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

If it was a train you would be there before it departed.

Same with a flight, or even the cinema. If the appointment is important to you, then you would just make the effort to be there regardless of the bus times.

If the appointment isn't that important to you, then you will be more concerned about being inconvenienced by the wait.

So, clearly the appointment isn't that important as the bus time is more important to you than whatever is taking place at the appointment.

Why don't you phone them and ask, or warn that you might be a couple of minutes late and see what they say?

In my experience these things rarely run on time, but then buses don't either, so I'd be getting the earlier bus.

Is a taxi an option - if not all the way, part of the way? Get the bus to somewhere safe, e.g. nearest shopping centre and get a taxi from there to the facility?

The earlier bus gets you there 20mins earlier?

That's the one I'd always get. Even if the later bus arrives exactly on time, you're not going to teleport to the hospital reception so you've got to factor in the walk from the bus to the reception desk. As well as a late bus or one too many red lights.

Agree. That's a manager trying to micromanage. Being late for a one-off NHS appt is different. Understand the OP's concerns re the rough area (some PPs are brushing it off: OP is familiar with the area!) and not knowing if there's anywhere to wait (I suppose some places still have the 'you can't come in until 5minutes before your time' covid hangover) (my dentist did til about last year), but you have to allow for check-in and anything going wrong (round here some buses just get missed). OP I would call them and ask them if they have a waiting area. Even if they don't, you can't just buzz up at the appt time :-)

Re those saying take a book/game to prep for the wait: OP is worried she'll be outside in a rough area, so being distracted by her phone would not be a good thing...

If its that important to you id be getting a bus before the one that gets there at 3.01 tbh.

You’re absolutely ridiculous to think everything will run to time so of course you need to get the earlier one! Honestly! The level of stupid on here sometimes is mind blowing! What planet are you on?!?

Is this a magic bus that takes you straight to the reception area?

Surely there is a waiting room of some sort, why would you be hanging around outside ?

See, I’m more getting the vibe that OP is from the fancy end of town and is convinced that she will die/catch the poors from going to the other side

Well your DS's Scout leader was wrong. If you're on time you're on time. What other false things did this leader tell the Scouts?!

@SabreIsMyFave We-ell,it depends on what the thing is. I can see where the Scout leader is coming from.

Sometimes an activity (or job) might start at a specific time but you need to arrive a little bit earlier than that to be ready to start at the given time

As an example, suppose the activity is something like an orchestra or band practice. If the practice starts at 7:30pm, say, you really need to arrive well before that so you have time to get your coat off, take your instrument out of its case and assemble it, put up your music stand, find your music, warm up etc. If the conductor wants to be "baton down" at 7:30 then everyone needs to be in their seats ready to start. People who think it is OK to just stroll in on the dot of 7:30 not only miss the start but can ge very disruptive.

@liladough Not sure if you meant me as "the NHS worker who hates people being 5 minutes late"? I don't hate it, but I was trying to make the point from the other side of the healthcare professional that being late causes issues for the patient, professional, and the service. No one wins. So I struggle to understand why anyone would contemplate knowingly risk being late!

Hope your appointment goes well :)

Did you make it on time, OP?
Which bus did you end up getting?
I’m invested and need closure 😀
Hope it went well!