To be 1 minute late?

[liladough]

What would you do?

I have an appointment tomorrow at a healthcare facility. It’s an NHS appointment but at a private contractor. I have waited 6 months for this appointment.

I have to get the bus there, it’s an hour long journey (just one bus). The appointment is at 3:20.

I can either get the bus that gets there at 3:01, or get the bus that gets there at 3:21. I don’t want to be waiting outside for twenty minutes as it’s a really dodgy area, they have a cage on their door and you have to buzz up, just for context. There’s no where within a 5 minute walk I can go to get a coffee. Judging by their reviews I would have to wait quite a while to get seen anyway. So if I have to wait 30 minutes to be seen, that’s nearly an hour of waiting in there which would quite frankly do my head in.

On the other side, what if I get the bus that gets there at 3:21? Can I risk that the bus would actually get there for that time and not say 15-20 minutes late? What if I get there at 3:21 and they say sorry you’re late, we can’t see you, try again in 6 months.

YABU = 3:01 Bus
YANBU = 3:21 Bus

Earlier bus, and if it'll make you feel more comfortable, don't take any more cash or flashy belongings than you'd be able to tolerate handing over. Not because I think you'll be mugged, but because I think you'll be less anxious hanging around on the street if you're not worried about expensive belongings.

But I really hate it when places don't have somewhere for you to wait. I've seen a couple of different counsellors who had no waiting room, but who nevertheless expected you to be there ready and waiting to buzz on the doorbell at your appointment time — one of them in a residential area, one in a business estate. Not so bad if you drive there and can park up nearby and wait in your car, but if you get public transport (or a lift off someone, which I did) you have to either run a high likelihood of being late, or plan to hang around in the cold or the rain or the wasps (did I mention the wasps' nest?) until your appointment time.

I'd be getting an earlier bus to arrive earlier than 15:01, so that arriving at 15:01 was my worst case.

You don't want to risk being late. Take a flask and wait it out.

Arriving after the appointment time is really not sensible.

Presumably the bus isn't going to door you at reception or in the waiting room at 3:21? It's going to drop you at the bus stop and you'll then need to make your way in so it's going to be at least 3:25 I'm guessing and then that's assuming you're there on time...

OTOH you could call them and explain and ask if they're willing to confirm they'll still see you.

Even the 3.01 arrival would be cutting it too fine for me. I'd go earlier. Traffic and public transport = too unpredictable, and part of being on time is anticipating that risk of something going wrong.

Tbh I'd be using the 15:01 as the back up bus to the one before it. Can you walk/travel from a couple of bus stops before to kill time?

Get there early.

I wouldn't even consider getting the later bus, I've never known a bus to be on time and for 20 mins how is it worth the risk? You've been waiting 6 months

Early bus. 19 minutes is not that early for an appointment, and buses almost never run completely to time. It's unfortunate it's in an area you don't feel comfortable in, but unless you want to risk the appointment being cancelled I would get the earlier bus. Can you afford a taxi instead?

There’s no way a bus will have a guaranteed journey time which is accurate to the minute, op!
What’s the problem with getting there 10 minutes or so early?
Sit in the waiting room and read a book, they won’t leave you on the doorstep.

Absolutely 100% without a doubt, get the earlier bus.

You'd be mad not to.

What is the really dodgy area that needs a cage on the door?

Your 3.01pm bus is going through at school run time. You need to catch one to get there nearer 2.20-2.30.

Get the earlier bus.
Keep a cross body bag under your coat with your phone safely in it.
Will they let you in early if you buzz the door ?

This. Take a coffee with you if you want.

Earlier
I've waited a year for an appointment the other day that was at 2.15pm
Hospital is 7 min drive
I set off at 13.30 to allow for parking and glad I did as I only got parked at 14.00

I’d be worried that even the bus that gets in at 3.01 wouldn’t be enough time as what if it’s late or cancelled. Definitely not the 3.21 bus, you’ll end up being more than a minute late and they likely won’t give you your appointment.

3.01pm would be far too late for me too, I’d be so stressed about the bus not turning up/being late. I’d be getting the bus before the 3.01 arrival one. There will no doubt be paperwork to fill in before your actual appointment too.

If you buzz and you're 30-20 mins early reception are going to let you in, you're hours early. What about if it was raining or something they're not going to let you get soaked through.

I'd be on the 14:41

Surely they'll buzz you up when you get there? How 'dodgy' can this area be, seriously?

3.01 By the time you’ve wandered around the hospital checking in with the various receptions and getting to the right department, you’ll barely have time to grab a coffee from the on-site Costa.

Definitely earlier bus. No way would I risk there being an issue with the bus thats get their late or not being seen due to being late. I'd buzz once I got there in case they let me in early and if not, I'd just wait.
I'd even potentially get an even earlier bus as I hate risking being late.

Would like to know where in the world the buses actually turn up on Time (or at all) especially around school pick up Time. I would def go for 3.01 as around us the 3.01 would be late and the 3.21 probably wouldn't turn up.

This is madness. You can’t arrive late because you cba to wait outside.