Is puntuality important to you?

[EcclesCake]

I was at a lunch today, guests were invited for 12.00 with a view to eating at 12.30.

By 12.15 none of the 11 guests had arrived, they finally started to trickle in with the last arriving at about 12.45.

None of them had got lost, there hadn't been any childcare issues.....they just dragged their feet.

I think it is rude and disrespectful to the host, but there again I'm am a bit of a punctuality freak!

Do you think this kind of tardiness is acceptable and are you an early or late arriver?

[albaqwerty]

Having said which, I was 24 hours early for a dental appointment...

[Prudie]

I am one of the loathed as I'm always about 5 minutes late however hard I try. Having said that if I invite people round for 8.30 I fume if they turn up before 8.32!

[Barmaid]

Oh it drives me bloody mad. Mr BM is absolutely HOPELESS at being at a social function on time. Completely hopeless. I now employ a rather underhand tactic. If Mum tells us she would like us there at 1pm, I tell Mr BM we have to be there at 12.15pm. That way we have half a chance of actually being there at 1ish.

[boxtops]

I think it's disgracefully rude. I hate being late, and I would certainly start without the latecomers.

It's the same at work - sometimes people can't help being late, but they should sidle in and not disrupt the people who got there on time.

[Old_Geezer]

As I recall Sheldon Cooper insists on being punctual too. And he, Leonard, Howard and Rajesh arived on the dot to Penny's party. That went well.

[rsvp]

Highly disrepectful to be late without a valid reason.

[albaqwerty]

LOL OG, another Big Bang Theorist.
It's not on often enough.

[sophie_1003]

That's me definitely Prudie! Luckily I have late friends as well so none of us ever notice or care if another is late!

[Wharton]

"Punctuality is the thief of time" - Oscar Wilde

[Prudie]

Thank goodness I'm not the only one Sophie :-)

[lcg]

yes it's important...i'm a timekeeping freak! i've been known to fail students who are late to my classes/assessments - irrespective of how good they may be. because i teach medical students, i feel it is central to their professionalism to be punctual (i certainly managed it as a student nurse and ever since) and that they are dismissive of psychology (the field in which i work) and just too good for it. the get told once (nicely), warned once (not so nicely) and then failed. most of them really need to remove their head from right up their......x

[lcg]

in other aspects of my life it also annoys me greatly - particularly if people are continually late. it's just beyond rude.

[Barmaid]

I remember one famous day when I invited various friends for a barbeque one Sunday afternoon. I said to turn up between 3 and 4. The sods all rocked up at 7 as if nothing had happened. I was bloody furious.

[Old_Geezer]

Should've told them it was over an hour ago.

[askyourgran]

I think that was extremely rude, I hate to be late for anything and it makes me feel uncomfortable for the rest of the appointment if I have ever been. If it is a meal at someones home, consideration should be given to the host and the meal that is being cooked and served on time. If guests were asked to arrive at 12.00 that is when they should arrive.

[Barmaid]

Much as I love her, my best friend is a sod for timekeeping. If I have lunch/dinner planned for a particular time I now ask her to be here an hour earlier, just knowing that she is always at least an hour late.

[joko]

depends what its for and how late you are i think.

if someone says "ill pop round tomorrow afternoon around 1ish to pick that thing up", i am not clock watching at 1, as i assume thats an 'about' time, but if they didnt arrive until say 3-4 id be vagely irked, if id waited in for them.

if its for the cinema or something, or im picking them up in a cab and end up having to get out the cab and call another id be very annoyed.

one mate made us an hour late going out once and in the end i just told her we were going and if shes ready when the taxi comes we will get her if not meet her theer...we called at hers and she still wasnt ready... i was on the verge of telling the taxi to just go - i was fuming - and she eventually came out - shoeless!
when we got out she asked me to help her do them up! i just stormed off.

[DaisyNonna]

I hate being late. Usually get somewhere at least 15 minutes early then hover outside. Always have a book with me to fill in the time. Keep my mobile with me, fully charged in case of an unavoidable delay. (Use public transport.)

[Nini74]

i'd aim to arrive between 12 and 12.15 - i prefer not to be exactly on time in case the host is running late with preparations. but if food is on - definitely arrive a good 15 minutes before food is scheduled for. Rudeness in punctuality is just one of the matters of etiquette which seems to have gone out the window in recent years....

[HowardKennitby]

I always make a point of embarking at the appropriate time.