Fashionable, or just rude??

[bobleponge]

After spending over 20 years in the army, I have become pretty brainwashed into being early for stuff.
Mme Pastis is perpetually late, and it doesnt seem to bother her at all. She doesnt understand my fidgeting and stressing when the time for our allotted appointment is nigh, and she is just about to get in the shower.

Is it just me that thinks its rude to be late? I take personal affront when people are late for appointments with me, finding it ignorant, and I always assume that other people think the same in reverse.

Am I alone?

[Bren In Pots]

Am I alone?

No. I feel like I'm letting not only myself but those I'm going to see down if I'm late.

[piskieinboots]

I can't do late if my life depends on it - although I am, to be fair, a pretty organised piece.

Late nope, makes me annoyed when people are late, it is just rude to my mind. I have a few girl pals who just cannot get anywhere on time - unbelieveable!

[Seahorse]

Perhaps at least to some extent it's a cultural thing? Not that I know French etiquette!

I am sometimes late through unfortunate circumstances (four children to polish, etc!) but I do agree that being late just because you haven't made the effort to get ready a few minutes earlier would generally be considered rude here in the UK.

[Jeanied]

You mean you haven't got used to 'Africa time' at all, Bob?

[bobleponge]

Jeanie, over here time is most definitely an abstract concept, the majority of places I've worked in this continent pay less than lip service to the thing I know and love as "punctuality."
I dont know if there is any way for people to check the flight timings. projected and actual for Air Algeria flights into and out of Oran, but that is living proof personified.
This isnt to say I like or even accept it, I fight against it constantly for the same reasons that I hate it when I'm home, its just rude (IMHO).

[Tomatoking]

It is definitely a French thing Bob! If you make appointments to go anywhere in France, you know that you will never been seen at the appointed time. Even if people make appointments to come and see you, they never arrive on time even friends coming round. I suppose I'm used to it now, having been here quite a while, but I must say it still does annoy me, but then, if I'm ever running late for an appointment I just think....oh well c'est la vie....nous sommes en France!

Mrs TK

[zazen999]

It's why French women don't put on weight Bob. They are always late for at least one course...

[bobleponge]

I disagree TK, I know plenty of French types that are fastidiously punctual, probably as many in the UK as in France, we had an appointment at the bank just before I came back to work, thanks to her we were at least 10 minutes late and the bank manager was properly tapping his fingers on the desk in annoyance when we came in. There have been people recently who were due to come and see me at an allotted time, they were late, I gave them 20 minutes and then went out. If they had phoned I would have stayed in but sadly for them the work was given elsewhere.
I have found it to be more an African thing than a French/European thing (I have no doubts there are bazillions of Africans who are more punctual than a Swiss cuckoo clock) but wherever said lateness manifests itself, it properly makes me cross.

[bobleponge]

It's why French women don't put on weight Bob.

You've never been to my village have you Zaz???

[lizzylemon]

I was taught the 5 minute rule by my beloved Grans:

Always be 5 mins early for your own appointment and forgive those who are 5 mins late for theirs

It works for me!

[zazen999]

You've never been to my village have you Zaz???

I'm full of optimism Bob.

[Perhaps your local lasses stay late and finish off the pudding/s]?

[Florence Fennel]

Better late than never? Better never late.

[oldie]

Bob is quite right about the African attitude to time. I actually found it more difficult to re-adapt to the U.K than I did adapting to African timekeeping.

[Jeanied]

I was taught the 5 minute rule by my beloved Grans:

Always be 5 mins early for your own appointment and forgive those who are 5 mins late for theirs

It works for me!

Lizzie I love that quote - what a lovely Gran to say that!