To get irrationally irritated by waiting for latecomers when I’ve made the effort to be on time?

[Hazeby]

When you’re waiting for something to start, be it a work meeting or presentation or a school event….. “We’ll just give it ten more minutes for any latecomers and then we’ll start…”

NO!!

I may as well turn up ten minutes late myself plus how will these people learn to be on time unless it starts without them. Gives me the rage.

YANBU
It is so entitled when people are always late. Once is ok for specific reason but constant lateness= entitled and selfish. Why is their time more important than yours?
I see less of one friend now because of it and if there is a choice if 2 prople to ask I won't ask her to come something

Those who say they’re late for whatever reason, can I ask, do you turn up late for doctors, dentist, hair appointments or for a flight?
If you can turn up on time for these, who won’t accommodate you, you can be on time for everything else

That's always asked on these threads, @CaliforniaChill, and if it's answered at all it's usually with something about having to put lots of strategies in place if timekeeping's really important

Or in other words "I can do it if it really matters to me, but if it doesn't others will just have to put up with it"

Agree, and I think they expect for everyone to think that they are then tremendous and should be lauded for the actually being on time!

Well no, because it’s fairly obvious that the vast majority of people build far more contingency time into catching a flight than would be sustainable for day to day life - you can’t turn up several hours in advance of everything in the way you do for flights. And I think habitual latecomers are just as likely to be late for hairdressers, doctors, dentists etc.

it’s fairly obvious that the vast majority of people build far more contingency time into catching a flight than would be sustainable for day to day life - you can’t turn up several hours in advance of everything in the way you do for flights

This is perfectly true, *MiddleParking, *but it also assumes hearsay to be evidence; after all someone challenged about selective lateness is hardly going to say "Oh I just didn't bother about you" when orther options are available

Of course that's not to deny there are folk with very real difficulties in this area - I just wonder where the line falls between these and the "can't be arsed"

It can be interesting to see the reaction when the latecomers realise that everyone else has moved on without them.
One notable occasion I remember was a Parents' Evening, where each set of parents had a ten-minute slot. To keep things running smoothly, we put a short break into the middle of the evening; first session 4:00 to 6:30, second session 7:00 to 9:00.
What with seeing some parents separately (e,g, the Deputy Head with his own Parents' Evening that night!) it turned out that I had everybody scheduled in for the "first shift", so I drew up the schedule and laid out folders of work for parents to peruse while they waited. 5:30 couple did not show, so I moved on to the 5:40 appointment, still no show, we all moved on.
I took my break just after 6:30; as the second session was due begin, I consulted the headmaster about what I should do, and we agreed that as by this time it was getting on for 90 minutes since they were due, and i had seen everyone else, I might as well call it a day.
Apparently, their car was pulling into the carpark at the back of the building, just as I was leaving the Staff carpark at the front, and they were gobsmacked to find me gone!
Another, sadder one, was at my previous school; a little boy whose attendance and punctuality were sketchy; he was too young to take this responsibility for himself.
We had an educational trip to central London arranged, with a group train ticket booked for a specific time from our local station. We had some "wriggle room" built into the timetable, but as the minutes ticked by, we had to make a decisive move.
It turned out that this was not one of his (frequent) absences, but just one of his late days. Apparently he was heartbroken.

It can be interesting to see the reaction when the latecomers realise that everyone else has moved on without them

I remember one mum arranging to meet me at a museum with my DC at 1000. She didn’t work, had a nanny, 2DC, and lived 5 mins drive away. She turned up at 12.10, by which time I’d gone in ( overseas, 35 degree heat, wasn’t waiting outside with toddler) and when she arrived she was furious with me for going in 🤷‍♀️

Another question I have is, when someone’s late, I or another will call them to see where they are to assess whether we should go ahead or not. Often, as in case above, the person is still at home. E.g. meet at 7pm, we wait around and call at 7.30/7.45pm and you are still at home, you haven’t even left yet.

I don’t get this. I get, I’m 10 mins away, on my way etc. but “I haven’t left yet”….

Why? Why the fuck why?