# How Punctual Are You? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 3, 2003, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-punctual-are-you/205456 "2003-10-03T22:50:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Isabelle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b5a626/32.png) [@Isabelle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isabelle)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2003, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-punctual-are-you/205456/41 "2003-10-06T14:51:59Z")
All the clocks in my house and in the car are set 10 minutes fast. I hate to be late for anything. While I am early to everything else, I only arrive ON THE DOT to work. Could be because I loathe the place. ---
**Author:** ![Jennyrosity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/2bfe46/32.png) [@Jennyrosity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jennyrosity)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2003, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-punctual-are-you/205456/42 "2003-10-06T15:15:27Z")
Man, you early people bug me. I am - generally - ready on time. This means if you arrvie at say, 7.20 instead of 7.30 I will still be doing my make-up. You will have to wait for me, I will have to rush because I’m aware that you are waiting, and I will resent you for it beacause we said 7.30 damn it! I need those ten minutes! You being ten minutes early is just as annoying as me being ten minutes late. ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2003, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-punctual-are-you/205456/43 "2003-10-06T16:35:36Z")
I’m the 39th person to post here if that gives you any idea… I’m getting better. ---
**Author:** ![koeeoaddi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/koeeoaddi/32/408_2.png) [@koeeoaddi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koeeoaddi)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2003, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-punctual-are-you/205456/44 "2003-10-06T18:36:33Z")
Like the OP I hate to rush so I’m early or on time. I remember sitting alone in the waiting room of a neurologist I’d never seen before. He walked out of his office, looked at me and said “Well, you’re 10 minutes early, you’ve _got_ to be my migraine patient.” Says it all. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2003, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-punctual-are-you/205456/45 "2003-10-06T20:35:56Z")
Always early or on time, and what’s more, I gnash my teeth when the event doesn’t start on time or someone else is late. ---
**Author:** ![Flamsterette\_X](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/41988e/32.png) [@Flamsterette\_X](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flamsterette_X)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2003, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-punctual-are-you/205456/46 "2003-10-06T21:53:51Z")
Depends on who I’m with. If it’s my brother, we always show up late… his schedule is busy, and he’s always rushing to things. If I’m by myself, I’m usually either 10-15 minutes early or the same amount of time late. (depending on traffic, the bus schedule, etc.) Generally, I like being early when I can. If not, it’s not a big deal… UNLESS it’s an appointment or important meeting. I hate being late to those. Doesn’t really bother me if people are a few minutes late or early, unless I’m in the middle of doing something. (which I almost always am) But when they get to be more than 20 minutes late, that’s when I start to get a bit annoyed. F\_X ---
**Author:** ![Bruce\_Daddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/85f322/32.png) [@Bruce\_Daddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bruce_Daddy)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2003, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-punctual-are-you/205456/47 "2003-10-06T22:21:43Z")
Sorry I’m late. . . Always very punctual. ---
**Author:** ![lezlers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/258eb7/32.png) [@lezlers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lezlers)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2003, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-punctual-are-you/205456/48 "2003-10-07T04:37:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jennyrosity \* > \*\*Man, you early people bug me. I am - generally - ready on time. This means if you arrvie at say, 7.20 instead of 7.30 I will still be doing my make-up. You will have to wait for me, I will have to rush because I’m aware that you are waiting, and I will resent you for it beacause we said 7.30 damn it! I need those ten minutes! You being ten minutes early is just as annoying as me being ten minutes late. \*\* Didja miss the part where most, if not all, of us “early people” say we usually wait in our cars until it’s time? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Noetic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e480ec/32.png) [@Noetic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Noetic)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2003, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-punctual-are-you/205456/49 "2003-10-07T05:10:52Z")
I’ve always wondered about punctual people. Do you have your days planned perfectly? I always find that when I attempt to be punctual I either end up bright and spanking early and having to loiter about feeling guilty about being so bad at punctuality that I’ve got to wait (I’m terrible at waiting; probably has something to do with my waiting for the then love of my life, as a 16 year old, for hours because I’d nothing better to do than hope she turned up early… but I digress 🙂 ) or being ready so early that I think I’ve a few min to kill and then sudden realizing that I’m late. I’ve noticed a great many people have no trouble with being on the dot punctual without stressing about the exact logistics of being on time. So all ye punctual folk, how do you do it? Whats the secret to your success? ---
**Author:** ![Jennyrosity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/2bfe46/32.png) [@Jennyrosity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jennyrosity)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2003, 9:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-punctual-are-you/205456/50 "2003-10-07T09:24:25Z")
“Didja miss the part where most, if not all, of us “early people” say we usually wait in our cars until it’s time?” Um, yeah, I did. In common with most other un-punctual people, I’m also kinda slap-dash, so didn’t read the whole thread. Sorry. Consider my wrist slapped. ---
**Author:** ![Doomtrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@Doomtrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doomtrain)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2003, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-punctual-are-you/205456/51 "2003-10-07T11:51:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Noetic \* > \*\* I’ve noticed a great many people have no trouble with being on the dot punctual without stressing about the exact logistics of being on time. > > So all ye punctual folk, how do you do it? > Whats the secret to your success? \*\* Leave early. Plan ahead. Get directions in advance and carry a map of the area as backup. Personally, I know how long I usually take to get ready and plan accordingly. I usually need 45 minutes to an hour to get from “dead asleep” to “somewhat human”, so I give myself plenty of time. I’m the guy who winds up sitting around for 10 minutes, waiting to leave, cause I got ready in plenty of time. I find making it a habit and a routine makes things tremendously easier. ---
**Author:** ![sultana\_of\_slash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@sultana\_of\_slash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sultana_of_slash)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2003, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-punctual-are-you/205456/52 "2003-10-07T14:34:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Casey1505 \* > \*\*I usually arrive within 5 minutes of my scheduled start time at work. In-laws and spouse tend to tell me 5:30 when they mean 6:00. > > I think I get it from my father. He called it “Casey Standard Time.” He was never on time for anything, but was never excessively late for anything either. The day we buried him, my mother ordered the hearze driver to not take the car out of park until 20 minutes after we were scheduled to leave for the church, assuring that the funeral mass would start late, since it was a widely held belief that my father would be late for his own funeral. When the priest met my mother at the steps of the church before the mass, he asked if everything was alright. She shocked him by saying “Now he is truly the _late_ Paul Casey.” \*\* ## OK, that was hilarious. Yesterday I was 5 minutes late to work. I walked into the regular 0830 meeting, said “Sorry I’m late,” nobody said anything, and the world did not end. I took a little extra care to be five minutes early this morning, so nobody gets the idea I’m trying to skate out on the work. I have been both early and late. This is reminding me of another thread, on whether you can choose your gender orientation. Whassamatta you, youse guys homopunctual? ---
**Author:** ![Avarie537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/48db29/32.png) [@Avarie537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avarie537)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2003, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-punctual-are-you/205456/53 "2003-10-07T16:50:36Z")
I try to be early at all times, to all occasions. (I don’t always succeed, but if I am “late”, it’s usually to a “come betwee 2 and 3” type of occasion.) This stems from my father. We were _always_ late because of him. Perfect example: 4:00: “Dad, we need to leave in 10 minutes. I have to be at work at 4:30.” “Oh - ok.” 4:10: Dad makes a cup of tea. Hmmmmmm… 4:20: “Dad! What’s the problem? I told you I have to be at work at 4:30!!” “Oh - I thought you said 5:00.” 4:30: We pull into a gas station. “DAD!! What are you DOING??” “Oh - I don’t like to let the car get below an eighth of a tank.” 5:00: I get to work. “Avarie, why are you late?” “My dad.” “_Again???_” Oh - and he was late to pick me up. We once totally flipped out my aunt by arriving to someone’s Golden Anniversary party **on time**. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-punctual-are-you/205456.md?page=2)