Does anyone else really hate being late?

[WaterBird]

Very loosely inspired by the "irrational things that annoy you" thread.
Growing up, at many of the schools I have attended, you just could never be late. You'd get detention or a severe or embarrassing (amusing for everyone else) telling-off.
Maybe it's because of this, but I hate being late. If there's a chance that starting something else could potentially cause me to be late then I just don't do it.
Of course, I still am late sometimes...

Being late is about the only thing that causes me anxiety. I can't stand it and I spend ages worrying about being late if I have somewhere to be

I can't do it. I actually get full blown anxiety attacks at the thought of being late. I inherited this from my always early dad. As a teen I always had a book in my bag to cover my early arrival. Now I just have kindle on my phone.

My parents were late for everything. I remember running to the gate at Heathrow with all our luggage as we were so late checking in that our suitcases wouldn’t have made it otherwise. Arriving so late at a funeral that we missed the service and went straight to the grave. Half way through a wedding, missing the first course at a formal dinner. Late for school every day and shamed for it in assembly by the headmistress, because my Mum decided she just needed to pop to the shops/stop for a chat with Janet on the way.

I think being late is really selfish and inconsiderate.

I hate being late. My mum and dad, dad especially were never late for anything, he was a military man and prided himself on timing, and with 4dc in tow i cannot ever recall being late for anything, early yes, late never. Its rubbed off on me as i find lateness incredibly rude, esp when the person whos late has no reason for the lateness. Im now a single mum with 3dc and on the odd occasion i am late due to factors outside of my control, yes you, you traffic lights that sprung up overnight on the school route i get anxious because i know how rude i find lateness.

@Waytooearly
I agree, for the most part, with your statements. I do believe that people use phones as an excuse to be late.
However, I do think the "on the train now" messages are helpful. They allow these who are early to decide what they want to do. Do they want to continue waiting, or do they just want to leave and move on?
(That depends on the context of the meet-up, of course).

I used to not care about being late. Once I hit around 30 though, I wised up and now I'm 20-odd minutes early to everything.

I have always been a late person; my family were always late to things and I was always the one waiting to be collected so I guess I got the message that nothing terrible happens if you're late. My mum is the sort of person who if there is 5 minutes on the train platform board will pop to the shop and then have to dash for the train - she says she hates waiting around. My close friends were also always late so we just waited for each other (or more often were both late).

As an adult, it bothered me more - DH is very punctual and his family are early to a fault. I had a long phase where I was still late but very embarrassed/stressed about it. But over time I missed fewer appointments and would text DH saying proudly how early I'd arrived somewhere.

Once I had children I really never wanted them to have that anxiety of arriving late to school so was always chivvying DS to "hurry, we're going to be late!" (and getting there early) until he said one day that he preferred it when Daddy took him to school as they were never late. I said, "but we've never been late DS" and he said, "but every day you say we're late" 😳 - I realised I'd accidentally given the wrong impression so after that I said, "shoes on or we'll have to hurry!"

I still have a habit of underestimating how much time things/journeys take but am improving and sat nav helps as it's pretty accurate so I have learnt that I can't bend time. So even the most chronic late person can get better with the right attitude.

Oh man. I once travelled with someone who hated waiting around so would, like your mum, pop into a shop or find some other faffy thing to do rather than sit on a bench and wait for a train.

Oh my god I nearly killed her.

Funnily enough I've just woken from a panic dream in which I was going to be late. I hate it too and like some other posters think it stems from my dad but not because he made us be early. He was super-late for everything and I think it's put me off.

I always arrive early and hang around waiting for someone else to arrive.
I hate being late for work, currently arrive 30 minutes or so early to make sure I wont be late if there is extra heavy traffic. Drives me bonkers that one women arrives after her 8.30 start every day, then goes to the kitchen makes a brew and has her breakfast! Some woman also leaves 5 minutes early so she avoids the traffic and doesn’t get home late - her words!

Another one here who has huge anxiety issues from my mum always being chaotic and late.

Actually I just have anxiety full stop thanks to my parents!

@waterbird, yes but if some texts 'on the train now' at 3:00, and they know I'm sitting in a draughty cafe for our 3:00 meeting time, I don't think they mean it as, '... so obviously I am unacceptably late and why don't you go on and do something else with your day because I would never expect you to sit there waiting like a lemon.'

Yep. I am always early, will factor in traffic/parking time etc and then allow a bit extra just in case

Oh and if I'm late at work twice in a month, I lose my bonus. That includes being late back from breaks or lunches!

I hate being late. I will be an hour early for something and read or do a crossword rather than be 1 minute late.

I hate it too. Getting anxious reading this as have to get to airport later today and will need a train and a bus... I've planned to be there over an hour earlier than I need to be but still worrying it will all go wrong

I hate being late. I get very anxious about it too esp when on public transport. I do the texting thing out of nervousness though. And then I am on time or at most 5 min late.. So texting is like a cushion for me.

Yep I hate being late. Dh is rather more relaxed about it and is more of a just in time person who doesn’t make allowances for anything which might hold him up.

I find it really stressful when he goes to collect the dcs from somewhere and he leaves it at the last possible minute to collect them. He doesn’t think about what happens if he gets stuck in traffic or if the dcs come out a bit early.

Its a combination of my mum making me late for my first day at primary and secondary school (I had no idea of timings as she hadn’t told me how to get to secondary school - I had to work it out myself) and just not wanting to annoy anyone.

I hate being late and get very stressed if I think I'm going to be late. I think it's really rude.

However as an events organiser it is so annoying when people turn up very early. You're always doing last minute checking and sorting and there's someone standing there like a lemon watching the last minute panics. Last year at an event we were all sorted, plenty of time to spare, ordered tea and coffee for everyone who was working. Some idiot arrives early and then starts demanding coffee. Aresehole.

WipsGlitter totally understand that which is why I will always go chill somewhere else if I’m super early so I don’t get in anyone’s way!

I'm the same. The thought of being late stresses me out hugely. I can't put it down to anything from childhood though - I come from a non-stressily-punctual family!

I hate being late and I rarely am. Whenever I fly I'm always at the airport about 3 hours before take off.

Other people being late gives me the rage as well.

Yes hate being late! I am normally very early! Trouble is, when waiting for someone, when they turn up ON TIME I have been waiting ages and seething!