Why can't people stand by appointments?

[OilNerd]

On the flip side of things...

I've had no-show "cable guy" appointments with the usual specific appointment time of "sometime between 8 and 5".

I've also waited for nearly an hour, after arriving punctually, to see a doctor at the time his office scheduled.

Works both ways, I guess.

 

[Shannow]

an hour wait at the doctor is SOP down here.

That way there's no $60 5 minute blocks left unfilled in a normal working day

 

[crinkles]

no cold feet, I think he just wants to make a buck on selling it to someone else. So he prob went to BBQ and said F it too much effort to go pick up.

He is now an hour late for his 2nd agreed time that he specified, so it is no longer available as I explained to him at the time of agreeing to his pickup time.

 

[marcre]

About a year and a half ago I did a spring cleaning and sold a ton of stuff on Craigslist.

I was absolutely shocked at how many people pulled this stuff. They say they'll be there and they never show up.

I got an email from a guy I used to work with(he didn't know it was me, I recognized his email) to buy an old iMac and he just blew it off. I emailed him to find out where he was and he said he wasn't interested anymore. I told him I came home and waited for him because we were supposed to meet. His responding email just said "sorry".

That happened more often than not.

I'm not very old, but I do know in the past that when you said you were going to do something or gave your word, it meant something. That's just not the case anymore. I don't let it bug me too much unless it really wastes my time. At the same time, I don't generally put much stock into what people tell me. If someone tells me they are going to do something I take the attitude of " I'll believe it when I see it".

 

[The_Jeff]

This happens quite often with craigslist. Had one guy make an appointment several days out to look at a car, I told him, "call me before you head out" which he did. I broke the news the car had sold. He of course thought the appointment meant I would hold the car, when, in fact, it just meant I would keep that time slot open. Then he started sobbing on the phone.

The only holding I do is if someone has an hour travel time, and they call me when they're leaving, I hang on to that something for an hour.

Best story though, we were giving away a working fridge left in a shed that was coming down. Had the doors propped open but still got mildew. Would have taken 20 minutes with bleach and a sponge to clean up. Got a "taker", we even offered delivery. In the driveway, "man of the house" approves of fridge and helps me unload. Get home to a nasty email from "woman of the house" about how we were going to poison her (many) kids with the germs etc.

 

[kb01]

I've joked about how one of the biggest indicators if someone is a veteran, is how punctual he is. When I was in the Army, if you weren't a half hour early, you were late. Many times, this would translate into being an hour or two early, as every level of the chain in command would bump the time back of anything a half hour to cover his [censored]. My wife's dad was in the Navy, so she's just like me -- if we aren't running early, we might as well be late. I can't count the number of times I've shown up to important meetings so early, that I've had to sit in the car for a half an hour waiting to go inside, so I'm only 15 minutes early.

 

[wander2039]

Happened to me more than a few times. Anymore if there not there when at the time we setup I go to the next person. I do not hold of for anyone. Unfortunately once I setup a time to buy item from a family and ended up sleeping through our meet time.. still feel bad about it. They did call and we hustled over.

 

[twentynine]

Originally Posted By: simple_gifts
Quote:

It's job interview, you plan for the uncontrollable.


Sounds good, but unrealistic in many circumstances. I agree a phone call explaining the situation may be in order, but one guy @ work left to go home and arrived 4.5 hours later for an 8 mile drive due to a multicar/truck pileup on an interstate. I guess he didn't plan to take the helicopter that day 8)


In that case most everyone affiliated with your office, all supply services, would be affected by the same incident. In my opinion no excuse would be required.

We are however talking about a flat tire, running out of gas, those things should be within the control of the interviewee. Buy your gas the day before, leave early enough to change a tire and still get there. mechanical break down, have a friend on standby for a ride.

 

[sxg6]

Originally Posted By: Vizzy
Complete Selfishness

Teh self centered nature of most Americsns today is painfully bad!



OP is from Australia fyi..

 

[GMBoy]

Originally Posted By: LT4 Vette
When I call a person in for a job interview, if they are more than 10 minutes late, they have zero change of getting hired.


Agreed! They should be 10 mins early!

 

[sciphi]

Also, the onus is (somewhat) on the interviewer to give enough notice to the interviewee. Had a situation where an email scheduling an interview arrived very shortly before the scheduled time. Needless to say, a phone call had to be made. Oh well.

 

[daves87rs]

Current hunting for a job, and I always show up early....

 

[ekpolk]

Y'all need to just quit yer beaching (OK, I'm guilty of a glancing blow to the censor...). I serve as a Public Defender here in Pensacola. Our client show-for-appointments rate is (at least mine is...) under 50%.

Amazing isn't it, when you think about it. You get a nearly free attorney appointed to represent you, you're charged with a felony that could land you behind bars for five, fifteen, thirty years, or more, and you don't show up to discuss your case with your attorney. Just blows my mind. . .

 

[oilboy123]

Yes Craiglist people are pretty bad about not showing up when they say they will.

 

[97tbird]

I am also very picky about appointments, and If for some crazy reason I AM late, i ALWAYS let the other party know...Both wife and I are like this, and living in Germany for about 10 yrs really made this even stronger - people are pretty punctual there...a cliche that actually had some merit to it.

i always make a "test drive" the day before for important appointments. Makes me relaxed, and not having to worry about being late for the actual appt..

I usually call as soon as someone is 10 min. late for an appt., or any type of meeting and let them know nicely that they're late.

and all our watches and clocks in the house are set to be 5 min faster.

 

[kb01]

Originally Posted By: ekpolk
Y'all need to just quit yer beaching (OK, I'm guilty of a glancing blow to the censor...). I serve as a Public Defender here in Pensacola. Our client show-for-appointments rate is (at least mine is...) under 50%.

Amazing isn't it, when you think about it. You get a nearly free attorney appointed to represent you, you're charged with a felony that could land you behind bars for five, fifteen, thirty years, or more, and you don't show up to discuss your case with your attorney. Just blows my mind. . .


I'm always amazed with this kind of stuff. I've heard stories about people out on bail for piddly things, who miss their court dates and then serve actual prison time for very minor infractions. If I were ever in that situation, I would have more alarm clocks and family members calling me than I could count. If there was any potential of going to jail, I'd be at the court room at the crack of dawn.

 

[kb01]

Originally Posted By: 97tbird

and all our watches and clocks in the house are set to be 5 min faster.


My grandmother sets all of her clocks fast but at different increments ranging from 15 to 45 minutes. I never really understood the logic since she knows they're fast and could compensate on her own but the system obviously works for her. I don't think she's ever been late for anything.

 

[XS650]

Originally Posted By: ekpolk
I serve as a Public Defender here in Pensacola. Our client show-for-appointments rate is (at least mine is...) under 50%.

Amazing isn't it, when you think about it. You get a nearly free attorney appointed to represent you, you're charged with a felony that could land you behind bars for five, fifteen, thirty years, or more, and you don't show up to discuss your case with your attorney. Just blows my mind. . .


I'm going to go out on a limb here and guess that there is some connection between their behaviors that

1. Landed them in court

2. Left them without sufficient resources to hire a defense attorney

3.Causes them to show up late for important events

 

[ekpolk]

Originally Posted By: kb01
Originally Posted By: ekpolk
Y'all need to just quit yer beaching (OK, I'm guilty of a glancing blow to the censor...). I serve as a Public Defender here in Pensacola. Our client show-for-appointments rate is (at least mine is...) under 50%.

Amazing isn't it, when you think about it. You get a nearly free attorney appointed to represent you, you're charged with a felony that could land you behind bars for five, fifteen, thirty years, or more, and you don't show up to discuss your case with your attorney. Just blows my mind. . .


I'm always amazed with this kind of stuff. I've heard stories about people out on bail for piddly things, who miss their court dates and then serve actual prison time for very minor infractions. If I were ever in that situation, I would have more alarm clocks and family members calling me than I could count. If there was any potential of going to jail, I'd be at the court room at the crack of dawn.


And oddly enough -- you're not one of my clients (are you????

).
============================================

Originally Posted By: XS650
Originally Posted By: ekpolk
I serve as a Public Defender here in Pensacola. Our client show-for-appointments rate is (at least mine is...) under 50%.

Amazing isn't it, when you think about it. You get a nearly free attorney appointed to represent you, you're charged with a felony that could land you behind bars for five, fifteen, thirty years, or more, and you don't show up to discuss your case with your attorney. Just blows my mind. . .


I'm going to go out on a limb here and guess that there is some connection between their behaviors that

1. Landed them in court

2. Left them without sufficient resources to hire a defense attorney

3.Causes them to show up late for important events

Funny how such things work, isn't it. . .

I have a guy set for sentencing on a burglary case tomorrow. A jury found him guilty a month or so ago. The criminal record summary in his PSI (presentence investigation) takes up FIVE pages and goes back to 1991 when he was still a juvenile. He is eligible for an enhanced sentence (up to 30 years) as an HFO (habitual felony offender). And somehow, his plight is now my fault. . . Nevermind making appointments -- I count at least fifteen episodes of breaking into, and cleaning out, other people's homes. There's responsibility for you.

But hey, I'll never back down on protecting our constitution -- even if my client is a total [censored].

 

[crinkles]

Originally Posted By: ekpolk
Originally Posted By: kb01
Originally Posted By: ekpolk
Y'all need to just quit yer beaching (OK, I'm guilty of a glancing blow to the censor...). I serve as a Public Defender here in Pensacola. Our client show-for-appointments rate is (at least mine is...) under 50%.

Amazing isn't it, when you think about it. You get a nearly free attorney appointed to represent you, you're charged with a felony that could land you behind bars for five, fifteen, thirty years, or more, and you don't show up to discuss your case with your attorney. Just blows my mind. . .


I'm always amazed with this kind of stuff. I've heard stories about people out on bail for piddly things, who miss their court dates and then serve actual prison time for very minor infractions. If I were ever in that situation, I would have more alarm clocks and family members calling me than I could count. If there was any potential of going to jail, I'd be at the court room at the crack of dawn.


And oddly enough -- you're not one of my clients (are you????

).
============================================

Originally Posted By: XS650
Originally Posted By: ekpolk
I serve as a Public Defender here in Pensacola. Our client show-for-appointments rate is (at least mine is...) under 50%.

Amazing isn't it, when you think about it. You get a nearly free attorney appointed to represent you, you're charged with a felony that could land you behind bars for five, fifteen, thirty years, or more, and you don't show up to discuss your case with your attorney. Just blows my mind. . .


I'm going to go out on a limb here and guess that there is some connection between their behaviors that

1. Landed them in court

2. Left them without sufficient resources to hire a defense attorney

3.Causes them to show up late for important events

Funny how such things work, isn't it. . .

I have a guy set for sentencing on a burglary case tomorrow. A jury found him guilty a month or so ago. The criminal record summary in his PSI (presentence investigation) takes up FIVE pages and goes back to 1991 when he was still a juvenile. He is eligible for an enhanced sentence (up to 30 years) as an HFO (habitual felony offender). And somehow, his plight is now my fault. . . Nevermind making appointments -- I count at least fifteen episodes of breaking into, and cleaning out, other people's homes. There's responsibility for you.

But hey, I'll never back down on protecting our constitution -- even if my client is a total [censored].



you are noble for doing a job where people like myself would throw the towel in on the guy pretty early on and let him rot in jail.