nailit - The sort of people who can't be bothered to organise their time to catch a coach, and keep a load of people waiting, are the same people who lack the courtesy to be embarrassed, and apologise.
This does remind me of catching a coach back from London when I had travelled down to interview a band.
There I was at Victoria Coach Station waiting by the allocated bay for the 23:30 coach to Liverpool, which was gong to drop me off in Hanley. The coach in the bay was going to Hull, or somewhere, so I ignored it, even when it hadn't left by midnight.
I asked the driver about the Liverpool coach, and he advised me that it had been parked behind his coach, and left at 23:30, right on time. I pointed out that it could not be seen from the waiting area, so being unaware that it was there,I had unsurprisingly missed it, and as it was the last coach of the night, could he assist?
He was most co-operative, advising that although his coach was later leaving, it would arrive at Digbeth coach station before the Liverpool coach, and I could get on the Liverpool coach there.
Would that his colleague had been similarly minded!
I explained the situation to the Liverpool coach driver, who was most annoyed - heaven knows why, it made no difference to him after all.
"If this was a jumbo jet flying across the Atlantic, you couldn't simply hop in it mid-flight could you?" he pointed out with sarcasm writ large across his face.
My reply was succinct -
"No, but it's not a jumbo jet is it, it's a National Express coach, and you are not a highly qualified international pilot, you're an overweight chippy loud-mouthed coach driver taking this bus to Liverpool via Hanley where I am getting off. So why don't you stop larking about, giving me the blunt end of your sarcastic nonsense. I have had a very busy and tiring day, and all I want is to get home so get in your cab, start the engine and do your job and drive the flaming coach!"
Of course, that riposte took place entirely in the confines of my brain, what I actually said was "I understand that, please may I get on the coach?
He sighed and got on the coach, as did I.
Isn't an imagination a wonderful thing!!!