Are you always on time whenever you have to meet someone?
By iskayz
@iskayz (5420)
Philippines
September 12, 2008 6:00am CST
Hi everyone!
I went out yesterday to meet our accountant in a donut shop. The time that we're supposed to meet was 5pm and I came 5 minutes early cause I don't want to be late at any appointments and it's embarassing if I make her wait. But OMG, the accountant showed up after 2 hours. I was really so pissed off! It was night already and I have consumed a lot of sodas and donuts waiting for her. I was so bored just sitting and I really wanted to go but I opted to stay and wait cause I am the kind of person who always arrives at an appointment, be it casual or business like.
When she arrived I wanted to get mad at her but I controlled my anger and kept my composure instead and started to discuss whatever we have to discuss. But I can see on the accountant's reaction that she was so embarrassed for letting me wait for 2 hours. And because I was so pissed off, I never offered her anything to eat or drink when I usually does lol.
What about you guys? Are you always on time whenever you have to meet someone - be it casual or business like? Do you get mad or irritated when the person is late or you're always cool and just let it come to pass? What can you say about those people who are always late with their appointments?
6 people like this
55 responses
@sumiirajj (1983)
• India
12 Sep 08
Hi friend,I am always before time when I want to meet someone.I dont know how people are like that simply cool making others to wait.I really get irritated with that kind of people.They should atleast inform us that they would be late but those kind of people dont even bother and they even forget the time they have to meet others.I am showing all my irritation in this post as I cant show it on those people.What to say about those people who are late always?I just dont know as the world is still revolving with such kind of cool irritated stuff.thanks for sharing.happy mylotting.
@iskayz (5420)
• Philippines
12 Sep 08
Yes! If I'm gonna be late with my appointment I inform the person I'm suppose to meet so she/he would understand in advance why I am late. But our accountant? Ugh!! I get mad everytime I remember I waited that long. She should've at least texted or called me where she was or why she's late.
@jdyrj777 (6528)
• United States
13 Sep 08
You are a very patient person. If that was me i would have waited aproxametly 30 min. then left. Call her the next day. Fired her and hired a dependable person. If i can not trust then not to waste my time how can i trust them with my money? I would just figure they didnt respect my time. If she had a ligament reason she could have called you via cell phone or she could have called the place you were meeting at to let you know something. It's common courtesy. She certianly was not being very professional. I recently had to drop a client for just the same reason. She would call make an appointment and them not show up. No courtesy call. In my book 3 strikes your out. That time of mine she wasted could have been filled by another client that actually shows up. Then when i dropped her, she had the nerve to tell me my prices were too high. So i told her go somewhere else then. Being dependable and courtious are high priorty to me.
@coffeegurl (1467)
• United States
13 Sep 08
I agree with jdyr777. A ligament reason can be very painful...especially if it is pulled. Not to mention, a ligament reason is a very legitimate reason not to arrive on time.
1 person likes this
@lingli_78 (12822)
• Australia
12 Sep 08
oh yes... i am an on time person and i am very particular with time... i prefer to be early than late... so i always try to be early in everything... work, appointment, meeting, etc... i don't like to keep people waiting and i don't like to wait for people as well... you are very patient to be able to wait for 2 hours... i will be gone by then if i were in your position... take care and have a nice day...
1 person likes this
@sweethomecatring (1563)
• India
12 Sep 08
When ever there is a meeting or event we have scheduled it is our duty to reach in time so that the valuable time is not wasted. For me If I have to meat some one I do not want that one should wait for me. I use to reach for 5-10 minutes earlier. Usually it happens that people do not bother to care for the time and they take it casually. I am surprised why people are not late when they have to catch a train or flight. This is the mere being irresponsible in such matters. It is not good at all.
@ronacruz2007 (650)
• Philippines
12 Sep 08
i know what you feel i once felt the same at least for an hour. OMG it totally pisses me off because i am very punctual person and i hate people who makes me wait. Because i believe that everyone should give importance to others' time. I mean respect other's time .
@freakingman (239)
• Singapore
12 Sep 08
i would always try to be on time of not earlier. i hate the feeling of waiting endlessly for someone, so i do not want any others to feel the same. but should someone be late, i would feel discomfort and would always wonder if something had happened to him/her. but most of the time i would just pretend it is nothing much when they arrive.
1 person likes this
@iskayz (5420)
• Philippines
12 Sep 08
Yeah, its ok to be late for just minutes but hours? It's really unacceptable but I have no choice but to wait cause we have to discuss important things and the meeting has been scheduled and I wouldn't want to re-schedule it again. I just want it done so I waited.
@sutanhartanto (4122)
• Indonesia
12 Sep 08
omg! 2 hours later is not just late, that's a changed schedule! yes that's so irritating if someone we have an appointment with let us wait for so long time. isn't there any way to contact her, by send a text message maybe?
well, i am not only 'not always on time'. i am never on time that's a really bad habit actually. before i used to be on time in attending an appointment. but it used to ended up disappointment. i used to be let wait and wasted time. that forced me to change my habit. i think it's better to let other wait that being let wait and that become a new pattern now.
in most of social gathering in my place, we can always expect that the gathering will be started later than the announced time. so, we usually come late to keep ourselves from wasting time.
1 person likes this
@iskayz (5420)
• Philippines
12 Sep 08
I did contact her but she never responded to my messages. When I saw her I wanted to walk out from her but we were in a public and I don't want to attract attention.
It's really embarrassing if you let others wait for you, so I always arrive on time whenever I have appointments.
@quinnkl (1667)
• United States
16 Sep 08
I am always on time - early actually - not just to business appointments, but to any gathering. There is nothing hard about being punctual in my opinion. I agree with you, it is bad manners to be late - downright rude to be that late! I believe that people who are always late to meet others, basically don't care about the people they are meeting. Or at least care much more for themselves.
1 person likes this
@zhaosonghan (1039)
• China
18 Sep 08
Yes,showing out on time is a good habit,i do like this.I can wait someone for a long time but i was angry,because i know this way is wrong,others was late i can accepct,maybe some thing is keeping them,my rule is that anybody never wait for me.
You do all for this is right,you control angry and mood and do what you have to do,
he must have been embarrassing.
Up to now i always go out early for a hour,at least half hour,in this way i can insure that showing out on time,so i am always on time,i will keep it.
1 person likes this
@divinegwapa (914)
• Philippines
12 Sep 08
Two hours late?? That's definitely a NO NO for me. If I were in your shoes I would definitely get really pissed as well. I always make it a point that I am early in my appointments. But sadly, some of the people I meet are always late to think that they are professionals. I guess the best thing to do is talk to the person in the nicest way possible about his/her being tardy. ^^
1 person likes this
@iskayz (5420)
• Philippines
12 Sep 08
You're right divine. Most of the time professionals are the ones who are always late. They always have an excuse for being late like traffic or hectic schedule. I wanted to asked our accountant why she's soooo late but I was already tired for waiting and wanted to go home so I never asked her and just get on with we have to discuss.
@SaintAnne (5453)
• United States
15 Sep 08
Two hours is a long time to be late and to wait. Did your accountant call you to tell you she will be late or explained why she was late? I think I would have gone straight to taking care of business like you did and have not offered her some refreshments, that will just waste more time.
I try to be on time for all appointments. Be it business or casual. I don't like to wait so I don't want people to wait for me. I would tell the latecomer that I don't really appreciate waiting with the hopes that next time they won't be late again. If I am running late, I usually call the other person to let them know.
@kavinsh (78)
• India
18 Sep 08
hi iskayz
almost i m on time.
but...............
it can happen spmetimes.but not 2 hours.
i think its very difficult to wait.
if we can't then how someone else can?
but ..............
in my country casual meetings are generally consider 1 hour late.
in every marriage boys family coming late.once on my cousin's marriage they were at time.
but.................
we people shocked we from girl side were sleeping when they arrived.
take care.
1 person likes this
@enavnai13 (509)
• Philippines
15 Sep 08
i used to be very early when i have an appointment or i need to see someone, usually at school.. but i don't know what happened now.. coz i always come late, making him/her wait.. but this usually happen to my boyfriend.. i always make him wait.. he gets mad but i just smile at him and good thing he forgives me easily... but when he is the one who comes out late, expect me to explode... i get mad easily and i won't even forgive him right away... crazy right??? hehehe
1 person likes this
@iyah10 (4115)
• Kuwait
14 Sep 08
I am also the kind of person that would like to come before the time of the appointment and if the person I have to see is too late to come and for sure if the person is late I only have to give 30 minutes of extension and no more than that then she/he make it again for re-schedule but make it sure to call me back if they will come late....
1 person likes this
@mands61123 (2098)
•
14 Sep 08
If it's for business pruposes i tend to try and be either early or on time as being late isn't very professional if i was late for some reason i wouldn't panick i would contact them to inform them and if it was going to cause problems rearrange. Life is unpredictable but communication is the key i don't mind waiting for someone as long as i know why they are late and that they are still coming. Leaving me sat there and then not apologising or explaining would have made me see red. If it's going out i'm usually late like 80% of the time because i'm to busy dong something else and then i leave myself to little time to get ready and end up late. I just take each day as it comes and try not to worry about it to much getting ready for me at the moment takes twice as long with my illness but i can only be as fast as i can and if i'm running late i inform whoever and aplogise thats the best i can do. Usually they understand 2 hours isn't acceptable i have been in your position and told that person that it was unacceptable that they need to pull their head out of their as* and inform someone if they are going to be late. Mine was not business and she did not have a good excuse it was quite simply the fact that she deems herself more important and the world revolves around her. Hope you gave the accountant what for Take care
1 person likes this
@coffeegurl (1467)
• United States
13 Sep 08
Well, if it's business, one should be on time. Business time is impotant:)I mean IMPORTANT-LoL. I never said i was a good typist. But that is a funny typo. And, by the way, at this particular moment in time I cannot get the song,"Business Time" by Flight of the Concords outta my head. Anyway, if you are a trusted friend, i see no issue with being late. I judge my close friends based on how lenient they are with me. One time I was about 15min late to meet a Chinese friend for coffee. He was standing at the entrance to the restaurant looking at his watch. He was deeply offended and irritated that I was late. Of course, in Chinese culture being on time is next to Godliness, as I soon found out while he made no bones about admonishing me in public about it. He acted as if I had dishonored his family. I stopped hanging out with him after that. Especially since one day, about a month after the coffee incident;I flipped him off on the road when he cut me off in traffic, before realizing it was him. I don't think he saw my "bird", so I waved "hello" shortly afterward.