Thread: habitual tardiness...

As a teacher, this issue is one of my biggest problems. In fact, I tell my high-school seniors on day one that my only two issues, if they respect me and the class, are tardies and cell-phones. Still, I had some students constantly late to my 1st period class in the semester just finished. I have refused to write recommendations in the past for students who were habitually tardy. And yes, my experience has been that it is a disrespect/control issue. With some people, even if it's unconscious, I think it's also a passive aggressive thing. If something is worth going to, it's worth getting to on time. Otherwise, just stay home.

Not everyone's father told them "if you show up on time, you're already late." And it is a cultural thing too as mentioned already. Though I'd venture to say it's more a Latino thing than it is a Thai thing. It seems like it's sort of a don't-worry-be-happy kind of behavior to me, but that is just a general conclusion based only on anecdotal observations on my part.

I would say the Thais exported it to Latin America. Either that or the Thais perfected it once they got it from where ever.

I am early or on time when it is something that is a scheduled event. But, when it's open ended I always like to come a little late. I hate to be the first person to a party!!!

There are a lot of reasons.
My guess is that in this case it is habitual.

Some folk have problems that run from inconvenient to serious pathology.
If you can just deal with it....

The 1130 bit may fall into the school of fashionably late. For some events it
is rude to be too prompt. One example is a hostess that is so worried about
getting things ready they are not dressed on time.

But a 11:00 movie will start at 11:00 being late misses a lot of
the show and in the dark you cannot even make an "entrance".

Yet the no kids, not married makes me wonder if there is more going
on... but I am not in a position to help so I should just butt out.

Family on the other hand should take note....

I'm sorry I'm late posting to this thread, I was doing something else and lost track of time.

Originally Posted by fpessanha

I understand what you guys are saying about tardiness. Yes it could be seen as disrespectfull. Yes it could be seen as immaturity. But I seem to be the guy that arrives consistently late. It doesn't happen because I want to or I disrespect other people. It just happens because I always find myself discovering that I still have, for example, something else to do arround the house... I try very hard to be on time or slightly early but my plans seem to end up in the bin... However, mind you, I now manage - due to a great effort of discipline - to be punctual most of the time.

The thing is: you know this of yourself. With that knowledge, you could plan to leave half an hour earlier than what you need. If you then discover last minute that you forgot something, you still have time. And if you don't, then you have a relaxing trip to where you want to go in the knowledge that you'll be on time.

I am notorious for getting lost even with detailed directions for a rather simple routes. My mother has the same problem. We've both gotten lost on an epic scale. The stories I could tell would have you rolling with laughter and shaking your head. We are really that bad at navigating.

I also hate being late, and I hate the stress that comes from trying to be on time when it looks like that is not going to happen. So I overcompensate by leaving an hour early if I have to go someplace where I've never been before. I always have a book with me, or my Japanese notes. As a result, I am much more relaxed during travel, I'm always on time, and I can spend the remaining time reading my book or practicing Japanese.

GPS has made things better these days. When I was still a consultant and sometimes had to travel to the heart of an unfamiliar city, the first trip was always cause for stress. Especially when using paper maps or prints from route planners, and then discovering that there were large construction works that changed the entire traffic situation near the customer site

Usually someone that is habitually late usually is a procrastinator to boot.

I had a girlfriend that could never be on time and always put things off. It drove me crazy! I bought airplane tickets to go to Seattle for the day and then take a boat ride. Lovely day planned. I could see that she was in the usual panic mode that morning so I just told her that I was going to go to the airport and I would meet her there. She missed the plane! I went anyway and met a great woman that turned out, later, to be my wife. We has one of those meetings that was just plain meant to be. What a cutie! Best day of my life!

When I came back, I got off the airplane my girlfriend was angry that I had gone without her "but never mind, did I have a good trip"? "Thank you for asking. I had a great day! OH! By the way, I am breaking up with you!" After year of hell it was finally over. Life with a procrastinator is pure hell!



Later,
Richard

My wife and all her family are this way. I have started to lie when an event is. I always state it about 30 minutes before it actually starts. Seriously, I have come to the conclusion that it the way their brains are wired. My wife is very creative and several things are going on in her brain at one time. She cannot grasp that time is linear and that one has to block off time in segments in order to meet appointments. So I do it. I am sure I might have a fault too.

On the flip-side of that: spending time with a "schedule nazi" can be pure hell too.

I think the importance of being on time largely depends on the circumstance. Some people get way too uptight about being on time, even if the reason for the time is arbitrary.