) about 10 minutes drive away at 1pm. My first friend hadnt turned up at 11 (she lives less than 5 minutes drive from where we were meeting and a car park on site) Couldnt get hold of her on her mobile phobe. Eventually she arrives 45 minutes late and then at the other end of our meet up when I needed to leave to meet other friend she just thought we could carry on chatting. So unfortunately now, unless I have a whole day not planned I dont arrange to meet her.

My husband is ex army and they definitely have to be punctual for everything or else. So he drives me mad when he is sitting in the car with the engine running 10 minutes before we need to leave.

I sometimes have a problem with punctuality and it's usually down to trying to fit in too much or underestimating journey times, though it's not usually more than 5 minutes, 10 minutes tops. I'm staggered that someone would wait for over 30 minutes for someone to turn up. I'd just go.

My father used to make a joke about being on time and if we said come at 1pm, he would drive slowly into our close and wait until the exact time we said before he rang the door bell.

When my neice came up north to see her grandparents she would ring them to say when she was leaving, then belt up the Motorways and come round to my house to wait until the time she could have decently arrived to go round to her Nan and Gramps.

My OH is pathologically late and I hate it.

With mobile phones it is easy to find out what is happening to the late person. Easy to, to make clear your irritation at sitting on your tod.

If you are late then phone and let friend know your eta.

We used to have a friend who was never on time, so much so that when she did once arrive punctually, we were clutching each other and giggling uncontrollably - because we'd just had a bet between us about how late she'd be this time....
Our friend wanted to know what was so funny, so I told her, but she was not at all amused. Never mind, it was the end of the regular lateness.