# wrong place wrong time,right place right time difference **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 24, 2011, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wrong-place-wrong-time-right-place-right-time-difference/597448 "2011-09-24T12:19:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![virtually\_yours](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/a587f6/32.png) [@virtually\_yours](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/virtually_yours)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2011, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wrong-place-wrong-time-right-place-right-time-difference/597448/1 "2011-09-24T12:19:40Z")
Hi, we always hear: _In the wrong place at the wrong time_ etc. Is there any difference in being in the wrong place at the wrong time; and, in the wrong place at the right time; and, in the right place at the right time; and, in the right place at the wrong time? Can they be used in any situation, or are some of the phrases more compatible than others to be used in a given situation? 😕 (don’t see a tongue in cheek smiley 🙂 ) thanks virtually yours ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2011, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wrong-place-wrong-time-right-place-right-time-difference/597448/2 "2011-09-24T12:48:25Z")
There was a song about this once
 > [@](#): > > wrong place at the wrong time Somewhere you shouldn’t have been, at a bad time to be there. You got lost and then got unlucky, like you went the wrong way across town and ended up in a robbery. > [@](#): > > wrong place at the right time You got lost and got lucky. You went the wrong way, but found a fifty on the ground. > [@](#): > > right place at the right time Perfect harmony between intent and outcome. Navigation and fortune smile upon you. > [@](#): > > right place at the wrong time Following directions properly leads to disaster. You intended to go to the Wal-Mart that happened to be robbed that day. ---
**Author:** ![virtually\_yours](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/a587f6/32.png) [@virtually\_yours](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/virtually_yours)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2011, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wrong-place-wrong-time-right-place-right-time-difference/597448/3 "2011-09-24T12:56:31Z")
> [@Derleth](#): > > There was a song about this once
 > > Somewhere you shouldn’t have been, at a bad time to be there. You got lost and then got unlucky, like you went the wrong way across town and ended up in a robbery. > > You got lost and got lucky. You went the wrong way, but found a fifty on the ground. > > Perfect harmony between intent and outcome. Navigation and fortune smile upon you. > > Following directions properly leads to disaster. You intended to go to the Wal-Mart that happened to be robbed that day. Just having a quick look and I disagree with wrong place at right time explanation. I don’t think it means I got lost thanks virtually yours ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2011, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wrong-place-wrong-time-right-place-right-time-difference/597448/4 "2011-09-24T15:28:55Z")
Walking on sidewalk, someone else walking in the street gets hit by car: Right place, right time Walking on sidewalk, car comes up on sidewalk and hits you: Right place, wrong time. Walking in street, someone else walking on sidewalk gets hit by car: Wrong place, right time. Walking in street, car hits you: Wrong place, wrong time ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2011, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wrong-place-wrong-time-right-place-right-time-difference/597448/5 "2011-09-24T16:37:12Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > Walking on sidewalk, someone else walking in the street gets hit by car: Right place, right time This isn’t what I understand the phrase to mean. Being in the “right place at the right time” means that one has a special opportunity or bit of good fortune by virtue of being around when this good thing was happening, not that one avoided disaster by following the rules. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2011, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wrong-place-wrong-time-right-place-right-time-difference/597448/6 "2011-09-24T16:40:19Z")
This is probably better suited to IMHO than GQ. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2011, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wrong-place-wrong-time-right-place-right-time-difference/597448/7 "2011-09-24T16:40:20Z")
> [@virtually\_yours](#): > > Just having a quick look and I disagree with wrong place at right time explanation. I don’t think it means I got lost > thanks virtually yours There’s no absolute right or wrong way to interpret these word. It’s just a little snippet of doggerel. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2011, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wrong-place-wrong-time-right-place-right-time-difference/597448/8 "2011-09-24T17:12:01Z")
RPRT: throwing tomatoes in [Buñol](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tomatina), Spain, the last Wednesday in August. RPWT: throwing tomatoes in Buñol the first Tuesday in May, WPRT: throwing tomatoes in Minneapolis the last Wednesday in August. WPWT: throwing tomatoes anywhere but Buñol, anytime but the last Wednesday in August.