Are you always late or prefer to be early?

Always, always early. I think I have wasted a lot of time, waiting for an appointment to begin etc.
But then again I might leave parties, dances, visits early if they become tedious.

MissAdventure

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.

By that time I would have left. I used to wait around, but my life is just as important as anyone else's, and I don't see why I should waste my time just because others can't be bothered to organise themselves.

The first time I did it I felt quite bad, because a friend was also coming quite along way to meet up. When she texted to say she had stopped off at her daughter's on the way and got delayed I was really angry as she was already 15 minutes late and wouldn't be with me for another 30 minutes. 10 minutes later I texted back saying not to bother, I didn't have the time to wait around and was leaving. It took a while to get our friendship back on an even keel

Roald Dahl's short story 'The Way up to Heaven' is a cautionary tale for those who habitually delay leaving...

Early! People who are late really wind me up!

I always strive to be on time and to achieve this usually end up zooming around to get ready at the last moment somehow. I tend to sabotage myself I think!

I and elder son have what he calls ‘punctuality anxiety’, and are usually early for everything, certainly never late. Younger son doesn’t. Once when he had missed a train I said that I had never missed a train, and he said “But think of the hours you’ve wasted hanging around on station platforms.” I had to admit he had a point.

The time between "I've got ages yet" and "I should be on my way out the door and I'm not even dressed!" does seem to whizz past.

I have a friend. Known her for 55 years. She's been late for everything.
Over the years she's been dropped by other friends. Due to her attitude with regard to timekeeping, amongst other things.

About 15 years ago I was meeting her one evening. I deliberately got there half an hour late, as I got out of the car I told my husband this would be our last night out if she was late. Sat in the pub for a further 20 minutes before she rolled in giggling about being late. Not even apologising.

I told her that I would never go out with her again. I pointed out that if she's flying off on holiday she always makes that on time. She laughed and said that was different .

So we've never been out again!

We're still in touch, but only via WhatsApp etc.

I sometimes feel a bit sorry for her because she's on her own but enough was enough.

MissAdventure

The time between "I've got ages yet" and "I should be on my way out the door and I'm not even dressed!" does seem to whizz past.

That’s particularly true when I’m off to aqua fit. I often wonder if my body is trying to tell me something, since I’m usually early.

@Rekarie, as I explained to a habitually late friend of mine once, ‘we would all like to be late, to take our time over a coffee or in the shower, to not keep looking at the time or to rush out of the house anxious to not let our friends down. But out of respect for others we make the effort to arrive early or on time.’
Indeed I remember once sitting on a coach at the allotted time with other holidaymakers who had just been sightseeing waiting for a couple to return, after half an hour people were calling for the driver to go without them but another passenger volunteered to go and look for them, about ten minutes later he returned with the offending couple whom he announced to the coach were taking a leisurely lunch in a cafe nearby. They didn’t even apologise.

If you are 5 minutes late for a meeting with 10 people are you 5 minutes or 50 minutes late (5 x 10)?

I got lost in London on my way to a course and this was the dressing down I got - very embarrassing but never forgot

I hate to be late for anything or anybody and consequently always arrive way too early and then get cross with myself while hanging around.

I am happy to wait for friends.
Meetings (and theatre shows) should start on time.

1pm does not mean 4pm.
But "anytime after 1pm" might be.

I prefer to be on time, which usually means I am early, as I have to rely on public transport.

I was brought up to believe it the height of bad manners to be late unless circumstances beyond ones control cause the delay.

Faffing around in the last minute doing unnecessary things is a circumstance we can control.

Why do you put up with this? Simply leave at the right time and if your daughter or husband are not ready then that is their problem, not yours.

Definately an early bird!!

‘Them as is keen gets fell in previous’ Petty Officer Cathcart HMS St. Vincent (boys training establishment) Gosport 20th October 1967.

Obeying the last order (another Naval tradition) I am always there a good ten minutes before the start time - never did miss the ship sailing !!

I'm always early, not much I can do about it, I just hate being late and simply allow too much time.
My family often turn up late but I don't let it annoy me.
More annoying is my son, if we agree to meet somewhere I can be absolutely sure that he will go to the wrong place if it is even slightly ambiguous. He gets cross if I dare to mention (again) exactly where we are meeting.

Always a few minutes early. The old saying "punctuality is the politeness of kings"

My mum and dad almost missed their first date, because dad was late, and my mum was fuming.

I prefer to be early but am invariably late. I underestimate how long it will take me to get ready and overestimate how much time I have at my disposal. Hopefully I’ll learn how to get it right one day!

mabon1

Always a few minutes early. The old saying "punctuality is the politeness of kings"

Or as Evelyn Waugh said ‘Punctuality is the virtue of the bored’

MissAdventure

I'd rather be early now I'm older.
I didn't worry so much when I was younger.

Me too! The Bodach was always anxious to get going to airport or station, while I would say we had loads of time. He was delighted when, as I got older, I wanted to leave earlier, my war cry being ‘allow time for the flat tyre’!
I have a friend who is always late, and says, quite proudly, that it’s because she hates hanging around waiting for people!

Another early bird here. I think people who regularly arrive late are full of their own importance and I have successfully removed them from my social list. However, I do concede there are some people I would wait forever for so no recriminations with them. Incoming texts of their whereabouts are a small comforting consolation!

I absolutely HAVE to be early whenever possible, it drives my family nuts!

Always early or on time ......

Everyone is accidentally late sometimes. I think people who make a deliberate habit of being late are being rude.

Why is everyone else's time so cheap that it can be wasted ?
I had a friend years ago who always kept the three( including me) of our bunch of four waiting. Drove me mad!!
Being late for work appointments or meetings is unprofessional.