slo’s FRIDAY 9/5 poll - Punctuality 🕐

[slo]

Ahhhh……being on time. Something many people struggle with doing, and something many of us have to be patient with people we know always being late or being wayyyy to early. Today we’re going to focus on being punctual with arrival times. Some of us just can’t make it somewhere on time, especially in the morning. And some of us like to be somewhere really really early, which actually isn’t always great either. Yesterday, at my colonoscopy, the nurse and I were talking about how they do about 50 colonoscopies a day and how when people are late, or don’t show up, it screws up the entire flow of the day. I can undersstand this, since I manage a doctors office - both late and way to early really throws a monkey wrench into our day. The same applies for many things, not just doctors appointments. So let’s take a deep dive into our own punctuality habits. Give us your timely good answers today…..

Are you a punctual person - meaning on time.
Are you typically early?
Are you typically late?
(multiple choice)



For Me…..I’m a very punctual person, and now that we all have cell phones, I will not hesitate to let someone know if I was stuck by a train (or any other unforeseen situation) and may be late. I’m not gonna lie, I struggle with having patience with people who are chronically late. I also struggle with people who are chronically early. I don’t say anything, I struggle with patience internally. I find lateness to be rude and I also find chronic earliness rude too. Both are not considerate to other people’s time. I could go on and on about this topic, but I’ll just leave it at that.

 

[hardcorestitch]

When ride shares take the SCENIC route, you know you’re in trouble. Red lights and heavy traffic will also have the same effect.

 

[BrianL]

Yes, I am a punctual person. I will not call you if I am running late because I will not be running late. It never happens. As Marvel's Falcon says, "On-time is late and fifteen minutes early is on-time."

 

[Meriweather]

Very Punctual....always.
Never late. Always 10-15 minutes early.

 

[Kitty 34]

I've always been early especially when I was a substitute teacher. Needed to get there early enough to read the plans for the day. It made it easier one me and thus the classroom.

If I'm ever running late there's definitely a problem!

 

[WDWEPCOT]

I come from the hurry up and wait mentality drilled into my head by my father so I am always early and I will let an office know that I know I’m early and not to worry about it I bring a book I sit and read I just wanna make sure I get there on time you never know what you’re gonna run into Traffic construction I don’t wanna be late office the sea stay do not take you when you are late they just charge you and tell you have to reschedule and if you do it more than twice they tell you they’re not gonna take you as a patient anymore so I just arrive early and say I know I’m early I’m going to patiently wait don’t worry about it I’m OK and I sit and read my book until my time for my appointment arrives I’m not using more than 15 minutes early anyway as far as I’m concerned no harm no foul because I do not want to be late
If it’s an event that I am going to I will try to arrive about 5 to 10 minutes early you have to account for trying to find parking and depending on that how much time it’s gonna take you to walk to get to the event
I am rarely ever late for anything if I would be like it is because some unforeseen incident that I had no control over and no way to get around it

 

[bobbiwoz]

I would say that I am mostly punctual in what I do and I tend to allow anyone a 5 -10 minute window either way.

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

I am like crazy punctual. I seem to be early for everything. It's like I am allergic to late

 

[lanejudy]

Since so many things for us require a driving distance I tend to leave an extra cushion of time for travel. That means I am often early, but depending on the situation I don't necessarily arrive at the final destination early -- I'll wait a bit in the car so as not to clog up a waiting room, or I'll kill some time by fueling-up for the return trip, or such.

 

[soccerdad72]

Far from perfect on this, I tend to be punctual, but sometimes will cut it close. My wife is one who prefers to be 'fashionably late' - she hates being the first one to things, so there are times when we're running early that we've been known to drive around a little extra so we get there a few minutes later.

 

[TiggerTrigger]

While I normally follow etiquette and the vibe of the event at hand, I tend to be very punctual...which is tough in this house because DH is often late. It's especially frustrating for sports matters since he knows that if coach says something starts at 7, it means be there no later than 6:45. He played sports...he knows this...but he's so awful about this that we've had to just start leaving ahead of him and let him drive himself. Nobody cares if he's late to warm ups.

For parties and things of that nature, it really depends on the event...which is why I said "other" as well. While there's a limit to being fashionably late, I also wouldn't dream of arriving early or right on the dot if I wasn't close to the host and in a circle where it wouldn't be awkward for me to offer to help them with final set up. So, if I'm hosting or attending a dinner gathering and it says 7pm, I'm usually aiming more towards 7:10-7:15pm as it can also make you look overeager and a bit strange to be there on the dot or early unless you're super close to the hosts. If we do arrive uncomfortably early and we're not close like this with the host, we will sit in the car until it's more socially appropriate to go in. If I'm going to be 30+ minutes late, I will usually notify the host. I know some say they're never late, but life happens...sometimes to those around you, and you never know when you're going to be stuck behind a wreck that's shut down the road.

 

[_19disnA]

I am punctual and plan/organize ahead of time to get things done when required. My impression of people who are always late regardless of the event is they aren't organized enough to do things on time.

I don't interpret being punctual for something like a wedding reception to mean you have to be the first one in the receiving line. If they specify when the event starts or dinner is served, it is good etiquette to arrive when expected. If you are volunteering at some event, they usually don't have extra people sitting around to fill in just because you are late.

 

[ronandannette]

I voted "punctual when it matters", or as I like to say "I got here as soon as I wanted to". I hate being early - sitting around doing nothing is not easy for me when I'm usually doing two or three things at once. If a meeting or appointment is at 10:00 am, I will be there by 10:00 am, but why be there at 9:45? It does not bother me in the slightest to be the last person to arrive for something; and as long as I haven't delayed the intended start time, so what? If boarding for a flight closes at a certain time, I will be there by that time but I will not be sitting around the departures lounge for 2 hours in advance. I am careful not to keep people waiting for me; if someone is expecting me/has invited me for 7:00 pm, I'll be there at that time, but never sooner. I despise it when company comes early myself and I would never do it to somebody else.

 

[amcnj]

I try to be early for scheduled events. If I am running late something overrode all the time cushions I had added in. And I am sweating it out! Not sure if I picked that up from my parents, or it was always just part of my makeup.

When I was growing up there was a relative who was always late for things. The workaround was they were told a start time that was earlier than the actual.

 

[lovesmurfs]

I'm all about MARGIN. I always leave too much time to get places, and it gives me peace. After 35 years, my husband is finally realizing the benefits of leaving more time.

 

[lovin'fl]

I am punctual. Actually, usually a little early. Very impatient so I am always in a rush to get things started. I won't be early to someone's home (right on time though) but out and about, I am usually early for things.

 

[mylilnikita]

Very punctual. I grew up in a military family. Being late messed up my mojo

 

[KPeterso]

I tend to be punctual or early to everything. I have been known to drive past where I am going and then around a bit to get there closer to on time. Or to sit in the parking lot for a bit reading my phone to kill time. Or at some thing like a doctor's appointment, I may go in and sign in and then acknowledge that I know I am early and have no problem waiting a few extra minutes.

 

[leebee]

I try to be on time, always. I grew up in a home where an appointment time was regarded as merely a suggestion, and while my mother was never embarrassed to arrive someplace really late, like 30 minutes or so, it always made me feel ashamed. Left to my own devices, I'm on time. Throw DH into the equation and that's another matter. I give him the 30 minute warning- "Yup, I'm ready"- the 15 minute warning, the 5 minute warning. Then when I say, "OK, let's go," he says "OK, I just have to pee and put on my shoes."

 

[Dan Murphy]

I am punctual. As @soccerdad72 said above, my wife, Marie, is not. Drives me batty if I'm involved. I was taught Lombardi Time, similar Falcon time that @BrianL mentioned earlier. 15 minutes early is on time. 5 minutes early is 10 minutes late. 53 years of running my day with appointments with clients has me be very punctual, and always a bit early. If with Marie, late, with her texting or calling whomever.

If I'm going someplace that is more than a 5 minute drive, I will always check in my Waze app, even if I know exactly how to get there, to get a real time drivetime update, including potential current traffic issues. More than once Waze has routed me around bottlenecks.


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