Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To say being late all the time isn't a trait you are just rude

999 replies

username4s · 05/09/2021 20:21

AIBU to thinks it's not funny. it's plain rude and shows a lack of respect for the other person?

I often see/hear about people who are always late and it's as if it's just a funny trait of theirs. I don't agree it's shows a lack of care for other peoples time. Are these same people always late for work/school runs/other important commitments or do they suddenly manage to organise themselves and be on time.

OP posts:
Buffoonborisisatwat · 05/09/2021 20:24

What about those annoying people who are consistently EARLY! Say you agree to meet them at say 1 o'clock and they arrive at 1230 and make you feel guilty for keeping them waiting. How bloody rude is that?

Backtobacktheyfacedeachother · 05/09/2021 20:26

YANBU.
I had a friend who was always late. Always. No issues, totally NT.
It was always ‘someone phoned as I was leaving…….I just had to…….I needed to stop….”
It’s basically a big FU, you aren’t important enough to turn up on time for.

However, teen is ASD and can’t seem to work time out. If I say we need to be there by X time & I start asking him to get ready his reply is always ‘it’s only Y o’clock, you said X o’clock’ drives me mad.

I’d rather be 20 mins early than 5 mins late.

Backtobacktheyfacedeachother · 05/09/2021 20:27

Oops cross post 😂
I don’t do that though buffoon, I always say “my fault, I was early”

Awalkintime · 05/09/2021 20:28

The thread is about being late not early. Nice derail.

FightingtheFoo · 05/09/2021 20:28

Hard agree OP. It's because they value their time over yours. It's just disrespectful. If they had a meeting with someone who could offer them a great job I'm sure they would manage to be on time.

Theredjellybean · 05/09/2021 20:30

"running late is not an Olympic sport you know"... Is uttered to good effect to anyone habitually late to meet me

GreyhoundG1rl · 05/09/2021 20:31

@Buffoonborisisatwat

What about those annoying people who are consistently EARLY! Say you agree to meet them at say 1 o'clock and they arrive at 1230 and make you feel guilty for keeping them waiting. How bloody rude is that?
That's not rude, it's just stupid. How many halfwits do you know who do this? Up to you if you allow yourself to feel guilty for arriving on time.
BillyBearSpam · 05/09/2021 20:32

🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄

A similar thread was done on this not so long ago.

People have genuine reasons for being late. Anxiety, ADHD, OCD, IBS, childcare, pet care as a few examples. It's not personal.

TheReluctantPhoenix · 05/09/2021 20:33

YANBU,

What @FightingtheFoo said.

mokojolo · 05/09/2021 20:33

YANBU

But every time these threads happen on Mumsnet, the perpetually late come along to explain how they are just more special, charming, and creative (yes, this one often!) than the dolorous lumpen fools who wait for them.

DrinkFeckArseBrick · 05/09/2021 20:33

I am always late. For everything. It's not because I don't care about them waiting and it's not because I value my time over theirs (I'm late for trains and flights and other nice things I've booked for myself as well). I find it genuinely hard to be on time. I know it takes me an hour to get ready and so I'll start say an hour and 15 min before I have to go and still be late. I just find time runs away with me no matter how much I clock watch everything takes longer than it should. I have a lot of ASD traits and not sure if this is one of them. But I'll be ready to leave the house and then I can't find my phone / wallet / keys that I've looked out and got ready that morning and then absentmindedly picked up and put somewhere else. Or I'll get something in my eye and not be able to get it out. Or I'll rip my tights putting my shoes on. Something like this happens every single time. Its embarrassing and I hate it. Time management is a skill and no matter how much I practice I just mostly can't get it right. Like many skills, some people are better at it than others. It isn't always about you.

Comedycook · 05/09/2021 20:34

I cannot abide lateness. It's rude. It's basically a statement that your time is more important than someone else's. I'm early to absolutely everything but I just wait quietly until the actual time. I'd rather be hours early and sit outside in my car than be five minutes late

NigellaSeed · 05/09/2021 20:34

Yabu. I'm late for everything. It's not a fu or lack of respect it's just totally shit time keeping and always thinking I only need X amount of time but it always takes XXX amount.

LegendaryReady · 05/09/2021 20:35

I had a boss who used to say it was because he was "optimistic", he always under estimated how long it would take to get places.

He did, after having this reputation for lateness for years, just suddenly get it one day. If you're late you're basically saying "I had somewhere more important to be" and "my time's more important than yours". He's a lot better now.

Okbye · 05/09/2021 20:35

Omg I completely agree!!

I don't understand why people can't allow themselves more time (obviously understandably things like traffic are unavoidable).

There's a mum from my sons class who is almost ALWAYS late in the morning (like 80% of the school year, they're late).

Usually when I'm almost back at my front door after dropping off she comes running past with her daughter in tow, running to school. Almost every day.
I have no idea why they don't just get up earlier?!?! It truly baffles me!

Lateness is my biggest pet hate. Uurrrgghh🤬

DrinkFeckArseBrick · 05/09/2021 20:36

I was late for something recently as I'd got the kids in the car then popped back in to get a bottle of water for the kids. When I went back out I couldnt find my car keys. I retraced my steps a million times. I had to get my husband to come and help me search. He found them in the front door. It sounds stupid but this delayed me 20 min and I'd tried hard to get the kids in the car early.

GreyhoundG1rl · 05/09/2021 20:36

@NigellaSeed

Yabu. I'm late for everything. It's not a fu or lack of respect it's just totally shit time keeping and always thinking I only need X amount of time but it always takes XXX amount.
Your shit timekeeping doesn't make op unreasonable! It's not an actual excuse, you know?
Comedycook · 05/09/2021 20:37

I had a boss who used to say it was because he was "optimistic", he always under estimated how long it would take to get places

Interesting. I'm pessimistic. I always presume something will go wrong with the journey.

SC22 · 05/09/2021 20:37

This is a pet hate of mine. Anyone can be late occasionally but I really don't understand people who are late all the time. It's rude.

3scape · 05/09/2021 20:38

People who think you're lesser than them, get a kick out of making people wait.

DrinkFeckArseBrick · 05/09/2021 20:38

"I have no idea why they don't just get up earlier?!?! It truly baffles me!"

If you're shit at timekeeping it doesn't matter what time you get up. I've managed to be ready hours before I'm supposed to leave and still been late.

Comedycook · 05/09/2021 20:38

In fact I have a saying, if you're on time, you're late. If you're early, you're on time.

My attitude has rubbed off on my kids...my Ds is going into year 9 and from reception till now has never once been late to school

GreyhoundG1rl · 05/09/2021 20:38

@DrinkFeckArseBrick

"I have no idea why they don't just get up earlier?!?! It truly baffles me!"

If you're shit at timekeeping it doesn't matter what time you get up. I've managed to be ready hours before I'm supposed to leave and still been late.

How?
DrinkFeckArseBrick · 05/09/2021 20:39

Also I dont think shit timekeeping is an excuse, and I do know it impacts on others. But it isnt because I think my time is more valuable etc

Backtoblack1 · 05/09/2021 20:40

I think some people are just hugely disorganised. I don’t think it’s particularly rude or that they mean it although it is annoying

Swipe left for the next trending thread