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

100% early bus. The later one is too much of a risk, buses are always running late, traffic jams etc.

Getting there late and them refusing to see you and having to go home with another 6 month wait is much worse than sitting in a waiting room for half hour.

Do you really have to ask for advice on this? Surely you're an adult?

If the appt is at the 3:20, they don’t typically mean ringing the buzzer at 3:20. You need to be all checked in and ready to be called back by then.

I think you are cutting it close with the 3:01 bus. You need to walk from the bus stop, get buzzed in, navigate from front entrance to front desk which may not be short, speak to receptionist and handle any business there. Then you sit down in the waiting area.

If the 3:01 bus is even a bit late, you might be late.

I can't believe there's no waiting room and they have people queuing in all weathers?
I would take the early bus and bring a flask of tea.

Earlier bus. You are assuming buses run on time?

Just wait in their waiting room

3.01, if you are ahead of time get off at the next stop and walk back. Surley you would be able to wait inside somewhere, if they are behind surley wouldnt be expected to wait out in the rain!

Or call beforehand explain and ask if there is somewhere you can wait inside. If not then you may be a few mins late.

Definitely earlier bus. You have to be a bit early for drs appointments. You definitely can’t be at all late. And it’ll be more than a minute in reality. Buses don’t usually run on time, and then you won’t be instantly from the bus door to sitting down in the appointment room.

How is this even a question for anyone ?

The only choice here is whether you get the one that ought to arrive at the bus stop at 3.01, or if you play it safe and get the one at 2.41.

3:01 would be cutting it a bit tight for me. I'd probably get the one before that given it's a long-awaited medical appointment. Would never even consider the 3:21!

Always arrive early. The chances are the appointment will be late but I'd rather be an hour early than a minute late.

You’ve waited 6 months for this appointment! What is another 20 minutes??

buses are also reliant on traffic being ok and aren’t exactly reliable. I honestly don’t see the issue with waiting 20 minutes .

Of course you should get the earlier bus. It's getting you there 20 minutes early, not half a bloody day! YABU!

I'd rather be really early than all flustered and even slightly late. The bus might be delayed also.

Earlier bus. Why not go straight in to wait?

The 3.01 would make me twitchy and there is no way I would plan for the 3.21 bus. By the time you have got off the bus, walked to the entrance and booked it that is some extra time too. I would want to be checked in by 3.10 at the latest so would want to arrive before 3pm!

I agree the 3.01 bus is nowhere near early enough to be sure of being there for your appointment. I would get the one before.

NHS worker here, please get the earlier bus if you can OP! We have so many people late to appointments for all sorts of reasons. We don't get long to see people and then write up notes from the appointment, so if someone is even 5 minutes late it often means making a judgement of spending less time with that patient (so the patient ultimately loses out), spending the rest of the day running late, or sacrificing our own lunch/comfort break to try and make up time. As a result of this if people are more than 15 minutes late in our service then we won't see them and they'd have to rearrange. For you this would mean if the later bus was run late you'd risk having to wait another six months for another appointment, arguably not worth it.

If you are able to catch either bus then please do that, it's the best outcome for you and the professional. Plus as others say, you may not end up being 20 minutes early after all if relying on the bus!

Obviously you can't get the bus timetabled to get there at 3.21 and I'd say the 3.01 is cutting it a bit fine. Are you teleporting from your bus seat into the consulting room?

Questions like this frustrate me. Can you really not decide for yourself that being early to an appointment you’ve waited 6 months for is the option to choose over being late? So many people are on waiting lists for so much longer and wouldn’t even contemplate being late and you just don’t want to wait outside?!

Get the earlier bus and get off a stop or two early and walk the rest. I always find walking in a dodgy area less stressful than just waiting around. Unless you have mobility trouble of course.

Early. Headphones, book, snack...

yes, this.

There's no way I'd get the later bus. Personally I'd be far too stressed the first bus might run late that I'd get one earlier than that, despite the area. Is there a local mini supermarket you can wonder round in for a bit? Get off a couple of steps early or late and walk. I'd see if they let me up to the waiting room a bit early and if not walk along the busier roads.

I'd get the earlier bus as, in my experience, buses are often late.
And I'd be really stressed being late for an appointment I'd waited 6 months for and the risk of being turned away.