Are you always late or prefer to be early?

It really riles me when people are an hour or so later than arranged.
It's as if my time is less important than theirs.

late is rude

Exactly that MissAdventure

I’m always early to arrive, but loiter out of view until the appointed time if I’m meeting up with someone. I’d much rather that than be late.
Must be the result of a timetabled existence for most of my life!

Is this the first thread for ages on which everyone is in agreement? No one here is ever late apparently! Me too. Always at the station in time for the train before mine. Always sitting in the car for ages while DH faffs around.

The thing is the latecomers are not even usually that relaxed about it, I assumed at one point they were late because they are super chilled, not so, my DH and daughter rush about in a frenzy before we leave doing all manner of things they could have done earlier, eventually getting in the car dishevelled and hair at all points on the compass.
Why??

I arrive on time or perhaps 5 mins early, but I never much more than that.
However, depends on were I'm going.. Party perhaps 10 mins later than kick off... Evening meal 5 mins early.
My OH drives me potty he like getting to places like Airports far earlier than we should be, needless to say we always have "words".

My mum always came to mine an hour earlier than agreed, and we had many a word over it.

If is a dinner party we try to arrive just on time, even if we get there early we sit round the corner in the car for a while, in order to give hosts the chance to rush round doing last minute tweaks.
But have had to sit around with other guests nursing drink after drink and consuming nibbles waiting for guests to arrive who obvs believe in being fashionably late. So annoying when you see the hosts madly whispering about preventing food from spoiling that was ready on time.

I've been on a plane when some of the passengers were really late to board, and the captain made a special announcement, suggesting we all give them a round of applause.

I acknowledge that the vagaries of traffic, public transport etc. can cause delays so I’m usually tolerant of other people’s occasional lateness, but I have little tolerance for people who are late for appointments because of their own self-importance. I once called a solicitor out on his deliberate and repeated lateness for meetings with me and someone I was helping (his office was literally only in the building next door), I asked him to explain why he thought his time was more important than my client’s or mine. I don’t think he’d been spoken to like that since he was an infant, but I detected a condescension towards my client that was not acceptable.

As for me, I’m another who prefers to be early rather than late. The prospect of being late is actually one of the few things that causes me anxiety - and when travelling I am often ridiculously early for trains, planes etc.

Always try to be early so as to be on time. But my pet hate is medical appointments always seem to run late….I have been sitting waiting for up to an hour after appointment time and it infuriates me. Mostly because you are never warned by reception.

I'm sick of being early for people who are habitually late. My husband's a stickler for being on time, whilst I do try not to be late, I don't want to be over early, that's my other half Then we have to wait even longer for the latecomers, annoyingly one of them is prone to declare 'I'm not sure why we're late' The worst person was one of his business partners, we were hosting a lunch party, "come after 1pm" said I, they came at 4pm! After an hour and a half fellow guest said "lets start" it was a summit buffet so mainly cold. When his Lordship finally turned up he said "oh you've started"

Summer not summit, (It wasn't on top of a mountain)

Always early, particularly if it’s a new venue and I need to park, work out access to the place or check in first.
It seems to have rubbed off on my children and fortunately MrJ is of the same mind.

Always early

Always early especially if I’m not sure where I’m going , which causes me anxiety before I’ve even started! Hate that many people think it’s no big deal, I just think it’s exceptionally rude!

I try to be on time.
Nearly always manage it. I dont find it that difficult.
Though I live rurally, so not much traffic to contend with, most of the time.
Like Norah I do not like to waste time by being early.
I do thinks like shopping lists if I arrive early somewhere.

From the op
And they always underestimate how long it takes to get somewhere.

I annalysed one couple at one point. That was their problem. They never left any room for error. So of course, when they couldnt find shoes or something, that made them late.
Which I suppose is as much of a case of, they underestimated how long it would take them to actually get themselves out of the door in the first place.

Lways Arrive a few minutes early ...if I'm late it makes me anxious

I too like to arrive early - but not too early. I just hate to be late - it's bad manners in my book unless there's a good reason like a late train.

On time if possible but not really early.That’s DP as if he had his way we’d arrive everywhere an hour too early ‘ just in case’ of hold ups. Like what I always say, a bear attack in Golders Green? An armed robbery as we drive through Tottenham? Tho that could happen😄 or maybe a freak weather event like a tornado?

That sounds like my mother's planning ahead.

Agree a time, then think up a hundred reasons why we should leave at least two hours earlier.

I am always early , hate being late for anything!

I get annoyed with myself for always being on time! I can't seem to help it. If it looks as if I might be going to be late, suddenly all the traffic lights are at green, and parking spots become vacant like magic. I can't explain it.

I keep all my clocks/watches fast so that I'm not late for anything. I hate unpunctuality.
I much prefer to be early, even if it means hanging around.

I confess I'm often "late" according to my husband.
I'm not late for flights.

I like to be 2 mins early for meetings!

With friends/family we tend to be fairly casual if it's not (say) a booked restaurant meal. We may say "see you around noon" or well meet somewhere casually just messaging when we are on the way.
We have been for lunch at a friend's house today. We went for "1-ish" I was happy with 1.15. My husband really wanted to be thete at 1.

I am NEVER late for the theatre though - how rude is that. I wish theatres did as they used to and not let people in when they are late 🤬